Community Media Archive · story miner · 2026-10-12
Fifty stories hiding in the Community Media Archive
A ranked list of subjects for blog posts about the public-access side of the archive: the craft shows, derbies, poetry slams and town anniversaries that sit alongside the government meetings. Each idea comes with its numbers and five videos to start from.
The list is generated, not curated. A program matches each subject’s keywords against item titles and picks five example videos the same way. Examples whose titles were plainly off topic have been removed, and each idea says how many. The rest are title matches nobody has watched, so treat them as places to start looking.
3,282,157 active items scored, the whole archive, not a sample
2225 collections
2005–2026 upload dates, 2005-08-01 to 2026-10-12
70,850 arrived in the last 90 days (2.16%)
How the list was made
Every idea is scored against the entire archive. The 90-day window (2026-07-14 to 2026-10-12) is used only as a freshness signal: a subject counts as surging when its share of new arrivals beats the 2.16% that the window holds of the whole archive.
title — an item counts only when the theme's pattern appears in its title . Across all 119 themes the median title-share is 0.48, and sampling the description-only half showed it is materially noisier (an Eclipse Awards ceremony matching astronomy). Description-only mentions are reported per idea but excluded from the headline counts; --basis all includes them.
Each idea gets five scores between 0 and 1, plus an editorial novelty weight. The tag beside each idea names the score on which it stands out most from the other 118 candidates:
DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · 25 of the 50
SCALE many towns do this — a national pattern hiding in local video · 2 of the 50
VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · 5 of the 50
DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · 9 of the 50
SURGE unusually active in the requested window · 9 of the 50
Under each idea, “public/educational access” is the share of its items from PEG channels, and “meeting detector” is the share whose titles look like a government meeting. A low meeting share is the point: these are the parts of the archive that are not meetings.
The top 50
# Idea Why Items Collections Span New
1 Psychics, paranormal & the unexplained SURGE 860 214 2013–2026 30 2 Advocacy, soapbox & political fringe DEPTH 1,772 204 2008–2025 19 3 Youth-produced documentary & media literacy DEPTH 622 115 2010–2024 10 4 Puppetry, magic & variety acts VINTAGE 1,384 364 2011–2026 19 5 Comedy, improv & sketch DEPTH 763 195 2011–2025 4 6 Demolition derby, tractor pulls & monster trucks SURGE 241 74 2012–2025 14 7 Woodworking, pottery, blacksmithing & trades craft DISTINCTIVE 484 265 2011–2025 7 8 Rescued and re-broadcast archival footage SURGE 491 125 2014–2026 24 9 Quilting, fiber arts & needlework DISTINCTIVE 802 355 2012–2026 21 10 Poetry slams & open mic SURGE 1,147 231 2013–2026 48 11 Soap box derby, pinewood derby & homemade racing DISTINCTIVE 283 109 2010–2026 3 12 Mills, factories & industrial heritage SURGE 3,105 523 2012–2026 208 13 Folk, fiddle, bluegrass & old-time DISTINCTIVE 812 236 2012–2026 19 14 Astronomy clubs, planetariums & eclipses DISTINCTIVE 888 365 2012–2025 17 15 Dragon boat, rowing & paddling DISTINCTIVE 711 273 2011–2026 10 16 Collectors, antiques & appraisal shows DISTINCTIVE 658 284 2012–2025 14 17 Roller derby DISTINCTIVE 168 69 2011–2026 0 18 Storytelling & personal narrative DISTINCTIVE 1,019 303 2012–2026 12 19 Food festivals & single-ingredient celebrations DISTINCTIVE 848 291 2011–2025 14 20 Opera & classical recitals VINTAGE 1,945 406 2012–2026 30 21 Local band showcases & studio sessions VINTAGE 941 208 2011–2025 10 22 Author talks & book readings SCALE 1,771 373 2013–2026 34 23 Writers' workshops & literary craft DISTINCTIVE 214 90 2013–2026 9 24 The station filming itself DISTINCTIVE 1,941 560 2012–2026 41 25 Marching bands, drum corps & pipes DISTINCTIVE 739 244 2011–2025 15 26 Beekeeping, pollinators & small livestock DISTINCTIVE 677 327 2013–2026 29 27 Know-your-rights & legal self-help DEPTH 630 132 2011–2026 12 28 Model trains, railroads & transit fandom DISTINCTIVE 137 77 2011–2026 4 29 Labor, unions & working life SURGE 1,090 363 2012–2026 54 30 Drag performance & Pride events DEPTH 1,474 327 2015–2026 29 31 Dog shows, agility & working animals DISTINCTIVE 405 214 2012–2025 7 32 Oral history projects SURGE 804 195 2011–2026 45 33 Makerspaces, hackerspaces & repair cafés DISTINCTIVE 410 200 2013–2026 13 34 Local film festivals & screenings SURGE 3,721 497 2012–2026 135 35 Indigenous & tribal programming DISTINCTIVE 1,722 425 2012–2026 38 36 Local cooking shows VINTAGE 1,866 375 