Westwood Media Center: A Great Community Resource

The Westwood Media Center (WMC) is not just a place to produce old-fashioned public access TV. Previously known as Westwood Community Access Television, this non-profit seeks to become a communication hub for Westwood, as well as offer educational opportunities to residents.

The WMC relocated to its current location of 15 Perwal Street from its former home of Westwood Town Hall in January 2017. The new space offers WMC a chance for studio space, with space for employees and shows broadcast from the new facility. Executive Director Melinda Garfield hopes this will help WMC “step up” video coverages of municipal meetings, and add additional programming such as John Cummings’ series “INSIDE Westwood,” where he interviews important Westwood residents such as town clerk Dottie Powers. Community members may request coverage of their events by WMC.

WMC also serves as an educational resource. Garfield teaches classes at Thurston Middle School at present, and animation classes are also offered over school breaks. Summer video production classes are available through the Recreation Department. WMC memberships are offered to individuals and businesses within Westwood, and members may take free video production classes.

Garfield notes that WMC is a “small nonprofit organization.” Much of its funding comes from franchise renewals for Verizon and Comcast’s continued cable offerings in town, which require that they pay a certain amount of money to the town to fund WMC. However, in the age of cord-cutting, this revenue source may become archaic. As such, WMC is presently seeking alternate revenue streams that are broader than Westwood, particularly with its studio. Garfield reminds Westwood residents that “if you deem us important, support us.”

WMC may be viewed on Verizon Community Channel 32 and Government Channel 42, and Comcast Community Channel 8, Government Channel 12, and Bulletin Board Channel 22. WMC also has a Youtube channel.