Franklin TV: BIG NEWS! Franklin Matters Is Expanding!

We’re excited to announce that Franklin Matters is expanding through a new collaboration with Franklin TV!

Starting this September, Franklin TV will bring a monthly news show to viewers in Franklin and beyond. The video news program will be called Franklin Matters. 

The program will be produced by the Franklin TV team in collaboration with Steve Sherlock and Liz Kalaijian, Town of Franklin Communications and Community Engagement Director, who will serve as our anchor.

And don’t worry — your favorite Franklin Matters video stories aren’t going anywhere! We’re not replacing what you love; we’re building on it and adding even more value to the Franklin Matters brand. The new monthly program will offer more ways to watch, listen, and read the news and stories that matter to our community.

Have a newsworthy topic, community update, segment idea, or story you’d like to see featured? Reach out to Liz Harkins at info@franklin.tv to connect, schedule an interview, or share your story idea.

We can’t wait to bring you more Franklin Matters — more stories, more voices, and more ways to stay!

Continue to read this week's Studio newsletter with this link or the embedded file below - 

https://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf

After September 6, 2026, please use this link to find the Aug 30th edition

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kn2_76vtXC9jkNfrobgHlZa_vN_f3ZiD/view?usp=drive_link

Franklin TV's visibility issue not unlike that facing local TV news stations

"Long a safe haven due to a reliable stream of retransmission fees and advertising dollars, local TV news stations are now facing a stark message as their industry faces the same financial pressures as the rest of media: adapt or die.

That’s the message in a new report from Northeastern University’s Reinventing Local TV News Project, which last month released a “survival guide” that urges local stations to prioritize digital-first programming to reach younger audiences that don’t tune into the traditional broadcast. Specifically, the authors urge stations to hire specialists to spearhead newsrooms’ digital strategy and coach their peers on how to bring their reporting to audiences online.

The guide doesn’t forge a silver bullet that will solve the local news crisis, especially in how to replace the decades-long reliance on advertising dollars that is slowly drying up as viewers flock elsewhere for news. But it argues that hiring a digital content producer — a role that the Reinventing Local TV News Project has piloted in three newsrooms, including WCVB-TV (Channel 5) — is a necessary step to avoid being tuned out by younger generations."

Continue reading the article with this 'gift' link ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/02/business/local-tv-news-digital-report/?s_campaign=sharetool_copypaste_view

Franklin TV's visibility issue not unlike that facing local TV news stations

GOOD DEEDS: Honoring Norfolk County's Fallen Heroes

By William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds

As the final Monday in May approaches, our nation pauses to observe Memorial Day, a solemn occasion to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces. This day calls us to reflect on their courage, express our deepest gratitude for their service, and ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.

Memorial Day's roots trace back to the aftermath of the Civil War, a time of profound national healing. Initially known as Decoration Day, communities across the country began adorning the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, a simple yet powerful act of remembrance. In 1971, it was officially recognized as a federal holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, solidifying its place as a day dedicated to those who died in service to our nation.

There are many meaningful ways we can show our respect on Memorial Day. Consider visiting a national cemetery or war memorial to witness the rows of silent tributes. Placing flowers or American flags on veterans' graves is a tangible act of honor. Attending a local parade or ceremony provides an opportunity to collectively pay homage. Even a personal moment of silence, wherever you may be, allows for quiet reflection on the profound cost of freedom.

Beyond these traditions, another powerful way to honor the fallen is by sharing their stories. By recounting their lives and the circumstances of their sacrifice, we ensure their legacies endure and that future generations understand the profound debt we owe them. Their individual acts of bravery and commitment form the very fabric of our nation's history.

GOOD DEEDS: Honoring Norfolk County's Fallen Heroes

Here in Norfolk County, we have our own heroes whose valor and dedication have left an indelible mark on our communities. Let us take a moment to remember these brave service members who gave their lives in service to our country:

Sergeant Daniel Henry Mahoney Jr. from Stoughton, United States Army Air Force: A dedicated airman who answered the call during World War II a time of global conflict.

