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> January 11th, 2007 - ACRA

GRASSROOTS TV12 NAMED
ASPEN CHAMBER NON-PROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

ASPEN, CO – GrassRoots TV12, the nation’s first community access television station celebrating its 35th anniversary year, was named Non-Profit Business of the Year by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association at its annual award luncheon at the Crystal Palace today.

“As we celebrate 35 years in this community, it is a pleasure to be recognized by the chamber as the non-profit business of the year.  We take serving both for profit and not for profit businesses in this community seriously, and over the years, have grown our service to them with better equipment and a professional staff, so that anyone can walk in the doors at GrassRoots TV and produce a show,” said John Masters, executive director at GrassRoots TV.

GrassRoots TV12’s involvement in civic, charitable, and professional organizations over the years is impressive and includes over 135 local non profits that accessed the station in 2006.   They are responsible for assuring that the citizens of this community have access to the media.  Unlike any other TV channel, GrassRoots TV12 defines and strengthens our community.   It is the only local media with a to mission provide unlimited opportunity of access so any individual, organization or business in the Roaring Fork Valley may communicate with the local community at large.  

Of the approximately 2000 unique GrassRoots TV users in 2006 (hosts, producers, guests), 48 percent came from Aspen.  In 2005, GrassRoot TV created 730 original programs which jumped to 872 original shows in 2006.  GrassRoots TV promotes not only business and economic development but also the Aspen community as a whole by providing a valuable tool that any Roaring Fork Valley resident or entity can access.

“Because GrassRootsTV12 users control the content by being and knowing the producers, it is bottom-up grassroots community interest, consensus and norms that determine the content and its limits.  Only community television allows community members themselves to determine the content.  Due to this combination of freedom and local relevancy, much of the content on GrassRoots TV12 cannot exist on any other channel which is why it is a true asset to the Aspen community and why this award is so valuable to us,” Masters said.

It is GrassRoots TV’s mission to strengthen the community by reducing the restrictions and barriers to media access.  For more information about GrassRoots TV programming, call 925-8000 or visit: www.grassrootstv.org for a schedule and live stream. 

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