2009–2025 15 37 Dance recitals, ballet & folk dance DISTINCTIVE 1,416 394 2012–2025 20 38 Programming in other community languages SURGE 2,504 357 2012–2026 94 39 Centennials, bicentennials & town anniversaries DEPTH 3,540 493 2011–2026 72 40 Ham radio & amateur electronics DISTINCTIVE 70 54 2011–2026 3 41 Long-running one-person shows DEPTH 715 85 2013–2025 3 42 Comic-con, gaming & fan culture DEPTH 849 173 2013–2026 5 43 Brewing, cider, canning & food preservation DISTINCTIVE 751 310 2013–2025 9 44 Genealogy & family history DISTINCTIVE 350 161 2013–2026 14 45 Nature walks, birding & natural history DISTINCTIVE 1,734 513 2012–2026 32 46 Non-US community television DEPTH 70,598 41 2014–2026 1790 47 Senior games & older-adult competition DISTINCTIVE 575 166 2012–2026 5 48 Meditation, yoga & contemplative practice SCALE 3,795 589 2013–2025 53 49 Proms, father-daughter dances & school socials VINTAGE 3,361 622 2012–2026 109 50 Virtual meetings, drive-through & pandemic improvisation DISTINCTIVE 1,305 401 2016–2024 7
By subject area
01 Psychics, paranormal & the unexplained SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Fringe, personal vision & access auteurs
One Wisconsin channel holds 937 episodes of a psychic medium show. This is the genre public access is famous for and it is genuinely here.
860 items, by title
214 collections
36 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 1993)
30 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
40.1 min median runtime
724 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
66% from public/educational access channels (81% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.82
DEPTH 0.37
VINTAGE 0.35
DISTINCTIVE 0.58
SURGE 0.69
Deepest collections
LWCATMA · 155ATV98NH · 69CMACCA · 44BETV · 31WTVNJ · 28
Start here
Back to the top 50
02 Advocacy, soapbox & political fringe DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Fringe, personal vision & access auteurs
Unedited political speech, protected by law, preserved by accident – the first-amendment core of the whole institution.
1,772 items, by title
204 collections
38 states
2008–2025 main span (earliest 1994)
19 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
10.4 min median runtime
679 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
15% from public/educational access channels (75% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.81
DEPTH 0.68
VINTAGE 0.99
DISTINCTIVE 0.30
SURGE 0.29
Deepest collections
WCCA · 889SCM · 199CTNAA · 152BCTVPA · 65CTVNSMN · 25
Start here
Back to the top 50
03 Youth-produced documentary & media literacy DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Student-run TV & youth media
Kids given cameras – the founding promise of public access, with receipts.
622 items, by title
115 collections
29 states
2010–2024 main span (earliest 2008)
10 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
3.5 min median runtime
1,474 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
78% from public/educational access channels (94% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.72
DEPTH 0.59
VINTAGE 0.91
DISTINCTIVE 0.47
SURGE 0.40
Deepest collections
MACSDCA · 296SCM · 30CCTV_CAMBRIDGE · 21OSORV · 19MTVMA · 14
Start here
Back to the top 50
04 Puppetry, magic & variety acts VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · Theater, dance & comedy
Vernacular performance forms that survive mainly at libraries and senior centers.
1,384 items, by title
364 collections
42 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 1985)
19 new since 2026-07-14, in 15 collections
28.4 min median runtime
2,022 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
56% from public/educational access channels (68% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.38
VINTAGE 0.86
DISTINCTIVE 0.60
SURGE 0.35
Deepest collections
WCATMA · 222GSTVILV · 69CCTVVT · 43CLVMN · 26BCMMEV · 23
Start here
Back to the top 50
05 Comedy, improv & sketch DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Theater, dance & comedy
Local comedy scenes, documented nowhere else.
763 items, by title
195 collections
39 states
2011–2025 main span (earliest 2010)
4 new since 2026-07-14, in 4 collections
77.8 min median runtime
766 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
73% from public/educational access channels (83% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.81
DEPTH 0.51
VINTAGE 0.82
DISTINCTIVE 0.59
SURGE 0.16
Deepest collections
PCTVNJV · 275GBTUMA · 27BLMTWPMIV · 24PSUTVNY · 19TMTOR · 17
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
06 Demolition derby, tractor pulls & monster trucks SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Vernacular & unusual sport
Fairground spectacle sport – loud, regional, and never archived.
