Before Twitter, before YouTube, before the Internet, there was Public Access Television. A game changer that gave ordinary people a voice in their local community. No longer did you have to rely on the interpretations of a newspaper reporter to learn what happened at the City Council, or wait for a sound bite from the local radio newscast. You could see it and hear it live on Public Access TV.

Today, while the remaining cash-strapped newspapers are struggling to hold an audience and radio talk shows focus on national and world issues, Public Access TV remains focused on local issues, events, and personalities.

Over the last 50 years, Public Access Television in Marshfield has established itself as an information source for our city government, local events and community life. During the month of May Marshfield Public Television (MPT) Channels 989 and 990 are paying tribute to Marshfield’s local history by resurrecting videos and programming hasn't been seen in more than forty years. “I wish we could have digitized all our tapes sooner because the content is disappearing due to the age of the tapes,” said City of Marshfield Communications Director Tom Loucks. “Unfortunately, some programs are still locked away on the old ¾ inch tape format and working players are pretty hard to find.”

Long-time community producer Mike Weigel has been sifting through hundreds of videotapes and is in the process of digitizing them. Mike said, “It's really fascinating to see. And for younger viewers, it's a chance to actually see those pivotal moments that shaped Marshfield.” Dean Markwardt, a local resident and a community producer provided Marshfield Broadcasting with the videos he saved, which go back to the late 1970s and 1980s.

Mike Weigel reporting on his show, ***It’s Happening!***

Public access TV really became a part of the community in the 1990s and 2000s. Mike recalled the impact that his series from 2005, It's Happening! had on viewers. At that time, public access was still on channel 2. “Sometimes people would come up to me in the store and talk about the show. It happened to my hosts a lot, too. I remember one time a fan was telling me how much she appreciated the show and I asked which episode? She told me it was the one about the Hannah Center. I had to think for a minute. ‘The Hannah Center?’ I replied. ‘That was six months ago!’ She remembered!”

“Hopefully, for our viewers, Marshfield Broadcasting’s history month will bring back a lot good memories,” said Tom. “I hope this will also show people the real value of Public Access TV. Because without it, none of these golden moments would even exist.”

Marshfield Public Access Television concert coverage on an SD television set.

Locally, you can watch these golden moments from Marshfield's past all through the month of May beginning on Saturday, May 7. Channel 989, the City of Marshfield’s public access channel, will debut Marshfield Broadcasting’s carriage of historic programs with mini-marathons the weekend of May 7. These mini-marathons will continue all month between normal programming. Channel 990, the city’s educational access channel, will carry historic programming “wall to wall” all month. Channel 991, the city’s government access channel will continue with its current-day government coverage. Anyone with Internet access can also watch the shows on-demand beginning May 9. Marshfield Broadcasting is on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV and on marshfieldbroadcasting.com.

So, pop some popcorn, pull up your easy chair and relive some of Marshfield's golden moments.

-- Mike Weigel, Community Producer and Tom Loucks, Communications Director, City of Marshfield