Live & Lively; A first for wfpr●fm

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director, Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm

On Tuesday evening we began a new adventure. wfpr●fm went live for the first time since we began broadcasting on 102.9 almost three years ago. Normally, we run recorded programs and music where other radio stations are live every day with news programs, talk shows and so on. When you are a verrrry tiny community station with no budget and no real staff to speak of, cobbling a group of five technical and on-air folks in common cause to pilot a live event takes a bit of doing – and caring.

Huge thanks to Steve Sherlock and Frank Falvey for interviewing folks at the polls and making it all come together. Thanks to Jim Johnston for his always entertaining commentary, and to Diane Joyce for her added touches of professional polish.

Thanks also to Marc Berman and Keith Palmieri at the technical helm. They made it all work smoothly.

Note that so many folks are smiling. An election is a special gathering. We come together, enjoying each other’s company, if only for a moment, a nod, a wave – but we are together – as a community. Our community.

See you soon – on the radio.

Franklin election day panorama - Nov 5, 2019  (P Fasciano photo)

Find the full program guide for Franklin TV and wfpr.fm for the week of Nov 11, 2019
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1k8dZ5syte9Q3umHtwRWFxp2--Bqc9U1i

wfpr.fm devoting the next several days to the Nov 5 Town of Franklin Election Info

Franklin's wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial has adjusted their normal programming to share the audio recordings of the individual Candidate interviews, the Candidate Forum (Oct 17), and the Candidate Query (Oct 22).

In between the longer programs, short audio "public service announcements" or PSA's use some of the candidate audio comments on getting the voters out for Nov 5 with a reminder to vote and to consider voting via absentee ballot.

Franklin's wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM

Listen here:  http://radio.citrus3.com:8418/;stream.mp3

The radio program schedule is set up as follows:

Wed  9 AM -  Get Voters To Vote 31m00s 

Wed 10 AM - FM_#178_Candidate_Query_2019 Part 1 59m20s 

Wed 11 AM - FM_#178_Candidate_Query_2019 Part 2 50m38s 

Thu  9 AM - FM_#176_Candidate_Forum_2019 59m54s 

Thu 10 AM - FM_#178_CandIntv_RDellorco_2019  18m36s 

Thu 11 AM - FM_#177_CandIntv_TCormerLedger_2019 15m59s 

Fri  9 AM - Frank Presents - Election 2019_CandIntv_ABissanti_2019 27m28s 

Fri 10 AM - FM_#176_Candidate_Forum_2019 59m54s

Fri 11 AM - FM_#173_CandIntv - MHamblen_2019 26m00s 

•   9 AM repeats at Noon and 6 PM 
• 10 AM repeats at 1 PM and 7 PM
• 11 AM repeats at 2 PM and 8 PM

All programs also repeat on Saturday to 9 AM - 5 PM  and Sunday  9 AM - 5 PM


Info on the Get Voters to Vote can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/insights-on-what-do-we-do-to-get-out.html

Info on the Candidate Query can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-in-focus-candidate-query-oct.html

Info on the Candidate Forum can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-forum-biennial.html

Additional info can be found at the Election Collection
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

Insights on "What do we do to get out the vote for November 5th?" (audio)

FM #174

This internet radio show or podcast is number 174 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares insights gathered with candidates for the Town of Franklin to be held November 5. Conducted over the two evenings when the candidate meet and greet events were hosted by LaCantina Winery (Oct 3) and Pour Richard’s Wine and Spirits (Oct 10).

This recording is the first product of the collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio and not the last.

Given the social nature of the meet and greet, we did not want to get into great details on positions for one topic or another so we decided that we could address one topic in common with all the candidates: What do we do to get out the vote for November 5th?

For reference, and for the period from 2003 to 2018 specifically, I developed a general rule that in round numbers for

• a local elections, we get about 20% turnout
• an override or school debt exclusion we get about 40% turnout
• a State office election we get about 60% turnout
• a national or Presidential election, we get 80% turnout

The details that led to this generalization can be found
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/11/franklin-ma-official-results-for-110618.html

Let’s listen in to the insights shared by the candidates on “how to get out the vote for November 5th?” The recording runs approx 31 minutes.

Note: there is one person (Representative Jeff Roy) who willingly shared his insights who is not a candidate running in this election.

Follow this link, or click on the button in the image
https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HZXBB6mX



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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

Overall:
If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Dec 12, 2018

The published agenda and documents for the Franklin Town Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, 2018.  

