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A major expansion in CTN's mission was undertaken during 2000-2001 with the "Community Programming Initiative" - an initiative to showcase CTN produced community programming. "CitiTV" (Channel 19) replaced the AALINC service to show the new CTN programming.
The video production capabilities were improved with a move to digital field acquisition and editing equipment. The old S-VHS camcorders were retired and replaced by new Mini-DV camcorders. New Mini-DV source decks were added to the analogue editing suites, and 2 new non-linear Edit Systems were purchased for implementation in 2001.
A simplified "hotline studio" was introduced making cablecasting of live shows with viewer call-ins possible.
The period was marked by the reorganization of CTN from the City Clerk's Office into the City's Information Technology Services Department (ITSD). This move made it easier for CTN to work with the city’s "technology experts" during the continuing transition to digital production and distribution technology.
2002 marked the 75th anniversary of the invention of television by Philo T. Farnsworth, and CTN was honored with nine awards in the Philo T. Farnsworth Video Festival. The festival is a regional competition under the ACM-Central States. The awards were both professional awards to CTN as well as non-professional awards to Ann Arbor residents who produced their programs at CTN.
Training for the hotline studio began in 2002, and the first live and taped shows were completed in early 2003 and training grew steadily through 2003. In addition CTN doubled the amount of edit suites available for public use by installing four new editors.
The fall of 2003 marked the 30th year of Community TV in Ann Arbor. The thirty-year milestone is significant. During CTN's history similar centers have faded away under financial and political pressure. This points out how fortunate CTN has been in having elected and administrative officials who support the vision of community based media. The same goes for the numerous staffers and volunteers who have supported CTN.
The anniversary was celebrated with an hour-long "Open House" as well as with a free Lunch & Lecture arrangement where Emmy-nominated author Paul Schatzkin told the story about television's forgotten inventor, Philo T. Farnsworth.