Orion Neighborhood Television

What Orion Neighborhood Television does

Orion Neighborhood Television (ONTV) is a community media center and nonprofit organization headquartered at 1349 Joslyn Rd. in Lake Orion, Michigan. It operates as a PEG (Public, Education, Government) access channel serving Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion. ONTV operates three dedicated cable channels — Public Access (Comcast Channel 10), Education Access (Comcast Channel 22), and Government Access (Comcast Channel 20 & 915) — distributing content via Comcast and AT&T U-verse (Channel 99), as well as through YouTube (3k+ subscribers, 900k+ cumulative views), SoundCloud/Spotify podcasts, and Internet Archive. Its core technology stack consists of a studio and field production facility, Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve-based editing workstations, Cablecast video-on-demand infrastructure (with one-year retention before archival), and live streaming capabilities.

ONTV's products and services are organized into three layers. The primary content layer consists of original programming, government meeting broadcasts (440+ township meetings archived, 127+ school board events), ONTV News (1,700+ episodes of bi-weekly half-hour newscasts with weekly feature stories), and Lake Orion Dragons athletics coverage. The training layer comprises five-week studio and field production classes ($55 each), a three-week non-linear editing class ($55), a one-night podcasting class ($25), a week-long Kids Video Camp ($145, ages 11-13), and an unpaid production internship program. Community engagement offerings include monthly Open Mic Nights and the Local Voice internet radio station operated by certified volunteers.

The business model is structured around a hybrid PEG funding mechanism. Recurring revenue derives from government-mandated cable franchise fees (subscribed via Comcast and AT&T U-verse subscriptions), supplemented by voluntary community donations (channeled via PayPal and a donor newsletter) and modest one-time training class fees. The organization is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors (four appointed by the Orion Community Cable Communications Commission, three community representatives) and operated by an 8-person staff led by Executive Director Ian Locke. ONTV has no parent company, no external funding rounds, and no equity ownership structure — consistent with its nonprofit community media charter.

Name

Orion Neighborhood Television

Legal name

Orion Neighborhood Television

Website

https://orionontv.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orion Neighborhood Television is a nonprofit community media center operating PEG access cable channels (public, education, government) for Orion Township and Lake Orion, Michigan, producing local news, government meeting broadcasts, and resident programming, funded by cable franchise fees, donations, and training class fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Media Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABADAC

State/Regional Public Broadcasting Networks & Consortia

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Public/Nonprofit Broadcasting (PBS/NPR-style)

Keywords

• Community media access
• Public access television
• Video production training
• Local news broadcasting
• Community television

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Orion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cable Franchise Fees: Government-mandated cable franchise fees that support community media access channels
2. Donations: Voluntary donations from community members supporting local media
3. Training Class Fees: Fee-based classes for video production, editing, and podcasting ($25-$145 per course)
4. Donor Support: Newsletter-based donor engagement with email notices about programs, classes, and special events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Orion Neighborhood Television operates a community media center that delivers local television programming across three cable access channels (Public Access, Education Access, and Government Access) and provides video production training to Orion Township and Lake Orion residents. The organization produces and broadcasts local news, government meetings, school events, sports coverage, and original community programming, while offering hands-on classes in studio production, field production, non-linear editing, and podcasting.

Product overview

Orion Neighborhood Television is a community media center offering a multi-channel television platform serving Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion, Michigan. The core offering consists of three cable access channels: the Public Access Channel for original resident-produced programming and Dragons Athletics; the Government Access Channel for township and village meetings and civic content; and the Education Access Channel for school board meetings and Lake Orion Community Schools programming. Supporting the content channels, ONTV provides video production training classes (studio production, field production, non-linear editing, podcasting), a summer Kids Video Camp, and an unpaid production internship program. The organization also runs Open Mic Night events and produces Local Voice internet radio. The platform distributes content via live streaming, video-on-demand through Cablecast, YouTube, SoundCloud podcasts, and Internet Archive archives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Local Voice: Internet radio station operated by certified ONTV volunteers for podcast programs.