(Note: where there are active links in the agenda item, it will take you to the associated document)

You can also find the full set of documents in one PDF

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/town_council_agenda_for_december_12_2018.pdf

Agenda Item	Summary
Town Council Meeting Agenda	Meeting of December 12, 2018 - 7:00 PM
1. ANNOUNCEMENTS	a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast Channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.
2. CITIZENS COMMENTS	a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda.  The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments.  The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES	a. November 14, 2018
4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS	None
5. APPOINTMENTS
5a. APPOINTMENTS	Board of Health - Ciera Maffei
5b. APPOINTMENTS	Zoning Board of Appeals - Philip Brunelli
5c. APPOINTMENTS	Zoning Board of Appeals - Christopher Stickney
6. HEARINGS	None
7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS	Shaws Supermarkets- Change of Manager
8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
8a. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS	Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School
8b. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS	Risk Assessment
9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS	a. Capital Budget Subcommittee  b. Budget Subcommittee  c. Economic Development Subcommittee
10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
10a. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION	Resolution 18-70: Appropriation Cable Funds in Support of PEG Service and Programming per M.G.L Ch.44, §53F3/4 (Motion to Approve Resolution 18-70 - Majority Vote (5))
10b. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION	Resolution 18-71: Town Council Meeting Schedule for 2019 (Motion to Approve Resolution 18-71 - Majority Vote (5))
10c. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION	Bylaw Amendment 18-826: Chapter 170, Vehicles and Traffic- 2nd Reading (Motion to adopt Bylaw Amendment 18-827 Majority Roll Call Vote (5))
10d. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION	Bylaw Amendment 18-827: Amendment to the Water System Map - 2nd Reading (Motion to adopt Bylaw Amendment 18-827 Majority Roll Call Vote (5))
11. TOWN ADMINISTRATORS REPORT
12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
13. COUNCIL COMMENTS
14. EXECUTIVE SESSION	Purpose #2: to conduct strategy session in preparation for negotiations and/or to conduct contract negotiations with non-union personnel, namely: new Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, on compensation and other terms and conditions of his employment agreement.
15. RECONVENE	Reconvene in Open Session if necessary, re: vote to offer employment agreement, specifying compensation and other employment terms and conditions to the new Town Administrator Jamie Hellen.
16. ADJOURN

Franklin TV and Franklin radio are funded via cable access fees

The Financial Risk Assessment Report

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/mai/files/8b._franklin_finl_risk_assessment_report_final_1_1.pdf

"if cable franchising fees went away. It would be a major loss to all communities"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Get ready to say goodbye to some local cable channel broadcasts of government meetings, elections and other town events. 

The Federal Communications Commission is moving toward adopting a new rule that community television groups say would gut funding for public, educational and governmental channels. 

“The loser, if that ends up happening, will be the local taxpayer, the local cable subscriber and the everyday citizens who rely on access to public information that’s provided through these programs,” said Geoffrey C. Beckwith, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. 

The proposed rule, moving quickly toward regulatory approval, would allow major cable companies, such as Verizon FiOS, Comcast Xfinity and RCN, to limit the amount of spending for community programming that has been negotiated as part of their licensing agreements with cities and towns."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181117/fcc-rule-threatens-community-tv-programs-in-massachusetts


Franklin TV and WFPR.fm are supported by cable funding. The Town Council in Sept 2018 approved the new agreement with Verizon.
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda-items/10a-legislation-action-1

The notes from the Sep 26, 2018 meeting with the approval for the Verizon Agreement  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/10/town-council-sep-26-2018.html

For more about your cable TV, visit Franklin.TV or WFPR.fm

http://franklin.tv/

You can help the Wonderful World of Wine in the People’s Choice competition!

The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) show on Franklin Radio 102.9FM hosted by Kim Simone And Mark Lenzi is running in the Podcast Awards - The People’s Choice competition!

If you like the show please take a minute to vote for us! It takes two easy steps:

1. Register with your email
https://www.podcastawards.com/app/signup

2. Select The Wonderful World Of Wine (WWW) in the 'Education' category to nominate the show.

The deadline to nominate shows is July 31st, 2018.

We are grateful for your support!

The Wonderful World Of Wine (WWW) On Franklin Radio WFPR 102.9FM

If you haven't heard the podcast, info on how to listen was shared earlier
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/07/the-wonderful-world-of-wine-www-on.html

Franklin.TV Annual Open Board - June 14, 7:00 PM

It's June and time for Franklin.TV's Annual Open Board Meeting.

