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WCTV board urges town support to upgrade broadcast equipment, expand over‑the‑top services
Summary
WCTV board chair Mary Shilleraff told selectmen the station faces server‑end obsolescence, declining franchise‑fee revenue and rising costs; the board plans to pursue sponsorships and over‑the‑top platforms and asked the town for continued support.
Mary Shilleraff, chair of Wolfeboro Community Television (WCTV), updated the Board of Selectmen on equipment needs, viewership trends and funding prospects.
Shilleraff said the station’s broadcast server will no longer be supported by the manufacturer in 2025 and that WCTV needs to upgrade if it is to continue offering over‑the‑top (OTT) services such as a YouTube presence and distribution to Roku or Apple TV devices. She said WCTV is seeking a mix of sponsorships and donations to supplement town funding and noted that franchise‑fee revenues are declining as viewers “cut the cord.”
Shilleraff presented recent viewing statistics for the station’s YouTube channel (730 hours viewed in the past 28 days; ~40,420 views in 2024 in the presenter’s summary) and said more detailed analytics are available if the station can invest in OTT capabilities. Timothy (last name not provided) answered questions about closed‑captioning and accessibility: WCTV’s newer equipment would support live closed‑captioning but sponsorship or operating funds would be required to pay associated fees.
Selectmen expressed support for the station’s mission and encouraged continued outreach to the chamber of commerce and local businesses for sponsorships. The board did not commit a specific new appropriation during the meeting.
