HCAT-TV: The Way to Go
With summer upon us, I’d like to review a subject that’s been building up inside of me for oh, I don’t know how long.
It was more than fifty years ago that the Beach Boys released their first album which included a song with lyrics that helped define the era:
Let’s go surfin’ now
Everybody’s learning how
Come on and safari with me
Well, time has marched on and the surviving original Beach Boys are all in their seventies, far more likely to be found dozing in the California sun, than shooting the curl or leading their friends on some misguided surfing safari. Equally outdated are those Hollistonian’s, who with remote in hand, embark on a channel surfing safari in their endless quest to find the outstanding programming provided by Holliston Cable Access Television.
Sure, at one time it was easy to find programs such as Holliston News and Views. That’s when Comcast was the only game in town, and the term “Cable 8” was widely recognized as the home for all things Holliston. But it’s not quite as simple now.
So how does one find the appropriate HCAT channel today? The process begins with the understanding that local access television stations are commonly referred to as PEG stations. This is because most stations are allotted three channels:
P = Public access channel, a channel reserved for the community to produce programming of a general nature.
E = Educational access, a channel reserved for programming relative to the schools.
G = Government access, a channel reserved for local government programming.
In Holliston, cable television is now provided by Comcast and Verizon. The Comcast channel assignments are 8 for Public access, 96 for Education access and 11 for Government access, while Verizon broadcasts Public at 32, Education at 33 and Government at 34.
Most HCAT programming is on the Public channel. Each channel broadcasts appropriate and relevant bulletin board information, sure to provide good vibrations as you fulfill your daily obligations.
Catch HCAT TV and you're sitting on top of the world.
For more information, visit www.hcattv.org.