Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Communications Media topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Local broadcaster offers city a plan to revive community TV; council asks for sample coverage and cost details
Summary
A local media entrepreneur proposed two options to restore community video coverage—an in-house contract for $60,000 or partnership with ICRC that would take about 40% of franchise fees—and council asked for sample programming and more detail.
A local television and live-streaming producer proposed reestablishing regular local programming and event coverage for Middletown, offering two approaches and asking the council to consider allocating franchise-fee revenue.
Lenny Robinson, a local real-estate developer and former TV Middletown volunteer, presented a WinStar Video Productions mobile production truck his team uses to stream live sporting events and other community programs. Robinson proposed either a $60,000 retainer paid from franchise fees to produce a minimum of 10 events per year or a partnership with ICRC (a regional consortium) that would take approximately 40% of Middletown’s franchise fee allocation and provide studio resources, production crew and social-media branding.
Robinson said his operation already archives games with strong online viewership: “Our first basketball game... we had over 1,400 watchers,” he told council, and offered to make the truck available for sample coverage of an upcoming city event such as Jeeps and Eats or the Fourth of July parade.
Council members expressed interest but asked staff to review franchise-fee budgeting and implications before committing funds. Councilman Lawley said the city manager could allocate funds under the $100,000 threshold but asked for additional information about how diverting franchise fees would affect the general fund. Council member Horn suggested a sample event or archival clip review; several council members favored partnering with ICRC for larger capabilities, pending contract review and budget analysis.
No contract or appropriation was authorized at the June 3 meeting; council asked staff to follow up with Robinson, request sample programming links and report back on franchise-fee impacts and a possible pilot coverage of a near-term event.