Products and services

• ONTV Public Access Channel Public access television channel featuring original programming created by Orion residents, Dragons Athletics coverage, and select programs of community interest.
• ONTV Government Access Channel Government access channel that cablecasts Orion area news and information, including Township Board of Trustees, Village Council, Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Village DDA meetings.
• ONTV Education Access Channel Education access channel broadcasting School Board meetings live and featuring Lake Orion Community Schools news, sporting events, concerts, and ceremonies.
• ONTV Local News Award-winning local news coverage of Orion Township, Village of Lake Orion, and surrounding areas. Features weekly stories and bi-weekly half-hour newscasts covering local government, school districts, and community organizations.
• Video Production Classes Five-week courses covering studio production and field production basics, teaching participants how to create television programs as certified ONTV volunteers. Priced at $55 each.
• Non-Linear Editing Class Three-week course introducing Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing, advanced editing techniques, and DaVinci Resolve. Prerequisite for using ONTV's editing computers. Priced at $55.
• Podcasting Class Single-session course teaching basic audio production, mixing console operation, and hosting. Graduates become certified ONTV volunteers who can produce their own podcasts. Priced at $25.
• ONTV Kids Video Camp Week-long summer camp for middle school students (ages 11-13) teaching television production and filmmaking, culminating in a program aired on local cable TV. Priced at $145.
• Local Voice Internet Radio Internet radio station operated by certified ONTV volunteers for their podcast programs, also serving as background sound for message board slides. Available via SoundCloud and Spotify.
• Open Mic Night Monthly community event held on the fourth Thursday where performers of all skill levels can play songs, with performances recorded for playback on ONTV programming outlets.

Quantifiable outcome

• YouTube channel: 3k+ subscribers and 900,000+ views
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lake Orion Community SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to broadcast school board meetings live on Comcast Channel 22 and ATT Channel 99. ONTV also covers Lake Orion Dragons athletics, school concerts, ceremonies, and general school information. School meetings available for viewing 24 hours after scheduled time.
• Orion TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcasts Township Board of Trustees, Planning Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings. ONTV records meetings as a community service. Township also uses ONTV for press conferences and community updates.
• Village of Lake OrioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcasts Village Council, DDA, Board of Ethics, and Planning Commission meetings. Village DDA meetings held third Tuesday of each month. Village BZA meetings held first Thursday of each month.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• PhillyCAM: PhillyCAM is Philadelphia's community access media organization running public access channels, hosting media education classes, and supporting resident-produced programming. It shares ONTV's nonprofit, training-driven, multi-channel approach to local media.
• Portland Community Media: Portland Community Media operates Portland, Oregon's PEG channels and provides production classes, equipment access, and community programming. Its service structure - channels, classes, and government meeting coverage - is a near-direct match to ONTV's.
• Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): MNN is a New York City community media organization that operates PEG channels, provides video production training, and supports resident-produced programming. It is the largest and most directly comparable urban analog to ONTV's public-access, training, and local-broadcasting model.
• Nashville Community Media: Nashville Community Media operates Nashville's community access channels and offers production training, studio access, and local programming. Its mix of PEG broadcasting and media education is closely aligned with ONTV's mission and service mix.
• Cambridge Community Television (CCTV): CCTV is a community media center serving Cambridge, Massachusetts that runs public, education, and government access channels while offering production classes and equipment access to residents. Its dual mission of training and local broadcasting mirrors ONTV's core activities.
• Berkeley Community Media: Berkeley Community Media runs Berkeley, California's PEG channels and offers video production classes, equipment access, and community programming support. Its mission of empowering residents through media production training and local broadcasting closely mirrors ONTV's approach.
• Arlington Independent Media: Arlington Independent Media runs Arlington, Virginia's public access channels and offers video production training and studio access to community members. The combination of public, education, and government access channels with structured training classes closely parallels ONTV's operations.
• Seattle Channel: Seattle Channel provides government and community programming for Seattle, including live and on-demand coverage of public meetings, civic events, and local stories. While more government-focused than ONTV, its municipal-broadcast, meeting-archive, and community programming model overlaps significantly.
• Grand Rapids Community Media Center: Grand Rapids Community Media Center operates PEG channels, hosts media classes, and produces local programming for the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. As a Michigan-based peer with a similar public-access-plus-training model, it is highly comparable to ONTV on both geography and operating model.
• Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT): BCAT operates Brooklyn's PEG channels and provides studio access, training, and production services to Brooklyn residents. Its combination of cable access channels, classes, and community content production is structurally identical to ONTV's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OrionONTV
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OrionONTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/OrionONTV
• Instagraminstagram.com/OrionONTV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orion-neighborhood-television

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Orion Neighborhood Television