Mission
Our mission is to empower the local community, through media education and technology, to become civically engaged, express ideas, and advocate for causes.
About
High Five Access Media is a nonprofit, noncommercial community access media center located in Avon, Colorado. We serve Eagle County by providing video production education, access to professional equipment, and distribution of programming on local cable television on Comcast Channel 5, and across internet and social media platforms. In addition, we provide coverage of government proceedings, nonprofits, and community events.
Hight Five is available on Comcast Channel 5 in the upper Eagle Valley. But we’re more than just a television station. If you cut the cord, subscribe to satellite TV, or live down valley, all programming is simulcast at Live on Five and available anytime, on demand.
We are primarily funded by franchise fees provided to the towns of Vail and Avon from Comcast. The towns hold franchise agreements with Comcast. These agreements allow the cable operator to distribute their programming on cables in public-owned rights of way and make a profit. In return for using these right of ways, Comcast pays the towns a portion of their profits to the towns, which approve funding for High Five. The franchise agreements may be found on the Vail and Avon websites. We also receive funding through grants, donations, underwriting, and production services. If you're interested supporting High Five, consider making a donation or underwriting a program, or get involved.
thank you to our major funders!
History
1970s
Public access television sprouted in Vail during the 1970s, when tenacious residents began a quest to push local officials and the cable company to create a channel on cable television for locals to express their ideas and talk about issues important to the community.
1980s
Vail Valley Community Television (now High Five Access Media) began cablecasting on Channel 5 in 1983 from a studio in the old Town of Vail public works shop. With a couple 3/4-inch studio cameras, a field camera and some editing equipment, several residents hopped on board the electronic soapbox and public access television was born in Vail.
Our first program was News Vail, an hour-long, weekly show that offered insight into issues affecting the valley. The station provided video training for dozens of locals, who pitched in to produce the program. Many of these community producers went on to careers in media.
In 1985, Vail Valley Community Television was incorporated as a nonprofit organization.
Over the years, Channel 5 began creating several local-centric programs, including Reading of the Vail Daily with Josh Hall, Altitude Sickness and Mountain Valley Magazine.
1990s
In the ‘90s, Vail Valley Community Television began its coverage of Vail Town Council meetings, an effort that has grown to include the Town of Avon and several other government entities.
2000s and beyond
Today, High Five Access Media is a nimble organization evolving to meet the needs of the greater community both locally and globally. By including internet distribution and constantly evolving media production efforts and education, the organization is at the forefront of local media, serving a role in our community that would not be filled otherwise. High Five Access Media has evolved to be on the cutting edge with diverse content on social media. Every year we serve more than 100 youth across all Eagle County high schools, and dozens of adults and nonprofits.