Franklin TV: Impact!

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 05/10/2026 

It has begun. The erosion of community media is happening – and accelerating – in zip codes here and there – in cities and towns great and small (especially small.) It’s pernicious march is on the move across Massachusetts and many other states. Community Media Centers are working harder than ever to improve and expand their local services while facing shrinking budgets due to cable cord-cutting.

Some services are mandated by state law. Some by federal law. We are obligated by the state to cover local government meetings. Next year we’ll also be required by the FCC to add closed caption services to our programming. These and all the other programs we offer are services for which there are no public funds. We’re supported by cable company access fees. As our working budget shrinks we will eventually be forced to do less work – to reduce our level of service – somehow.

Some community media facilities are already downsizing their studios and staff – or merging with other media centers, or worse – closing. Some are seeking additional financial support from towns whose tax bases are already stretched and struggling to maintain municipal infrastructure and services.

Hadley, MA, an idyllic town with around 5,300 residents, just held its annal town meeting where citizens had to consider and vote on a range of tax override options from painful to very painful. Yet, they approved $40 thousand dollars as a one-year stipend to support Hadley Media. That’s about $8 dollars per capita for annual community media support – voted by a wide majority with little dissent. That’s one for the win column – for now.

Belmont Media is moving – distributing their facility footprint to a smaller space in the town’s new library – and to the middle school and high school – and selling off much of their studio equipment. It’s a smart reconfiguration that will help them maintain services where most relevant.

Here in Franklin we’ve long prepared for this difficult time of deficit spending. We’re working every dollar we have, continuing to actually expand our services while carefully managing our operational spend and cash reserves. Our positive impact on Franklin remains as strong as ever – while we also brace for impact.

And – as always –

Thank you for watching. 

Thanks for listening to wfpr●fm,

and staying informed at Franklin●news.

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  

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

Toward a More Perfect Union with Franklin Matters (audio)

FM #1582 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1582 in the series. 

The Towards a More Perfect Union radio show wants to continue to explore national issues but also bring them into a state level and local level point of discussion. Michael Walker-Jones and I got to sit recently to explore out loud some of the ways that could work. 

It seems like a natural fit. I generally focus on what matters here in Franklin and given the political climate and trends, some of those national issues will have an impact here. Maybe not the same as elsewhere but if there will be an impact, Franklin needs to be aware.

While our conversation covers a broad range of topics, we start by introducing Michael to my Franklin listeners, in case you are not aware of his background.

We are also looking for your input on what we might call this series of conversations. Something simpler than “Towards a More Perfect Union meets Franklin Matters” (or vice versa).

The recording runs about 51 minutes

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1582-franklin-matters-meets-toward-a-more-perfect-union-11-03-25/

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Toward a More Perfect Union with Franklin Matters (audio)

Toward a More Perfect Union audio episodes can be found ->  https://more-perfect-union.captivate.fm 

As they move to do more video episodes, they also can be found on Franklin TV’s All Access YouTube page -> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbAODFjFPJ0wfMIr07hSTgQeTpTCghG0I 

Michael Walker-Jones’ LinkedIn profile -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-walker-jones-ed-d-136a74112/ 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

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

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

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!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Milford Local Eatery Week Starts Monday, July 24

EATERY WEEK SCHEDULED FOR LAST WEEK OF JULY IN MILFORD, MA

 

Milford is working up an appetite for its second annual Local Eatery Week scheduled for Monday, July 24, 2023 through Friday, July 30, 2023.  A celebration of local community and cuisine.

 

 "Unlike other "restaurant weeks", ours is open to all businesses that serve edible treats. The only catch is that all eateries must be locally owned and operated.  We want to spotlight those who live in, and give back to, our communities", said Ray Auger, event organizer and President of Local Social Marketing.

 

During the week-long event participating eateries will be offering special deals to promote their business during a traditionally slow time of the year.  Special offers include half price appetizers, dinners offered at a special price, BOGOs and more. Diners who care to take advantage of the special offers are asked to download the coupons found on the Local Social Facebook page (www.facebook.com/localsocialmetrowest) on their mobile device and show the coupon to the server from your phone to enjoy the savings.

 

Current participating locations for this year include: Pepperoncini's Pizzeria and Grill, Central Tavern, Prezo Grill and Bar, Legend and The Oasis Patio at the DoubleTree, Red Heat Tavern, PiNZ, Milford Nutrition and Pizza Palace with more to come.

 

Local Social offers affordable and local social media management and branding for small businesses in the Greater Milford and MetroWest areas. Specializing in developing one on one relationships with small businesses with the intent to build a solid local customer base while staying "top of mind" with current clientele in fun, creative ways with a guerilla marketing approach.

Milford Local Eatery Week Starts Monday, July 24

"despite legislation having good intentions, there can be unforeseen cost elements"

"The State Auditor’s Division of Local Mandates released a report yesterday that identified 29 state statutes passed between 2016 and 2020 that have a significant financial impact on Massachusetts cities and towns without sufficient state funding to offset the costs.

