“From Public Access to Social Media.” Image: AI

Before there were influencers, viral videos, and billion-view platforms, there was something raw, real, and radically democratic: public access television.

Born in the 1970s, public access TV was one of the first true experiments in community-driven media. And while it may seem like a relic of the analog past, its legacy is alive and well every time someone hits “post” on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.

🎤 What Was Public Access Television?

Public access television was part of the “PEG” system—Public, Educational, and Government access channels—mandated by the FCC and local cable providers to serve community needs. The public access arm gave everyday people a platform to create and share their own content, often with free or low-cost equipment provided by local studios.

There were no ads, no executives, and no creative restrictions (aside from legal limitations). Programming ranged from the bizarre to the brilliant—local news, activist messages, drag performances, punk rock shows, religious rants, DIY cooking series, and more. If you had something to say and the courage to get in front of a camera, you could be on the air.

🧪 Experimental, Inclusive, and Sometimes Outrageous

Public access TV wasn’t polished. It wasn’t corporate. It wasn’t predictable. And that was exactly the point.

It empowered:

Marginalized voices who couldn’t get airtime elsewhere. Aspiring creatives looking to test out new formats. Communities wanting to share local culture, ideas, and events.

In many ways, it was an open sandbox where media could be weird, wild, and wonderfully honest.

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🌐 The Bridge to Social Media

Today, anyone with a smartphone can start a channel, build an audience, or go viral. But the foundation was laid decades earlier by public access.

Public Access TV

Modern Social Media

Community studios

Smartphones, apps, home setups

Broadcast on local cable channels

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Global reach via internet

No advertising

Monetized, ad-supported

Free expression, limited censorship

Still a battleground for free speech

Niche, quirky content

Same—just with algorithms

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The spirit of user-generated content—amateur, authentic, and accessible—is deeply rooted in the public access ethos. Creators like early YouTubers and digital activists have often cited public access as an inspiration.

🔄 A Full Circle Moment

Today’s digital platforms have expanded the reach and speed of content creation, but they also reintroduce challenges public access once bypassed—like algorithmic bias, platform censorship, and commercialization.

Ironically, as tech giants dominate digital communication, the original values of public access—local control, equal access, and creative freedom—are more relevant than ever.

🧠 Final Thought

Public access television may have existed before likes, shares, or subscribers—but it’s the ancestor of everything we now take for granted in social media. It showed us that the best stories don’t always come from studios, and the most important voices don’t always have a microphone—until they make one.

So next time you scroll through a creator’s feed or stumble on a strange but delightful video, remember:

📼 Public access walked so the internet could run

Related Links:

Public Access Television (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-access_television

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Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter.  https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/

It’s the ultimate summer toy. A backyard classic. A staple of water fights everywhere. But did you know the Super Soaker—one of the best-selling toys of all time—was invented by a NASA scientist?

This week on Forgotten Genius Fridays, part of our short video series The Knowledge, we’re telling the story of Lonnie Johnson, the brilliant engineer behind the water blaster that changed playtime forever.

👨🏾‍🔬 From Rocket Science to Soaking Wet

In 1982, Lonnie Johnson was working on a heat pump project in his bathroom. A former Air Force officer and NASA engineer, Johnson had already helped develop spacecraft systems, including work on the Galileo mission to Jupiter.

But one day, while experimenting with pressurized water and cooling systems, a valve released—and shot a stream of water across the room. That moment sparked a different kind of idea.

Johnson thought, “This would make a cool toy.”

🧪 The Road to the Super Soaker

Johnson built a prototype of a pressurized water gun unlike anything on the market. After years of rejections from toy companies, he finally licensed the design to Larami Corporation, a small toy maker that saw its potential.

In 1990, the Super Soaker hit store shelves—and exploded in popularity.

Within two years, it had sold over 20 million units, becoming a cultural phenomenon and sparking a line of high-powered water blasters. Eventually, Larami was acquired by Hasbro, which still sells Super Soakers today.

