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Keep the Mission Alive

Branford Community Television (BCTV), along with Totoket TV and Guilford Community Television (GCTV), was recently honored by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce as Nonprofit of the Year. I would like to thank the Chamber for the wonderful recognition and to congratulate Ted Ebberts, President of the Board of Directors, for his leadership and for the moving acceptance speech he gave at the Chamber’s 2023 annual awards. He, along with Walter Mann, station manager for both BCTV and Totoket TV, reminded us all of the important role community television plays in our area. In an era of corporate-owned media, it’s more important than ever to support our remaining sources of local news and information.

Community Television provides the town with programming of local interest, access to town government meetings, and the means for our neighbors to make their own television projects. BCTV’s studio and equipment are available to community members free of charge to produce programming of any sort. Training and support are provided, so it’s not necessary to have experience in media before getting started.

As Ted pointed out in his speech, community television is currently under threat. The cable companies are actively seeking to defund our stations. We need to support and utilize this important resource before it’s too late. I invite our shoreline community to reach out and find out what they can do at their local stations. Community television is a vital tool available to local organizations, creative individuals, educational institutions, and more. All three stations that were honored by the Chamber have been tirelessly working to modernize their services and capabilities and would love to find a renewed interest in local programming to keep the mission alive.

Matt Kelsey, Vice President

Branford Community Television Board of Directors