Within the 'Community Access' community, recognition of producers of Community Access content is most common. For more than a decade in our franchise, the cable company sponsored the Cable Access Producers Awards. In 2001 the CAP Award program was discontinued reportedly because it failed to meet the objective of sustaining community access and building community.

Video Festivals require a significant commitment of time, resources and if possible 'expert' reviewers. In Refranchise Public Hearings, producers identified 1) reviewer feedback and 2) credible competition as the most important aspects of award programs.

CACSCC Advisors reviewed of the contributions and failings of the CAP awards and reaffirmed the goal of community building as essential to any awards initiative. Similarly they acknowledge that producers were only part of the 'community access' community. The result of the review was the adoption of the Sustaining Community Access Award Program. This CACSCC sponsored program was in part a response to the void created by the company and the continued need for celebration of volunteer commitment. Concurrently, Advisors committed to pursue underwriting from the cable company for video festivals organized for broader cross-sections of community access producers such as ACM NE and USA.

Community Access often engages a volunteer on many fronts and often over several years.

Overall Excellence Award is for service and/or programs that contributed to a vibrant growth of Community Access as a vehicle for Community Building.

Content Award like CAP Awards recognize producers in one or more of the categories of Community Access
•By the People: Public Information, Opinion, Service & Talent
•Of the People: Education Life-Long Learning opportunities
•For the People: Government Local, State, Federal, International

Promotion Award affirms that 'Getting the word out' about local access opportunities is a significant component in the process of community building with Community Access.

Delivery Award recognizes those who are often behind the scences, developing and maintaining the organizational and physucal infrastructures that enable talents and interests to be shared the infrastructure and enabling the skills & talent

Audience Award Those that watch and important component of Community Access. Audiences can contribute by taking action, sharing, responding. Local sponsors are also among those whose contributions we recognize.