Fairfax Public Access

What Fairfax Public Access does

Fairfax Public Access (legal entity: Fairfax Cable Access Corporation) is a nonprofit community media organization founded in 1989 and headquartered at 2929-S Eskridge Road, Fairfax, Virginia. It operates four cable channels (Channel 10 flagship local content, Channel 30 international programming paired with WRLD International Radio, Channel 36 spiritual/faith content, and Channel 37 freeform community radio) and the Radio Fairfax radio service, serving residents of Fairfax County and the broader Washington metropolitan area. The organization provides public-access television, radio, education, and cablecasting services intended to enable community expression and public-interest programming rather than commercial content production.

The technical footprint consists of three television production studios (Studios A, B, and C, with C featuring a NewTek TriCaster virtual set), radio production studios, JVC HD Pro field cameras, and editing/post-production computer labs equipped with Adobe Premiere CC, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, Adobe Photoshop, and Audacity. Supporting infrastructure includes a Ross XPression character generator, Cue iT teleprompter system, and a self-contained Pod Box Studio D configured for OBS-based streaming, voice-over, and video conferencing. Members access these facilities after completing certification courses; certification tracks cover Studio A/B equipment, Studio C equipment, field production, radio equipment, Adobe Premiere editing, and a comprehensive Studio Package, with course fees ranging from $35 to $400 and equipment proficiency tests priced at $75 each.

Revenue mechanics blend nominal membership dues ($26 annually), pay-as-you-go training course fees, donations collected via the JustGiving platform, and free/low-cost Community Corner and PSA airtime for non-profits. The go-to-market motion is community-led — relying on monthly open houses, word-of-mouth, civic outreach to non-profits and schools, and a partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools Adult Community Education (ACE) — supported by top-of-funnel presence on YouTube and TuneIn. Discounts of 20% are available for seniors (60+) and students, and scholarships underwrite summer camp access (TV101 Studio Camp, TV101 Field Camp, WRLD Radio Summer Camp) which bundle a one-year FPA membership. Payment processing is handled by Stripe under PCI-DSS compliance, with FPA retaining no direct access to cardholder data.

Name

Fairfax Public Access

Legal name

Fairfax Cable Access Corporation

Website

https://fcac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fairfax Public Access is a nonprofit community media organization that operates four cable channels, Radio Fairfax, and WRLD International Radio, providing Fairfax County and Washington metro residents with broadcast facilities, training, and airtime for locally produced television, radio, and youth programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Access Media Services

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational/Public-Service Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)

Keywords

• Public access television
• Community radio broadcasting
• Media production training
• Community cable channels
• Nonprofit media education

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfax

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: Members pay $26 annually for membership, which entitles them to enroll in educational courses, use facilities and equipment, and vote in board elections. Fairfax County residents can vote in annual meetings.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from educational courses ranging from single-session workshops to 8-session courses. Prices range from $35 to $400. Technical proficiency tests available at $75 per equipment test.
3. Donations and Scholarships: Accepts donations through JustGiving platform. Offers scholarships to summer camps for teens from the community.
4. Community Outreach Services: Non-profit organizations can post information via Community Corner on Channel 37. Video and radio PSA airtime available through programming department.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fairfax Public Access is a nonprofit community media organization that operates four public access cable television channels (Channel 10, 30, 36, 37) and two community radio stations (Radio Fairfax and WRLD International Radio), broadcasting locally produced content to Fairfax County and the Washington metropolitan area. The organization provides members access to professional TV and radio production studios, field equipment, editing labs, and a tiered training curriculum that certifies community members to produce and air their own programming. Supplemental offerings include teen summer camps, public service announcement distribution for non-profits via Community Corner, and annual membership enrollment.

Product overview

Fairfax Public Access is a community media organization providing public access television, radio, and educational services. The core offering consists of four television channels (Channel 10 for local content, Channel 30 for international programming, Channel 36 for spiritual content, and Channel 37 for freeform community radio) plus Radio Fairfax and WRLD International Radio. Supporting services include production facilities, equipment access, and comprehensive training courses ranging from beginner workshops to advanced certification programs, all designed to enable Fairfax County residents to create and broadcast their own media content. The organization also operates teen summer camps and provides community outreach through public service announcements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Radio Fairfax: Community radio service airing on Channel 37, featuring freeform non-commercial community-created content available on web and TV.
• WRLD International Radio
• FPA Teen Summer Camps

Products and services

• Channel 10

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fairfax County Public Schools - Adult Community Education (ACE)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFPA partners with Fairfax County Public Schools Adult Community Education for select course offerings. ACE-labeled courses allow ACE students to register first, with FPA members able to enroll one week before the course start date if space remains. ACE students can register ahead through ACE directly at aceclasses.fcps.edu or 703-658-1201.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arlington Independent Media: Community public access TV and media organization serving Arlington, VA, providing member training, studio access, and cable channel distribution in the same Washington metro area. Directly comparable in mission, regulatory model, and scale.
• Montgomery County Community Media: Public access cablecaster for Montgomery County, MD, offering TV/radio channels, production training, and equipment access. Same PEG (public-educational-governmental) cable framework as FPA and immediately adjacent geography.
• DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME): District of Columbia's public access cable operation providing channels, training, and production facilities under similar franchise-funded model, serving the same Washington metro region.
• Manhattan Neighborhood Network: New York City's largest community media center operating multiple PEG cable channels, production training, and youth programs under a similar nonprofit, franchise-funded model. Comparable in scope and mission though significantly larger in scale.
• Cambridge Community Television: Nonprofit community media center running public access cable channels, training programs, and studio access for Cambridge, MA residents — same member-driven, franchise-supported model as FPA.
• Access Sacramento: Community media organization providing PEG cable channels, production training, and equipment access to Sacramento residents; operates under the same public access cablecaster framework as Fairfax Public Access.
• Portland Community Media: Pacific Northwest community media center offering public access TV channels, member training, and studio facilities under the same PEG cable-funded nonprofit operating model as FPA.

Broad incumbents

• WETA Public Broadcasting: Larger regional PBS member station in the Washington metro area; not a direct community-access peer but overlaps on public-service broadcasting mission and serves many of the same Fairfax-area households.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/fairfaxpubaccess
• Xx.com/FPAtvradio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fairfax Public Access