Sergeant Adam Kennedy from Norfolk, United States Army: A courageous soldier who served with honor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sergeant Peter Campbell Powers from Needham, United States Army: A valiant member of the "Greatest Generation" who served during the Second World War.

Sergeant John T. Carota from Milton, United States Marines: A brave Marine who served his country with unwavering commitment during the Vietnam War.

Red Cross Nurse Meda Morse from Foxborough: A compassionate caregiver who served with selflessness during the First World War.

2nd Lieutenant Alton Wood from Braintree, United States Army: A dedicated officer who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.

Sergeant John Peterson from Bellingham, United States Army: A steadfast soldier who served during the Vietnam War, defending the ideals of freedom.

To learn more about the lives and sacrifices of these remarkable individuals, I encourage you to explore the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds’ Notable Land Records Vol 3 “We Remember Our Veterans,” available here: https://www.norfolkdeeds.org/news-event/notable-land-records-vol-3

This Memorial Day, let us unite as a community and as a nation to actively remember the sacrifices of these brave men and women. Let us take the time to reflect on their unwavering dedication and express our profound gratitude for their service, ensuring their memory lives on in the heart of Norfolk County and beyond.

Norfolk County Register of Deeds: Good Deeds - Holiday Trivia and Greetings

By: William P. O'Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds

Good Deeds - Holiday Trivia and Greetings

The holidays are upon us, and for many individuals and families, traditions are a big part of what makes this time of year so special. Some readers may be familiar with our own Registry of Deeds tradition, which marks this time of year. I'll give you a hint: it deals with the home and the holidays.

All year long, the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds releases numbers and statistics that help readers get a picture of the real estate market. However, the air is thick with the spirit of the holidays, so the real estate numbers can wait for another day.

There have been many trivia challenges given to each of you in past "Good Deeds" articles. Trivia has involved history, such as naming the former Presidents of the United States who were born here in Norfolk County. In the past, you have been tasked with identifying notable residents of Norfolk County and their hometowns. However, I think many would agree there is nothing like a good movie about the holidays, and I must say the Christmas movie "Elf" is one of my favorite Christmas films. It is uplifting and funny.

So, sit back, relax, make a cup of eggnog or hot chocolate, and put your holiday movie knowledge to the test and see if you can answer the following questions. Some of these Christmas questions may be very obvious to some but that makes up for some other questions. I hope you will enjoy this trivia, and you might find it useful at a work holiday party or family gathering.

Trivia Questions:

# 1: In "Home Alone" Kevin plays a clip of the gangster movie "Angels With Filthy Souls" to scare the burglars Marv and Harry. Which of the following is true about the movie "Angels With Filthy Souls"?

1. The clip shown from the movie caused "Home Alone" to be rated PG-13.
2. The gritty gangster clip was created just for "Home Alone" and is not a real movie.
3. Was used as a nod to director Alex Michael Columbus, father of "Home Alone" director Chris Columbus.

# 2: What was the name that Marv coined for the "Home Alone" criminal duo and what was their calling card.

1. The Wet Bandits. Marv left the water running in each place they stole from.
2. The Slick Thieves. Marv left grease on all the stairs any time they broke in.
3. The Cat Burglars. Marv released a bag of cats in every home they robbed.

# 3: In the classic movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" how many sizes too small was the Grinch's heart.

1. Ten sizes too small.
2. Three sizes too small.
3. Two sizes too small.

# 4: What was the real name of the character Tim Allen plays in "The Santa Clause"?

1. Stephen Clawford.
2. Christopher K. Wrangle
3. Scott Calvin

# 5: In the movie "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" What did the other reindeer not let Rudolph do because of his shiny red nose?

1. Join in any reindeer games.
2. Learn how to fly.
3. Become a dentist.

# 6: What Christmas carol does the Peanuts gang sing at the end of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"?

