What is Wrentham Cable Access?
Wrentham Cable Access (WCAC) is a private non profit corporation that was created to mange the
PEG (Public, Educational & Government) access channels for the town of Wrentham. WCAC is a
member run organization meaning that the corporation is comprised of Wrentham residents who have
"joined" our corporation as members. The Board of directors, which manage the day to day operations
of the station are elected from among our member pool. Membership is available to any Wrentham
resident over the age of 18. Membership is free and once you join us you remain a member until either
your residency changes or you request to be dropped from our member lists. To become a member go
to our FORMS section a print a membership application and mail it to us. Its that easy.
Currently WCAC broadcasts on four Channels. Channel 8 is our entertainment channel. Channel 22 is
where we broadcast Wrentham government meetings. Channel 12 is our educational channel and
channel 98 which is our bulletin channel. WCAC is the entity that keeps the access channels in
Wrentham working, WCAC maintains the equipment currently in use and makes decisions regarding
purchase of new equipment. WCAC also provides training in the use of our equipment
PEG (Public, Educational & Government) access channels for the town of Wrentham. WCAC is a
member run organization meaning that the corporation is comprised of Wrentham residents who have
"joined" our corporation as members. The Board of directors, which manage the day to day operations
of the station are elected from among our member pool. Membership is available to any Wrentham
resident over the age of 18. Membership is free and once you join us you remain a member until either
your residency changes or you request to be dropped from our member lists. To become a member go
to our FORMS section a print a membership application and mail it to us. Its that easy.
Currently WCAC broadcasts on four Channels. Channel 8 is our entertainment channel. Channel 22 is
where we broadcast Wrentham government meetings. Channel 12 is our educational channel and
channel 98 which is our bulletin channel. WCAC is the entity that keeps the access channels in
Wrentham working, WCAC maintains the equipment currently in use and makes decisions regarding
purchase of new equipment. WCAC also provides training in the use of our equipment
Where does the Cable Access programming come from?
Contrary to popular opinion Wrentham Cable Access does not produce local programming. We do not
have film crews that we send out to "cover" events. All programming shown on Wrentham Cable Access
has been conceived and created by Wrentham Residents or found by Wrentham Residents and given to
WCAC for broadcast. Wrentham Cable Access in a very real sense is no less nor more than what you
the community decides it should be.
have film crews that we send out to "cover" events. All programming shown on Wrentham Cable Access
has been conceived and created by Wrentham Residents or found by Wrentham Residents and given to
WCAC for broadcast. Wrentham Cable Access in a very real sense is no less nor more than what you
the community decides it should be.
Again, WCAC does not produce its own programming. Programs generally come from Wrentham
residents who have an interesting hobby, skill or idea that they would like to share with our community. If
you have an idea for a cable television program that you feel would be of interest to the general
community WCAC would like to opportunity to assist you in the planning, Set Design, training of
background personal like camera operators and technical directors and help you bring your program
idea to life. If you have an idea call our station today at 384-6275 or email us at
wrenthamcableaccess@comcast.net
residents who have an interesting hobby, skill or idea that they would like to share with our community. If
you have an idea for a cable television program that you feel would be of interest to the general
community WCAC would like to opportunity to assist you in the planning, Set Design, training of
background personal like camera operators and technical directors and help you bring your program
idea to life. If you have an idea call our station today at 384-6275 or email us at
wrenthamcableaccess@comcast.net
How do I get a Bulletin on Channel 8?
In between programming on channels 8, 22 and 12 WCAC runs a continual loop of bulletins of interest to
the residents of our community. On Channel 8 we run bulletins of general interest for the community,
Notices of Government meetings (no Agenda's) , Wrentham Community groups and organizations,as
well as Church notices. On Channel 22 bulletins relating to the Senior Citizens will air. On channel 12 we
run bulletins related to the Wrentham and KP school systems. Bulletins can be requested by any resident
providing they represent the organization, club or committee posting the bulletin and that these ther
policies are followed:
1) No commercial notices. Items for sale, flea markets (other than civic organizations) are permitted.
2) No personal messages, birthdays or anniversaries are permitted.
3) Only authorized representatives of an organization may request bulletins regarding that organization.
