Bring out the local producers, actors and filmmakers, because the town could soon have its own public access cable studio.
After seven years without a cable studio - Westwood used to share a facility with Norwood - the town is putting together a Public Access Corporation committee to explore the best way to open a studio.
"This is a chance for us to develop programming, choose programming and get information out to residents," Donna McClellan, manager of information technology, said yesterday. "We have public access by Verizon and Comcast. The idea is to develop and set up a Public Access Corp. that will hopefully be vibrant and have a lot of input from residents."
When the town signed a 10-year cable contract with Verizon in February, the agreement included $335,000 in fees to be used toward a local television studio and local programming. One-third of the money arrived 90 days after the signing of the contract. Another third is scheduled to be paid in three years, with the remainder coming in five years.
Comcast is the town's other cable provider.
McClellan said the committee needs a home and equipment to make the facility operational.
The type of programming will be left up to residents, but McClellan said the studio will allow the town to broadcast more meetings of municipal bodies, as well as informational content such as candidate debates.
No time frame has been set up for the studio's opening, but McClellan said the town would like to have it running as soon as possible. The Public Access Corp. would work to develop a schedule.
"It's like starting a company," McClellan said. "They'll be developing, building the facility, outfitting it, setting up the operating procedures for the corporation."
The town has yet to have anyone sign up for the board, but anyone interested in volunteering should contact the information technology department at 781-320-1021 or by e-mail at support@townhall.westwood.ma.us.
Daily News staff writer Greg Duggan can be reached at 781-433-8355 or by e-mail at gduggan@cnc.com.
