Submitted by Bob Dutton, on behalf of the Bedford TV Board of Directors
Bedford TV officials met with Selectmen on October 3rd. This letter is to clarify some of the key points discussed at that meeting. It is important to note that there is no immediate financial crisis, the discussion was to identify the potential for a funding shortfall by 2020 and identify possible steps to avoid a problem before it occurs.
At the heart of the issue are the rapid growth of social media and the early signs of decline in the use of cable as programming becomes available through other means. Bedford TV’s current charter is to deliver PEG (Public, Educational and Government) programming to cable subscribers in Bedford via three channels on the Verizon and Comcast systems, and to provide related training and services to Bedford residents.
Bedford TV also delivers programming via social media (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) and has seen rapid growth in viewership via each of these services over the past several years.
At the same time it appears that cable subscribership in town may have peaked – 2016 saw a slight decline in subscriber count, and this shift is likely to continue as more options become available.
The financial concern arises from the fact that the money for Bedford TV’s operations comes from a surcharge added to cable subscribers’ bills by Verizon and Comcast. There are no taxpayer dollars used to fund Bedford TV, in fact some of these revenues have been used to pay for other related services in Town.
As the number of cable subscribers declines, the funds for Bedford TV decline, even though viewership of the same programming via social media sites, which do not generate any revenue, is increasing rapidly. This is the primary challenge which was communicated to the Selectmen, along with a recommendation to consider alternatives well before the situation becomes critical.
An additional factor in 2016 was an unexpected 52% increasein the charges from the Town for use of the facilities occupied by Bedford TV in the Old Town Hall. This was the single biggest driver to the deficit which occurred for the first time this past year.
The intent of this meeting was to start a discussion with the Town, via the Selectmen, on whether the Bedford TV charter should be adjusted to target all Bedford residents (not just cable subscribers), and to include delivery of content via social media, wireless networking, and other non-cable technologies as they continue to evolve. If so, a shift in the funding approach must also be addressed as the cable-based revenues continue to decline.
The meeting was a success – the discussion has begun, and will continue through multiple meetings in the upcoming months involving the Selectmen, Cable TV Committee, and Bedford TV. Watch for further updates as more information becomes available.
To learn more, click to watch the meeting video:
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