241 items, by title
74 collections
27 states
2012–2025 main span (earliest 2006)
14 new since 2026-07-14, in 6 collections
47.4 min median runtime
133 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
71% from public/educational access channels (75% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.66
DEPTH 0.21
VINTAGE 0.49
DISTINCTIVE 0.66
SURGE 0.94
Deepest collections
STGENMO · 25SF17UT · 24VCCWI · 19CCMCMD · 13GCAMMA · 11
Start here
Back to the top 50
07 Woodworking, pottery, blacksmithing & trades craft DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Visual art & making
Process documentation of hand trades, with named local practitioners.
484 items, by title
265 collections
42 states
2011–2025 main span (earliest 2007)
7 new since 2026-07-14, in 7 collections
5.9 min median runtime
1,056 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
57% from public/educational access channels (64% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.85
DEPTH 0.19
VINTAGE 0.70
DISTINCTIVE 0.82
SURGE 0.37
Deepest collections
FCMACFL · 24CCTV15MI · 13HCTVHI · 10SCTVMA · 9BCTVPA · 8
Start here
Back to the top 50
08 Rescued and re-broadcast archival footage SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Local & oral history
Stations already curating their own past – a story about the archive being an archive.
491 items, by title
125 collections
32 states
2014–2026 main span (earliest 1989)
24 new since 2026-07-14, in 16 collections
24.5 min median runtime
500 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
70% from public/educational access channels (77% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.74
DEPTH 0.30
VINTAGE 0.43
DISTINCTIVE 0.59
SURGE 0.85
Deepest collections
WCTVMA · 71LTVEHNY · 36ATV98NH · 31MCAT · 21WHCTVCT · 19
Start here
Back to the top 50
09 Quilting, fiber arts & needlework DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Visual art & making
Craft traditions that are overwhelmingly women's work and almost never treated as archival subjects.
802 items, by title
355 collections
43 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 2002)
21 new since 2026-07-14, in 14 collections
10.3 min median runtime
1,066 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
51% from public/educational access channels (61% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.18
VINTAGE 0.61
DISTINCTIVE 0.77
SURGE 0.57
Deepest collections
NCTVMA · 22JCTVMO · 16NCCDE · 16BIG · 14COITX · 13
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
10 Poetry slams & open mic SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Literary & spoken word
Slams are performance documents – unrepeatable, and almost never recorded anywhere else.
1,147 items, by title
231 collections
39 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2008)
48 new since 2026-07-14, in 12 collections
29.3 min median runtime
590 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
50% from public/educational access channels (81% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.83
DEPTH 0.33
VINTAGE 0.44
DISTINCTIVE 0.50
SURGE 0.78
Deepest collections
FPTVAR · 138FRCMMA · 117ONTVMI · 72MCAT · 69HCAMMA · 37
Start here
Back to the top 50
11 Soap box derby, pinewood derby & homemade racing DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Vernacular & unusual sport
Homemade-vehicle racing is pure Americana and reliably delightful.
283 items, by title
109 collections
28 states
2010–2026 main span (earliest 1989)
3 new since 2026-07-14, in 3 collections
10.0 min median runtime
93 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
50% from public/educational access channels (60% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.72
DEPTH 0.17
VINTAGE 0.73
DISTINCTIVE 0.73
SURGE 0.29
Deepest collections
WHCAMA · 15PCGFL · 11WPMMA · 8AH · 8ELSCA · 8
Start here
Back to the top 50
12 Mills, factories & industrial heritage SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Work, main street & local economy
Deindustrialization told by the people it happened to.
3,105 items, by title
523 collections
46 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1988)
208 new since 2026-07-14, in 31 collections
27.8 min median runtime
4,107 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
69% from public/educational access channels (76% of those whose channel type is known); 9% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.96
DEPTH 0.47
VINTAGE 0.73
DISTINCTIVE 0.44
SURGE 1.00
Deepest collections
PEGTVVT · 596CCMCMD · 579WCTVMA · 79COITX · 69PGCPSMD · 62
Start here
Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
13 Folk, fiddle, bluegrass & old-time DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Music & performance
Regional traditional music with living practitioners and no label.
