The station was established by 1984 as Arlington Community Television, offering residents of the county the chance to train in producing material for broadcast and to produce shows.[1][2] In 2004, prompted by the approaching 2004 expiration of its contract with Comcast (formerly AT&T Broadband), the station began preparations to become a not for profit corporation, renaming itself Arlington Independent Media, and enabling a major expansion of its budget and offerings.[3]