Support WCCA

Worcester Magazine is reporting that the City Council has referred the City Manager's proposed 8% WCCA funding cut to the Public Works subcommittee. Update: T&G article. The relevant section:

In other business, the City Council referred to its Public Service and Transportation Committee the city manager’s plan to change in the way the city divvies up cable television revenues for the three so-called PEG channels — public access, education and government. Under the manager’s plan, WCCA-TV, the city’s public access channel, would receive a smaller percentage of the cable revenue pie in 2009. Its funding for 2010-2012 is not set in stone and will be based on identified needs and measured performance of each of the three PEG channels. Mr. Rushton said one of his major concerns is that WCCA officials did not appear to have any direct communications with the city manager regarding the new policy. He said the people running WCCA should have been more actively involved in the negotiations. Mauro DePasquale, executive director of WCCA, told the City Council that local public access television will encounter hardships with the change in the funding formula. He said the manager’s plan does not offer WCCA any financial stability because the city’s financial commitment appears uncertain. “The bigger issue we are now facing is uncertainty of the future,” Mr. DePasquale said.

Today we read the City Manager's recommendations that he plans to cut funding allocations as early as next year and leaves us in the dark as to what to expect for years 3 and 5 of the remaining term of the cable franchise.

If the Manager's recommendations (PDF) are enacted, WCCA's funding would be cut 8% in 2009. No funding level would be guaranteed after 2009.

What you can do: Contact your City Councilor and, if possible, attend the September 23 City Council meeting (7pm, City Hall). Ask the Council to pressure the Manager to negotiate a better deal with WCCA.

Throughout the entire cable franchise ascertainment process the community had strongly voiced their request that the city of Worcester make assurances for increased funding and channel capacity for WCCA TV. At every Cable Advisory meeting and Public Service and Transportation cable hearing we attended we never heard calls, except from the government channel coordinator, for increased funding for the government channel or the school channel. In fact we found over a million dollar surplus combined of monies left unused from channels 11 and 12.

WCCA TV and community members clearly demonstrated a need for increased provisions to support the growth and capacity of WCCA TV to meet community media needs.

The City Manager's communication to the council comes without advanced notice to WCCA. We have received no offer or proposal. We did have the the opportunity to negotiate. We hope there is still time for that.

Here's the story:

The plan divides funding for three so-called “PEG” channels in much the same manner as previous allocations, said committee member Thomas Colletta, assistant director of resident services and employment coordinator for the Worcester Housing Authority.

“It’s way overdue, and now we’re waiting for the city manager to do something about it,” he said.

WCCA-TV, the local public access station, will receive 60 percent of the total allocation, while the education and city government channels will receive 20 percent each.

The money comes from Charter Communications, which has the city’s cable television franchise. Under terms of an agreement signed with the city in March, Charter will provide $500,000 for the three channels, as well as 5 percent of its gross revenue. The gross revenue percentage last year amounted to $1.3 million.

Thanks to everyone for supporting WCCA during this long process! We haven't seen the final paperwork yet, but based on the info in this article this is good news.

As the City of Worcester renegotiates its contract with Charter Communications for the local cable monopoly, WCCA TV13 is in jeopardy. The station's funding depends on the details of the negotiation, details which are currently not being discussed with the public.

On the down side, the Research Bureau released a report suggesting that WCCA's funding should be cut by 2/3. This report was riddled with errors, misreporting the budget of some public access centers by $1 million and claiming a Michigan station was "public access" when it wasn't (chart with correct numbers).

On the up side, Worcester Magazine and the Telegram & Gazette wrote editorials supporting WCCA. An assessment of WCCA showed that the station is strong, well-respected, serves a wide spectrum of the community, and provides services to local non-profits valued at one million dollars annually. Letters of support have been pouring in to local publications.

More than 120 people attended a January 31, 2007 meeting of a City Council committee to support WCCA.

If you care about WCCA, please write the City Manager and the T&G a letter of support.

Related articles on this website.

How can I help?
WCCA really needs YOUR support in a number of ways. Here are some ideas of thing you can do to help:

1. Make a tax deductable donation to WCCA TV (Checks payable to WCCA TV). You can also make a donation online using Google Checkout or Paypal. Visit the Donate to WCCA TV13 page.

2. .Donate new computers and software
3. .Volunteer to teach or apply your technical skills to help us design and build new digital platforms for distributing content.
4. Make Goodsearch your default search engine. Be sure to enter WCCA TV as the charity you want to support. (every time you search through Goodsearch, WCCA gets a penny.)
5. If you have grant writing experience call Mauro today at (508) 755-1880.
6. Participate in anyway you can (volunteer, help us fundraise, spread the word, etc.)

What will be lost if WCCA's funding is cut?

If funding for WCCA "The PEOPLE'S Channel" is reduced...

You'll no longer see WCCA TV "Easy Access Productions such as Soapbox hosted by Executive Director Mauro DePasquale interviewing members of our community such as including, Worcester Mayor and City Manager, asking them the questions the people of Worcester submit through this web site. You'll no longer see Worcester Mayor Konnie Lukes discuss city issues with a wide variety of guests. Award winning KidsNet/Youth Channel, Teen Central, Young Views Young News, Worcester teens will no longer have a place to learn about television production in a real professional environment. WCCA is the only place where Worcester teens can really do all of this without the thumb print of a supervising adult.

Worcester's only show for seniors by seniors featuring local talent would disappear.

You'll no longer be able to see Worcester City Councilor Mike Perotto discussing Worcester issues.

Videos showcasing local bands will disappear.

Local Talk shows such as those hosted by Tommy Colletta and Shannon Senior, Sybil Farson, Father Michael Bafaro, Ramona Marangos, Bros. Dennis Wyrzykowski, Lynne Simonds, and others will be lost.

Our training workshops and internship opportunities would be lost and so would all the economic, social, and cultural development that WCCA contributes to will be gone.

Many other great shows created by and for the people of Worcester at The People's Channel will no longer be produced without your support and help.

This website ( browse through the site and see for yourself) and our community computer lab will also be lost.

Imagine the hole it will leave in Worcester.

In today's Telegram & Gazette:

Worcester Community Cable Access TV 13 is an important and vital community resource in Worcester, and deserves full funding, using the fees paid by cable companies to the city and earmarked for local community access programming.

The station provides Worcester’s residents with an effective way of directly communicating on important local issues with their neighbors, our seniors, our veterans as well as ethnic and civic groups.

WCCA also serves as a wonderful training ground for our young people to get hands-on experience and learn the skills needed to work in the cable and television industry. Indeed, this station enriches all of our lives and its funding shouldn’t be delayed.

I understand that much of the equipment currently being used needs replacement or updating. In addition, WCCA’s signal and reach should be expanded so its programming could air in neighboring Central Massachusetts communities that are connected with Worcester and share common interests.

WCCA is at a critical point in its operation and ability to respond to the community’s needs. Worcester’s city manager should not delay signing a new contract to continue funding this great resource for the Worcester community.

FRANCIS R. CARROLL
Worcester