Fairfax Public Access

Public Access Organization
Control Room B at FPA after the July 2011 upgrade project
Name	Fairfax Public Access
Acronym	FPA
Carriers	Cox Cable Verizon Fios Comcast Cable (Reston)
Channels	Channel 10 Channel 30 Channel 36 Channel 37 Radio Fairfax WRLD International Radio
Charter Type	Public
Founded	October 1981
High-Definition	No
Location	2929-S Eskridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Owner	Fairfax Cable Access Corporation
Website	www.fcac.org

Fairfax Public Access (FPA) is a trade name for a Virginia non-stock corporation, Fairfax Cable Access Corporation, that was incorporated in October 1981 as a non-profit Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable tv station based in Fairfax, Virginia, and operates four cable TV channels.

In 1984, FPA operations came under the Cable Communications Act of 1984, that permitted US cable companies to fund local organizations to provide training and access to media technology to the general public. That Act facilitated cable companies' carriage of programming created by those local organizations.

Fairfax Cable Access Corporation was formed in 1981 to maintain ownership for the public.

FPA operates Channel 10 for general purpose television shows in English, Channel 30 for general purpose television shows in languages other than English, Channel 36 for spiritual and religious programming and Channel 37 for cable-cast radio. In addition, FPA provides Internet-streaming for its radio broadcasting.

Following its chartered mandate, FPA offers inexpensive, intensive, hands-on training on both studio and field cameras, tape-to-tape editing, non-linear editing, writing for television, makeup for television, newscasting, acting, audio engineering, and all control-room equipment.

Producer-Ownership: One of FPA's most popular policies establishes producer-ownership of television shows produced there, even when their productions use FPA equipment and facilities. For shows supported by free FPA equipment and facility, FPA requires exclusive distribution rights for the first year. Nevertheless, FPA has frequently issued waivers to allow producers to distribute shows to other non-profit public-access stations during the first year. After the first year, the producer may sell or distribute their production in any way they wish.

Certification: FPA-provided training or a competency test must be passed before anyone may use FPA equipment.

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