Channel Changes for Vermont’s Community Media Stations
5/22/20
For more information please contact: Tammie Reilly, Executive Director, GNAT-TV: 802.362.7070 office, 802.733.1632 mobile, tammie@gnat-tv.org
BURLINGTON, VT – A major change is taking place for 22 Vermont community media centers that provide Public Educational Government (PEG) programming on 42 Comcast Cable Channels in Vermont. These channels have shifted from local Comcast Cable’s two-digit numbers (e.g. channel 15) to four-digit channels in the channels 1070 to 1095 neighborhood, statewide.
Vermont’s Comcast cable subscribers can now find their favorite PEG programming at new channel locations. The change will be fully implemented by May 28th, 2020, the last day of a three-month transitional period.
The move to higher channel numbers was the result of a mediation agreement on 7/11/19 between Comcast, the Department of Public Service and the Vermont Access Network (VAN), related to the renewal of Comcast’s Certificate of Public Good. The change does not affect the three Vermont Access Network (VAN) members who cablecast on non-Comcast systems, namely CATV (Barre), KATV (St. Johnsbury) and MRVTV (Mad River).
Vermont’s community media centers produce the lion’s share of local programming in the state. Content produced by staff and community volunteers includes hyperlocal government and school board coverage, music and other cultural programs, religious service recordings, and current events shows; many programs are distributed statewide through VAN’s Vermont Media Exchange or “VMX” file-sharing system.
Public Educational Government television in Vermont began with the establishment of Brattleboro Community TV (1976) and Burlington’s CCTV (1984) and continues to evolve to meet public needs; community media centers are largely supported through cable subscriber revenue, according to Federal and Vermont law. For more info about VAN, visit www.vermontaccess.net
New Vermont PEG Channels on Comcast Cable:
BRATTLEBORO COMMUNITY TELEVISION (BCTV) – 1075 & 1085
CATAMOUNT ACCESS TELEVISION (CAT-TV) – 1075, 1085 & 1095
COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISION (CATV) – 1075 & 1085
CH. 17/TOWN MEETING TELEVISION – 1087
FALLS AREA COMMUNITY TELEVISION (FACT-TV) -1076 & 1086
GREATER NORTHSHIRE ACCESS TELEVISION (GNAT-TV) – 1074, 1084 & 1094
GREEN MOUNTAIN ACCESS TV (GMATV) – 1074
HARDWICK COMMUNITY TELEVISION (HCTV) – 1080
LAKE CHAMPLAIN ACCESS TELEVISION (LCATV) – 1075, 1085 & 1095
MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY TELEVISION (MCTV) – 1071 & 1091
MT. MANSFIELD COMMUNITY TELEVISION (MMCTV) – 1076 & 1086
NORTH EAST ADDISON TELEVISION (NEAT) – 1080
NORTHEAST KINGDOM TELEVISION (NEK-TV) – 1078 & 1088
NORTHWEST ACCESS TELEVISION (NWA-TV) – 1079 & 1089
OKEMO VALLEY TV (OVTV) – 1076 & 1086
ONION RIVER COMMUNITY ACCESS MEDIA (ORCA) – 1075, 1085 & 1095
REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK (RETN) – 1094
RUTLAND REGION COMMUNITY TELEVISION (PEG-TV) – 1075, 1085 & 1095
SPRINGFIELD AREA PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION (SAPA-TV) – 1077 & 1087
VERMONT COMMUNITY ACCESS MEDIA (VCAM) – 1074 & 1084
WOODSTOCK COMMUNITY TV (WCTV) – 1080
WINDSOR ON-AIR (WOA) – 1081
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Vermont Access Network Holds Virtual Annual Meeting and Elects Officers
5/10/20
For more information please contact: Tammie Reilly, Executive Director, GNAT-TV: 802.362.7070 office, 802.733.1632 mobile, tammie@gnat-tv.org
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont Access Network (VAN), the organization of 25 Public, Educational, Government (PEG) community media centers, held its annual meeting remotely on May 1, 2020. Over 60 VAN staff/board members from 21 centers throughout the state and supporting members attended.
The state’s public access staff and leadership took a break from their new, virtual workflow- including the near-constant streaming of local remote public meetings and events to take part in the meeting.
Outgoing VAN President Kevin Christopher of LCATV in Colchester noted the unprecedented virtually-held meeting: “Proceeding with our annual business meeting was important not only to take action on several items before the membership, but also for all of us to connect during a time when we might be feeling disconnected. It was a good opportunity to see familiar faces and be a little less isolated for a morning.”
VAN members discussed plans for the year ahead, including growing momentum behind Senate draft bill S.318 looking into new ways to support public, educational and government access television work in Vermont. Christopher adds, with regards to the bill, “Our meeting included a summary of VAN’s legislative activities over the past year and a half and a preview of the continued work that lies before us. This is work that seeks to secure our future and is among the most important we’ve ever taken on.”
Additionally, the membership discussed a new statewide HD channel to be launched in 2021. HD Channel 1070 on the Comcast system will build on content available via VAN’s existing Vermont Media Exchange (VMX) platform and provide Vermonters with content by VAN members from across the state. A team of VAN staff from around the state are laying the groundwork for this new initiative.
VAN membership acknowledged the work of St. Albans’ NWATV’s former Executive Director Elizabeth Malone, as well as Christopher and former VAN President Lisa Byer (CAT-TV, Bennington) for their service, as they stepped down from the board.
While unable to hold and test the latest gear in person, membership were remotely connected during the meeting with industry supporters Access A/V, TelVue, Cablecast/Tightrope, Barbizon Lighting of New England and Unique Media Systems.
Finally, the VAN membership voted in new Board members including: Rob Chapman of ORCA TV in Montpelier, Angelike Contis of MMCTV in Richmond, Tammie Reilly of GNAT-TV in Manchester, and Christopher Weirsema from CVTV in Barre. They join existing members Jess Wilson of the Media Factory in Burlington, Kurt Broderson of MCTV in Middlebury and Mike Deterling of Kingdom Access TV in Saint Johnsbury.
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