The Channel 50 Expansion Project is a way for the students of the Alleghany School system to learn by being involved in every aspect of the Broadcast Media Industry. They will be a part of a self-sustaining benefit to their community. Channel 50 is a part of the A. Anderson Huber Cyber Campus within Alleghany High School. The station was donated to the school system by Alleghany Cablevision, our local cable operator. For a long time it was used for free public broadcasts and school activities. The intent now is to expand the operations so more students can be involved in every part of the operation. This expansion will be a great service to the community by providing local news, entertainment, and county information that can be updated in a timely manner. At the present time, the only way news is provided to the local area is through a newspaper that is published once a week, and commercial television stations far from our area.
When funded, this program will involve students at every grade level, including Wilkes Community College. The program needs new and better equipment and staffing to make this project successful. With a one time funding for these items, Channel 50, will be financially self sustaining in the future by providing A/V services. These services would allow local businesses to sponsor different segments and advertise on our station. Work has begun on this project and businesses are excited about the ability to advertise to their local citizens.
Our intent is to give our local students a jump-start into the Broadcasting Industry through an educational setting. With this in mind, we hope to help our students have more opportunities to set future goals into areas they have had experience. We also pride ourselves in the fact that this is a community support program. The younger generation will be helping to that end as well, instilling pride, respect and self-confidence in the minds of our students.
A North Carolina PEG Grant was awarded to the Channel 50 Project in November, 2007. With these funds, enough equipment to make the dream begin to come true, was purchased and installed. Skyline Telephone Cooperative also gave the project a public access channel on their new digital television service, Channel 21, which will be in five counties in about five years. The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners and the Alleghany School Board came together to fund the first full time position for this project in September 2008. A Governing Board was convened and the name was changed to Alleghany Community Television. This unique project is now growing and teaching the students who are interested in this business while providing a growing information service for Alleghany County.