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In the United States, Government-access television (GATV) is a type of specialty television channel created by government entities (generally local governments) and broadcast over cable TV systems or, in some cases, over-the-air broadcast television stations. GATV programming generally deals with public affairs, board meetings (i.e. municipal council, county commission, and school board), explanation of government services, and other public-service related programming such as public service announcements and longer public information films.

In the United States, laws regarding GATV are contained in the US Code, title 47, section 531 (47 U.S.C. § 531), and are enforced by the Federal Communications Commission. Since cable systems are privately owned entities (unlike broadcast television), the must-carry requirement for GATV channels is often drawn out in local franchising agreements for the municipality or county it operates in.

GATV is often associated with public-access television, such as with the term PEG channels.

Statewide government access channels

Caption text

U.S. state	Network
California	The California Channel
Connecticut	Connecticut Network
Florida	The Florida Channel
Illinois	Illinois Channel
Michigan	Michigan Government Television
Montana	TVMT
New York	NY-SCAN (defunct)
Ohio	The Ohio Channel
Oregon	The Oregon Channel (defunct)
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania Cable Network
Washington	TVW (Washington)
Wisconsin	WisconsinEye

See also

• C-SPAN
• Public, educational, and government access (PEG)

v t e Federal Communications Commission
Jessica Rosenworcel (2012–) Brendan Carr (2017–) Geoffrey Starks (2019–) Nathan Simington (2020–) Anna M. Gomez (2023–)
Chairs	Eugene O. Sykes (1934–1935) Anning Smith Prall (1935–1937) Frank R. McNinch (1937–1939) James Lawrence Fly (1939–1944) E. K. Jett (1944) Paul A. Porter (1944–1946) Charles R. Denny (1946–1947) Paul A. Walker (1947) Wayne Coy (1947–1952) Paul A. Walker (1952–1953) Rosel H. Hyde (1953–1954) George McConnaughey (1954–1957) John C. Doerfer (1957–1960) Frederick W. Ford (1960–1961) Newton N. Minow (1961–1963) E. William Henry (1963–1966) Rosel H. Hyde (1966–1969) Dean Burch (1969–1974) Richard E. Wiley (1974–1977) Charles D. Ferris (1977–1981) Robert Lee (1981) Mark S. Fowler (1981–1987) Dennis R. Patrick (1987–1989) Alfred C. Sikes (1989–1993) James Henry Quello (1993) Reed Hundt (1993–1997) William Kennard (1997–2001) Michael Powell (2001–2005) Kevin Martin (2005–2009) Michael Copps (2009) Julius Genachowski (2009–2013) Mignon Clyburn (2013) Tom Wheeler (2013–2017) Ajit Pai (2017–2021) Jessica Rosenworcel (2021–)
Statutory authority (Title 47 USC)	Communications Act of 1934 Brinkley Act All-Channel Receiver Act (1962) Communications Satellite Act of 1962 Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 Satellite Home Viewer Act (1988) Children's Television Act (1990) Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (1994) Telecommunications Act of 1996 Communications Decency Act Section 230 Child Online Protection Act (1998) Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act (1999) Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006 Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (2008) Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (2010) Local Community Radio Act (2010) Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010
Regulations and policies (Title 47 CFR)	Title 47 CFR Part 15 Title 47 CFR Part 68 Title 47 CFR Part 97 Broadcast licensing and facilities 1978 Broadcast Policy Statement on minority ownership 2008 United States wireless spectrum auction Ancillary Terrestrial Component Antenna structure registration AWS-3 auction Broadcast call signs Broadcast flag Broadcast license Broadcast range Broadcasting duopoly Carriage dispute City of license Class A television service Clear-channel station Comparative hearing Dark and silent stations Dispersal of ownership Facility ID FM Non-Duplication Rule (1964–1986) Frequency coordinator Local marketing agreement MVDDS dispute Program test authority Public file Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service Reference distance Rimshot broadcasting Significantly viewed signals permitted to be carried Special temporary authority United States National Radio Quiet Zone Broadcasting content and programming Actionable indecency Broadcasting watershed Emergency Alert System Equal-time rule Family Viewing Hour Fairness doctrine (1949–1987) Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (1970–1993) Fleeting expletive Government-access television Mayflower doctrine (1941–1949) Must-carry Non-commercial educational station Personal attack rule Pervasiveness doctrine Prime Time Access Rule Public-access television Retransmission consent Seven dirty words Syndication exclusivity Zapple doctrine (1970–2014) Telephone and the Internet Carterfone decision Common carrier Comparably efficient interconnection Competitive local exchange carrier Emergency telephone number Enhanced 911 FCC Computer Inquiries Second Computer Inquiry FCC mark FCC registration program Feature group FCC Open Internet Order Incumbent local exchange carrier Lifeline program National Broadband Plan National Do Not Call Registry Personal Communications Service Basic Trading Areas Telecommunications Service Priority Priority level Total element long run incremental cost Universal Licensing System Universal Service Fund E-Rate
Litigation	Supreme Court FCC v. Sanders Brothers Radio Station (1940) National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943) United States v. Southwestern Cable Co. (1968) Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC (1969) FCC v. Pacifica Foundation (1978) CBS, Inc. v. FCC (1981) Sable Communications of California v. FCC (1989) Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC (1990) Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. FCC (1994) Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2002) Nixon v. Missouri Municipal League (2004) National Cable & Telecommunications Ass'n v. Brand X Internet Services (2005) FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2009) FCC v. AT&T Inc. (2011) FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2012) FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project (2021) Other federal cases Hush-A-Phone Corp. v. United States (1956) American Radio Relay League, Inc. v. FCC (1980) Schurz Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1992) Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod v. FCC (1998) SBC Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1998) Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Ass'n v. FCC (2001) United States Telecom Association v. FCC (2004) Comcast Corp. v. FCC (2010) Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2014) Tennessee v. FCC (2016) Mozilla Corp. v. FCC (2019) Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC (2019) Consumers' Research v. FCC (2023)
Agency publications	Blue Book (1946) FCC Record (1986–)
Advisory committees	FCC Network Study Committee Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services North American Numbering Council Spectrum Task Force Technical Advisory Council
Predecessor agencies	Interstate Commerce Commission Mann–Elkins Act Radio Act of 1912 Willis Graham Act Federal Radio Commission Radio Act of 1927 Davis Amendment General Order 32 General Order 40 Grand Island FCC Monitoring Station
Related	AllVid Broadband.gov Broadcasting in the United States Radio Television Communications in the United States "FCC Song" Federal Communications Bar Association Howard Stern Show fines Media cross-ownership in the United States Modem tax National Exchange Carrier Association Net neutrality in the United States Open spectrum "PTV" RM-2493 Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids Telecommunications policy of the United States "Television and the Public Interest" Wireless Ship Act of 1910

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