Every year we hold a public meeting to reaffirm one or more of our board members or accept and elect nominations for new board members. We will also review our progress to date and discuss plans for the future. We and the town of Franklin are currently negotiating with Verizon to renew their contract. If you have questions or issues regarding Verizon, this is an opportunity to provide your feedback to the cable provider. We are asking Verizon to convert our local channels to High Definition TV and list our programs in their Program Guide.

This year our meeting will be held on Thursday, June 14 - Flag Day.

Come to our studios, 23 Hutchinson St. for our meeting, some good food and refreshments. We mingle at 6:30 PM and our formal meeting will begin at 7:00 PM.

Please RSVP if you can attend. Bring a spouse or friend(s). Look forward to seeing you next week.


Pete Fasciano,
Executive Director, Franklin.TV and wfpr.fm

Franklin.TV Annual Open Board - June 14th, 7:00 PM

Annual Report 2017: Franklin Community Cable Access (Franklin.TV and WFPR.FM)

The Annual Report is compiled and published each year to be ready for voters to obtain at the November election. A PDF copy is also posted online and available for viewing our downloading. I'll highlight some key sections from the current report over the next week or so.

The following is a text representation of the printed pages 77-79 (actually 84-86 of 264)



"ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FRANKLIN COMMUNITY CABLE ACCESS, INC.

for Our Operating Year 2016 dba Franklin.TV (www.franklin.tv)

Franklin.TV is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

We operate the local access TV studios for Franklin. We produce local TV programs on three channels:

• Franklin All Access TV = Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26).
• Franklin Pride TV = Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28).
• Franklin Town Hall TV = Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29).

We are Franklin’s local TV channels on Comcast and Verizon, but we do not provide cable TV service.

Background
The Town of Franklin is the Local Franchise Authority (LFA) that maintains agreements with Comcast and Verizon. Franklin.TV’s funding comes from a 4.8%
access fee that cable subscribers pay per the LFA agreements. Thus, F.TV is not funded by taxes. We operate at no cost to the town of Franklin. F.TV pays a PILOT fee (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) to the Town of Franklin by agreement. We are the first nonprofit organization that pays for town services.

As an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization we also may receive grants and donations from contributors.

Local Programming Produced in 2016
During our 2016 operating year we generated:

• 217 Public Access Programs
• 95 School/Sports Programs
• 19 School/Civic Events Programs
• 96 Government Meetings

427 Locally Produced Programs

All of these programs were produced, recorded and edited by our staff on behalf of Franklin residents, organizations, agencies and local government.

Our extensive production support reaches beyond the customary charter of other public access studios to lend equipment and provide technical training. This additional commitment of professional support enables us to provide a broader range of programs

Community Bulletin Board Service
In addition to programming, Franklin.TV offers free community announcements on our Bulletin Board for all three P/E/G channels. Nonprofit organizations who wish to promote their meetings, special events and activities are welcome to contact us.

Our Studios and Offices
We have five thousand square feet that houses two video studios (a large drive-in access studio and an interview studio), two audio recording rooms, four digital video editing/effects systems, and our offices. We also have general purpose Community Meeting Space available – free to qualified nonprofit groups and service organizations for occasional meetings. Our facility accommodates up to 30 people.

A Broadcasting Opportunity, WFPR-FM
In February of 2014, Franklin.TV was awarded a construction permit by the FCC for a 100 Watt, noncommercial educational FM radio station. WFPR, (Franklin Public Radio) broadcasting on 102.9 FM. After completing approvals and clearances for our new radio tower located at the top of Forge Hill, Franklin Public Radio began broadcast operations and went on the air for the first time at 10:29 AM on February 2nd 2017. Our WFPR tower is also home to Franklin’s Police and Fire Radio Communications systems. The town relocated their services this spring, saving the cost of renting antenna space on a nearby cellular tower.

WFPR is a public broadcasting extension of F.TV’s media services to Franklin and surrounding towns. WFPR provides opportunities for local citizens to have a voice by producing their own radio programs or participating as volunteers to make our radio station successful as a local community resource.

Scholarships
In June, as part of our continuing commitment to Franklin students, Franklin.TV awarded two $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors:

• Tatyana Youssef of Franklin High
• Emily Scannell of Tri-County High

Our congratulations and best wishes go out to them in their academic endeavors.

Our Charter Operations
We continue to see increasing requests from various town agencies and civic organizations to provide TV coverage for local events. We cover Franklin events that are cultural or institutional in nature and of general interest. We are always interested in training volunteers who would like to learn the craft of video production. Trained volunteers and interns work alongside our roster of freelance and staff professionals to shoot and edit the
institutional programs that we cover.