4) All bulletins are subject to editing, no lengthy bulletins will be allowed.
5) Any bulletins containing Political ads or campaign material will not be allowed.
6) Any bulletin containing material that constitutes either libel or slander is not allowed.
7) Any bulletin containing copyrighted material will not be allowed.
8) Any bulletin that contains obscene or pornographic material will not be allowed.
9) Any bulletin that contains material that is in violation of FCC rules, and/or State, Local or Federal laws
will not be allowed.
10) If requested we will run notices of government meetings on the bulletin board. We will not run the
agenda for any meeting.
11) Bulletins thanking sponsors/donors are not permitted.
WCAC Reserves the right to air or remove from air any bulletin, on any of our channels. For a list of all the
regulations that govern the use of the Bulletin Board contact our office we'll forward the use restrictions to
you.
If you have questions about your bulletin please either call our station at 508-384-6275 or email us at
Wrenthamcableaccess@comcast.net
the residents of our community. On Channel 8 we run bulletins of general interest for the community,
Notices of Government meetings (no Agenda's) , Wrentham Community groups and organizations,as
well as Church notices. On Channel 22 bulletins relating to the Senior Citizens will air. On channel 12 we
run bulletins related to the Wrentham and KP school systems. Bulletins can be requested by any resident
providing they represent the organization, club or committee posting the bulletin and that these ther
policies are followed:
1) No commercial notices. Items for sale, flea markets (other than civic organizations) are permitted.
2) No personal messages, birthdays or anniversaries are permitted.
3) Only authorized representatives of an organization may request bulletins regarding that organization.
4) All bulletins are subject to editing, no lengthy bulletins will be allowed.
5) Any bulletins containing Political ads or campaign material will not be allowed.
6) Any bulletin containing material that constitutes either libel or slander is not allowed.
7) Any bulletin containing copyrighted material will not be allowed.
8) Any bulletin that contains obscene or pornographic material will not be allowed.
9) Any bulletin that contains material that is in violation of FCC rules, and/or State, Local or Federal laws
will not be allowed.
10) If requested we will run notices of government meetings on the bulletin board. We will not run the
agenda for any meeting.
11) Bulletins thanking sponsors/donors are not permitted.
WCAC Reserves the right to air or remove from air any bulletin, on any of our channels. For a list of all the
regulations that govern the use of the Bulletin Board contact our office we'll forward the use restrictions to
you.
If you have questions about your bulletin please either call our station at 508-384-6275 or email us at
Wrenthamcableaccess@comcast.net
Who Runs Wrentham Cable Access?
Wrentham Cable Access is managed by a station manager who oversees all aspects of the stations
operation including; Scheduling of programs, preparation of instructional material and classes, creation
of on air programs tapes, scheduling of the studio facilities which includes our main studio as well as the
private editing suites, the tracking and maintenance of our state of the art equipment , purchasing office
equipment and supplies.. In Wrentham the Station Manager is Frank Whitehead.
Frank first came to WCAC as a volunteer back in 1992. He has produced many great programs like
Picture Poetry and Ride around Wrentham and of course his long running program The Coin Shop.
Frank was the President of WCAC from 1998 - 2000 before becoming the station manager in 2001. He
has a great feel for cable access and will be able to assist you in creating a new show or simply finding a
place where you can best help the Wrentham Cable Access family.
Once a Month Frank provides a report of the station activities to the Wrentham Cable Access board of
directors. The Board meets on the second Wednesday of each month in our studio. The board is
comprised of members each elected to serve three year terms from among our membership. The
current board of directors are;
Bill Keyes - President
Ravi Nadkarni - Vice President
Mary Giordino - Secretary
Kyle Jackson - Board Member
Jane Benson - Treasurer
Richard Bryant - Board Member
Janet Marian - Board Member
The Board of Directors is basically a policy setting body. Their role is to set the policies which govern the
station. They also control the purse strings and mange the financial side of the corporation. The board of
directors never involves themselves in the creation of programming and in fact make no decisions
regarding programming or scheduling of programming on Wrentham Cable Access. No Town funding is
ever used for cable access.
operation including; Scheduling of programs, preparation of instructional material and classes, creation
of on air programs tapes, scheduling of the studio facilities which includes our main studio as well as the
private editing suites, the tracking and maintenance of our state of the art equipment , purchasing office
equipment and supplies.. In Wrentham the Station Manager is Frank Whitehead.
