After many, many months of studies, proposals and negotiations, we're happy to report that Access Tucson is moving forward with plans to co-locate with Tucson 12 and to incorporate TUSD and other educational organizations into a media consortium.

Executive Director Lisa Horner has worked tirelessly along with the Access Tucson staff to put this marriage together.  It was unanimously approved by the Tucson City Council today and we'll be working on the more formal arrangements and space needs over the coming months.

Does this mean a significant change of direction for Access Tucson?  No-it means that for the first time, we'll be true partners in a Public-Educational-Government (PEG) approach to community media.  In fact, there is still an enormous amount of work to be done to bring all of the interested parties together.  This is not about mere survival of Access Tucson-it is about creating a media incubator that may well serve as a model across the country.

Finally, the Board is taking steps to increase the revenue to Access Tucson through fund-raising and modest fees.  We hope you agree that it is absolutely essential that we move toward financial sustainability that is not dependent on government funding. 

If you are called upon to volunteer your time and expertise, please step forward to help us as we move into a new and exciting era.

We have prepared a comprehensive survey to learn what you and other community partners want to see from Access Tucson in the years to come.  

To be cost efficient, we have mailed all active members and organizations without an email address in our database a printed copy of the survey with a return envelope.

For those who receive this eNewsletter, we ask that you access the survey by clicking through our website so all your responses will remain anonymous.

The deadline for completing the survey is Wednesday, November 3, 2010.