A Brief History, 35 Years in the Making:

“The Grass-Roots Network” was created in late 1971 by Katy and John Smith as the nation’s first not-for-profit community media network. Conceived to become a network of community operated TV and radio stations linking Roaring Fork Valley towns and unincorporated communities, radical 70’s Aspen quickly embraced the idea of an unlimited, non-conformist, communal media.  By 1976 Grass-Roots had industry standard production facilities and a staff of 12 which presented a challenge to its loose organizational and undefined funding structures.  When founder, John Smith, left in 1978, Grass-Roots lost its bearing and devolved into a closed club of professionals that mirrored the industry it was meant to counter. In 1979, the board and staff quit, leaving a depreciated facility of little use to its community. 

A devoted group of citizens, however, formed a new working board, and led by visionary Nick DeWolf, Grass-Roots was redeveloped albeit in a minimalist form, but back in tune with the original vision as a citizen-operated forum.  Simple equipment, volunteer staff, and amateur content did not attract contributions from the evolving upscale Aspen, however, and for the next two decades, Grass-Roots was trapped in a slow, downward spiral of staff turnover, inferior content, and weak funding. An attempt to raise revenues through standard TV advertising was defeated in 1985 by the cable company, wanting to retain control of all local ad sales.  A drive to attract financing to fulfill the original valley-wide vision in the late 80’s partially succeeded by extending the signal to Basalt.  By 1998, the community was again confronted with a decrepit facility, antiquated and unusable equipment, and a demoralized staff and board.

A new group of devout believers, forming a board led by former Pitkin County Commissioner Jim True, directed what is now called GrassRoots Television, through its toughest years.  The community packed the Wheeler Opera House to show its support for saving GrassRoots TV at the “Roots Jam ’98.”  1n 1999, the City of Aspen and Pitkin County committed funds from a new cable franchise agreement to purchase new production equipment.  GrassRoots TV then moved from the Aspen High School into its present location at the more convenient Red Brick Center for the Arts in downtown Aspen.  The present executive director, John Masters, was hired in 2001 with the goal of operating GrassRoots TV12 with a professional staff, serving and providing access to an amateur clientele, and using modern business practices -- while always staying true to the founding vision.  Since 2001, citizen-initiated production has tripled, a committed staff and revenues have grown and stabilized, Community Government TV (CGTV-11) was successfully launched, optic fiber now carries the GrassRoots TV12 signal throughout the valley, and programming is streaming worldwide on the internet at: www.grassrootstv.org.

Entering its 35th anniversary year, a recent scientific media survey found that 62% of Roaring Fork Valley cable subscribers watch GrassRoots TV programming every week on channel 12.  The majority of the audience has been a valley resident for over six years.  Most viewers have graduate level studies or degrees and have household incomes over $150,000 per year.  And, 43% say GrassRoots TV12 greatly adds value to their cable service while an impressive 91% say that GrassRoots TV12 greatly adds value to the community.