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HISTORY 1982

• Storer Cable granted franchise for Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale.


• Northwest Suburbs Community Access Corporation is formed as a nonprofit corporation to serve the nine northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 26, 1982.


• Thomas Aaker, Charles Dehn, Eric Blank, Ronald West, Larry Davenport, William Shragg, Robert Cilke, Wallace Kammann, Daniel Donahue, Howard Kampf, Duane Orn, Edward Sanders, Arthur Hogenson, and James Schurter serve as members of the first Board of Directors.


• Executive Director Ken Johnson and Secretary Gerri Hanken are the first employees hired.


• Manager Tom Stark and NWSCAC Liaison Mike Johnson are the first employees hired by the cable company to oversee the production, playback facilities and community programming.


• The Brooklyn Center studio opens in the Northbrook Shopping Center in December.


• The first workshop is conducted on December 9 with a senior citizens group.


• The channel lineup for community programming includes ten channels (does not include educational and library access channels).

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• Greg Moore is hired as Executive Director on January 3.


• Mobile Van 1 is purchased.


• Brooklyn Park and New Hope studios open.


• First playback hours are established as follows: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 5:15pm–10:00pm; Tuesday 6:30pm–10:00pm; Friday 3:00pm–5:00pm; Saturday, no programming.


• 173 programs are produced.

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• Plymouth and Maple Grove studios open.


• Mobile Van 2 is purchased.


• The Women's Access Cooperative, Production Club, Interfaith Access Cooperative are formed.


• Saturday hours are made available for program production.


• First awards ceremony is held June 1.


• 857 programs are produced.

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• The Board of Directors of the Northwest Suburbs Community Access Corporation approves name change to Northwest Community Television (NWCT).


• All community access and production employees hired from 1982 to 1985 are hired by Storer Cable.


• Storer sells the cable system to Suburban Cablevision Company a.k.a. Cable TV Northwest.


• All cable company community access staff and production employees become employees of NWCT.


• Production equipment becomes property of NWCT.


• Brooklyn Center studio closes.


• NWCT purchases first computer.


• 1005 programs are produced.

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• Northwest Community Television moves to a brand new building at 6900 Winnetka Avenue in Brooklyn Park in June.


• 958 programs are produced.

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• Northwest Community Television begins automating a channel.


• The Twin Cities Regional Cable Channel 6 begins programming to 300,000 metro area cable homes from the NWCT building on October 4.


• Community programming channels move to channels 32 through 37 on October 14.


• 1168 programs are produced.

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• Northwest Community Television amends mission statement to read "The Goal of NWCT Is Subscriber Satisfaction".


• First scientific viewership survey is conducted.


• The Viewer Response Line is added.


• Maple Grove and Plymouth studios close.


• Northwest Community Television trains 3000th area resident how to operate television equipment.


• 1313 programs are produced

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• "Northwest Edition" news program begins taping weekly in February on Channel 32.


• New equipment is installed in NWCT's two mobile production vans in August and September.


• Two more channels are automated.


• Viewership is up 50% over 1988.


• Suburban Cablevision sells cable system to King Videocable.


• 1574 programs are produced.

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• In July, 24 hour local community news starts on Channel 35. "Northwest Edition" starts taping twice weekly.


• Program guide on Channel 32 is improved—the channel not only lists NWCT's programming schedule but also shows video highlights of NWCT programming, an up-to-date local weather forecast provided by the national weather service, and the time and date.


• All channels are automated.


• Programming is scheduled 24 hours a day on Channels 32 through 37.


• The New Hope studio is enlarged by building on a set storage area and remodeling the studio, control room and office.


• New equipment is installed in the Brooklyn Park and New Hope studios.


• The Kid Vision production group forms in October.


• 1756 programs are produced.

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• NWCT is recognized by the Minnesota Community Television Awards with 15 programs named as finalists and three programs named winners.


• On a national level, NWCT has six finalists and one winner—"Northwest Edition" is awarded a Hometown USA video award in the news series category.


• 2132 programs are produced.

