In conjunction with the town of Reading, Reading Community Television (RCTV) will be hosting three focus groups to gather input about community media needs and interests. Every ten years the town government negotiates a renewal of the cable franchises between the town and its cable television providers, Verizon and Comcast. Information and ideas generated from these focus groups will help guide the negotiations. Residents, parents, retirees, school teachers and staff, young people, community groups, healthcare and technology professionals, public safety providers, media and arts organizations, non-profits, businesses, and local government staff are being asked to participate in the focus groups. There are three different times that are being offered. A person doesn’t have to be affiliated with a group to participate.
Focus groups are organized to encourage people with like interests to attend the same meeting to facilitate brainstorming, however, anyone may attend any focus group. The first focus group will be June 7 from 3:00-5:00 PM in the RMHS School Media Center geared towards educators, youth and sports interests. The second will be on June 8 from 1:00-3:00 PM in the Reading Public Library Community Room geared towards local government and local business interests. The third will also be on June 8 from 7:00-9:00 PM in the Reading Public Library Community Room which will focus on local organizations such as community arts groups, cultural heritage organizations, and human service and faith-based groups. Each focus group will last two hours and refreshments will be provided. The presentation and questions will be the same at each focus group. “With the information we collect from the community brainstorming sessions, we are excited to continue reshaping RCTV’s future,” commented Kathi Crook, RCTV Board President. To RSVP to one of the sessions click here.
RCTV is Reading’s community media access station. It operates the three community access channels on channels 9, 22, and 99 on Comcast and channels 31, 32, and 33 on Verizon. RCTV records and televises local government meetings and other locally produced shows. Any member of the community can join RCTV and learn how to produce their own television show. RCTV owns up-to-date HD equipment for members to use. RCTV also hosts year-round classes as well as summer workshops for youth and training classes for adults. For more information about RCTV and its programs go to www.rctv.org.