Citizen Access
Residents who produce their own access programs are the owners of these programs. As such, these producers hold their own copyright and may copy and distribute these programs freely, provided that the programs are cablecast on the Franklin system. Per our Public Access charter, we do not provide equipment for covering private or personal events or for purposes other than generating Access Programs to be shown over the Franklin cable system

Information about our weekly programming can be found on our web site: www.franklin.tv. While visiting our website, also read our informative F.A.Q. on P/E/G TV studios, their operation, history and charter. We also recommend browsing our past newsletter archives to learn more about Franklin.TV, our growth and development, and the civic events that we cover throughout the year.

Finally, in closing, “Thanks for watching!”

Respectfully submitted,

FranklinTV’s Board of Directors
Ken Norman, President
Jay Horrigan, Vice President
Wesley Rea, Treasurer
John Milot, Clerk
Anne Bergen, Pandora Carlucci, Rose Turco

Peter Fasciano,
Executive Director
Franklin.TV and wfpr.fm"

Annual Report 2017: Franklin Community Cable Access (Franklin.TV and WFPR.FM)

You can find the online copy at the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

and specifically for 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-annual-report-2017-revised

In the News: Franklin Public Radio born; Anne-Marie Weaver in lead role

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"At 10:29 exactly Thursday morning, a new sound hit the Franklin airwaves. 

Franklin TV Executive Director Peter Fasciano, sitting in a small shelter on Forge Hill, struck a few keys on a laptop, cueing a brief announcement about a new radio station and its mission. With that, the programming switched to music, and 102.9 FM WFPR - Franklin Public Radio - was born. 

This marked the culmination of a multi-year process, Fasciano said, with the first steps taken back in 2012. Efforts accelerated last summer, with the public access station working with federal agencies and local boards to approve the antenna's location and prepare for broadcasting."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170202/new-radio-station-launches-in-franklin

the radio tower was put into place on January 17, 2017 (Photo via @wknorman)

"The Walpole Footlighters are warming up winter at their playhouse at 2 Scout Road in East Walpole, where they have been rehearsing for their next production, "Don't Dress for Dinner". 

In the cast of this comedy is Franklin's Anne-Marie Weaver. 

The show will be performed weekends from Feb. 3 through 19. This is the second production of the Walpole Footlighters 2016-2017 season, their 92nd in continuous operation. 

Weaver plays the role of Jacqueline, who creates much of the hilarity in this frenzied farce. Weaver returned to the Footlighters stage in 2014 in the Ken Ludwig comedy "Fox on the Fairway" after a 12-year hiatus. Her first role at Footlighters was as the grieving daughter in "Graceland," which was followed by parts in "6 Rms Riv Vu," "Sweet Charity," "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and as the trouble-making maid in "Angel Street."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170202/franklin-actress-appearing-in-footlighters-dont-dress-for-dinner

WFPR - 102.9 FM - A Radio Station Grows in Franklin

"It was a very big week for our soon-to-be community radio station WFPR, here in Franklin. On Tuesday, Jan 17 our new broadcast tower suddenly sprouted up at Forge Hill. On Friday our transmitter housing was installed in place. After years of planning, paperwork and preparations, it’s all finally coming together.

This week we install our FM antenna system and transmission equipment. Thus
far, the winter weather gods have been reasonably accommodating, and once our antennas are installed, the larger technical challenges will be behind us.

We’re also wiring up / firing up the audio equipment in our radio studio. We plan
to begin our on-air broadcast tests on Thursday, February 2nd, Groundhog Day.
(Just like in Bill Murray’s movie, if we don’t get it quite right, we get a do–over).

During the next few months we’ll be conducting program tests while we plan our full program schedule to be launched in spring. 

So, what do our programming plans look like? That’s where you come in. WFPR is Franklin’s community radio station. It will be powered and programmed by the passions of people who have something to say and music to play. 

Could that be you? Consider volunteering. Help us to make WFPR into great community radio. 

If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved in community radio, call us. 508-528-9377 – That’s 528-WFPR


Soon we’ll be able to say, “Thanks for listening”.

But, for now – as always, thanks for watching!"

Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 01/22/2017

the empty spot was ready for the tower to be installed

Men are assembling the WFPR (102.9 FM) tower today. pic.twitter.com/JrxNMKrPt1

— Ken Norman (@wknorman) January 17, 2017

This week's viewing guide can be found here  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

or here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczRzdhRFk1SElxVFE/view?usp=sharing

Note: phone number updated/corrected 4/11/17