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🌍 What Lonnie Johnson Did Next

Instead of just cashing in and disappearing, Johnson reinvested his success. He used Super Soaker royalties—estimated at over $1 billion in sales—to fund research in clean energy, including work on solid-state batteries and solar power.

He also founded the Johnson STEM Activity Center in Atlanta to help underserved students gain hands-on experience in science and technology.

📚 Learn more about Johnson’s inventions:

Lonnie Johnson’s Biography – Lemelson-MIT NIH Innovator Profile

🎥 Watch the Full Story in 60 Seconds

Catch our Forgotten Genius Fridays episode:

🎬 “Who Invented the Super Soaker?”

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Now streaming on:

YouTube Shorts TikTok @stmdailynews Instagram Reels @stmdailynews

🔍 Why This Story Matters

Lonnie Johnson wasn’t just a toy inventor—he’s a prime example of how innovation, curiosity, and perseverance can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. He turned a burst of water in his lab into a global toy empire, and then turned that empire into a platform for real-world change.

In a world that often forgets its geniuses, we’re proud to remember this one.

🧠 Now you know.

— STM Daily News

Related Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Soaker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Johnson_(inventor)

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Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter.  https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/

STM Daily News is a multifaceted podcast that explores a wide range of topics, from life and consumer issues to the latest in food and beverage trends. Our discussions dive into the realms of science, covering everything from space and Earth to nature, artificial intelligence, and astronomy. We also celebrate the amateur sports scene, highlighting local athletes and events, including our special segment on senior Pickleball, where we report on the latest happenings in this exciting community. With our diverse content, STM Daily News aims to inform, entertain, and engage listeners, providing a comprehensive look at the issues that matter most in our daily lives. https://stories-this-moment.castos.com/

https://stmdailynews.com/title-dreambreaker-a-pickleball-story-premieres-april-11-on-trutv/

In the early days of home video, two formats went head-to-head to win your living room: Sony’s Betamax and JVC’s VHS. On paper, Betamax was the better technology—sharper picture, better tape quality, and a head start on the market. So why did VHS win?

The answer isn’t just about resolution—it’s about strategy, licensing, and consumer habits. And it’s the subject of one of the first episodes in our brand-new video series: The Knowledge, now streaming on STM Daily News and our YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels channels.

🎞️ The Battle for Your VCR

Sony launched Betamax in 1975, positioning it as the premium option for recording and watching video at home. It offered higher resolution than VHS, and for a brief moment, it dominated the emerging home entertainment market.

But then came JVC—and a very different approach.

While Sony kept tight control over Betamax, JVC opened up VHS to dozens of manufacturers, creating a flood of compatible machines and tapes. VHS also offered longer recording times, letting users record full movies and sports games without switching tapes.

And perhaps most importantly? VHS was cheaper—both the tapes and the players. As more companies adopted VHS, video rental stores stocked up accordingly, and Betamax quickly lost shelf space and market share.

By the mid-1980s, the war was over. VHS became the standard, and Betamax faded into tech nostalgia.

🎥 Watch the Full Story in 60 Seconds

Our short-form video series, The Knowledge, is all about sharing bite-sized but impactful stories that explain how we got from then to now. The companion episode, “Why Did VHS Beat Betamax?”, is part of our subseries The Evolution of Video Tools—where we explore the game-changing devices and platforms that transformed content creation.

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📺 Watch it now on:

STM Daily News YouTube Shorts TikTok @stmdailynews Instagram Reels @stmdailynews

📚 What is The Knowledge?

The Knowledge is STM Daily News’ new educational video series made for the scroll-happy but truth-hungry viewer. In 30 to 90 seconds, we uncover:

Forgotten inventors Behind-the-scenes tech stories Cultural turning points Historical events that still shape us today

New episodes drop weekly.

Follow us and subscribe to keep your facts straight and your curiosity fed.

🧠 Now you know.

— STM Daily News

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Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter.  https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/