Norwood News

Since 1994, Gary Axelbank and his top-notch cable TV show, BronxTalk, have elevated the borough’s civic dialogue.

BronxTalk, on the public access station BRONXNET, celebrated 15 years on the air Monday night and many of his frequent guests – politicians, activists, journalists, and artists — filled the studio for an on-air tribute.

Axelbank’s love for his home borough, where he attended DeWitt Clinton High and Lehman College and still lives, comes through in every one of the 707 episodes of BronxTalk, whether he’s interviewing a politician or a salsa musician.

The Bronx, despite a population of 1.4 million, does not have the civic amenities of cities a fraction of its size.  We don’t have a daily newspaper or network news channels. And our mayor is also the mayor of about 7 million other people.

BronxTalk, expertly produced by Jane Folloro, has helped bring the mainland borough the attention it deserves. Mayors, Council members, comptrollers and city commissioners have all visited the BRONXNET’s basement studio at Lehman College for a sit-down with Axelbank. Some, like Rudy Giuliani, bristled at Axelbank’s tough questioning and never returned. But most were delighted to have a welcoming forum to publicize the work they did in the borough we all love. And it was often an education for the guests themselves. Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. told viewers last night that Axelbank was the first person who ever interviewed him, when he was running for assemblyman in 1996.

Axelbank got in some hot water a few years back when he took on an advocacy role outside the studio in the filtration plant fight. It is widely believed that his activism on that issue resulted in the cancellation of his daily morning show. That was a shame, but it is indicative of the passion that makes Axelbank such a good host and it hasn’t dimmed his commitment and enthusiasm for his calling. BronxTalk on Monday nights remains a glittering gem in the borough’s media landscape.

If you’re not familiar with BronxTalk, check it out any weekday evening at 9 p.m. on Cablevision channel 67 (it airs live on Monday and re-airs throughout the week.) The show is posted to the Web as well, so look for it at www.bronxnet.org or at www.bronxnewsnetwork.org, where we regularly link to the latest shows.

Also, an archive of the shows is being donated to the Bronx County Historical Society and will soon be digitized for the Web.
Here’s hoping for another 15 years of Bronx TV journalism that matters. Congratulations to Gary and BRONXNET.