“Bob Jacobs Live” Airs Its 400th Episode

By Shannon Smith For the Silver City Bulletin.
11/30/06
TAUNTON

On Monday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m., Taunton Community Access & Media, Inc. (local Taunton Channel 15) will air the 400th episode of "Bob Jacobs Live."

The show originated in January 1998 and is the longest-running program in the history of Taunton Local Access Television. The popular - at times, controversial - weekly, hour-long, call-in program discusses Taunton town politics, as well as current issues.

"When I began doing the show, I had no pre-conceived notion of how long it would last," said host and producer Bob Jacobs. "I initially thought it might run a couple of years and then I would let it fade into the sunset. But with my 400th episode approaching, that hasn't happened yet."

Jacobs generally begins the program with a 15- to 20-minute commentary and then opens up the phone lines, which usually ring non-stop until the end of the hour, with viewer comments and questions. He has also hosted a variety of guests, including town councilors, local candidates running for town offices, and, most famously, Governor Elect Deval Patrick.

It was instrumental in bringing the David Smith molestation story to light, and in doing so, attracted the attention of network affiliates from Boston and Providence. However, long after the networks abandoned the story, "Bob Jacobs Live" kept it going as an important election issue, regarding the District Attorney's race.

Many Taunton residents use the program as their main source of local news. "Some watch to be informed. Others want to be entertained. Some watch to participate in the discussion, and some are waiting for me to become a car wreck on the side of a highway, on live television," said Jacobs.