Area 58 was born from the spirit of cooperation and mutual benefit. In July of 2013, Carver Community Access Television Inc, which was formed in 1994, learned that their neighbors in Halifax and Plympton were no longer going to have their local access needs provided by Comcast. Upon meeting with the cable advisory committees in the towns, CCAT proposed a joint venture – an expansion of coverage to include servicing all three towns. After several discussions and meetings of the Cable Advisory Board from Halifax and the Board of Directors for Carver, the seeds were planted.

Lawyers were consulted, and on December 3, 2014, a new venture set sail. The Carver-Halifax Community Access Corporation was formed – though its life as that entity was to be short lived.

During the process of working out the details, Plympton, who remained under contract with Comcast until 12/31/14, were forced to delay their decision to join with the new corporation until the voice of the town’s people could be heard at their annual town meeting in May of 2015.

At that meeting, the article to join with the other two towns was voted upon and passed by the town in overwhelming numbers.

Several months later, after new contracts were signed between the towns and the Corporation, a new entity was formed…

…but what was it to be called?

After long debate and numerous options, Area 58 Community Access Media was born….

So, what were we thinking?

Why Area 58?

Initially, CHAT has been the frontrunner, but invariably, that reads to folks as Carver Halifax Access Television…so where was Plympton represented in that name?

We considered staying with CCAT – it had branding and years of history in its favor, but, we were new, and while we could expand the name to be less Carver-centric, it would still have that as its roots.

A new venture needed a new identity, where all three towns were represented in the title and branding…

Yeah, OK, but again, why Area 58?

OK…here’s the dirt…alien or otherwise…

All three towns were on route 58.

Studio 58 could work….except that it brings to mind visions of studio 54. Not the concept we were going for…

But why AREA 58?

Well, again, as all three towns were on route 58, the number sort of stuck, and then, jokingly, “Area 58” was floated out there…

So, the route 58 connection, with the added insanity of the Area 51 mythos as a name for a public access studio?

It was kind of catchy, but again, what did it say about us?

A day later, another member of the board found an image…and somehow, the joke had taken flight…

After some additional discussion and revisions to the initial imagery, the new look of Area 58 was created.

So….here we are ….

Area 58 Community Access Media…

…If it looms near…we’ll be there….