812 items, by title
236 collections
37 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 2002)
19 new since 2026-07-14, in 15 collections
27.5 min median runtime
1,415 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
63% from public/educational access channels (73% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.83
DEPTH 0.36
VINTAGE 0.52
DISTINCTIVE 0.64
SURGE 0.53
Deepest collections
HCECTVKY · 146LEXGTV3KY · 32FCMACFL · 31COATX · 28BCTVPA · 23
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
14 Astronomy clubs, planetariums & eclipses DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Science, nature & environment
Sky events give a natural, dateable hook – and the 2017 and 2024 eclipses are both in the archive.
888 items, by title
365 collections
42 states
2012–2025 main span (earliest 2007)
17 new since 2026-07-14, in 6 collections
5.7 min median runtime
1,136 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
50% from public/educational access channels (63% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.30
VINTAGE 0.63
DISTINCTIVE 0.75
SURGE 0.46
Deepest collections
NASA_TV · 93UALRAR · 40PMCA · 20STEMIN30 · 16CCTVVT · 16
Start here
Back to the top 50
15 Dragon boat, rowing & paddling DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Vernacular & unusual sport
Waterfront sport that also documents the waterfront.
711 items, by title
273 collections
38 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 2001)
10 new since 2026-07-14, in 9 collections
4.2 min median runtime
889 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
46% from public/educational access channels (51% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.86
DEPTH 0.24
VINTAGE 0.79
DISTINCTIVE 0.73
SURGE 0.36
Deepest collections
METVFL · 47COITX · 23PRKCITUT · 18WBCTVNH · 13GTVNH · 12
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
16 Collectors, antiques & appraisal shows DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Hobbies, subcultures & collections
Local Antiques-Roadshow formats, with objects and provenance stated on camera.
658 items, by title
284 collections
38 states
2012–2025 main span (earliest 2002)
14 new since 2026-07-14, in 13 collections
12.3 min median runtime
1,485 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
53% from public/educational access channels (60% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.86
DEPTH 0.21
VINTAGE 0.54
DISTINCTIVE 0.76
SURGE 0.49
Deepest collections
BCTVPA · 31CORMD · 19COJMI · 19RBTVIL · 17CATVMA · 13
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
17 Roller derby DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Vernacular & unusual sport
A DIY women's sport whose entire 2006-2015 boom lives on community TV.
168 items, by title
69 collections
23 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 2009)
0 new since 2026-07-14, in 0 collections
28.2 min median runtime
115 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
35% from public/educational access channels (62% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.65
DEPTH 0.29
VINTAGE 0.50
DISTINCTIVE 0.75
SURGE 0.00
Deepest collections
AH · 40MCAT · 16PATVIA · 16STLTV · 8ICRCOH · 7
Start here
Back to the top 50
18 Storytelling & personal narrative DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Literary & spoken word
A first-person oral form that libraries and senior centers record and then lose.
1,019 items, by title
303 collections
38 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1995)
12 new since 2026-07-14, in 11 collections
27.1 min median runtime
3,760 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
53% from public/educational access channels (75% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.87
DEPTH 0.26
VINTAGE 0.53
DISTINCTIVE 0.64
SURGE 0.31
Deepest collections
CAPSCAV · 66MCAT · 45BIG · 44WKTVMI · 27EHMMAV · 22
Start here
Back to the top 50
19 Food festivals & single-ingredient celebrations DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Food, farm & foodways
Towns that define themselves by one ingredient – irresistible, and a real map of American regional identity.
848 items, by title
291 collections
40 states
2011–2025 main span (earliest 2007)
14 new since 2026-07-14, in 11 collections
4.0 min median runtime
1,037 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
44% from public/educational access channels (48% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.87
DEPTH 0.29
VINTAGE 0.84
DISTINCTIVE 0.69
SURGE 0.41
Deepest collections
CMAPCA · 88GGTV3CA · 35NLTVMA · 21HC18MA · 19CSCMO · 18
Start here
Back to the top 50
20 Opera & classical recitals VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · Music & performance
Small-house classical performance with real artistic merit and zero commercial distribution.
1,945 items, by title
406 collections
45 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 2002)
30 new since 2026-07-14, in 19 collections
44.3 min median runtime
1,952 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
65% from public/educational access channels (77% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.92
DEPTH 0.31
VINTAGE 0.77
DISTINCTIVE 0.52
SURGE 0.39
Deepest collections
WINUNC · 150BRONXNY · 66TACMMI · 59UNTVMI · 58BLMTWPMIV · 51
Start here
One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
21 Local band showcases & studio sessions VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · Music & performance
Bands that never released anything, captured at their moment.
