Polka Time Again is a 1 hour public access program, produced through the studios of WCTV - Wadsworth Community Television, in Wadsworth, Ohio. On Monday, October 30, hosts Gene Kovack and Mike Kovack (retired Medina County Auditor) recorded their 1500th episode of this long-running series (2024 will be 30 years!). Polka Time Again has been deemed the longest running public access series in the United States, if not the world. Their audience spans the globe as all of WCTV's programming may be viewed on demand at WatchWCTV.com and on our YouTube channel @WatchWCTV. The show began in 1994 with two retired gentlemen wanting to do a show about something they loved - polka music. Gene Kovack and well-known musician and band leader Frank Spetich were the first hosts. Gene Kovack was taking his weekly accordion lesson with his mentor, Frank Spetich. The conversation turned to the old television show, “Polka Varieties”, and how much the program was enjoyed, and missed, by polka fans in Northeast Ohio. A light bulb went off in Kovack’s head as he realized that he lived in a community (Wadsworth) that had a community access television studio (WCTV), where residents can produce their own television show for free. Spetich encouraged Kovack to move forward with this idea of producing a local polka show to fill the niche that had been empty since “Polka Varieties” had gone off the air in 1975. And so “Polka Time Again – Memories of a Sunday Afternoon” was born on April 12, 1994. Wadsworth resident and friend of Kovack, Joe Gabrosek took over as co-host shortly after. Gabrosek passed away in 2019, with Gene's son, Mike Kovack now filling the co-host seat. In addition to playing videos of Cleveland style polka music, the show features music from Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Austria, and polka bands from the entire United States and Canada. It also features interviews with local musicians, polka news and schedules of all the meeting places for polka dancing and jam sessions. Many outstanding polka personalities have been guests or performed on the show including Frank Spetich, Joey Tomsick, Paul Yanchar, Milan Ricanovic, Joe Novak, Ken Novak, Bob McGuire, Jim Kozel, the Moscow Nights, Joe Chermyl, the Al-Ray Combo with Ray Kovac and Al Romain, Del Rezek, The Accordion Man – Ralph Szubski, I Gagliardi Italiano, Matt Shaffer, Ce Ce Gable, Father Perkovich, Doppel Adler, Don Tortolla, Pat Hutch, Al Battistelli, Norm Kobal, Ron Sluga, Joe Stradiat, Anthony Rolando and Valerie Vacco, and the To-Kay Orchestra. The Magic City Button Box Showcase has also recorded two in-studio performances to be used on the program. “Polka Time Again” has become one of the area’s most popular public access programs. It is currently also shown on Cable 9 in Macedonia, Hudson Community Television, MCTV Wooster and Massillon, Armstrong Cable in Medina, Brunswick Area Television, Austintown Community Television Channel 19, Canton City Schools Channel, and several systems in North Dakota. Who knew there was such a polka-loving audience in ND? In the past 24 years, the show has received many WCTV Clapper Awards for best public access show, best entertainment show, and best series. They have also been awarded several regional and national video competition awards for excellence in programming from the Alliance For Community Television. They are the first producers in WCTV’s history to reach 1500 shows in one series. Their love of polka music and their bright personalities provide the essential foundation necessary to make their television series so successful. And their fans love them! In 2012, Kovack and Gabrosek had another milestone in their television and polka music careers. They won the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Achievement Award for Support and Promotion of the Polka Music Genre. This show has kept alive what WEWS Channel 5 started many years ago with Polka Varieties, and we hope to see it continue for many years to come. Polka fans love it