The History of the Acadia Channel

Back in the "stone age" of media, when cable television was a new thing, Jeff Dobbs, founder of the Acadia Channel,got ahead of the curve by leasing time on the Bar Harbor local access channel. That was the beginning of Dobbs Productions. With some old video equipment rented from a Bangor production company, and the help of an old college roommate, Doug Wornick, Dobbs Productions launched "Island Update." The first two seasons of Maine's first tourist-information channel were broadcast not from a fancy studio, but from Jeff's dining room, and Jeff himself wore many hats, including that of host and cameraman. "It was an interesting start," Dobbs says, "switching from one role to another, and never quite knowing how well it would all work in the long run. But it took off."
"Island Update" thrived, offering short stories about local history and tourist activities, including golf, fishing, and hiking reports, as well as a place for local res