941 items, by title
208 collections
38 states
2011–2025 main span (earliest 1987)
10 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
14.7 min median runtime
1,410 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
54% from public/educational access channels (75% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.81
DEPTH 0.32
VINTAGE 0.87
DISTINCTIVE 0.54
SURGE 0.29
Deepest collections
TNCMA · 114DOM · 70NCGVTVCA · 43WCATMA · 36SPNN · 31
Start here
Back to the top 50
22 Author talks & book readings SCALE many towns do this — a national pattern hiding in local video · Literary & spoken word
Local libraries and access stations have quietly built a national author-interview circuit that no one has ever indexed.
1,771 items, by title
373 collections
43 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2008)
34 new since 2026-07-14, in 21 collections
41.8 min median runtime
724 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
59% from public/educational access channels (74% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.29
VINTAGE 0.66
DISTINCTIVE 0.52
SURGE 0.46
Deepest collections
NCMCNYV · 110ASPEN · 89GCGGAV · 86RS21PA · 46GOCATMEV · 44
Start here
Back to the top 50
23 Writers' workshops & literary craft DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Literary & spoken word
Craft instruction by working local writers, taped and never reused.
214 items, by title
90 collections
28 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2010)
9 new since 2026-07-14, in 3 collections
28.2 min median runtime
610 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
43% from public/educational access channels (71% of those whose channel type is known); 2% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.69
DEPTH 0.29
VINTAGE 0.39
DISTINCTIVE 0.75
SURGE 0.78
Deepest collections
SMAC · 44LTVEHNY · 15AACS · 13TULPLOK · 13NCCDE · 6
Start here
Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
24 The station filming itself DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Fringe, personal vision & access auteurs
539 collections have behind-the-scenes footage. The archive documenting its own making is a story in itself.
1,941 items, by title
560 collections
47 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1997)
41 new since 2026-07-14, in 30 collections
4.0 min median runtime
4,388 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
46% from public/educational access channels (54% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.97
DEPTH 0.32
VINTAGE 0.68
DISTINCTIVE 0.63
SURGE 0.49
Deepest collections
PCGFL · 161WCCA · 101PADNETCA · 34IC607NY · 32MACSDCA · 28
Start here
Back to the top 50
25 Marching bands, drum corps & pipes DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Music & performance
Highly visual, deeply local, and tied to parade and school traditions.
739 items, by title
244 collections
42 states
2011–2025 main span (earliest 2001)
15 new since 2026-07-14, in 14 collections
9.0 min median runtime
1,197 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
54% from public/educational access channels (64% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.84
DEPTH 0.24
VINTAGE 0.81
DISTINCTIVE 0.68
SURGE 0.48
Deepest collections
WCMOH · 48HCPSVA · 39GCPSGAV · 32NWCTC · 21COBRAL · 19
Start here
Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
26 Beekeeping, pollinators & small livestock DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Science, nature & environment
A hobby that became an environmental cause on camera.
677 items, by title
327 collections
40 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2008)
29 new since 2026-07-14, in 23 collections
14.4 min median runtime
813 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
47% from public/educational access channels (54% of those whose channel type is known); 6% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.88
DEPTH 0.22
VINTAGE 0.35
DISTINCTIVE 0.79
SURGE 0.79
Deepest collections
MMNMA · 39CCTV15MI · 17BMC · 11NWCTC · 10CG_0838 · 10
Start here
Back to the top 50
27 Know-your-rights & legal self-help DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Civic ritual & democratic life
Free legal education for people who cannot afford lawyers, in several languages.
630 items, by title
132 collections
34 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 2009)
12 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
28.5 min median runtime
529 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
16% from public/educational access channels (40% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.75
DEPTH 0.64
VINTAGE 0.83
DISTINCTIVE 0.52
SURGE 0.46
Deepest collections
WCCA · 344PCTVNJV · 29CCTVVT · 19OCGFL · 19BRONXNY · 14
Start here
Back to the top 50
28 Model trains, railroads & transit fandom DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Hobbies, subcultures & collections
Deep hobbyist expertise on camera, often tied to real local industrial history.
137 items, by title
77 collections
24 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 2004)
4 new since 2026-07-14, in 3 collections
6.3 min median runtime
164 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
48% from public/educational access channels (54% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.67
DEPTH 0.18
VINTAGE 0.64
DISTINCTIVE 0.82
SURGE 0.00
Deepest collections
MMCMD · 14WTVNJ · 5BRONXNY · 5ECTPA · 5WPMMA · 4
Start here
Back to the top 50
29 Labor, unions & working life SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Work, main street & local economy
Labor history from inside the hall, which almost no archive holds.
