More letters supporting WCCA

More letters supporting WCCA have appeared in the Telegram & Gazette this month.

Shannon Senior, director of What It's Worth:

When I enrolled in WCCA’s television production classes three years ago, I was exploring opportunities to see if Worcester could be more than just the city in which I grew up, the city that I could make my future home. As a volunteer director/host, WCCA has offered me a tremendous opportunity to learn and practice television production skills, to express myself and to become more engaged with the city on a cultural and civic level. In the true spirit of public access, WCCA offers this same opportunity to everyone in the community for little or no money, so that all voices can be heard.

Today, as we read about Bay State communities struggling to keep young talent, should we really devastate our most accessible outlet for creativity and free speech? If we aim to promote diversity and the arts in this city, we should continue to support public access television at WCCA as a vital, organic source of original local content.

WCCA's own Charlie Thanas:

I’ve worked in broadcasting for most of my professional life from the old days at WSMW TV-27 in Worcester, to WBZ TV-4 in Boston and WSVI TV-8 in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. I now work at WCCA TV-13 in Worcester.

The programs produced at Channel 13 are as professional as any I’ve seen throughout my career in commercial television and for a fraction of the cost.

Worcester has a truly unique opportunity to continue to raise the bar in local public access. WCCA TV-13 shines as what most in commercial broadcasting would consider a flagship station.

Joseph R. Santos of Grafton Bible Church:

It's nice to know that we can produce this show to benefit the residents of Worcester.

David Bedard:

It appears to me that WCCA is committed to serving the ever-growing diversity of our population. It is this same diversity that has made Worcester the fastest-growing city in the commonwealth. Residents should be proud of this diversity and support a means of expression such as WCCA, not shoot at it and attempt to restrict it or reduce its service to a crawling text message.

Robert W. Cardoza:

We should not be thinking of tearing WCCA-TV down, but of enlarging its jurisdiction.

Even the one letter complaining about WCCA has this nugget. Phyllis A. Goldstein:

In addition, when I asked Mr. DePasquale about the quality control and balance of these programs, he offered to have me come in to film a short (10- to 15-minute) rebuttal editorial . . . .

How many other stations on your TV offer to help you rebut the shows you don't like? How many other stations on your TV offer to help you produce your own regular show? How many other stations on your TV even return your phone calls?