1. "Jingle Bells"
2. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
3. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

# 7: What famous actor voiced five separate characters in the movie "The Polar Express"?

1. Liam Neeson.
2. Tim Allen
3. Tom Hanks

# 8: In "The Muppet Christmas Carol" what character does Kermit the Frog play?

1. Tiny Tim
2. Bob Cratchit
3. Ebenezer Scrooge

# 9: In the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street" what is the one present the little girl, Susan Walker, wished for that would make her believe Kris Kringle was the real Santa Claus?

1. Doll
2. Pony
3. House

# 10: What was the name of the fictional town in "It's a Wonderful Life"?

1. Bedford Falls
2. Rolling Hills
3. Seneca Falls

# 11: In the movie "Elf" Buddy the elf sticks to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and ____.?

1. Candy apples
2. Cotton candy
3. Syrup

I cannot promise you a grand prize or that I can get you on the "Nice List" if you did well answering these trivia questions. However, I certainly hope Santa Claus is good to you. And Remember as Buddy the Elf says "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." So, from all of us here at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds a happy holiday season and a healthy and happy new year to all.

Answers: 1: B, 2: A, 3: C, 4: C, 5: A, 6: B, 7: C, 8: B, 9: C, 10: A, 11: C.

Final days to share your input to the Franklin Community News Survey

Final days to share your input to this survey. 

• Where do you get your Franklin News? 
• What types of news are you looking for?

Survey closes on Sunday, Dec 16 at midnight

Franklin TV, Franklin Public Radio, and Franklin Matters are working together striving to advance the greater good, bringing us together as a community, so that our focus is not on what divides us, but what brings us together. To that end, we need your help with the following survey questions. 

Please fill out (online -> https://bit.ly/FCCA_NewsSurvey ) or via paper copy (and send to Franklin TV) so we can evaluate our services for the community and enhance as necessary. 

Your thoughts are important to us. 

Thank you!

Your input is requested for the Franklin MA Cable News Awareness Survey

Auchincloss Announces Guest For President Biden’s State Of The Union Address And Social Media Legislation

Auchincloss Announces Guest For President Biden’s State Of The Union Address

Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) is announcing Brookline's Myrieme Nadri-Churchill (M.Ed) as his guest for President Biden's State of the Union Address to Congress on Thursday, March 7th. Myrieme serves as Executive Director of Parents for Peace, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering families, friends, and communities to prevent radicalization, violence, and extremism using a public health approach.

Parents for Peace began as a support group for other families who had lost loved ones to extremism and soon expanded to offer a confidential helpline to assist families grappling with new cases of extremism. 

With antisemitism rapidly increasing throughout the country, and specifically Massachusetts, the work Myrieme is doing is more crucial than ever. Nadri-Churchill's unusual combination of intervention and coaching experience shaped the unique methodology of the Parents for Peace helpline. She has helped hundreds of American families successfully intervene to rescue loved ones falling into extremism. 

In addition to announcing his guest, Auchincloss is introducing the Verifying Kids' Online Privacy Act. Most of the young individuals that Parents for Peace works with were radicalized by extremist groups through social media. Amid rising youth mental health challenges and continued negligence on the part of social media companies to serve the best interests of our children online, Congress must enact stronger protections to ensure social media companies are held accountable and that parents may have confidence in how their children use social media. 

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which took effect in 2000, requires that a website operator have increased protections for children under 13, including verifying parental consent before collecting any personal information. Major social media companies have, by and large, decided that it is easier to not allow kids under 13 to use their services instead of complying with this "burdensome" requirement. However, companies often simply ask users to input their birthday when creating an account, which is easily faked. 

This legislation would take two major steps to address the gaps in COPPA's protections: 1) increasing the age of those protected from 13 to 16, and 2) requiring social media companies to develop privacy-protective methods of verifying the age of its users to ensure that COPPA's protections extend to all children on a platform. 