1,090 items, by title
363 collections
42 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1984)
54 new since 2026-07-14, in 36 collections
9.2 min median runtime
2,617 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
39% from public/educational access channels (48% of those whose channel type is known); 7% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.20
VINTAGE 0.62
DISTINCTIVE 0.68
SURGE 0.86
Deepest collections
SC21WA · 32MCMMD · 29ECGFL · 28BRICTV · 26TLF · 24
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Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
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30 Drag performance & Pride events DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Theater, dance & comedy
A contested public tradition with a long, ordinary, pre-controversy video record in small towns.
1,474 items, by title
327 collections
42 states
2015–2026 main span (earliest 2007)
29 new since 2026-07-14, in 14 collections
28.6 min median runtime
2,093 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
56% from public/educational access channels (65% of those whose channel type is known); 2% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.88
DEPTH 0.49
VINTAGE 0.32
DISTINCTIVE 0.54
SURGE 0.47
Deepest collections
ORCAVT · 396MNNNY · 36BRONXNY · 35CANTV · 34DCDIRECTACTION · 26
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31 Dog shows, agility & working animals DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Animals
Working and companion animals as civic participants.
405 items, by title
214 collections
36 states
2012–2025 main span (earliest 2009)
7 new since 2026-07-14, in 4 collections
6.7 min median runtime
530 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
56% from public/educational access channels (65% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.82
DEPTH 0.16
VINTAGE 0.52
DISTINCTIVE 0.81
SURGE 0.42
Deepest collections
BCTVPA · 15NCTV · 14BLMTWPMIV · 12CCMCMD · 10NSTVNY · 8
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32 Oral history projects SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Local & oral history
Deliberate oral-history programs are the single most reusable material in the archive and the least discoverable.
804 items, by title
195 collections
37 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 1989)
45 new since 2026-07-14, in 10 collections
26.5 min median runtime
606 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
37% from public/educational access channels (41% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.81
DEPTH 0.25
VINTAGE 0.77
DISTINCTIVE 0.57
SURGE 0.92
Deepest collections
CIG_0644 · 54ARUNTVMD · 46TOAKSCA · 42BRONXNY · 37LCATMA · 32
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33 Makerspaces, hackerspaces & repair cafés DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Visual art & making
A 2010s civic-institution wave with a clear rise-and-plateau arc visible in the archive.
410 items, by title
200 collections
35 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2006)
13 new since 2026-07-14, in 5 collections
3.4 min median runtime
511 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
43% from public/educational access channels (58% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.81
DEPTH 0.23
VINTAGE 0.27
DISTINCTIVE 0.79
SURGE 0.65
Deepest collections
SCATV · 36CIG_0736 · 18MCMMD · 17MCAT · 10TULPLOK · 8
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34 Local film festivals & screenings SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Visual art & making
Community-scale film culture, including work by filmmakers who went on to bigger things.
3,721 items, by title
497 collections
44 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1996)
135 new since 2026-07-14, in 38 collections
8.4 min median runtime
6,903 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
53% from public/educational access channels (77% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.95
DEPTH 0.37
VINTAGE 0.74
DISTINCTIVE 0.35
SURGE 0.71
Deepest collections
EAS · 324BRONXNY · 126ONTVMI · 109MACSDCA · 108METVFL · 92
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35 Indigenous & tribal programming DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Immigrant, Indigenous & multilingual life
Tribal cultural programming, where it exists, is high-value and rarely surfaced.
1,722 items, by title
425 collections
46 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1998)
38 new since 2026-07-14, in 25 collections
26.8 min median runtime
3,045 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
31% from public/educational access channels (49% of those whose channel type is known); 6% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.92
DEPTH 0.27
VINTAGE 0.61
DISTINCTIVE 0.58
SURGE 0.51
Deepest collections
COSLAZ · 87UMCMB · 84WCMOH · 75MCAT · 68RVTV · 63
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36 Local cooking shows VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · Food, farm & foodways
The most durable community-TV format there is, and a direct record of regional and family foodways.
1,866 items, by title
375 collections
41 states
2009–2025 main span (earliest 1989)
15 new since 2026-07-14, in 13 collections
15.4 min median runtime
2,049 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
38% from public/educational access channels (58% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.91
DEPTH 0.32
VINTAGE 0.92
DISTINCTIVE 0.50
SURGE 0.23
Deepest collections
RVTV · 163WCCA · 137AH · 69LUBISDTX · 65BATVMA · 52
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One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
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37 Dance recitals, ballet & folk dance DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Theater, dance & comedy
Dance is the least text-searchable art form and therefore the most lost; video is the only record.
