When asked what kind of programming MVTV, the Island's community access television station, allows, executive director Stephen Warriner replied, "We don't judge."
The League of Women Voters of Martha's Vineyard, in conjunction with MV TV, has announced its final two candidate forums for the spring election season.
For viewers this summer, gavel-to-gavel coverage of Island government meetings, high school sports and an eclectic array of original programming may appear unchanged on Martha’s Vineyard Television.
But for the people behind the cameras and the scenes at the Island’s only public access television station, huge change is in the offing as the station prepares to move to a new facility that is nearly complete off the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.
He may be one of the youngest television producers on the local access channel MVTV, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most productive. Alex T. Trotter, 12, of Tisbury is out in the community, taking his A-Trot Report to a high level.
MVTV, the Island’s community access television station, announced recently that Stephen Warriner has been named interim executive director and Carl Holt has been named training and operations manager. They join Michelle Vivian, access coordinator, and Laura Edgar, programming and facilities coordinator.
The Vineyard’s public access television network is moving forward with ambitious plans to build a new facility despite the resignation last week of the MVTV executive director and longtime board chairman.
Julienne Turner, who has headed MVTV since July 2010, and Denys Wortman, an MVTV founder and chairman of its board since 2002, announced Oct. 4 they were stepping down. Ms. Turner, who will stay on until the end of the year, said her reasons were personal. Mr. Wortman said his decision was triggered by hers.
Cable television customers on the Vineyard are all but assured of having Comcast service for the next 10 years, as a contract between the giant cable company and the six Island towns nears completion. But the question of whether the contract will guarantee service for outlying rural areas of the Island, including Chappaquiddick, remains unsettled.
Tisbury selectmen have confirmed the town will abide by the existing funding arrangements for MVTV, thus ending a week of confused speculation that Tisbury could pull its support for the Island’s community broadcaster.
The concerns were fueled by comments from Tisbury’s Department of Public Works director, Fred LaPiana, indicating that the town could claim the $80,000 a year which now goes to MVTV on its behalf, and siphon some or all of the money off for other projects.
