Melissa Mills Constantine

Melissa Mills Constantine was a Dayton, Ohio community media professional whose long service at Dayton Access Television helped sustain one of the country’s early public access stations across decades of change. Her work was rooted in the daily, practical side of community media: programming, producer support, station continuity, and the care required to keep local voices moving through a public access channel year after year.

Melissa served as Program Director for DATV and was associated with the station for 42 years. She was part of the Central States ACM network, serving as Grassroots Chair in the early 2000s, and contributed to the field’s memory work as the author of a Community Media Review profile on DATV founder Roxie Cole. DATV’s 2009 annual report listed her as Program Director, confirming her staff role during that period.

Her record reflects the station people who make community media durable. Through programming work, regional ACM service, and care for DATV’s history, Melissa helped carry forward the Dayton access tradition that began with Roxie Cole: a belief that local television belonged in the hands of residents, producers, and communities themselves.