1,416 items, by title
394 collections
41 states
2012–2025 main span (earliest 1985)
20 new since 2026-07-14, in 11 collections
19.5 min median runtime
1,364 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
47% from public/educational access channels (61% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.91
DEPTH 0.28
VINTAGE 0.75
DISTINCTIVE 0.62
SURGE 0.36
Deepest collections
KMVT · 99MNNNY · 45COITX · 40BRONXNY · 36BRATTVT · 30
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38 Programming in other community languages SURGE unusually active in the requested window · Immigrant, Indigenous & multilingual life
Diaspora-language local television exists almost nowhere else in American media.
2,504 items, by title
357 collections
40 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1987)
94 new since 2026-07-14, in 17 collections
3.9 min median runtime
6,080 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
27% from public/educational access channels (40% of those whose channel type is known); 2% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.90
DEPTH 0.39
VINTAGE 0.70
DISTINCTIVE 0.38
SURGE 0.73
Deepest collections
RTVMA · 3155CTVNE · 139CMMN · 108LTC · 83WORCPSMA · 83
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Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
39 Centennials, bicentennials & town anniversaries DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Local & oral history
Once-a-century civic events, filmed by the only camera in town.
3,540 items, by title
493 collections
44 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 1986)
72 new since 2026-07-14, in 36 collections
10.0 min median runtime
3,161 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
56% from public/educational access channels (61% of those whose channel type is known); 3% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.95
DEPTH 0.54
VINTAGE 0.89
DISTINCTIVE 0.37
SURGE 0.48
Deepest collections
NMTVMN · 1046WCTVTN · 149CTNCRMN · 93NWCTC · 84TCCCA · 70
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Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
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40 Ham radio & amateur electronics DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Hobbies, subcultures & collections
A hobby that predates and outlasts the internet, with an emergency-services civic role.
70 items, by title
54 collections
22 states
2011–2026 main span (earliest 2010)
3 new since 2026-07-14, in 3 collections
8.3 min median runtime
68 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
37% from public/educational access channels (44% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.61
DEPTH 0.10
VINTAGE 0.55
DISTINCTIVE 0.88
SURGE 0.00
Deepest collections
HCTVNH · 4WHCAMA · 3BATVMA · 3BCMMEV · 3CG_0556 · 3
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One of the five automatic pick was off topic and is withheld.
Back to the top 50
41 Long-running one-person shows DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Fringe, personal vision & access auteurs
The single-author program, made for decades by one person – the purest expression of what public access was for.
715 items, by title
85 collections
26 states
2013–2025 main span (earliest 2010)
3 new since 2026-07-14, in 2 collections
30.1 min median runtime
5,844 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
82% from public/educational access channels (93% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.68
DEPTH 0.50
VINTAGE 0.34
DISTINCTIVE 0.31
SURGE 0.13
Deepest collections
LTVEHNY · 248CCTVCA · 208MA · 49MLTVPAV · 19WKTVMI · 16
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42 Comic-con, gaming & fan culture DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Hobbies, subcultures & collections
Fan culture arriving in small towns, datable to the year.
849 items, by title
173 collections
38 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 2008)
5 new since 2026-07-14, in 5 collections
5.8 min median runtime
633 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
23% from public/educational access channels (66% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.79
DEPTH 0.65
VINTAGE 0.25
DISTINCTIVE 0.51
SURGE 0.17
Deepest collections
DOM · 438OMP · 31ROMPTV · 24BRONXNY · 15MCMMD · 11
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43 Brewing, cider, canning & food preservation DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Food, farm & foodways
Craft food production, often tied to a farm-economy story.
751 items, by title
310 collections
40 states
2013–2025 main span (earliest 2008)
9 new since 2026-07-14, in 7 collections
6.3 min median runtime
1,601 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
50% from public/educational access channels (57% of those whose channel type is known); 2% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.88
DEPTH 0.21
VINTAGE 0.50
DISTINCTIVE 0.75
SURGE 0.32
Deepest collections
COJMI · 36WHHISC · 25NWCTC · 24CCTV15MI · 18BCTVPA · 15
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44 Genealogy & family history DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Local & oral history
A hobby with a large, quiet, and highly motivated audience.
350 items, by title
161 collections
34 states
2013–2026 main span (earliest 1995)
14 new since 2026-07-14, in 8 collections
27.8 min median runtime
626 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
39% from public/educational access channels (49% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.78
DEPTH 0.22
VINTAGE 0.41
DISTINCTIVE 0.78
SURGE 0.76
Deepest collections
TULPLOK · 30CORMI · 13HTTVNJ · 12PCGFL · 11WBCTVNH · 11
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45 Nature walks, birding & natural history DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Science, nature & environment
Field natural history with named local species and habitats – and a climate baseline nobody set out to make.
