IMAGE GALLERY: Access Framingham Celebrates New Studios

Last fall, then-executive director Bill McColgan announced during the non-profit corporation’s annual meeting. Access Framingham would be moving from Fuller Middle Schoolto new studios.

Renovations began at the new studios at 4 Vernon Street in January. They were completed in late Spring. The studio began broadcasting in April and taping shows a month later.

Yesterday, the public was invited to tour the studios as Access Framingham celebrated its grand opening.

The main AF-TV studio was dedicated in memory of the late Ruth and Jay Gordon. Their son Jim Gordon is the owner and landlord of the building where the studios are located.

New studio lights were installed, but much of the equipment was packed and moved from Flagg Drive to Vernon Street.

For those unfamiliar with Access Framingham, it is one of three cable access channels in Framingham.

All three - AF-TV, The Education Channel, and the Government Channel - are funded via money from Comcast, Verizon and RCN, the town’s three cable providers. The three are required to give the Town money as part of its licensing agreement.

Access Framingham is operated by Framingham Public Access Corporation, a non-profit corporation designated by the Town of Framingham to run Public Access local television programming. It can view at RCN Channel 3, Comcast Channel 9, and Verizon Channel 43.

Access Framingham’s mission is to engage, serve and enrich the community by developing programming by and for the people of Framingham, providing educational opportunities, and facilitating the exchange of ideas and information through traditional and new media.

AF-TV provides members with training, access to television recording and editing equipment, and cable broadcast air time to show locally recorded programming.

Anyone who lives or works in Framingham is welcome.

Memberships begin at $30/year ($15 for youth and seniors). However, Access Framingham is offering a special individual membership at $20.06, in honor of the year of its founding. Normally, individual memberships and renewals are $30. The online membership application is available here.

Access Framingham will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2016.

Access Framingham is presently conducting a search for a new executive director.

Francesca Cerutti-Harris is interim executive director.

Bill Rabkin is chair of the board.

Phil Reimann is the chair-elect.

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Click on the link below to view more than 2 dozen photos from the open house at the new studios on Saturday from Petroni Media Company.