Requiring age verification would constitute a critical step in ensuring that companies uphold the protections included in COPPA. Importantly, this legislation would not require a specific age verification method, but would allow for companies to design a privacy-protective method that fits their platform, while still requiring those companies to submit these processes to the Federal Trade Commission to be considered for COPPA's existing safe harbor provisions. Companies would also be barred from selling, transferring, or otherwise using any data collected in the verification process for any purpose other than verification. 

Lastly, this legislation would establish a Children's Online Safety Fund to support Department of Education grants that support digital literacy programs to promote safe and healthy internet use for children. The Fund would be financed by civil penalties obtained by the federal government from violations of COPPA. 

"As the youngest parent in the Democratic caucus, I speak daily with parents who are stressed about their children's social media usage, and I speak with youth who are made increasingly lonely and anxious as a result of their social media habits. Meanwhile, trillion-dollar social media corporations continue to productize our children to sell ads. Congress must fight back on behalf of parents and children, who don't have the time or resources to outfox algorithms. My legislation directly holds social media corporations accountable for their negligent approach to our children's wellbeing," said Auchincloss. 

"The ease of access to manipulative ideological content has enabled the variety of radicalizations we see in our helpline work with families, from White Supremacy and ISIS to eco-terrorism and Antifa. The families come from a broad cross-section of American society, with children being radicalized as young as 12. Seeing the harsh realities of this every day, I urge our leaders to support policies that limit minors' access to social media platforms and increase parental supervision over their online activities," said Churchill, Executive Director of Parents for Peace.

To learn more about Congressman Jake Auchincloss, visit https://auchincloss.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.

Have you tried the "Year in Review" Quiz on the News in the Town of Franklin for 2023?

Let's try something a little different as we approach the close out of 2023. 

How closely did you pay attention to the news during the year?

A Town of Franklin "Year in Review" news quiz. 

10 questions, and a bonus question. All worth 10 points each.

Submit a valid email at the beginning of the quiz, and at the end of the quiz, you can select to receive how you did on the quiz sent to that email.

We'll keep the quiz open until January 7 and share the overall results.

Take the quiz in the embedded form below or follow this link ->
https://forms.gle/RABScYHFy2mKLgiX7

Don’t miss this lineup of journalists who can help you find news you can trust

Register now for our free webinars!

We've lined up some terrific journalists for our free webinar series How to find news you can trust. You won't want to miss these fascinating and informative conversations! REGISTER HERE The series begins April 12 and runs for three consecutive Wednesdays, starting at 4 p.m. ET. Register once to access all three sessions! April 12: Session 1 | What is quality journalism? News outlets help us make informed decisions, but the process of creating news isn't always transparent. In this session, journalists Brandon Pope of WBEZ Chicago and Molly Parker of Lee Enterprises will discuss how they build credibility and trust with the public and will describe the standards that guide their newsgathering. This session will pull the curtain back on the practice of quality, ethical journalism and its mission to inform us accurately. Brandon is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated journalist, media critic and columnist, and host of the podcasts On The Block: Powered by Block Club Chicago on CW26 and the MAKING series from WBEZ and NPR. Molly, a ProPublica distinguished fellow, is an investigative reporter with Lee Enterprises' Public Service Team, where she works with regional reporters in 25 states to produce impactful, data-driven local journalism. April 19: Session 2 | Understanding news media bias People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased, and who decides? Journalist Amethyst J. Davis, founder of the Harvey World Herald, a hyperlocal, independent newsroom in Illinois, and Stephanie Casanova of Signal Cleveland, a nonprofit newsroom that fuses community building with local news reporting, join us to discuss how the journalistic standards we learned about in Session 1 can be applied to confront and avoid news bias. This session will empower you to evaluate the fairness, accuracy and objectivity of news coverage. Amethyst oversees growth and development, including outlining editorial trajectory and content, at the Harvey World Herald. A member of the community advisory board for Chicago Public Media, she is a Casey Fellow with the National Association of Black Journalists Black News & Views. Stephanie is the criminal justice reporter with Signal Cleveland and formerly covered criminal justice and breaking news at the Chicago Tribune. April 26: Session 3 | How fact-checking works Fact-checking organizations are taking up the charge to combat the spread of misinformation, debunking some of the most viral content springing up on social media. Fact-checkers Dan Evon of the News Literacy Project and Rafael Olavarría of Factchequeado will talk about their work and share skills that you can use to check the accuracy of information. Dan debunks viral rumors for NLP's RumorGuard™ platform, which empowers the public to push back against misinformation. Prior to joining NLP in 2022, Dan worked as a reporter for Snopes, the internet's oldest fact-checking site. Rafael, a Venezuelan immigrant who fled political persecution, began his journalism career as a producer and writer for CNN and won 11 Southeast Emmy Awards as a multimedia journalist with Univisión. We look forward to seeing you April 12! REGISTER HERE For a future founded on facts, The News Literacy Project P.S. If you miss one of the sessions, don't worry, we'll share recordings of all three.

