What WKTV does

WKTV (legal name: WKTV Community Media; DBA: Wyoming Kentwood Television) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community television and media production company founded on November 11, 1974, and headquartered at 5261 Clyde Park Avenue SW, Wyoming, Michigan. It operates one of the oldest continuously operated community television stations in the United States, serving Wyoming, Kentwood, and the greater Grand Rapids area through Government Access 26 cable channel, YouTube on-demand, and a hyperlocal community news service called WKTV Journal (launched 2012). Revenue is generated through a combination of community donations (via Stripe-based 'Create, Inspire, Connect' campaign), foundation grants (Wege Foundation, Wyoming Community Foundation), and free-access facility and equipment usage. Pricing is freemium: certified filmmakers access professional cinema equipment at no rental cost beyond training orientation, while studio time and production services are available to community members.

WKTV's core technology stack is a 10,000 sq ft production facility featuring two studios (with multi-camera JVC GY-HM790 systems, 70x20ft green screen, and cyc wall), a 35-foot HD mobile television production truck (one of the largest in Michigan), five editing bays plus a Digital Cinema Suite running DaVinci Resolve with Tangent coloring tools, Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, After Effects, Pro Tools, and 5.1 surround sound mixing. Digital cinema equipment includes RED Raven, Black Magic (Mini Pro, Mini, URSA Major, URSA Mini Pro), Panasonic EVA1 cameras, complete lens packages (16-135mm), Matthews and Colortran dollies with track, Cinegears wireless lens control, and a Matthews Car Mount system. The platform also supports a post-production workflow for community-produced content and oral history projects.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: WKTV reaches Wyoming and Kentwood residents through local cable access (Government Access 26), its website with YouTube on-demand content, and social media (Instagram, TikTok). Customer segments are diversified across local community residents (primary), independent filmmakers and content creators, local government entities (city councils, planning commissions), youth and families accessing educational programming, and students/aspiring media professionals seeking internships. The organization is supported by an active volunteer base of approximately 250 community members contributing nearly 10,000 hours of service in 2025, and operates several sub-brands including the WKTV Journal, Hispanic Voices, Veterans Voices, and the Digital Cinema Program.

Name

WKTV

Legal name

WKTV Community Media

Website

https://www.wktv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WKTV is a community television and media production company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Media Services

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)

Keywords

• Community media services
• Local television broadcasting
• Digital cinema production
• Media education programs
• Community journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Wyoming

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Community Support: WKTV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies heavily on community donations and support as traditional funding sources decline due to cord-cutting
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including the Wege Foundation (for Hispanic Voices program) and Wyoming Community Foundation (for Veterans Voices project)
3. Equipment and Facility Rental: Free access to production facilities for filmmakers, with training orientation required. Equipment checkout for certified filmmakers at no rental cost beyond training
4. Studio Time and Production Services: Community members can reserve studio time, schedule classes, and access camera equipment for productions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WKTV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community media center that operates a local access television station in Wyoming, Michigan. It produces daily local news (WKTV Journal), provides digital cinema production services and equipment rentals to local filmmakers, delivers media education and internship programs, and broadcasts government meeting coverage on Government Access Channel 26, all from a 10,000 sq ft facility with a 35-foot HD mobile production truck.

Product overview

WKTV is a community media center operating as a multi-faceted platform offering hyperlocal news (WKTV Journal), television and motion picture production services, media education programs, and community outreach initiatives. The organization provides equipment rentals including cinema cameras, lighting, and sound gear; operates two TV studios and a 35-foot mobile production unit; and runs internship programs for aspiring media professionals. Programming spans local government coverage, sports, cultural oral history projects (Veterans Voices, Hispanic Voices), and general community entertainment. The Digital Cinema Program provides filmmakers with access to professional-grade production equipment and facilities at low cost, aligned with WKTV's nonprofit mission to foster community connections through innovative media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WKTV Journal: Hyperlocal community news service
• Hispanic Voices
• Veteran Voices
• Digital Cinema Program
• Create, Inspire, Connect

