Jeanne M. Rideout
“If we didn t have HCAM, we wouldn t have made it through the last year,” Holbrook selectman Lindsy Vayda said at Wednesday night s ZOOM meeting. “What would we do without HCAM? COVID shone a light on how important HCAM is to the community.”
Yet HCAM Executive Director Zack Gorman raised concerns of the unthinkable at the Jan. 20 meeting: HCAM funding is spiraling down, imperiling the future of Holbrook s community access media.
“We need to start a discussion looking at the long-term funding for HCAM through Comcast and Verizon,” Gorman said.
Funding for the public, educational, and government programs provided by HCAM is provided solely from the cable revue from Holbrook. HCAM receives 5% of the gross revenue generated from Holbrook s cable use, the maximum allowed by law. HCAM receives no funding from the Comcast and Verizon internet and phone bills paid by Holbrook residents.