Framingham, MA - At Access Framingham's Annual Meeting on Monday evening, (September 22, 2014), attendees heard about the successes of the past year, including a record number of new local productions spotlighting the community, challenges to come for Framingham public access television station and training center, and a very exciting bit of news.

4 Vernon Street in Framingham Centre to house new Community Media Center. (Click image for Google Maps/ StreetView of area).

President Bill Rabkin announced that Access Framingham will move to a new location near Framingham Centre Common, thanks to a new agreement with Gordon Real Estate, owners of the property at 4 Vernon Street which will house this new Community Media Center for Framingham.  Design work is now underway for the new studio facility, and construction will take place in the coming weeks.

Since 2006, when Framingham Public Access Corporation was formed, the Town’s public access studio has been housed in “temporary” facilities at the rear of the Fuller Middle School.

Bill McColgan, Executive Director of Access Framingham, says the organization has greatly appreciated the partnership with the Framingham Public Schools over the years. “We look forward to more ways to collaborate in the future, but we did need to find a permanent home where a state-of-the-art studio could be created.  Working with Jim and Peter Gordon, Access Framingham has now found that home.”

Upon completion of the new facility, Access Framingham will invite community members to an Open House, where they will discover the services and opportunities available to all members at this new Community Media Center.

Access Framingham also expressed appreciation on Monday night to the MutualOne Bank Charitable Foundation and to Impact Framingham, both of whom have provided generous support in the form of grants to help in the design and development of AF-TV’s new teaching technology and a new studio for training and presentations.

Framingham’s Andrea Gonzales was presented with the AF-TV Volunteer of the Year Award by AF-TV Assistant Director Francesca Cerutti-Harris.  Andrea is a recent graduate of Emmanuel College who has contributed her time, energy, and talent as a reporter on the Framingham Beat, a camera operator and editor for many community events and initiatives, and as Associate Producer  for locally-produced Travels with Jack, a popular talk show focused on travel adventures around the world.  Arriving with very little experience in TV production, Andrea has been a wonderful example of how someone can take advantage of the training opportunities at AF-TV not only to gain valuable technical skills and experience, but also to get involved in the community and to have fun doing it.

Three individuals were elected by AF-TV members to fill three 3-year terms on the Framingham Public Access Corporation Board of Directors . Jim Pillsbury was elected to his second term as a member of that Board, along with newcomers Kathy O’Leary and Phil Reimann.

Access Framingham TV telecasts in Framingham on Comcast Channel 9, RCN Channel 3, and Verizon Channel 43.  Local productions are also available online and on demand at www.accessfram.tv.  For more information about Access Framingham, contact the studio at 508-875-5434 or at info@accessfram.tv.

###