Visit us at newslit.org, checkology.org, newslitnation.org and rumorguard.org. The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit, is building a national movement to advance the practice of news literacy throughout American society, creating better informed, more engaged and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy. The News Literacy Project 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015

How to find news you can trust - 3 session webinar series in April, 2023

Save the date for our webinar series.

Hi Franklinites! You probably read, watch or listen to the news every day, and chances are you often do so online. How do you know whether news sources are credible? How do you know what to trust? The News Literacy Project is offering a free three-part webinar series to help you navigate the increasingly crowded and rapidly changing information environment. We'll meet at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on April 12, 19 and 26 for about 45 minutes, and we'll invite journalists to join the discussions to help us understand how they think about trust and credibility as they report the news. April 12: Session 1 | What is quality journalism? News outlets help us make informed decisions, but the process of creating news isn't always transparent. This session will pull the curtain back on the practice of quality, ethical journalism and its mission to inform us accurately. April 19: Session 2 | Understanding news media bias People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased, and who decides? This session will empower you to evaluate the fairness, accuracy and objectivity of news coverage. April 26: Session 3 | How fact-checking works With the deluge of digital information, it's getting harder to know what to trust. Fact-checking organizations are taking up the charge to combat the spread of misinformation, debunking some of the most viral content springing up social media. We'll learn about the work professional fact-checkers do and skills we can use to do our own fact-checking. You can find more information and register for the series here. We look forward to learning with you! If you have questions about this series, please respond to this email. For a future founded on facts, The News Literacy Project

Visit us at newslit.org, checkology.org, newslitnation.org and rumorguard.org. The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit, is building a national movement to advance the practice of news literacy throughout American society, creating better informed, more engaged and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy. The News Literacy Project 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20015

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You can subscribe (or follow) for free to receive a daily dose of what matters via email (yes, only one email daily.)

As a volunteer “Community Information Director”, I attend as many Town Council, School Committee, and other Franklin meetings as I can. I will report on the full and complete meeting, publishing my notes as the meeting progresses.

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if you haven't subscribed for the daily email, please do so, and tell your friends & neighbors too!

Good things take time...

"What dream of yours are you nurturing right now? 🌷

Making quick progress or getting fast results certainly sounds nice, and in our fast-paced world, it can seem like things must be completed in an instant.

But taking things step by step and making progress daily is what generates real results. So if a goal seems too large right now, the thing to do isn’t to speed up.

👉🏽Instead, embrace the power of slow and work towards your finish line with patience and discipline. Let all the good things you’ve been chasing come and catch you, and remember that no matter how small your efforts may feel, things will come together sooner than later."

Via The Good Life Project on Instagram ->  https://www.instagram.com/p/CdtQTngu10a/

Good things take time...