Access Channel 5 (now Access Chautauqua) began operations in June 1995 from a building owned by the Village of Mayville. The structure originally served as a train station for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The first live program was a telecast of the Mayville July 4th Parade. Later that month a 1-hour live talk show called Senior Report began. It was hosted by Reed Powers and continued until Mr. Powers passed away in 2014.
In the fall of 2000 the studio relocated to the newly-constructed Chautauqua Lake Central School building, where operations continued with only a 2-hour interruption in service. In 2001 the station's feed to the cable company was upgraded to a fiber optic cable, providing far superior performance than had previously been provided.
In the summer of 2010 the station again relocated. The Town of Chautauqua now owned the former Mayville Central School building and one of the remaining, unoccupied spaces left in the building was the former industrial arts area. Town officials felt that utilization of this space for public purposes was the perfect use. Volunteers totally remodeled these classrooms and the station operates there now.
The channel serves approximately 3,500 homes in the cabled areas of the towns of Chautauqua, North Harmony, Portland, Ripley, Sherman, and Westfield, as well as the villages of Mayville, Sherman and Westfield. Cable operators have included US Cable, Adelphia, Time Warner and Spectrum.
As of April 24, 2018, Access Chautauqua can be found on cable channel 1301.
The organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 2010 as Access Chautauqua County TV, Inc. and filed a d/b/a with the State of New York under the name Access Channel 5 and later under the name of Access Chautauqua. Access Chautauqua County TV, Inc. is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) entity.
- Including, but are not limited to:
- Chautauqua County 4th of July Parade (Several Years)
- John Lunsman Series
- Improved Wastewater Management Series
- Cooking with Nick Series
- Chautauqua People
- Destination Chautauqua County Series
- School Concert Series
- Senior Report with Reed Powers
- Chautauqua Sunrise with Doc Hamels
- Political Debates
- Music Series:
- Mayville Bluegrass Festival
- Music in the Park
- Southwestern Middle School Jazz Band: Bee Specker & Bobby Henrie, Corky Siegel
- Sports:
- Football, Basketball, Baseball, Bowling & Swimming
- Remembering the One Room Schoolhouse
- Chautauqua Creek: Seasons in the Gorge
- Historical Shows
- Shows on the Sea Lion
- Mayville Lighthouse Dedication
- Time for Dewittville
- Chautauqua County Historical Markers
- Ice and the Ice Industry
- School Graduations
- And Many More!