Your Community, Your Voice, Your Access
It is our belief that public access media helps to build an informed and civically engaged community, creating a ripple effect across ages, genders, race, political views, economic status and professions. From students who learn skills that develop into a passion or even a career, to community members who are able to tune into government meetings from the comfort of their home and still be informed of local affairs, the diversity and breadth of our programs allows for High Five Access Media to engage with the entire Vail Valley.
High Five is primarily funded by cable subscriber fees provided to the towns of Vail and Avon from Comcast. As cable subscribers “cut the cord” and unsubscribe to cable television and use streaming services instead, High Five is embarking on a funding challenge and is seeking support from the community to continue its mission by expanding donations, underwriting and grants.
How You Can Support
With Your Help, We Can
"High Five Media has continuously provided a valuable service to us at SpeakUp ReachOut and we can’t thank them enough for the partnership. By offering free videography equipment as well as training on how to use it, we are able to record educational events and share them with the larger public. We are a suicide prevention coalition with a mission to spread awareness about mental health and what to do in times of crisis. Having our trainings and events ready to view for our community has been critical in getting our messages out there. The staff at High Five is extremely knowledgeable and has provided our team with camera basics and editing courses, skills that we would not have without their help. Also, having our speakers and trainings available to view on Channel 5 has been an added bonus! We are grateful for the services High Five provides at an affordable price to us as a non-profit and we look forward to a continued partnership."
Laura Alvarez, SpeakUP ReachOut
"To have quality video production, you need to be trained with the basics from people who know what they are talking about. People see crappy videos everywhere, and what tends to happen is that the audience or viewer becomes distracted and fixed on the poor-quality elements. But when you see a well-shot film, with high quality, that tells an accurate and well-told story, then it can really inspire others and create emotions inside them to become proactive. The viewers and the audience become focused on the content and not the quality.
"I do think having the ability to check out equipment for free is a great benefit. Nonprofits constantly rely on donors, volunteers, and the magic word of something being offered for 'free'. Also, nonprofits need to tell their story about who they serve, how they serve, and what impacts they are making. High quality video can most effectively do this."
-Ben Dodd, Vail Health
Our mission is to empower the local community, through media education and technology, to become civically engaged, express ideas, and advocate for causes.
Vail Valley Community Television 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.
The station offered the first opportunity for average citizens to produce their own television programs, while the cable channel ensured they could effectively communicate with the community.
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 local residents, 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 has offered video production workshops, whose participants, along with staff, went on to create several local-centric programs, including Reading of the Vail Daily with Josh Hall, Altitude Sickness, Mountain Valley Magazine and The Community Project. In the 90's 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.
In 2016, we changed our name to High Five Access Media, to more accurately reflect what we do and show the community the opportunities to get involved with access television.
Organization name
High Five Access Media
other names
High Five Access Media, Public Access TV 5, HFAM, Public Access 5
1985
Tax id (EIN)
84-1088782
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities, Education, Community Improvement & Capacity Building, Public & Societal Benefit, Youth Development
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
281 Metcalf Road, Unit 203 PO Box 5600Eagle County, CO, US