The “Five-Year Statutory Fiscal Impact Report” finds that the state continues to pass laws that often require resources from cities and towns for implementation, and that these measures are largely financed by local property taxes as state aid lags behind increasing local costs. The report also documents that state aid as a share of total municipal revenue decreased between fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2020, while state assessments on cities and towns increased. "

Continue reading article online ->

https://www.mma.org/auditors-report-examines-financial-impact-of-state-laws-on-municipalities/ 

Download a copy of the full report here ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZNFLsX9PUA2AkDUW-68h-tg-AA5PGL4_/view?usp=sharing

or here ->  https://41g41s33vxdd2vc05w415s1e-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Auditor_Five-YearStatutoryFiscalImpactReport_2016-20.pdf

“Five-Year Statutory Fiscal Impact Report”

"there are alternatives to the decline of local news"

"Local journalism is in crisis. “America’s local news has reached its death spiral phase” proclaimed the Columbia Journalism Review in 2018. Two years later, an oft-cited study out of the University of North Carolina found that some 2,100 community newspapers had ceased publishing since 2004, leaving the country with large swaths of “news deserts” — areas that are unserved by any local news source.

But though the collapse of community journalism is real enough, we believe that its causes are only partly understood. Researchers generally focus on the changes wrought by technology over the past quarter-century — changes that tell an important story, but not the whole story.

It’s true that classified ads offered by Craigslist, a mostly free service, wiped out what had accounted for about 40% of newspaper revenues overnight. And yes, Google and Facebook dominate digital advertising, leaving news organizations to fight over scraps."

Continue reading the article online

https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/05/the-local-news-crisis-will-be-solved-one-community-at-a-time/

Picked up by the radar on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1813701/posts/10106342307337069/

Though the collapse of community journalism is real enough, we believe that its causes are only partly understood.

By Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy

Reason #4 to #ThinkFranklinFirst

Reason #4 to #ThinkFranklinFirst: 

Local support! #localeconomy #smallbusiness #shoplocal #keepitlocal #itmatters 

https://t.co/KO3ks83P96

Reason #4 to #ThinkFranklinFirst

Franklin Matters: You ask, we answer - Sep 22

Talk about Franklin Matters with our favorite Franklinite, Steve Sherlock. Discuss Franklin and what is going on in our town. 

 

Via zoom, email adoggett@franklinma.gov for the link to attend.

 

Tuesday Sept. 22  at 10 AM  

   

 

Franklin Matters: You ask, we answer - Sep 22

B I N G O, and Bingo was his name oh! #ShopFranklinBINGO

Catching up to sharing this #ShopFranklinBINGO card

Thanks to Melanie Hamblen for creating this excuse to visit some Franklin retail locations!

"Happy March! Happy #ShopFranklinBingo month. Bring this card with you as you #ShopFranklin for the month of March. Have the shop keeper sign and date the square that corresponds to your purchase. Be creative and most of all have fun! 

Turn in one Bingo, or fill up the card. Your BINGO's are entries into raffles. More than one entry is allowed. 

Turn the cards in by April 7 for some awesome prizes. Purchases must be from locally owned, independent businesses."

Download your #ShopFranklinBINGO card here or via the embedded file below
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NdEVKi7WCbh8qwRh_2O3ODnTFSxgcUEJ/view?usp=sharing

B I N G O, and bingo was his name oh!

This was shared from the #ShopFranklin Facebook post
https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopFranklin/permalink/2628373703939800/

License Modification (Change in Location) - Avocado, Inc. d/b/a Acapulcos Mexican Restaurant - Dec 18

The Franklin Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on an application by Avocado,Inc. d/b/a Acapulcos Mexican Restaurant, located at 371 Union Street, Franklin, MA for a license modification - change in location. 

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at 7:10 PM in the Council Chambers, second floor of the Municipal Building, 355 East Central Street, Franklin,MA.

Information on this application may be obtained in the Town Administrator's Office.

What was the Union Grille will become Acapulcos

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/acapulcos_legal_ad_-_abutters_2.docx_2.pdf

Small Business Saturday - Nov 25, 2017

While American Express helps to celebrate Small Business Saturday, many of us know how important it is to shop local and #shopFranklin all year.

Small Business Saturday is a holiday shopping tradition that happens every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

Founded by American Express in 2010, this nationwide movement helps bring attention to the importance of supporting small businesses in communities across America.

There are plenty of small business to  wisely spread your dollars around.

View the Franklin map to see the small businesses identified by American Express

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/maps/near=Franklin,MA,02038/cl=42.0697133,-71.38836350000001?linknav=us-open-shopsmall-globalheader-map&lang=en-US

Small Business Saturday - Nov 25, 2017

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