MANHATTAN COMMUNITY ACCESS CORPORATION

MNN's Vision: Empowering local voices and diverse views.

At MNN, we value:
* Access - providing community members with access to the media education, production and distribution resources available at MNN.
* Collaboration - working with community producers, nonprofits, and other independent media organizations to bring original stories and perspectives to local and global audiences.
* Community - participating as an organic part of the community we serve and supporting the work of local nonprofits, civic groups, and independent content creators.
* Empowerment - building the media knowledge and skills of MNN's constituents– particularly those whose voices are underrepresented in the media – to allow them to be heard in the public sphere.
* Freedom of Expression - the right of all people to freely express their opinions, views, and ideas in an equitable, respectful and safe environment.
* Diversity & Inclusion - celebrating differences, and respecting and serving people of all backgrounds and personal identities.
* Quality Programming - authentic voices and quality programming that expresses the lived experiences, unique perspectives and interests of each person.
* Sustainability - Ensuring sustainable practices in all programs and services so that future generations will benefit from having access to high-quality media education, production and distribution services and facilities.

For 30 years, MNN has provided community access to local video production, distribution, and educational services that inform, entertain, and enrich the lives of all New Yorkers. MNN is the largest cablecaster of original video programs in the country and the largest media education institution in the City of New York, offering Manhattan residents low cost access to state-of-the-art media production and education services at our two facilities.

In 2019 alone, MNN aired for free more than 9,600 hours of original local programming, produced by 549 Manhattan media makers, on seven cable TV channels to more than 500,000 Manhattan households. In addition, MNN programming is carried by our national program partner, Free Speech TV, to more than 20 million households nationwide carrying Dish and Directv satellite TV.

Workshops
MNN’s involvement with local organizations allows us to host events ranging from candidate debates with the League of Women Voters, the Amsterdam News, and the Gotham Gazette, to services like our NYXT.NYC cable and digital platform that partners with more than 125 NYC community-based organizations.

In East Harlem, MNN’s El Barrio Firehouse Community Media Center partners with dozens of community-based organizations such as George Washington High School, Catholic Charities, Union Settlement, and affordable housing group Operation Fightback. We also offer a Summer Youth Employment Program with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development that has enrolled hundreds of youth high school students over the last five years.

Media Education
MNN’s 59th Street facility welcomes 30,000 students, media makers, audience members, and guests every year, with MNN’s El Barrio Firehouse counting over 8,000 more participants. Our professional media education workshop saw more than 1,000 attendees in 2019.

Once certified, all students can use MNN’s media production facilities across Manhattan for free. Last year, MNN saw a stunning 4,946 shoots by 534 producers in our seven HD production studios that lasted on average 2.5 hours. The commercial value of such HD studio time is more than $18 million a year.

MNN is just one of five community media organizations in NYC producing high-quality local programming for cable TV subscribers and providing unique access to tens of thousands of residents every year. Independently and collectively, these dynamic media centers have become integral parts of their local communities, enhancing the quality of life of all New Yorkers.