Wilmington Comission to vote on the future of Channel 28

Comcast Cable Channel 28 has been Wilmington’s leased/public access channel for decades, broadcasting a mix of local programming, with half-hour ads featured prominently.

After Thursday, January 24, all that could change.

At 2:00 p.m. at Wilmington’s City/County Building, the Wilmington Cable, Video and Communication Commission will discuss and vote on the two options for the future of the channel: Remain under the control of the trade coalition Leased Access Preservation Association (LAPA) or become operated by DeTv, a Wilmington-based network founded by Ivan Thomas.

The city began accepting proposals in November from parties interested in serving the community with local information, news and commentary – something DeTv has been doing for past few years on its online network as well as on the existing Channel 28 via leased access.

(BTW, Thomas is also co-host of the City-backed “The Wilmington Show.”)

Thomas took to Youtube to share the DeTv vision for Channel 28, and to invite the community to come to the July 24 meeting:

LAPA hasn’t yet reached out to the community about the vote, but the organization’s stated mission is as follows:

“The Leased Access Programmers Association (“LAPA”) is a non profit trade organization serving its members in two primary ways. It’s first purpose is to promote the use of leased access cable TV channels as provided by the Cable Act of 1984, to provide programming of a local and general nature, to communities throughout the country and to promote the interests of individuals and companies who produce such programming.

Its second purpose is to provide educational training, member networking support, and a host of resources most of which are not available elsewhere.”