WCCA TV 13 Earns High Marks in Assessment

A preliminary report has been issued that gives WCCA TV 13 high marks in its programming, training and community service. The report, issued by Riedel Communications, Inc. of Maryland cites WCCA’s airing of one-hundred and twenty-three hours of nonprofit and community programming per week and places a value on that programming of over one million dollars.

(Download the preliminary report as a PDF. An HTML version without footnotes or graphics is also available.)

“We have over one-hundred Worcester area nonprofit groups using the channel,” said Executive Director Mauro DePasquale, “If they had to buy that air time from Charter it would cost them over a million dollars.”

The report states:

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.

The report calls for WCCA to be given a second channel to run as is provided for in the current franchise agreement. It further states that WCCA needs more space for training community groups and producers and more resources, particularly for new equipment, to increase on its current level of production.

“We’re finding more and more individuals and groups are asking for services and we are having a hard time keeping up with the demand at our current funding levels,” said DePasquale, “One of our big problems is our equipment is quickly getting old and out of date.”

Along with a comprehensive assessment of WCCA facilities and operations, a Focus Group was conducted in which forty people representing nonprofit groups, government agencies and individual productions attended. Eighty-eight percent of the participants said that WCCA TV 13 was important or very important. Sixty-five percent of the participants said they had thought about producing a show at WCCA TV 13. Most of the topics for programming proposed figuring out a way to better communicate services to residents of the greater Worcester area.

The report will be finalized after results from a community survey are tallied.

Riedel Communications, Inc. was hired by WCCA to do the assessment. Bunnie Riedel, President, is one of a handful of experts in the country on the subject of Public access television and cable franchising. Along with advising communities, FCC commissioners and access centers, Ms. Riedel has spoken internationally and advised foreign governments in the areas of cable and access television.

“From a brief look at the community survey, it looks like WCCA is enjoying a seventy-five percent approval rating from the community,” said Riedel.

WCCA has posted the preliminary report on its website. Questions concerning the report can be directed to Mauro DePasquale at 508-755-1880.