CAN TV empowers local journalism through affordable training

Since 1983, the nonprofit and communication company CAN TV (Chicago Access Network Television) has made it its mission to empower the “local story,” giving an unfiltered voice to community members around Chicago who may not otherwise find their stories accurately portrayed in traditional media outlets.

Today, CAN TV celebrates its 40th year of making an impact and uplifting underserved groups around the city. Executive Director Darrious Hilmon — a first-generation college student from Detroit who felt he didn’t always see real stories reflecting his background on the news — emphasized the drive behind CAN TV, saying that “no one can tell stories of the people better than those people.”

Raising a total of $1 million in private support, CAN TV has been able to provide community members with consistent and quality access to journalistic tools, while also providing hyper-local programming for viewers to consume.

CAN TV Offers Signature Television Productions

Capturing a quarter million live streams, CAN TV’s signature programs air on CAN TV19 weeknights at 7 p.m. CST and feature the following programming:

• Monday at 7 p.m. — Generation Flex with Melissa Donaldson showcases a roundtable of guests from various generations who discuss intriguing topics that may stir up varying opinions based on one’s generation in the hopes of understanding one another better.

• Tuesday at 7 p.m. — For the Culture with Christina Steed dives into the unique perspectives of Chicago’s diverse cultures to discuss everything from arts and entertainment, food and drink, trending news, diversity and inclusion, music, business, women’s issues and more.

• Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. — In the Arena with Darrious Hilmon highlights some of the most influential people who make Chicago the robust city it is today. The show features thought leaders, writers, politicians, athletes, entertainers, business owners, and newsmakers.

• Wednesday at 7 p.m. — Political Forum with Sylvia Snowden features hard discussions of pertinent political headlines with local legislators and newsmakers.

• Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. — Chicago Newsroom 2.0 with Vaughn Bryant hits on top local news stories of the week in a discussion with local journalists as guests.

• Thursday at 7 p.m. — Change Agents with Sufyan Sohel spotlights Chicago’s most critical issues like homelessness, hate crimes, and food inequity, and in turn introduces related nonprofit organizations fighting these issues.

• Thursday at 7:30 p.m. — In the Money with Kimberly Loftis includes personal finance conversations with experts in areas of finance, psychology, and business.

Aside from these popular shows, CAN TV offers plenty of ways to watch, including five local cable channels, 24/7 streaming capabilities, and podcasts.

CAN TV Provides Community Access to Film Training and Studio Production

CAN TV also offers affordable training sessions to help community members learn the art of video production. For production services — such as access to their studio, having a local event covered on one of their channels, hosting a television show on their platform, or simply sharing a video to their platform — Chicagoans can enroll for a CAN TV membership at $100 to gain full access. Those needing financial assistance with paying for membership or programs can apply for scholarships.

Community members are free to create and produce unfiltered content that best conveys their story as long as they follow FCC rules and regulations.

CAN TV Hosts Training for Chicago Youth

CAN TV’s Youth Voice Digital Literacy and Storytelling Institute is a 10-week program where cohorts learn the art of journalism and produce a documentary or podcast as their final project. Upon completion, some participants are often invited to stay on for a 6-month internship, and from there, several may get hired on permanently.

Learn more about everything CAN TV is doing to uplift community voices and tune into their schedule for hyper-local programming.