Board of Selectmen
Selectmen Approve Additional $10,000 for Local Public Access TV Channel
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Town officials on Tuesday approved $10,000 in additional taxpayer funds for a local public access channel, increasing the cable TV service’s budgeted pay by more than 25%. The money will be used to “correct and fix” NCTV’s “digital channel by building out new channels,” according to Bob Doran, who told the Board of Selectmen that he’s “transitioning into leadership” there. Though NCTV in recent years has become overly focused on government programming, Doran said, “I believe the possibilities are endless.”
“The channel is a great medium to show all it [New Canaan] has to offer to both current residents and to attract new families even,” Doran said during the selectmen’s regular meeting, held via videoconference.
“We are also looking to bring high-definition quality to the channel and moving from video to YouTube, for instance, to be even more accessible for our live-streamed events and on-demand viewing for all our residents anywhere, any time,” he added. “So, no matter where they are in the world.”
It wasn’t clear whether Doran referred to simple YouTube or Facebook streaming, or something more. Doran said he had “proof points” for the plan, though a “virtual fireworks” at Waveny garnered 600 total views, a recent ceremony recording at Town Hall 380 and a newly published series on local leaders about 100. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams voted 3-0 in favor of the appropriation.
The additional $10,000 comes from what Moynihan called the first selectman’s “economic development budget.” The meeting agenda referred to the taxpayer funds as a “grant.” Doran said he was requesting the funds from a municipal tourism committee that already has backed town spending on a celebration of New Canaan architecture as well as a promotional website.