Programming

As mentioned above, WCCA TV 13 currently airs one-hundred and twenty-three hours of programming per week or six-thousand two-hundred and ninety six hours per year.17

The types of programming and percentages are as follows:

News/Informational 33%

Religious 27%

Entertainment 13%

Self-Help 8%

Ethnic 6%

Youth 5%

Cooking 4%

Sports 4%

Six government agencies and eleven educational institutions are served by WCCA as well as over one hundred nonprofit organizations. The following is a list of “users” of WCCA TV 13. These users have in some fashion used the services of WCCA, either through its bulletin board, producing programming or by being featured in programming.

Abby’s House

Alzheimer’s Association

American Cancer Society

American Legion Tatnuck Post 288

American Red Cross

Amherst Montessori School

Apostolate Office

Apostolate of the Silent Soul

Armenian Church of the Martyrs

Ballet Arts Worcester

Becker College

Before Closure Corp.

John Binienda, State Representative

Burncoat Baptist Church

Catholic Charities

Center for Living and Working

Central Mass Housing Alliance

Central Mass. Independent Physician

Children’s Friend

City of Worcester

Mayor’s Office

City Mgr.’s Office

Clark University

Commerce High Class Reunion Committee

Compassion Pregnancy

Compassionate Friends

Cornerstone Academy

Daughters of the American Revolution

Dudley Lions Club

Eckankar Church

Epworth United Methodist Church

Fleet Boston

Forgeworks Farm

Friends of Newton Hill

Girls Inc.

Goddard Memorial Association

Grace Community Church

Harford Bible Students

Harvard Medical School

Hessed Foundation

Holden Christian Academy

Holiday Inn

Hospice Education Institute

House Faith Ministry

Iglesias Jesuscristo

In City Times

Italian American Cultural Center

Jewish Family Services

Kelly Funeral Home

King Jesus Chapel Church

Korean War Memorial

LAOH

Legal Assistance of Mass.

Leicester Lions Club

Mass Audubon at Broad Meadow Brook

Mass Justice Project

Mass School of Pharmacy

Mass Veteran’s Inc.

Metrowest Humane Society

Millenium Friendship Club

Morning Star Church

Narcotics Anonymous

New England Ghanian SDA Church

New England Native American Institute

Notre Dame Academy

Odd Fellows Rest Home

Old Sturbridge Village

Operation ABLE

Our Lady of the Angels

Our Lady of Loreto

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

PAL Worcester

Parents and Children’s Services

Performing Arts School of Worcester

Planned Parenthood

Pleasant Street Seventh Day Adventist Church

Problem Pregnancy

Project Bread

Quinsigamond Community College

Rape Crisis Center

Rural Housing Imp. Inc.

Russian Orthodox Church

Saint Francis and Therese Catholic Worker

Saint Joseph’s Church

Saint Michaels on the Heights

Saint Joseph’s Rectory

Saint Patrick’s Parade Committee

Saint Paul’s Cathedral

Salvation Army

Second Church of Christ

Seventh Day Adventist

Supreme Master Chiang Hai International

Sutton Garden Club

That’s Entertainment

Trinity Lutheran Church

True Holiness Church

University Commons Nursing Care Center

VNA Care Hospice

Worcester Animal Rescue League

Worcester Christian Singles

Worcester Columbus Day Parade Committee

Worcester Common Ground

Worcester Community Action Council

Worcester Community Housing Resources Inc.

Worcester Computer Society

Worcester County Food Bank

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office

Worcester Cultural Coalition

Worcester Dept. of Public Works

Worcester Firefighters Memorial 6K

Worcester Interfaith

Worcester Medical Center

Worcester Police Officers

Worcester Public School

Worcester Public Library

Worcester Regional Transit Authority

Worcester Senior Center Campus

Worcester State College

Yellow Submarine, the Band

You Inc.

YWCA

Second language and ethnic programming includes: Spanish, Greek, Albanian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Arabic and Italian.

These nonprofit and community organizations receive tremendous benefit through

WCCA. Their communications efforts are typically limited to a newspaper article or newsletter or perhaps a mention on the local radio station.18 Being able to put information on WCCA TV 13’s bulletin board is of great value to these groups and when they are featured in WCCA programs, the publicity contributes to their ability to deliver services.

WCCA currently has one-hundred and twenty-three hours of video programming (both live and playback) per week, of this one-hundred and four hours is generated by the community. This programming cost the users nothing as WCCA is provided to the users without charge. If the users had to purchase this programming time it would cost them $1,081,600 per year (combined cost).19 This $1,081,600 is only for actual air-time and does not include the cost of production that would be incurred, such as studio, equipment rental and staff assistance. The bulletin board service also has a real dollar value in that bulletin board users receive “low cost advertising” for their events and notices.20

Given that Worcester is served by network affiliates in Boston and not by local network affiliates, WCCA’s role in the community is that much more important as a source for local information and news.

Staff did indicate that they would like to pursue more educational programming and perhaps some distance learning courses in partnership with educational institutions.

Programming Recommendations

  • WCCA TV 13 is doing a good job of having a wide variety of programming and engagement of community groups. When we compare the variety of programming on WCCA against other access centers around the country, we believe that WCCA has achieved an excellent balance and stands out as an example.

  • With the level of programming currently being created, additional resources will be necessary to program a second channel and to pursue a partnership for distance learning programming.