[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 41 (Thursday, March 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN RECOGNITION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ACCESS SACRAMENTO

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                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2011

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Access 
Sacramento, Sacramento's public access station, as they celebrate the 
station's 25th anniversary. It is a great pleasure to recognize the 
station's dedication to giving a voice to individuals, events and 
opinions that are often not seen on television. As Access Sacramento's 
supporters gather to celebrate this milestone, I ask all my colleagues 
to join me in honoring their leadership in community reporting.
  The Sacramento area was one of the last urban areas to be wired for 
cable television, and it was not until December 1983 that public access 
television came to Sacramento. Known then as Sacramento Cable, the 
station developed a system that would provide funding, channel space, 
and equipment for a wide variety of local programming. These resources 
were divided among a number of organizations, one of which was Access 
Sacramento.
  Over the last 25 years, Access Sacramento has overcome each challenge 
it has faced, and has adapted to meet the demand of a growing and 
ethnically diverse community. The station has earned an international 
reputation for success and has welcomed visitors from Europe, Africa, 
and Asia to see how the organization operates. Furthermore, Access 
Sacramento has been recognized for their quality programs, receiving 
many awards, including the prestigious ``Best Public Access Television 
in the Nation'', which it has won twice.
  Access Sacramento's success, however, is not simply measured in 
awards, but in their ability to provide viewers with an opportunity to 
hear and see important ideas and thoughts that often cannot be found on 
television. The organization prides itself on the thousands of unique 
and locally produced programs that are seen and made available through 
the station each year. As of this year, their annual budget has grown 
to exceed $650,000 with a staff of ten individuals and over 750 
volunteers. The station reaches 265,000 Sacramento residents and 
distributes more than 5,000 videos annually. It is clear that Access 
Sacramento is making a difference one voice at a time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Access Sacramento, and 
their continuous commitment to providing the Sacramento community with 
access to information that they would not have received from other 
media outlets. The past 25 years have been tremendously successful and 
I am sure they will continue to enjoy success in the future. While 
Access Sacramento's staff, supporters, and listeners gather together to 
celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary, I ask all my colleagues 
to join me in honoring their outstanding work in providing the 
community with local television and radio programming.

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