Frank first came to WCAC as a volunteer back in 1992. He has produced many great programs like
Picture Poetry and Ride around Wrentham and of course his long running program The Coin Shop.
Frank was the President of WCAC from 1998 - 2000 before becoming the station manager in 2001. He
has a great feel for cable access and will be able to assist you in creating a new show or simply finding a
place where you can best help the Wrentham Cable Access family.
Once a Month Frank provides a report of the station activities to the Wrentham Cable Access board of
directors. The Board meets on the second Wednesday of each month in our studio. The board is
comprised of members each elected to serve three year terms from among our membership. The
current board of directors are;
Bill Keyes - President
Ravi Nadkarni - Vice President
Mary Giordino - Secretary
Kyle Jackson - Board Member
Jane Benson - Treasurer
Richard Bryant - Board Member
Janet Marian - Board Member
The Board of Directors is basically a policy setting body. Their role is to set the policies which govern the
station. They also control the purse strings and mange the financial side of the corporation. The board of
directors never involves themselves in the creation of programming and in fact make no decisions
regarding programming or scheduling of programming on Wrentham Cable Access. No Town funding is
ever used for cable access.
What if I have an idea for a great program?
What Does it mean to be a Member of Cable 8?
Becoming a member of Cable Access enables you to vote on important matters before the corporation
at our annual meeting which is usually held in March. Also as a member you have the ability to stand for
election to the WCAC board of Directors.
Becoming a member is as easy as filling our a simple form. This form is available for download from
our FORMS page. Once you become a member you remain one. There is no renewal of membership
required.
Other than being able to vote at our annual meeting being a member of Wrentham Cable 8 and what
that means remains up to you. Your level of involvement is also up to you. For those who chose to make
the most of the Cable Access membership there are many exciting and fun ways to experience a
greater role in Cable Access. If interested call or station today and ask for Frank he'll help you decide
what role is right for you.
at our annual meeting which is usually held in March. Also as a member you have the ability to stand for
election to the WCAC board of Directors.
Becoming a member is as easy as filling our a simple form. This form is available for download from
our FORMS page. Once you become a member you remain one. There is no renewal of membership
required.
Other than being able to vote at our annual meeting being a member of Wrentham Cable 8 and what
that means remains up to you. Your level of involvement is also up to you. For those who chose to make
the most of the Cable Access membership there are many exciting and fun ways to experience a
greater role in Cable Access. If interested call or station today and ask for Frank he'll help you decide
what role is right for you.
What policies does Cable 8 Follow when Taping
Government meetings?
Government meetings?
Video taping Government meetings is a right given to any resident of the Commonwealth under the
Massachusetts Open Meeting law. At Cable 8 we endeavor to tape all the meetings of the following
boards and committees; The Selectmen, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Finance
Committee, Conservation Commission and the Board of Health. We also tape the two school boards,
King Philip Regional and the Wrentham Elementary when time, equipment and videographers allow.
Adhering to the constraints of the open meeting law we are not able to interfere with any meeting.
Wrentham Cable Access tries not to air any of the chatter before a meeting is gaveled to order, or
comments made during called recesses or those after the meeting is adjourned. We do air all
comments and discussions made during the actual meeting. We do not edit the gavel to gavel content
of any meeting ever. In this way we attempt to bring the process of government to the community
complete with all of the interaction between the citizens and the board members so that not only are the
boards decisions captured but the reasons for those decisions as well.s
Massachusetts Open Meeting law. At Cable 8 we endeavor to tape all the meetings of the following
boards and committees; The Selectmen, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Finance
Committee, Conservation Commission and the Board of Health. We also tape the two school boards,
King Philip Regional and the Wrentham Elementary when time, equipment and videographers allow.
Adhering to the constraints of the open meeting law we are not able to interfere with any meeting.
