For the past week, our blogs have shone a spotlight on our Advanced Filmmaker Summer Program for middle school and high school students. We have been absolutely blown away by their talents, passions, and enthusiasm. These amazing kids have showcased not only their technical skills but also their incredible ability to collaborate and work together.
Over the past several years, WCTV has rebuilt its youth program into a vibrant community hub. It's a place that fosters creativity, develops tremendous artists, and serves as a safe space for students from all racial, religious, gender identity, and sexual orientation backgrounds. Additionally, WCTV has been a melting pot for students from many different social groups, from jocks to actors to artists, bringing together a diverse array of talents and perspectives. Many of our students have shared with staff, both individually and in groups, that WCTV is their safe space in the community. Their stories affirm the vital role our program plays in their lives.
It is also important to note that WCTV is the only resource in the community of Wilmington where students can learn the vital skills of videography, video editing, video production, multimedia journalism, multimedia production, and media literacy. These crucial skill sets are not taught in any of the Wilmington public schools and are not offered through any other organizations in town.
WCTV is excited to announce and very appreciative of receiving a small but important grant from We're One Wilmington (WOW). Support like this is vital to the survival of our youth program and allows us to continue being a beacon of hope and opportunity for these young talents, providing them with the resources and support they need to thrive.
Public Access Stations are at a financial crossroads, many of them hanging on by a thread thanks to the impact of chord cutting on what had traditionally been their sole source of revenue: funding from cable companies.
Over the past decade, public access stations have experienced a sharp decline in funding due to a significant drop in PEG (Public, Education, and Government) funding from cable companies. Traditionally, PEG funding accounted for virtually all financial support for these stations. However, with the rise of cord cutting and the decline in traditional cable subscriptions, this funding has diminished drastically. In Massachusetts alone, public access stations have lost more than thirty percent of their funding on average over the past ten years, not even accounting for inflation. This dramatic reduction has had a severe impact on their ability to operate and offer community-based programming. WCTV for instance brings in less in raw dollars - before factoring in inflation - than it did 15 years ago. Factor this with the skyrocketing costs of equipment, electricity, rent, and it’s easy to see why public access is in a tough spot.
Moving forward, community support will be critical in keeping our youth program alive and thriving. We deeply appreciate We're One Wilmington's donation, which plays a vital role in helping us continue to offer these valuable opportunities to our young talents and hope more organizations and individuals will consider donating to our youth program.
Anyone interested in helping the youth program should email info@wctv.org
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