1,734 items, by title
513 collections
48 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1993)
32 new since 2026-07-14, in 26 collections
9.6 min median runtime
4,401 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
42% from public/educational access channels (49% of those whose channel type is known); 1% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.95
DEPTH 0.23
VINTAGE 0.78
DISTINCTIVE 0.64
SURGE 0.45
Deepest collections
GRTVCO · 53MCAT · 46ORCAVT · 33STTVMI · 30PMCME · 29
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46 Non-US community television DEPTH one collection holds a deep, sustained body of work · Beyond the US border
44 Canadian collections hold 44,825 items – Cape Breton to Valemount BC, in English and French – plus PUBLICIUK (12,671 UK council webcasts) and Rompeviento TV (12,156), an independent Mexican broadcaster. Nearly 70,000 items, and nothing in the archive's own catalog says the CMA is not an American archive.
70,598 items, by title
41 collections
0 states
2014–2026 main span (earliest 2006)
1790 new since 2026-07-14, in 29 collections
26.8 min median runtime
0% from public/educational access channels (100% of those whose channel type is known); 7% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.57
DEPTH 0.47
VINTAGE 0.70
DISTINCTIVE 0.00
SURGE 0.56
Deepest collections
PUBLICIUK · 12671ROMPTV · 12317TVRPQC · 5411CRTBQC · 5013CSUR1QC · 3548
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47 Senior games & older-adult competition DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Health, aging & disability
Competitive sport among people in their eighties, filmed seriously.
575 items, by title
166 collections
33 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 2008)
5 new since 2026-07-14, in 5 collections
4.8 min median runtime
250 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
25% from public/educational access channels (28% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.78
DEPTH 0.28
VINTAGE 0.52
DISTINCTIVE 0.63
SURGE 0.24
Deepest collections
COTFL · 66GTV16NM · 38WTVNJ · 31TRSDV · 30QATVMA · 27
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Two of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
48 Meditation, yoga & contemplative practice SCALE many towns do this — a national pattern hiding in local video · Faith & spiritual life
Instructional wellness programming with a clear arc from fringe to mainstream across the archive's timespan.
3,795 items, by title
589 collections
43 states
2013–2025 main span (earliest 1998)
53 new since 2026-07-14, in 25 collections
27.9 min median runtime
2,711 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
44% from public/educational access channels (56% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.97
DEPTH 0.32
VINTAGE 0.57
DISTINCTIVE 0.41
SURGE 0.36
Deepest collections
NCTVMA · 205OCTVMI · 132CCTVVT · 115MRTVVT · 95BLMTWPMIV · 73
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49 Proms, father-daughter dances & school socials VINTAGE unusual amount of pre-2012 material behind it · Seasonal & holiday ritual
58 collections film a father-daughter dance. A social form that is either charming or dated depending on the decade, and the archive shows both.
3,361 items, by title
622 collections
46 states
2012–2026 main span (earliest 1986)
109 new since 2026-07-14, in 57 collections
11.1 min median runtime
2,106 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
70% from public/educational access channels (76% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.98
DEPTH 0.24
VINTAGE 0.83
DISTINCTIVE 0.47
SURGE 0.66
Deepest collections
SPOTNETDC · 66EYETVAL · 60TTVAL · 47GSTVILV · 43WCMOH · 43
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Three of the five automatic picks were off topic and are withheld.
Back to the top 50
50 Virtual meetings, drive-through & pandemic improvisation DISTINCTIVE widespread but scarce — distinctive wherever it appears · Crisis, weather & public emergency
How towns improvised ceremony when they could not gather – a sharp, dated, and now slightly unbelievable body of video.
1,305 items, by title
401 collections
45 states
2016–2024 main span (earliest 2006)
7 new since 2026-07-14, in 4 collections
20.2 min median runtime
1,237 more items mention it only in a description (not counted).
29% from public/educational access channels (30% of those whose channel type is known); 0% trip the meeting detector.
SCALE 0.92
DEPTH 0.40
VINTAGE 0.26
DISTINCTIVE 0.66
SURGE 0.16
Deepest collections
ARUNTVMD · 232ECGFL · 47HCPSFL · 43CG_0838 · 33BFCOCO · 30
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Generated 2026-10-12 by the CMA story miner from the archive’s own item records. Every example links to its Internet Archive page. Counts are of titles; a subject that a station names only in descriptions is undercounted. The one-line descriptions under each idea were written when the subject list was drawn up and are not recomputed, so a figure quoted in one can differ from the numbers beside it.