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Business & Tech

Nutmeg TV Settled Into Farmington Home

Public Access TV spotlights offers more than polka and preachers.

The equipment is unpacked and the cameras are rolling at Nutmeg TV, this area’s public access station, which relocated from Plainville to Farmington in December.

The new address at 9 Eastview Drive boasts a 36' x 40’ studio and new equipment,  which was purchased with a government grant. Many of the furnishings and lighting fixtures were donated by The Aetna, when the company's Middletown building was torn down. 

“It made so much sense for us to buy our own building,” says Executive Director Joanie McCauley. “We almost doubled our space and it’s a great location – central to the eight towns we serve.” 

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In addition to Farmington, Nutmeg TV serves Avon, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, New Britain and Plainville. The station's main sources of funding are the cable companies that serve the area.

Formed in 1990 as an independent, non-profit corporation, Nutmeg TV manages community access television on cable channels 5 (Public), 95 (Education), and 96 (Government). “Community access” means that area residents are eligible to create or provide television shows that are shown on Nutmeg TV. For the individual or organization with a message, Nutmeg provides a forum to express that viewpoint to the community. 

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“Except for the Internet,” says McCauley, “public access TV is the last place a person can say exactly what they feel.”

Nutmeg even provides free training for would-be TV producers and spokespersons, with classes in all aspects of production, including camera, and audio and editing; ongoing technical assistance is provided by the professional staff. Anyone interested in these classes is asked to first attend an orientation seminar at the station for an overview of the program.

“And anyone who has completed four volunteer classes can come in any Wednesday for “Volunteer Night” and work on a show right along with the instructors,” says McCauley. “Many people are interested in TV but don’t want to be on camera, so this is a great way to get hands-on experience and build a skill set, and Nutmeg certainly benefits from community involvement.

The station is hoping for more than just volunteers.

“We welcome community shows,” says McCauley, “and they can be almost anything. We’ve had dancing, paint and wallpapering instruction, art lessons, even call-in shows." Nutmeg TV will also air a pre-produced show tape submitted by an individual or organization.

Nutmeg’s Channel 96 is dedicated to government programming such as Town Council meetings and political candidate statements. The Educational Channel (95) provides local programming for all schools, libraries, and colleges in the area, plus special training for educators and their students who would like to produce their own programs on Nutmeg TV.

Area businesses may purchase a sponsorship on Nutmeg TV and benefit from repeated exposure of their message.

“As a thank-you for their donation," says McCauley, “we provide local businesses with an on-air screen shot or short video of their business that appears on our community bulletin board. It’s great inexpensive name recognition for the business, and their donation supports Nutmeg.”

McCauley invites area residents to take advantage of the unique services offered by Nutmeg TV. To contact the station, call 860-321-7405 or visit www.nutmegtv.org.

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