public access

American  

noun

1. the availability of noncommercial television and radio broadcasting facilities to community groups or members of the public for programs of general interest to the community, especially as a condition of cable television franchises.

2. a type of noncommercial programming of general interest to the community.

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Other Word Forms

• public-access adjective

Example Sentences

Open-sourcing a model gives the public access to some parts of the code and other architecture behind it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

A buildout of the claims could end public access to the area and permanently scar the landscape, drawing traffic and light pollution and harming springs and groundwater stores, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Security was tight outside the court on Thursday, with dozens of police buses forming a cordon to restrict public access.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Its long-running grant programs promote community engagement and public access to information, while bolstering institutions’ ability to care for collections and prepare for disasters.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

At a public access terminal in a Miami library, she found a cheap apartment and paid the deposit electronically.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements