Two strong forces served as catalysts for the growth of public access television in Dayton. One was Roxie Cole.  Cole became Executive Director and managed the organization for the next thirteen years.  The second force was a nine-member Board of Trustees. 

This board was chosen from a cross section of citizens living in the city. It was their vision and community commitment that helped Cole develop policies, procedures and the encouragement needed in order to form the basis of an award winning public access television station. On April 4, 1979, Dayton Public Access Television, Inc. (dba DATV) was incorporated as a nonprofit, 501© (3) organization in the State of Ohio.

For approximately six years the building known as the “White House” on the grounds of the Seminary was home to public access. In 1983 DATV moved into the rear of the Viacom Cable building at 275 Leo Street. 

On March 1st, 1992 Access-30-Dayton changes its name to DATV, Dayton Access Television.

The name change coincides with its channel relocation to channel 20 from its previous location channel 30.

After fifteen years of using other people’s facilities, DATV purchased their own building at 280 Leo Street, directly across from the cable building.  On Monday, September 14, 1992, at 3 PM DATV volunteer Clarence Hogan aired the first show, Dayton Black Unity Performers from that facility.

The white building, with blue lettering, is a renovated 10,000 square foot building. It has a 40X50 studio, four edit suites, internet kiosk, volunteer lounge, conference room, administration offices and a training room. The total price tag for this state of the art television facility geared toward the Dayton community was nearly $700,000. But when it was completed, it gave the citizens of Dayton the Freedom to Communicate by becoming volunteer/producers and creating their own non-commercial television programs.

The inventory has grown from black and white cameras to top of the line digital cameras.   Producers now have the capability to edit from digital to SVHS, do A/B rolls, use an Avid non-linear edit system or the Trinity editing system which includes the titling software, Titlewave. The second Wednesday of each month free orientations are given to any local citizen who desires to become a volunteer/producer at DATV.

DATV has advanced to seven full time staff members and six part time employees whereas Access 30 had only one. The nine member Board of Trustees has been expanded to eleven members who represents a broad spectrum of the Dayton community. And DATV has moved from Channel 30 to Channel 20. 

DATV becomes the first local TV station to have its own website when it debuts www.datv.org.

DATV becomes nationally recognized by awards won by the staff and by their involvement in the regional and national Alliance for Community Media.  In 1995, DATV hosted the Alliance for Community Media’s Regional Conference and Philo T. Farnsworth Video Awards held at the Dayton Marriott Hotel.  Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels staff, producers and volunteers from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky participated in a three day conference. 

During 1997 the programming seen on DATV was judged to be the best in the nation in the large access center category and was honored by the Alliance for Community with the Hometown Video Festival Award for Overall Excellence in Public Access Programming. 

DATV Executive Director John Rocco resigned his position effective February 3rd 2006. John was offered the unique opportunity to help build the future of Public Access Television in the City of Charlotte North Carolina at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Access Corporation. During his tenure at DATV, both DATV and the City of Dayton have been recognized nationally for their outstanding work in the field of Public Access Television. Dayton serves as a model of citizen participation and it is this type of community involvement that many cities hope to emulate.
     

DATV’s Board of Trustees announced the selection of DATV’s new Executive Director. After a nation wide search, Rick Hayes was chosen to lead DATV beginning on July 1st.

Hayes is no stranger to Dayton or DATV. He served as DATV’s (then Access-30-Dayton) Operations Manager from 1986 until 1987 under DATV’s founding Executive Director Roxie Cole. Hayes was only the fourth Executive Director in DATV’s 28 year history. He replaced John Rocco who left DATV in January to become Executive Director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Access Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina.

DATV celebrates 30 years of “Giving Dayton The Freedom To Communicate”. DATV’s first program was televised on March 1st, 1978.

DATV holds its first ever Telethon. The program features dozens of local acts and celebrities who volunteered their time to help raise money to support DATV.

DATV Executive Director Rick Hayes resigns.

DATV Operations Manager Steve Ross was named as DATV’s new Executive Director by its Board of Trustees at its meeting held on Monday, August 11, 2008.Ross had previously served as Operations Manager for the past 19 years.

Ross will be the 5th Executive Director in the thirty year history of DATV. He was originally hired by DATV’s founder and first Executive Director Roxie Cole. “Roxie taught me what a tremendous impact that Public Access television can have in the community,” said Ross. “Her love and passion for DATV still lives on in the hearts of our nearly 500 members.”

DATV signs a new 10 year contract with the City of Dayton to provide community media services.

DATV expanded its programming reach into Dayton’s northern suburbs on Time Warner Cable  on Tuesday, June 10th. DATV will be filling the void left by the closing of CAC which was previously operated by Time Warner in the northern viewing area.

DATV’s new mobile production truck debuts.