Community station moves into school to preserve local broadcasting
Winchester’s community television service, Winchester Community Access & Media (WinCAM), has started its relocation to Parkhurst School after a board decision taken more than a month earlier. Staff and volunteers began unpacking and setting up in late July, and the transition will continue through August as the organisation works to maintain its broadcasts and services.
The move follows a prolonged decline in WinCAM’s principal source of operating revenue — cable television franchise fees. The station told the Select Board that cable subscriptions in Winchester fell by more than 40% between 2014 and 2024, a drop that has had a direct impact on the community broadcaster’s finances.
WinCAM Board member Lauren Herrmann read an open letter to the public during the Select Board’s 27 July meeting explaining the decision to relocate. The organisation said it had considered numerous alternatives before choosing to move into school premises and expressed gratitude to the School Department for providing rental space.
"WinCAM remains committed to serving as Winchester’s trusted source for local information, education, and civic engagement."
WinCAM’s Executive Director, David Gauthier, described the early stages of the move as a race against time. He said staff and volunteers managed to get the station to a point where it could broadcast the Select Board meeting from the new location despite starting the day unready. That rapid restoration of service relied on technical cooperation between WinCAM and the School Department.
Two practical details underlined the feasibility of the relocation. First, WinCAM was able to move its broadcast server and internet service promptly. Second, the town’s municipal fibre network provided the necessary connectivity to support live broadcasting from the school site — a capability Gauthier said the organisation could not have relied on otherwise.
Why the move matters to Winchester viewers
For residents who depend on WinCAM for local meetings, education programming and civic information, the relocation is about continuity. The station stressed that it remains committed to its public-service role even as its revenue model changes.
- Operational continuity: WinCAM aims to keep broadcasting public meetings and local programming during and after the move.
- Financial pressure: A long-term fall in cable franchise fee income forced the board to review options.
- Partnerships: The School Department’s offer of space and the town fibre network made the move practicable.
The organisation also noted a wider sector trend: streaming platforms have so far produced no comparable revenue for community stations, and proposed legislation that might alter that situation has been pending for several years. That structural change in how people consume video is central to WinCAM’s board describing the relocation as "one of the most significant decisions in the organisation’s history".
| Event | Date / Period |
|---|---|
| Select Board public comment (letter read) | 27 July |
| Move began | Late July (continues through August) |
| Cable subscription decline cited | 2014–2024 (over 40%) |
Volunteers and staff have been instrumental to the relocation. Gauthier praised the technical and practical efforts that allowed broadcasting to resume quickly from the new premises, noting the importance of collaboration with the School Department.
As WinCAM settles into Parkhurst School, the immediate focus is on restoring and sustaining services to the town while the organisation evaluates long-term funding and operational models. For Winchester viewers, the shift is a reminder of how local media must adapt to changing technology and revenue streams if they are to continue serving civic life.
