What Montgomery Community Media does

Montgomery Community Media (MCM), legally Montgomery Community Television, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1984 that operates as the designated independent community media provider for Montgomery County, Maryland. MCM runs two cable channels — Access 19 (educational, health, faith-based, and humanities programming) and Montgomery Channel 21 (arts, entertainment, news, and public affairs) — distributed across RCN, Verizon, and Comcast cable systems, plus live and on-demand streaming via the Cablecast platform and YouTube. The organization also operates podcast programming on Spotify (e.g., Where The Creators Meet, Hola Montgomery, NexGen Youth Talks) and a Spanish-language news vertical (Hola Montgomery).

Core physical and digital infrastructure spans two locations: a Rockville headquarters at 7548 Standish Place containing two TV studios, two podcast studios, and editing suites, plus the Silver Spring Media Lab (TV studio, podcast area, and co-work space). Underlying technology is conventional community media production tooling — HD cameras, green screen, custom lighting, live-streaming capability — augmented by integrations with Eventbrite (class registration), Hightail (file delivery), Zoom (remote podcasting), and Cablecast (cable/streaming distribution). No proprietary AI/ML systems are disclosed.

The business model mixes three earned revenue streams with grant and donation funding. Individual annual memberships ($50 standard, $35 for seniors 65+) grant access to certified studio use, member events, discounted courses, and Silver Spring co-work space. Studio rentals and for-hire production services (livestreaming, highlight videos, recording, editing, graphics, full production planning) are sold to non-profits, businesses, individuals, and Montgomery County government on a quote basis. Grants from partners such as the Healthcare Initiative Foundation (MCM Health Connect) and the Maryland State Arts Council (Art Series) supplement earned revenue. Customer segments are Montgomery County residents (primary), youth/students, non-profits, businesses, and healthcare-focused organizations; GTM is community-led via the Education and Community Engagement department, digital channels, and community events.

Name

Montgomery Community Media

Legal name

Montgomery Community Television, Inc.

Website

https://mymcmedia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Montgomery Community Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1984, that operates public access cable channels, production studios, and media education programs serving Montgomery County, Maryland's more than one million residents through memberships, studio rentals, and production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Media Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Local/Regional News Channels (MPABAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

News Magazine & Investigative Journalism Channels (MPABAIAG), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)

Keywords

• Community media services
• Public access television
• Media production training
• Studio rental services
• Local cable broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing access to production facilities, media training, and content creation capabilities. Includes ability to present content on cable channels.
2. Studio Rentals: Rental of TV studios and podcast rooms at Rockville headquarters and Silver Spring Media Lab for external productions and events.
3. Production Services: For-hire video production services including livestreaming, highlight videos, raw recording, editing, graphics, and full-scale production planning for non-profits, companies, and individuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Montgomery Community Media provides public access cable television programming and community media services to Montgomery County, Maryland residents. The organization operates two cable channels (Access 19 and Montgomery Channel 21), produces original local content including The Pulse news magazine and Hola Montgomery Spanish-language programming, offers media education and training classes, rents professional TV and podcast studios, and provides for-hire video production services to nonprofits, businesses, and individuals.