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• King Videocable sells the cable system to Colony Communications Company. Colony continues to operate using King Videocable's name.


• July 26 marks the ten year anniversary of Northwest Community Television.


• Northwest Community Television has trained 5,000 people in television production since 1983.


• 2698 programs are produced.

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• "Northwest Edition" and "Northwest Cities" are reformatted to fit into a half hour. "Northwest Edition" is renamed "News 35 Northwest" and begins taping daily rather than biweekly.


• Northwest Community Television receives recognition from Local Cable Ace competition for Overall Commitment To Community Programming as well as being a finalist in the News category.


• A new mobile van is purchased in August.


• 2648 programs are produced.

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• On July 11, Northwest Community Television's channels 32 through 37 move to channel 12 and channels 34 through 37.


• In July, NWCT's cable news and events channel moves from channel 35 to channel 12. "News 35 Northwest" is renamed "Cable 12 News".


• NWCT emphasizes quality rather than quantity in events coverage.


• "Cable 12 News" begins regular cablecasting of CNN's Headline News Local Edition in September.


• 2476 programs are produced.

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• Continental Cablevision purchases Colony Communications Company. Continental continues to operate using King Videocable's name.


• On November 20, Cable 12 goes on the air with a brand new look and changes to serve viewers better.


• 2376 programs are produced.

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• Cable 12, NWCT's local origination operation, begins accepting commercial advertising in March.


• Cable 12 enters the digital age with the purchase of Panasonic's PostBox nonlinear edit system in April and DVCpro in December.


• Cable 12's "Community Journal" debuts April 3.


• Cable 12 receives an award from Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine for having the Best Local "Local" Newscast.


• "Cable 12 News" receives a national Hometown Award for Best Newscast on July 18.


• US West Telephone Company acquires Continental Cablevision. US West must divest of Northwest Cable System within 18 months due to federal legislation.


• Northwest Cable Commission and NWCT Board approve a three year equipment upgrade plan for digital production equipment and other support equipment.


• Northwest Cable Commission leases space to US West for cellular telephone tower.


• Cable 12 begins a live morning news program, "Cable 12 Mornings", October 1.


• Four editing rooms are added in November.


• Construction begins on a storage structure for the NWCT building. This is the first major modification to the building since it was constructed in 1986. Excavation begins December 2.


• 2317 programs are produced.

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• Northwest Community Television hires its first full-time news director for Cable 12 news productions in February.


• Northwest Community Television becomes a member of the Associated Press in March.


• July 26 marks the 15th anniversary of Northwest Community Television.


• Northwest Community Television receives a Hometown Video Festival Award for Best Local Election Coverage.


• Northwest Community Television files an application with the FCC to operate a microwave transmission truck.


• NWCT installs Odetics hard drive system in September for Cable 12 programming replays.


• An evening newscast, "Cable 12 Nightcast", debuts September 8 on Cable 12 along with a new weekly sports show called "SportsJam".


• Community access producers begin using new SVHS camcorders.

• Since its inception, NWCT has trained over 6,000 area residents in the use of television production equipment.


• 1258 programs are produced.

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• Cable 12 Advertising adds first sales account executive in April.


• Northwest Community Television web site goes online in April at www.nwct.org.


• MediaOne becomes the new owner of the cable system.


• Construction begins on the new public access addition in June.


• On July 9, Cable 12 receives 3 national Hometown awards for "Local Vote '97", "Cable 12 News", and "John & Jay's SportsJam". Volunteer producer, Al Pabon, also receives a Hometown award for "Slick Mick's Bodyslam Revue".


• Northwest Community Television obtains FCC license for microwave transmission system. First use of this technology occurs in September.

• Channel 12 partners with the Robbinsdale Armstrong and Robbinsdale Cooper Hockey Boosters to start the Channel 12 Northwest Girls Hockey Tournament during the Christmas holiday weekend. 

• Channel 12 begins a partnership with the North Hennepin Chamber and Hennepin Parks to promote and support the Autumn Woods Classic Run.

