After weeks and months of planning, I knew the Brownout was coming. It was still surprising to see my workplace covered with thick brown paper like an abandoned shopfront. No business was conducted on October 17. No programming went out on CCTV's three channels. No tapes were dropped off by producers. This day-after atmosphere suggested what it would be like if public access centers were no longer able to function.

The only visible activity was a table of employees and interns at an outdoor table, dressed mostly in brown like the natty Jason Crow, armed with information about impending legislation and a box full of postcards to mail to relevant representatives. Around 8:00 PM, I was part of a small army of novice camcorder users taking in the scene. Without public access, a ragtag bunch like us could hardly be out using these cameras to tape spiels about the public interest and become qualified to create our own programming in the blink of an eye. (Hint: I'm pro-ragtag.) Some of the footage people got was really great.