Vermont Access Network asks state for $1.35 million to shore up community media

Rep. Matt Birong, chair of the Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee, heard a budget request from the Vermont Access Network on Jan. 24 asking the Legislature to include $1,350,000 in the FY26 state budget to support community media centers across Vermont.

Lauren Glenda, Public Policy Director at CCTV Center For Media and Democracy, testified on behalf of the Vermont Access Network, saying the nonprofit network represents 24 community media centers and “we're seeking 1,350,000 in funding for this year.” She told the committee the request is part of a three-year plan developed with the Secretary of State’s office after one-time and COVID-era funding proved insufficient to cover ongoing declines in cable franchise revenue.

The Network described three core program areas: government transparency and access (public meeting coverage and archives), education and media literacy (training and summer programs), and local identity and community connection (user-generated local content). Glenda said the network employs roughly 150 people statewide, produces about 18,000 hours of content, and operates on approximately 80 local cable channels plus internet outlets. She cited examples of local usage, noting Rutland’s PEG TV had nearly 17,000 views in a recent 28-day period and about 2,400 YouTube subscribers.

Glenda and subsequent committee members framed the request around long-term declines in cable-derived revenue. “Cable wire income is going down,” said Rep. Brian Cooper, a committee member. Testimony and committee discussion cited two structural trends: a nationwide decline in traditional cable subscriptions as viewers shift to internet-delivered video, and rising operating costs driven primarily by labor and health-care expenses.

Glenda said the network currently receives a mix of funding: cable franchise revenue (she estimated roughly three-quarters of current revenue), municipal contributions in some communities, philanthropic support, fees for services, and state legislative grants. She told the committee the Network’s FY25 base budget included $1,000,000 from the state and described the $1.35 million FY26 request as one step in a multi-year escalation the Network modeled to respond to projected cable revenue declines and rising costs.

Panel members asked about alternative revenue sources discussed previously, including a proposed pole-attachment fee and other modernization of telecommunications revenue structures. Glenda noted federal constraints such as the Internet Tax Freedom Act and said there is no current statutory public-benefit requirement on internet providers analogous to cable franchise obligations. She also flagged federal legislative activity she described as a risk, saying “there’s a piece of legislation in Congress right now, that attempts to rewrite the 34 Communications Act and to basically eliminate cable franchise altogether.”

Committee members expressed support for the value of community media in preserving local archives and enabling public participation, and discussed how the centers helped municipalities pivot to online meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Cooper said the centers are an important, community-based resource that must evolve with changing distribution platforms.

Rep. Birong closed the discussion by saying the Network’s request would be added to the committee’s list of considerations for the budget memo to the Appropriations Committee. No formal motion or vote was recorded during the hearing on the funding request.

The committee received supplemental materials and a slide map of the Network’s statewide centers during the presentation; committee staff indicated the request will be considered alongside other budget priorities as the Legislature prepares its fiscal recommendations.