• The New Hope studio closes December 31.


• 1108 programs are produced.

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• The new public access center opens March 1. Official ribbon cutting ceremony with NWCT's Board of Directors is April 7; official Open House is April 24.


• First nonlinear edit system is installed for public access producers.


• Cable 12 News receives a major change in its on-air look in May with the addition of two permanent news sets.


• "Northwest Cities" is honored locally by the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators and nationally by the City-County Marketing Association.


• On October 1, Northwest Community Television unveils its new and improved web site, www.nwct.org, and its Cable 12 counterpart, www.cable12.com.


• MediaOne begins realignment of cable channels in October.


• New Cable 12 ENG live truck arrives November 19.


• 971 public access programs are produced.

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• The Northwest Suburbs Cable Communications Commission and Northwest Community Television recognize John T. Irving and Ray Stockman for their years of dedicated service, 30 and 29 respectively, on January 20.


• Logomotion adds to Cable 12's on-air look—this function displays the time, weather and channel ID in the lower right corner of programming.


• Cable 12 becomes a major sponsor of Golden Valley's annual Run the Valley 5K/10K Walk/Run in April.


• Northwest Community Television/Cable 12 wins the national Hometown Video Festival's award for best web site of the year in July.


• Voluntary contributions for Cable 12 begin Fall 2000.


• The Northwest Suburbs Cable Commission approves the transfer of ownership from MediaOne to AT&T at their October meeting.


• Cable 12 partners with Brookdale in November to promote its upcoming remodeling project.


• NWCT volunteers create 991 programs in 2000.

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• In February 2001, Cable 12 changes its name to Channel 12.


• AccuWeather is launched both on-air and on the web on March 1.


• On May 14, Channel 12's web site address changes from www.cable12.com to www.twelve.tv.


• Public Access department begins researching digital equipment for its facility upgrade slated for 2002.


• Full implementation of new logos for Northwest Community Television (NWCT) and Channel 12.


• Channel 12 is nominated for five Emmy awards and receives two winning entries for "Remembering the Heroes" and the "Robbinsdale Bus Strike".

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• Public Access equipment upgrades to digital.


• Our 20th year anniversary is July 26.


• Comcast purchases cable system from AT&T in December.

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• Channel 12's Sports Jam unveils a new set in August.

Key stories/newscasts: Road rage incidents, Rebecca Nelson’s hit and run unsolved mystery in Maple Grove


• The public access producers of "Seniors On Screen" produce their 800th show October 4.


• NWCT volunteers create 1004 programs in 2003.

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• Northwest Community Television's web site, www.nwct.org, is redesigned and goes online March 2.

• NWCT volunteers create 1147 programs in 2004.

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• Channel 12 news featured in the Star Tribune

• Channel 12 partners with the Grand Rios Hotel for the year long “I Watch 12” campaign

• 12 News brings viewers live coverage of President George W. Bush as he visits Maple Grove.

• NWCT volunteers create 1132 programs in 2005.

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• Channel 12 makes several programming changes and launches the new “12 In Touch Hour” format.
• “12 In Touch Weekends” airs for the first time. The new program gives local organizations an opportunity to promote seasonal events, upcoming fundraisers and other topics of interest in a talk show format.
• Photographer Ben Kroll places second for two NPPA awards for the news stories “Plymouth Oaks Fire” and “Jim Comes Home.”
• Photographer Dustin Scholl receives an NPPA award for the “Tourney Tribute”

• Photographer Ben Kroll receives NPPA regional 2nd place award for “Monticello Swans” story with Lisa Furgison
• NWCT studio manager, Matt Olson, won several awards at the Minnesota 48 Hour Film Fest for his piece “Birthmarked for Death.” Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Use of Character and Fan Favorite were among his honors.
• Sports Jam returns to airwaves in September
• Channel 12 News reformats newscast from “12 In Touch” to a 30 minute news cast
• Channel 12 Village makes it’s parade debut
• Sandy Doberstein, long time receptionist retires 

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