Mission Statement
Uxbridge Community Television mission is to help all Uxbridge citizens and institutions realize their full potential through the medium of cable television, and to encourage and facilitate their fullest participation in the production and distribution of quality programming by and for the community of Uxbridge.
History
In 1982, the Federal Communications Commission established mandatory cable access programming provisions requiring all cable television systems to provide free access channels for public, education and government use. These regulations led to the inclusion of provisions in the cable television licenses for funding to support community television.
In September of 2001, the town of Uxbridge entered into an agreement with Charter Communications to provide cable television services to the town. In the agreement, Charter Communications agreed to include a License Fee payment to a Special PEG Access account for the purpose of operating three local channels in Uxbridge.
The payment was based on a percentage of 4.25% of the Licensee’s Gross Annual Revenue from the cable subscribers in Uxbridge. Said annual franchise fee payment shall be used for salaries, operating and other related expenses connected with PEG Access Programming and operations. Along with the franchise fees, a one time payment of one hundred and five thousand dollars ($105,000) was given to the town to be used to purchase, lease, and/or to improve PEG Access equipment and facilities.
In 2002, the Board of Selectmen charged the Town Manager and the Cable Advisory Committee to hire a Program Coordinator to over see the operations of the PEG Access program for Uxbridge. In the beginning of 2003 a Program Coordinator was hired.
Since 2003, the Program Coordinator has utilized funding from the PEG Access Cable Account to increase and improve the equipment and facilities available to the community.
New equipment has been purchased for all facets of PEG Access including:
- New playback systems for all three channels
- New remote cameras for government meetings coverage
- New cameras and editing equipment for volunteer use
- Upgraded studio and control room in the High School studio
- With these purchases, we have been able to provide the community an up to date facility to produce high quality programming for the community.
- With these improvements, we have been able to expand our volunteer training and Educational programs to include:
- Additional support for the High School Communications Classes
- After school programs for Middle School Students
- Community training workshops through the Adult Education Program
- Independent community training for organizations in the town.