Products and services

• WKTV Journal (Daily Local News) A daily local news program covering Wyoming/Kent County area news, events, and sports, produced for broadcast on Government Access Channel 26 and YouTube on-demand. Targeted at Wyoming-area residents seeking hyper-local civic information.
• Digital Cinema Program A certification-based program granting members access to professional digital cinema equipment (RED Raven, Black Magic, Panasonic EVA1 cameras) and post-production software for independent film production, with submission support for the annual Wyoming Film Festival. Targeted at independent filmmakers, student filmmakers, and content creators.
• Television Production Services End-to-end television production services utilizing two studios, multiple edit bays, JVC studio cameras, green screen, and teleprompter, delivered through WKTV's 10,000 sq ft facility. Targeted at community members, organizations, and local content creators needing professional production support.
• Equipment Rentals and Facility Access Free and certified-member access to professional video production equipment and studio facilities for community media projects. Targeted at Wyoming-area residents and filmmakers who complete the standard orientation and training program.
• Media Training and Internship Programs Formal training programs, orientations, and internship opportunities for community members, students, and youth to learn media production, journalism, and broadcasting skills. Targeted at students, career changers, and aspiring media professionals.
• Mobile Television Production Services On-location broadcast production via WKTV's 35-foot HD mobile television production truck, supporting live broadcasts of community events, parades, fairs, and government functions. Targeted at event organizers, government agencies, and community groups needing mobile broadcast capability.
• Government Access Channel 26 Programming Broadcast of Wyoming City Council, Planning Commission, and other municipal public meetings on dedicated Government Access Channel 26, delivered under local franchise agreement. Targeted at Wyoming-area residents and municipal government stakeholders for civic transparency.
• Veterans Voices Program A specialized community programming initiative dedicated to telling the stories of military veterans in the Wyoming/Kent County area, produced through WKTV's production facilities. Targeted at veterans, veteran families, and community audiences interested in military service stories.
• Hispanic Voices Program A community programming initiative providing Spanish-language and Hispanic-community-focused content and storytelling on WKTV's channels. Targeted at Hispanic/Latino residents of the Wyoming/Kent County area seeking culturally relevant local media.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 10,000 hours of volunteer time contributed in 2025 alone
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grand Valley State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with GVSU Veterans History Project to conduct oral history interviews with military veterans. The project captures and preserves veterans' stories for future generations through the WKTV Veterans Voices initiative.
• South Kent Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly Government Matters Forums featuring City, County, State and Federal elected officials representing Wyoming and Kentwood areas.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• GRTV (Grand Rapids Community Media Center): Grand Rapids-area PEG (Public, Educational, Government) access television center operating studios, equipment rentals, and community programming in the same West Michigan market as WKTV, making it the most geographically proximate peer with substantially overlapping service model.
• BENTCTV (Benton County Community Television): Mid-sized community television center serving a single county region with PEG access channels, studio/equipment access, and community programming—comparable in scale and operating footprint to WKTV.

Direct peers

• Cambridge Community Television (CCTV): Non-profit community media center offering studio access, equipment checkout, training, and government/civic programming—essentially the same operating model as WKTV but in Cambridge, MA, making it one of the closest functional comparables.
• Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): Large-scale community media center providing cable channels, production facilities, equipment access, and media training to NYC residents—closely mirrors WKTV's PEG access + community production model at significantly greater scale.
• PhillyCAM: Philadelphia's non-profit community access television center providing studio and equipment access, media training, and civic programming to local residents—directly comparable to WKTV's community television and media education mission.
• Austin Community Television (ACTV): Municipal PEG access television operation providing government meeting coverage and community programming in Austin, with a comparable franchise-based model to WKTV's Government Access 26 channel.
• Denver Open Media (DCTV): Non-profit community media organization offering equipment access, production facilities, and media training to Denver residents—directly aligned with WKTV's certified filmmaker equipment access and community production programs.
• Nashville Community Media (NCN): Community media non-profit providing cable channels, studio access, equipment checkout, and media training in Nashville—functionally analogous to WKTV in terms of services, funding model, and community focus.
• Open Signal (Portland Community Media): Portland-based non-profit community media center providing production equipment, studio access, training, and distribution channels—directly comparable to WKTV's full-service community media center model.
• Arlington Independent Media (AIM): Non-profit public access television center offering studio and equipment access, media training, and community channels in Arlington, VA—closely mirrors WKTV's PEG access + production facility hybrid model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WKTVVideos/playlists
• Instagraminstagram.com/wktvmedia
• Xx.com/wktvcommunitytv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wktv-community-television

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WKTV