West Bend Community TV reports higher-than-expected revenues, staff hires and equipment upgrades

The City of West Bend Community TV Committee on Aug. 11 reviewed a financial report showing the department has already received substantially more revenue than originally projected for 2020 and heard updates on staffing, programming and equipment upgrades.

Jess, a City of West Bend Community TV staff member, told the committee the department had projected $3,000 in potential outside revenues for the year but had already received roughly $17,000–$18,000 through early August. "We had projected just $3,000 in potential revenues this year, and we're already surpassed, 18,000," she said. She said about $12,000 of that total covered paid advertising for a three-phase marketing campaign developed for the Business Improvement District; the department expects to retain about $5,000 as administrative revenue for producing the campaign.

The committee heard the financial statement covers January through Aug. 8, 2020, and that the report was prepared as of Aug. 7 to reflect franchise-fee payments received in July. Committee members were told that an outlay expense recorded last July included a roughly $113,000 capital project to cover police department servers and that departments are now planning the 2021 budget. "We plan to present you with our proposed budget at our next meeting," Jess said.

John, a City of West Bend Community TV production staff member, updated the committee on technical operations and programming. He said the department's video-on-demand site, VeBit, and several live-streamed municipal events drew elevated online viewership during the spring and early summer. The highest single video reach reported for the period was a community clip that reached about 286,000 people on Facebook. VeBit hosted the high school veterans tribute and a landfill update broadcast that attracted large live audiences.

Committee members also heard that CTV has produced a three-phase downtown marketing campaign for the Business Improvement District that uses social-media and YouTube advertising. The campaign’s third phase, focused on evening downtown activities, was scheduled to run through October. The department reported measurable social-media growth: Facebook followers rose from about 12,800 in January to over 15,000 in July, and YouTube viewership and subscribers increased after the advertising campaign.

On community programming and contracted work, staff said CTV broadcast East and West high school graduations live from the football field and generated nearly $3,000 in graduation-related revenue, meeting the year’s target for that source. The department also contracted to produce a virtual theater event with the West Bend Theatre Company and performed an additional local graduation for Kewaskem (spelled in the minutes as "Kewaskem"), adding temporary production revenue.

On equipment and systems, staff reported a partial installation of a new Castus system in May with training underway and a full switch expected after a technician visit; the switch had been delayed slightly. Staff also reported problems with AT&T encoders: newly restarted units that were brought back in May experienced a virus incident on July 4 and have since failed. The committee was told staff are seeking quotes to replace encoders that meet AT&T specifications and plan to coordinate encoder replacement with the full Castus cutover so the backroom will be fully updated.

Staff said they are cataloging older equipment for recycling or potential sale and continuing to rely on existing inventory for ad hoc remote broadcasts used during the pandemic, from parks and football fields to other outdoor sites. The meeting closed with confirmation of the committee's next regular meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, to be held via Webex unless circumstances change.

Votes at a glance

The committee voted to approve minutes from the May 2020 meeting. The motion was moved by Mark (committee member) and seconded by Warren (committee member). The chair called for the vote, heard an "Aye," and declared the motion carried.