Product overview

Montgomery Community Media operates a multi-channel community media platform offering broadcast television, digital streaming, podcasts, and educational media training. The core products include Access 19 (Channel 19) and Montgomery Channel 21 for community television broadcasting, The Pulse as a weekly news magazine show, Hola Montgomery for Spanish-language content, and MCM Health Connect for health-focused reporting. The organization provides production services and studio rentals for video and podcast production, along with a comprehensive media education and training program through its Education and Community Engagement (ECE) department. Members gain access to professional facilities including TV studios, podcast rooms, and editing suites at locations in Rockville and Silver Spring. Digital content is distributed through YouTube, Spotify podcasts, and the Cablecast streaming platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Access 19 (Channel 19) Public access cable television channel featuring educational, fitness, health, and local humanities programming presented by Montgomery County residents, plus inspirational programming from spiritual and faith-based organizations. Distributed via RCN, Verizon, and Comcast cable systems.
• Montgomery Channel 21 Local cable channel home to arts, entertainment, news, and public affairs programming created and presented by Montgomery County residents and Montgomery Community Media. Distributed via RCN, Verizon, and Comcast cable systems.
• The Pulse Weekly news magazine show launched as the heartbeat of Montgomery County, providing front-row access to local stories with a focus on inspiring people, untold stories, and trusted information.
• MCM Health Connect Health-focused initiative funded by the Healthcare Initiative Foundation that raises awareness about health issues affecting Montgomery County residents and highlights available health resources in the community.
• Hola Montgomery Spanish-language news platform serving the Hispanic community in Montgomery County, including news articles, video content, and a podcast. Designed to inform and engage Spanish-speaking residents.
• Membership Program Annual membership program providing access to professional production facilities, use of studios upon certification, ability to present content on cable channels 19 and 21, member-exclusive events, discounted courses, and co-work production space at the Silver Spring location. Individual membership is $50/year; seniors 65+ pay $35/year.
• Studio Rentals (TV and Podcast Studios) Rental of fully equipped TV studios and podcast rooms at Rockville headquarters and Silver Spring Media Lab. Includes two TV studios with green screens, HD cameras, custom lighting, set design, and live streaming capabilities, plus podcast studios with MCM Audio Technician assistance. Quote-based pricing.
• Production Services For-hire video production services including in-studio, virtual, and on-location filming; live streaming; highlight videos; raw recording; script writing; full production planning; graphics; and post-production editing. Available to non-profits, companies, and individuals. Quote-based pricing.
• Media Education & Training Classes Education and Community Engagement (ECE) department offering classes, workshops, and programs in video production, audio, podcasting, mobile journalism, and other media skills for all experience levels. Technical skills training covers on-camera performance, digital storytelling, video editing, podcast production, and mobile journalism taught by industry professionals. Classes are listed and registered through Eventbrite.
• Youth Media Summer Camp Summer camp program for youth ages 11-17 years-old focused on media production and creative expression, providing hands-on training in video and audio production through the Education and Community Engagement department.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered featured.

• Connect MontgomeryfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization collaborating with MCM on community initiatives
• Conscious CapitalismfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization that retained MCM to produce two virtual panels, demonstrating partnership for corporate events and content production
• Montgomery County Office of Human RightsfeaturedStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization working with MCM on community outreach and education
• NCCF (National Center for Children and Families)featuredStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization collaborating with MCM on community initiatives

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WAMU 88.5 American University Radio: NPR member station serving the DC metropolitan area including Montgomery County. Comparable as a public media organization covering local news and community content for the same geography as MCM, but operating at significantly larger scale as a radio broadcaster.
• WETA (Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association): Major regional public broadcaster operating PBS and other channels in the Greater Washington DC area. Comparable as a public/community-oriented broadcaster serving the same metropolitan market, but much larger in scale with broader programming portfolio and national PBS affiliation.

Direct peers

• DCTV (DC Community Television): Washington DC's nonprofit community media center providing public access TV, production facilities, and media education. Closest peer to MCM in terms of nonprofit community media model, cable channel distribution, and member-based studio access in the DC metropolitan region.
• Prince George's Community Television (PGCT): Prince George's County, Maryland's community access TV operator providing cable channels, studio rentals, and media training. Comparable to MCM as a Maryland-based county-level PEG access nonprofit with similar funding model and service offerings.
• Arlington Independent Media: Arlington, Virginia's public access community media center offering TV channels, studio rentals, media training, and production services. Directly comparable to MCM in operating model (501(c)(3) nonprofit PEG access), services offered, and target audience of local residents.
• Bethesda Community Television (BCT): Community access media organization serving Bethesda and Montgomery County area. Directly comparable as a nearby PEG/community media operator offering cable TV channels, production services, and community programming within the same county footprint as MCM.
• Fairfax Public Access (FPA): Fairfax County, Virginia's community access media organization providing public access channels, production training, and studio facilities. Comparable to MCM as a Mid-Atlantic regional PEG channel nonprofit with overlapping service offerings and audience demographics.

Emerging players

• City Bureau: Chicago-based nonprofit local journalism organization producing community-driven civic news content. Comparable to MCM in mission of expanding access to local journalism and amplifying community voices, though focused on digital-native news rather than broadcast TV.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mymcmedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/myMCMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Montgomery-Community-Media/116350138436607
• Instagraminstagram.com/mymcmedia
• TikToktiktok.com/@mymcmcreates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Montgomery Community Media