Abstract

The legacy community media institutions known as Public, Educational, & Governmental access (or PEGs for short) are disappearing from the American consciousness. At the same time, social media platforms that allow users to upload and distribute their own creations have captured public attention. At first glance, social media platforms capture the spirit of community media, allowing anyone to be a media producer. Yet, their corporate profit-motive undermines any status as community media and lack the same democratic and education functions of PEGs. At a time, federal regulators are threatening mass deregulation and cuts to funding structures of community media institutions, threatening the future of many PEG institutions. In this thesis, I argue that PEGs are important community media. Drawing on a definition of community media by activist filmmaker Frances J. Berrigan, PEGs are different than corporate media, community-orientated and community managed. I document how these institutions are adapting to the internet and a changing regulatory situation. My analysis demonstrates how emerging practices within PEG provide a model for future community media.