George C. Stoney, Documentary Filmmaker and Media Activist 1916-2012

NEW YORK-- George Stoney, a seminal documentary filmmaker, media activist and teacher championed the use of public access television since its inception. He  believed it was about more than access--that films should change situations and help build community. He passed away on July 12 2012 in his New York apartment  shortly after his 96th birthday party at the  Puleston estate in Brookhaven, Long Island, an annual celebration hosted by Betty Puleston, George's long time companion, and attended by relatives, friends  and George's NYU film school students and colleagues on the faculty. 
Note: In the early days of Public Access, George's cable TV show "NYU Presents" was pre-empted for a commercially-sponsored program on baby foods. 

Photo: Liza Béar, June 2012, Brookhaven LI