Funding for TV Middletown

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   Posted: 8:00 a.m.
Monday, June 29, 2015

City proposes funding plan for TV Middletown

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

A
proposal to provide more funding for financially ailing TV Middletown is in the
works.

At
a recent work session of Middletown City Council, council members expressed
their belief that TVM is a valuable resource for the community and reached a
consensus to look for a way to assist the local community cable station,
Channel 24 on the Time Warner system.

TVM has been struggling
financially due to
city budget cuts and major building issues that devastated the nonprofit’s
budget to produce local programming as it cablecasts city council, school
board, planning commission meetings, local high school sports and other
community events and features.

City
Manager Doug Adkins said instead of a straight grant of $20,000 to TVM, the
cable station would receive the funds but will work with the city to provide
additional television programming through the end of 2015.

“The
concept is to develop new positive programming for the city while giving TV
Middletown additional operational assistance,” Adkins said. “As it stands now,
it would be a one-time purchase of programming. It could be incorporated into
future years if council believe the results warrant future additional funding.”

Adkins
gave two quick examples of TVM’s work just in the past week — the filming of
the groundbreaking of AK Steel’s new Research and
Innovation Center and
the Middletown Rotary Club’s 90th
Anniversary dinner
both on the same day.

“Their
coverage of city and school district meetings and events along with civic
events and high school sports programs is valued by the community,” Adkins
said.

Once
the details are completed, the proposal will go to council for approval at an
upcoming meeting.

“What
that $20,000 does will help us get through to the end of the year,” said Ty
Thomas, TV Middletown’s executive director. “The city believes in us and would
like us to cover more things positively Middletown.”

Thomas
said the proposal has been discussed with his board, where Adkins and
Councilwoman Anita Scott Jones are also TV Middletown board members and Adkins
and Scott Jones discussed it again with city council at its last work session.
However, Thomas said the final details haven’t been worked out yet, but the
station would do its best as he and one other person are the only full-time
employees and a group of volunteers to do the work.

“I
definitely think this is going to be a ‘win-win’ for the us and the city,” he
said.

Thomas
said while the city has cut back its funding over the past few years, the
organization has been faced with huge building maintenance and repair expenses
— about $900,000 — higher insurance premiums as well as increased taxes following the last county property
reappraisal that nearly doubled its tax bill. He said those expenses
hampered the station’s ability to upgrade its equipment.

“We’re
moving along well after the water damage and we’re open to selling the
building,” Thomas said. He added that a real estate agent is working on listing
the building on Central Avenue.

In
an effort to raise additional community donations, the station conducted a six-hour telethon over
two days during Mother’s Day weekend and raised just more than $11,000. Thomas
said another telethon is in the works.

Mike
Scorti, who serves as the TV Middletown board chairman, said while the city cut
its funding, they’re now trying to help the station stay afloat financially. He
said the organization has done all that it can do and there is only so much
private contributions can help.

“I
like the cooperation were getting from the city,” Scorti said. “I’m glad to see
Doug (Adkins) sees our problem and is willing to work with us. I’m happy with
the proposal and we’ll work toward those goals