Wolfeboro Community TV seeks up to $60,000 for equipment, board plans fundraising campaign

Representatives of Wolfeboro Community Television (WCTV) updated the Board of Selectmen on June 4 and outlined an urgent equipment and operating shortfall.

Mary Shilleroff, representing WCTV’s board, and Timothy Goodwin, WCTV executive director, said franchise fees — not direct taxpayer funding — supply the bulk of WCTV’s budget, but those fees have declined as “cord-cutting” reduces cable subscriptions. Goodwin told the board the station needs approximately $60,000 to buy replacement equipment and get to a more sustainable operating model; he asked for help publicizing a near-term fundraising campaign and said the board will present more detailed fundraising plans at a later meeting.

Why it matters: WCTV provides live and recorded coverage of town government, education and community content; its capacity affects residents’ access to meetings and local programming, particularly for those who rely on cable or archived streaming.

Details and timeline: The WCTV board said it is preparing a campaign and aims to raise funds in time to order equipment so it is in place before the end of the year. Shilleroff noted the station is exploring transition to over-the-top streaming while continuing to support cable users. The selectmen reiterated that WCTV is an independent 501(c)(3) and commended the board for starting a fundraising effort.

Ending: WCTV will return with a formal fundraising plan; selectmen and staff indicated they will assist with outreach and noted the town budget contribution for WCTV this year is limited by the recent default budget.