ActonTV

What ActonTV does

ActonTV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community access television organization serving the town of Acton, Massachusetts, and surrounding Acton-Boxborough communities. It operates three local cable channels (Public, Government, Education) and a YouTube channel (youtube.com/actontv1) with over 3,000 subscribers and more than one million cumulative views. The organization provides Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access programming, including coverage of town meetings (Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, School Committee), local sports, educational events, and member-produced community content. It is led by Executive Director Marc Duci and governed by a Board of Directors.

The organization's core technology consists of a 4,800 square foot production studio with multiple production sets (stage/performance, kitchen, virtual green screen), an AV equipment library for member checkout, and an Adobe Premiere Pro-based non-linear editing suite on Apple iMac workstations. Content is distributed through three local cable TV channels, a YouTube channel, on-demand streaming via its website (actontv.org), and live streaming capabilities. Technical infrastructure is standard professional video production, with no proprietary AI/ML systems or differentiating technology platform beyond the physical studio assets.

ActonTV's business model is diversified across four to five revenue streams. Membership fees are tiered at $45/year (residents), $95/year (non-residents), $175/year (businesses, covering up to five individuals), and $150/year (non-profits). A three-tier corporate sponsorship program ranges from $250 (Silver) to $1,000 (Platinum). A significant share of operating funding comes from cable franchise fees paid by Acton residents on their cable TV subscriptions, though this stream is explicitly described as declining due to cord-cutting. Additional revenue comes from tax-deductible donations and class fees (e.g., $30 for Intro to Editing). The go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, local events, classes, and partnerships with the Town of Acton and Acton-Boxborough School District.

Name

ActonTV

Legal name

ActonTV Inc.

Website

https://actontv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ActonTV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community access television organization in Acton, Massachusetts, operating three local cable channels and a YouTube channel. It provides government, educational, and public programming to Acton/Boxborough residents, funded by memberships, sponsorships, and cable franchise fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Access Television (PEG Broadcasting)

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)

Keywords

• Community access television
• PEG channel services
• Local media production
• Video production training
• Public access broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Acton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from residents ($45), non-residents ($95), businesses ($175), and non-profit organizations ($150). Membership provides access to studio facilities, equipment checkout, and cablecast submission privileges.
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship program with three tiers: Platinum ($1,000) includes custom promo video, featured in annual report, website recognition, and free business membership; Gold ($500) includes logo in annual report, website recognition, and free business membership; Silver ($250) includes free individual membership.
3. Cable Franchise Fees: Funding provided by Acton residents through franchise fees on cable TV subscriptions. The organization notes that declining cable subscriptions have reduced this revenue stream significantly.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from community members to support the organization's mission of creating community through media.
5. Class Fees: Fees charged for educational classes such as Intro to Editing workshop at $30 per participant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ActonTV operates a community access television resource center delivering PEG (Public, Educational, Government) channel programming, a YouTube channel, and member-based access to a 4,800 sq ft production studio, AV equipment checkout, and editing facilities. The organization produces and distributes local content including government meeting coverage, school event coverage, sports broadcasts, and member-created programming, while also offering video production training classes to community members.

Product overview

ActonTV is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community media organization providing Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) access television services to the town of Acton, Massachusetts. The organization operates three local TV channels, a YouTube channel with over 3,000 subscribers, and a comprehensive on-demand video library. The core offering consists of locally-produced programming including government meeting coverage, educational content, sports broadcasts, and member-created community content. ActonTV supports content creation through a 4,800 square foot production studio with multiple sets (stage/performance, kitchen, virtual green screen), professional AV equipment rental, and video production training classes. The YouTube channel serves as a primary digital distribution platform, enabling viewers to cast content directly to SmartTVs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Access Television Programming
• Government Meeting Coverage
• Education Programming
• Sports Coverage
• Live Streaming Service
• On-Demand Video Library
• TV Studio and Production Facilities
• AV Equipment Rental (Member Checkout)
• Video Production Training Classes
• Community Bulletin Board
• YouTube Channel Distribution Online video sharing platform channel (youtube.com/actontv1) with over 3,000 subscribers and one million cumulative views, enabling ActonTV content to be cast to SmartTVs and viewed on any device.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million+ YouTube views demonstrates strong audience engagement with community content

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YouTubecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2015Video platform partnership enabling online content distribution. YouTube channel launched November 2015, has grown to 3,000+ subscribers and 1 million+ views.
• Rockland Trust BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bank providing financial sponsorship support to ActonTV as part of their community investment program.
• Huntington Learning CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational services provider sponsoring ActonTV programming.
• Danny's PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal community organization sponsoring ActonTV.
• Northern BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional bank providing sponsorship support to ActonTV.
• Rapscallion Table & TapminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant sponsoring ActonTV community programming.
• Gallant Insurance Agency, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal insurance agency providing financial sponsorship to ActonTV.
• Steinberg-Lalli Charitable FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal charitable foundation providing grant funding to support ActonTV operations.
• Acton PharmacyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal pharmacy sponsoring ActonTV community content.
• Life Care Centers of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider sponsoring ActonTV programming.
• Scheier Katin & Epstein, PCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal law firm providing sponsorship support to ActonTV.
• Open Door EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational services provider sponsoring ActonTV.
• Middlesex BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional bank providing financial sponsorship to ActonTV.
• Town of ActoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore municipal partnership providing franchise fee funding and requiring coverage of government meetings, town meetings, and public affairs programming.
• Acton-Boxborough School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing school event coverage, graduation ceremonies, and educational programming access.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• MHTV - Maynard Community Television: Maynard, MA community access television station operating PEG channels with member programming - a close geographic peer in Acton's immediate vicinity with identical functional scope.
• LCAT - Littleton Community Access Television: Littleton, MA PEG access television operator covering similar small-town Massachusetts community broadcasting territory without geographic overlap with ActonTV.

Direct peers

• CMAC - Chelmsford Media Access Center: Chelmsford, MA community media center providing public access channels and member production facilities - matches ActonTV's small-town Massachusetts PEG operating model.
• HCAM - Hopkinton Community Access and Media: Massachusetts MetroWest community access television station operating PEG channels and production facilities for a single town - directly comparable community scale and operational structure to ActonTV.
• PATV - Plymouth Area Television: Plymouth, MA PEG access organization with community production studios, multi-channel distribution, and member programming - a like-for-like community access television peer to ActonTV.
• BNN - Boston Neighborhood Network Media Center: Boston's community media center providing PEG channels, member studio and equipment access, and production training across multiple neighborhoods - a larger-scale analog of ActonTV's member-based local broadcasting model.
• BATV - Brookline Access Television: Brookline, MA public access television operation running PEG channels, member studio access, equipment checkout, and production classes - functionally identical community media center model to ActonTV in an adjacent Boston suburb.
• CCTV Cambridge Community Television: Cambridge, MA PEG access organization operating public, educational, and government channels with a community production studio, member-based programming, and production training - the same operational model as ActonTV, just in the neighboring town.

Others

• National Federation of Community Broadcasters: Industry/trade association representing PEG access and community broadcasting organizations - adjacent ecosystem participant that defines the broader category ActonTV operates within.

Broad incumbents

• WGBH (GBH) - Boston PBS Station: Boston-area PBS member station providing public television programming and educational content at vastly larger scale - relevant as the established public-media incumbent in the same regional media landscape ActonTV serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/actontv1
• Xx.com/ActonTV1
• Facebookfacebook.com/ActonTV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acton-community-access-television-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ActonTV