It’s nice to know when there is some sense of certainty in life. Don’t get me wrong, uncertainty can bring exciting opportunities and a heightened sense of beneficial urgency, but knowing what lies ahead brings with it a sense of comfort.

Since I’ve been at FRCTV our future had been uncertain. Since 2002 when the Fall River cable television contract first expired and went into limbo in 2005, we were not sure whether we would be involved with continuing to provide community media services to the City of Fall River.

Despite all we had accomplished, there were good reasons for us to feel that way. Under the terms of the old cable television agreement, there was no funding set aside for the public access television operation for Fall River and Bristol Community College stepped forward in 1999 with the understanding that dedicated funding from a new contract would stabilize the operation (if the City chose BCC to continue to house the program).

As the years passed and BCC bore the financial burden of maintaining the operation through tough economic times, few would have blamed the College for cutting ties with FRCTV.

To its credit, BCC never did.  In fact, under the leadership of President Dr. John Sbrega, the college saw the benefits FRCTV provided for the community and supported us through the grinding process of what turned out to be a protracted cable contract renewal process.

With the announcement last week by Mayor Will Flanagan ensuring that FRCTV receives dedicated funding from the new cable television contract with Comcast, we now know that our immediate future is somewhat secure.

I want to personally thank Mayor Flanagan for his diligence in examining the issue and deciding a fair resolution to funding FRCTV,  the FRED-TV and FRG-TV operation at Durfee High School, and a start-up program at Diman Regional Voc-Tech.  In my opinion all parties came out as winners.

Even though we have some security, it in no way means we are to rest on our laurels.  With the new funding comes great opportunities for FRCTV to better meet the communications needs of the people of Fall River.

We have some ideas.  They will take some time to implement.  But we are committed to continue to make FRCTV a respected and valued communications resource in Fall River.

I ask for your help.  How can we do what we do better?  Get in touch with me with your ideas.

Thanks to all of you who have supported FRCTV through the years.  Now let’s get back to work!