Wrentham Cable Access tries not to air any of the chatter before a meeting is gaveled to order, or
comments made during called recesses or those after the meeting is adjourned. We do air all
comments and discussions made during the actual meeting. We do not edit the gavel to gavel content
of any meeting ever. In this way we attempt to bring the process of government to the community
complete with all of the interaction between the citizens and the board members so that not only are the
boards decisions captured but the reasons for those decisions as well.s
How do I get a show on Cable 8
Submitting a program for broadcast on Channel 8 is quite simple. All Wrentham residents are welcome
to submit programming for broadcasting. These programs can be produced using your home video
editing equipment, the cable 8 studio equipment or professional Videos. If submitting a professionally
made video residents must obtain all permissions from the copyright holder and submit them in writing
along with the broadcast request. It should also be noted that cable 8 bylaws allow the station manager
to reject professional videos made for national distribution for any reason. Locally (Wrentham) taped
and produced shows will be aired as requested providing the program contains no pornographic
material or any illegal material.
To submit a program Simply fill out the Channel Time request (see our forms page) and either drop it
off or send it in and we'll get your show on the air.
Several points:
Our bylaws require that all programs aired on Wrentham cable be submitted with a channel time
requset form signed by a legal Wrentham Resident who accepts responsibility for content of the
programming material. (See the Forms Page to download a copy of the the Channel Time request.)
to submit programming for broadcasting. These programs can be produced using your home video
editing equipment, the cable 8 studio equipment or professional Videos. If submitting a professionally
made video residents must obtain all permissions from the copyright holder and submit them in writing
along with the broadcast request. It should also be noted that cable 8 bylaws allow the station manager
to reject professional videos made for national distribution for any reason. Locally (Wrentham) taped
and produced shows will be aired as requested providing the program contains no pornographic
material or any illegal material.
To submit a program Simply fill out the Channel Time request (see our forms page) and either drop it
off or send it in and we'll get your show on the air.
Several points:
Our bylaws require that all programs aired on Wrentham cable be submitted with a channel time
requset form signed by a legal Wrentham Resident who accepts responsibility for content of the
programming material. (See the Forms Page to download a copy of the the Channel Time request.)
Who funds Cable Access?
Cable access in Wrentham is funded by ComCast and Verizon. I've heard many times local officials
pronouncing that "5% of your cable bill goes to fund Cable Access." This is not entirely true. Yes 5% of
your cable bill funds Cable Access but the cost to you is nothing. How can this be? Both ComCast and
Verizon have agreed by negotiated contract to Donate 5% of the total revenue that they earn in
Wrentham to fund Wrentham Cable Access. This 5% is a gift to our community. This 5% is not added to
your bill. You are paying no extra because of Cable Access. ComCast Itemizes this "gift" on each bill as
a Franchise related fee. If your cable bill with Comcast is 100.00 dollars your bill will reflect the 100.00
charge and a Franchise fee of 5.00 for a balance due of 100.00 dollars. The franchise fee is not added
into your bill it is itemized only to show how much of your total fee Comcast is Donating to Wrentham
Cable. Your bill can not be reduced because you may not wish fund Cable Access as you are not really
paying into cable access. The money used to fund cable all belongs to either Verizon or Comcast it is
they who are donating the funds not local subscribers. So our community is recieving a free 5% to run
Cable Access. Anyone in the community may utilize cable access whether or not the subscribe to
cable.
pronouncing that "5% of your cable bill goes to fund Cable Access." This is not entirely true. Yes 5% of
your cable bill funds Cable Access but the cost to you is nothing. How can this be? Both ComCast and
Verizon have agreed by negotiated contract to Donate 5% of the total revenue that they earn in
Wrentham to fund Wrentham Cable Access. This 5% is a gift to our community. This 5% is not added to
your bill. You are paying no extra because of Cable Access. ComCast Itemizes this "gift" on each bill as
a Franchise related fee. If your cable bill with Comcast is 100.00 dollars your bill will reflect the 100.00
charge and a Franchise fee of 5.00 for a balance due of 100.00 dollars. The franchise fee is not added
into your bill it is itemized only to show how much of your total fee Comcast is Donating to Wrentham
Cable. Your bill can not be reduced because you may not wish fund Cable Access as you are not really
paying into cable access. The money used to fund cable all belongs to either Verizon or Comcast it is
they who are donating the funds not local subscribers. So our community is recieving a free 5% to run
Cable Access. Anyone in the community may utilize cable access whether or not the subscribe to
cable.