Serving Simsbury for Over 40 Years
Simsbury Community Media, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) local access station, has proudly served the Simsbury community since 1984. Our facilities are available at no cost to trained volunteers who wish to create community programming.
Your Donations Keep Us Running!
Funding from cable companies has been significantly cut in recent years. Our operations and services to the community rely heavily on public donations – individuals, organizations, and local businesses. We encourage everyone to help us support the Simsbury community through donations or sponsorships.
45+
types of Programs, Meetings, Events & Concerts Broadcast regularly
1400
Sq Ft of Facilities
3
Broadcast Stations
Core Values of Community Television
Localism
Supports local viewpoints, perspectives and the interests of local communities. Most mainstream media programming is intended for national audiences and does not reflect the rich diversity of American community life.
Diversity of Viewpoints
Local residents and organizations must be able to make and telecast media that reflects local experiences. Our society is founded on a belief in freedom of expression and free speech. Democracy works best when a wide array of voices and opinions can be seen and heard.
Promote Dialogue
Community conversations are key to building a vibrant community. The telecasting of programs provides residents, government and non-profit organizations with critical information and creates an opportunity for dialogue around issues and concerns that residents and the community must address. We build community through media.
Media Literacy
A basic tenant of civil society is that the lives of all members of the community are important, and all members of society should be able to represent themselves in the media. In order to represent themselves they need access to the electronic media tools to create content, the training to use the tools, and the mechanism(s) to distribute community content.
Non-commercial
Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access is an essential component in our public media ‘greenspace’ where, like a public park, we can reflect on who we are without the interference of commercial values.
Civic Engagement
Many of the decisions that most affect our lives are made at the local level by the town’s boards and commissions and elected officials. Community media keeps the public informed about local government elections, about social services, about public housing, and other important local political and economic development activities.
Education
PEG access plays an important role in our educational system. It provides a distribution medium for use by schools, libraries and colleges; and it is especially important for education in low income and rural communities.
Public Safety
In many areas PEG access channels provide for emergency information and community alerts.
Electronic Greenspace
The PEG channels are our “electronic public green space,” where democracy is demonstrated through low-cost, televised community dialogue. In exchange for using the public right of way, cable companies share a part of their profits as “rent,” and these funds create an electronic public/private partnership for greater civic participation.
Our Staff
- Keith Bress, Production Manager
- Cole Manasia, Associate Producer
- Shannon Leary, Manager, Community Engagement & Business Development
We would like to acknowledge our extended team including volunteers without whose contributions our work would not be possible.
Board of Directors
- Don Colantonio, President
- Mary Glassman, Ex-Officio
- Paul Henault, Vice President
- Donna Sennott, Treasurer
- Beth Morgan, Secretary
- Kevin Beal
- Tom Benneche
- Mark Orenstein
- Rob Sternschein
- Ben Cerny
- Rose Vigdal
- Roger Coombes
- Bob Braunlich
Our Supporting Partners
Our sponsors help us deliver the programming, training, and resources that keep Simsbury connected. We’re proud to recognize those who invest in our town’s stories.
