Sundance Review: Public Access is a Colorful Tribute to Creativity

      In a vibrant celebration of creativity and the limits of free speech, David Shadrack Smith’s Public Access revisits the origins of cable television, offering a rich oral history that captures its role as a societal mirror and the emergence of media creator culture. The early radical democracy and experimentation of public-access television were reflected in the work of innovators such as video artist Nam June Paik and the collective Videofreex. A year after the launch of Channel C by Manhattan Cable Television, the Videofreex, then situated in Lanesville, New York, initiated their own pirate TV station, as showcased in Jon Nealon and Jenny Raskin’s significant documentary Here Come the Videofreex.

      Manhattan Cable Television (MCT) introduced its first public-access station, Channel C, in 1971, during a pre-YouTube era when it was essential for cable utilities to provide airtime for independent creators. Public access only became profitable for MCT’s parent company, Time Warner, with the introduction of Channel J—a “leased” access station that aired explicit content from the notorious swingers’ club, Plato’s Retreat.

      Under Smith’s guidance, alongside editor Geoff Gruetzmacher and archival producer Anne-Marcelle Ngabirano, Public Access serves as both an oral and visual chronicle of MCT’s stations. The film includes interviews with staff, on-air personalities, hosts, and executives who were initially inspired by the platform's potential. Staff members Emily Armstrong and Pat Ivers regarded the station as a representation of art and community, viewing New York as a “testing ground for change” in culture, technology, and sexuality. They liken the influential club CBGB to public access television, noting how both have since been commodified, with nostalgia and creative expression turned into profit. Smith opts to emphasize the creative output itself rather than the subsequent “creator economy,” which tends to prioritize audience engagement over personal artistry. Early programming, as Time Warner Vice President and self-described “First Amendment lunatic” Charlotte Jones notes, provided a platform for voices far removed from mainstream narratives.

      Initial Channel C programs allowed artists to "make their own damn media," with shows like TV Party that celebrated the downtown art scene and featured guests such as Fab Five Freddy, Amos Poe, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Debbie Harry, and David Byrne, giving these future icons a public venue for their expressions. Over time, however, the programming evolved to include content like Speak Your Piece, a “weekly sexual survey,” and Al Goldstein’s Midnight Blue, which presented live reports from the peep shows of 42nd Street. These programs tread a delicate line, eventually leading Channel J to become an opt-in station that was scrambled by default.

      Channel J also provided an essential platform for queer-friendly content, showcasing programs like Men In Films, Emerald City, and Lou Maletta and Michael Musto’s Gay Cable Network, which offered critical information on AIDS during a period when mainstream discourse on prevention and safe sex was lacking. This explicit content sparked debates surrounding free speech, with figures such as Al Goldstein suing to challenge measures that made Channel J less accessible, viewing these as infringements on his expressive rights.

      Similar to Ondi Timoner’s We Live in Public, Smith’s Public Access explores the limits of expression in a restrictive environment. It is evident that in an environment of total freedom, human behavior can shift toward extremes, even if these experiments begin innocuously. It should be noted that pornography has historically been at the forefront of technological advancement, from home video to streaming services, and public access was no different—while Channel J created challenges for Time Warner executives during the Reagan administration, it became a vital resource for the LGBTQ community.

      Despite Smith and his team's extensive archival work, Public Access provides a remarkable overview of the first wave of content creators who laid the groundwork for today’s YouTubers and podcasters. While some voices, like teenager Jake Fogelnest from Squirt TV, eventually achieved mainstream success through MTV, the archive is so abundant that encapsulating this televised revolution in just 107 minutes is a daunting task. For anyone looking to explore this history, both Public Access and Here Come the Videofreex are essential viewings.

      Public Access made its debut at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.