Trumbull Community Television Gets a Boost

State Reps. Tony Hwang (R-134) David Rutigliano and Lawrence Miller (R-123) and State Senator Anthony Musto (D- 22) are hailing a "Public Educational and Governmental Programming and Education Technology Investment Account (PEG/PETIA)" state grant for Trumbull Community Television in the amount of $137,716.

Trumbull Community Television is Public Access Television for the Town of Trumbull. It records and shows Board of Education meetings and school activities and events, meetings of its Board of Finance and Town Council, and of many town commissions and committees, as well as meetings of community interest including the Trumbull Chamber of Commerce, Rotary club, and events and speakers at its Senior Center and Library.

The state grant will be used to purchase video, audio and production equipment that will convert Trumbull Community Television to high definition digital recording and enable it to expand and enhance its local programming.

“This grant will enable Trumbull Community Television to provide a higher level of hyper-local news and public service programming that will help keep its residents up to date with its schools, government and community meetings.  It is also effective allocation of state grant funds to enhance our educational outreach as a training ground for the booming digital/media job market,” Hwang said.

Rutigliano added, “The Trumbull community television has certainly deserves any additional support it can receive. The staff and volunteers consistently fulfill their mission of educating and informing both the students of Trumbull High and the community at large.

“It’s a great resource for the people, and we certainly welcome any help that would improve the accessibility and quality of the programming,” he said.

"It is essential that we maintain a high level of quality local access programming," said State Rep. Larry Miller (R-122).  "This grant will ensure that in the Town of Trumbull, access to important programming like local government remains just a click away for residents.”

"This critical investment by the State of Connecticut will help Trumbull Community Television further its mission of promoting transparency in our local government," Musto said. "The unique service this organization provides allows Trumbull residents to remain informed as to local news and the work being done on their behalf. I am glad to see Trumbull Community Television being recognized and supported in this way, and look forward to continued quality program from them."

By law, the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority must spend half of PEG/PETIA funds on local and state-wide cable-TV and video advisory councils and to support the purchase of capital and equipment by public, educational, and governmental programmers and studio operators.  The other half must underwrite education technology initiatives of boards of education and other educational entities.

PURA states that the PEG/PETIA fund balance currently exceeds $5 million, leading it to explore ways to raise public awareness about the account and broaden the account’s use.  The authority recently informed the state’s 25 Cable Advisory Councils that funding is available for local schools, municipalities, and community television organizations; they cut the six to nine month award evaluation process to three to four months; and they are exploring an Internet cloud-based format to facilitate expanded and more cost effective community access programming. 

The Town of Trumbull formed its Cable Advisory Committee in 2003 with a mission to “ensure that the residents of Trumbull have excellent cable television” through “the creation, airing, and viewing of community access programming that presents news and information specific to the community.” This grant is the next step in a process of continual improvement.