Mission

For a democratic society to function properly, citizens must participate in their government, be educated to think critically and be able to freely communicate their ideas. The Peoples Channel and Durham Community Media’s mission is to advance democratic ideals by ensuring that people have access to electronic media and by promoting effective communication through community uses of media.

What We Do

Since 1998, The Peoples Channel has provided Chapel Hill area residents, organizations, agencies and institutions with media training, video equipment, production assistance and related services on a first-come, first-served, First Amendment basis.The Peoples Channel is a Public Access TV station that serves Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and most of Orange and Chatham Counties by cablecasting the productions of local residents.

In 2007, North Carolina saw the passage of legislation that could have wiped out Public Access for our communities. Thankfully, because of our supporters, a dedicated staff and our local officials, we were able to protect The Peoples Channel's funding. However, this was not the case for our neighbors in Durham who had no ability to collect funding for public access. For 30+ years, public access was managed by Time Warner Cable in Durham, but under the new legislation they were no longer required to do so. The City of Durham agreed to contract with The Peoples Channel for basic public access TV services. TPC was allotted $110,000 to build and operate a public access station and community media center for one year. Then on May 4, 2009, DCM18 went on the air.

In the United States, public access is an alternative system of television which originated as a response to disenchantment with commercial broadcasting systems, and in order to fulfill some of the social potential of cable television. Public access was created to provide a free-speech forum, open to all on a first-come, first-served basis without discrimination or favoritism based on content.

The Peoples Channel (TPC) is the Public Access TV station and Community Media Center for Chapel Hill & Orange County on Time Warner Cable channel 8, in Carrboro on channel 4. Durham Community Media (DCM18) is the Public Access TV station and Community Media center for the City of Durham and Durham County on Time Warner Cable channel 18.