Vermont Community Access Media

What Vermont Community Access Media does

Vermont Community Access Media, doing business as the Media Factory, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community media center headquartered at 208 Flynn Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. Formed in 2021 through the merger of Vermont Community Access Media (VCAM) and the Regional Educational Television Network (RETN), the organization provides free access to professional-grade media production equipment, training, and multi-platform distribution to residents of 13 or more towns across Chittenden and Addison counties. It serves community members, municipal governments, school districts, youth organizations, and local businesses, producing hyperlocal content across three core television channels (CREATE for community content, LEARN for educational content, and ENGAGE for government coverage), a low-power FM radio station (99.3 WBTV-LP), and a 24/7 streaming archive channel (REWIND).

The Media Factory operates professional-grade production infrastructure including cameras (Panasonic UX180, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6K, Canon 5D), lighting (Aputure, KinoFlo), studio audio (Neumann, Sennheiser), a multi-camera television studio with green screen, and post-production facilities. Content is distributed across cable television (Burlington Telecom channels 15, 16, 215, 216 and Comcast channels 1074, 1084, 1094), OTT streaming platforms (Roku, Apple TV, FireTV), native iOS and Android apps, online platforms (mediafactory.org, YouTube, Vimeo, Mixcloud), and FM radio. The organization maintains a decades-spanning content archive and is a member of the Vermont Access Network, a consortium of 24 community media centers operating 80 PEG Access Television channels statewide.

The Media Factory's revenue model is structurally tied to cable franchise fees paid by Comcast and Burlington Telecom in exchange for public access distribution rights, supplemented by tax-deductible community donations, underwriting from local organizations (notably Seven Days Vermont's Independent Voice), and grants from entities such as the Vermont Community Foundation Samara Fund. Membership and equipment access are free for residents of the service area, while workshops, youth programs, and a paid 8-week internship program serve as alternative entry points. The organization is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors and currently operates with approximately 18-20 staff members under sole Executive Director Seth Mobley, following Co-Director Jess Wilson's 2025 departure to lead the Humane Society of Chittenden County.

Name

Vermont Community Access Media

Legal name

Media Factory

Website

https://vermontcam.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vermont Community Access Media (Media Factory) is a Burlington, Vermont nonprofit community media center providing free media production equipment, training, and multi-platform distribution to residents across 13+ towns, operating cable TV channels, FM radio, and streaming services funded by cable franchise fees and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Media Services

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Center & Audiovisual Lending Operations (Equipment Checkout, Production Support) (EDAEAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF), Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB), Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG)

Keywords

• Community media services
• Public access television
• Community radio broadcasting
• Media production training
• Equipment rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cable Franchise Fees: Comcast and Burlington Telecom pay franchise fees based on subscribers in exchange for using public land to distribute their product. This funds public access equipment and resources.
2. Underwriting and Donations: Tax-deductible donations from community members and underwriting from local organizations (e.g., Seven Days Vermont's Independent Voice).
3. Donations: Community donations support workshops, community radio, livestream services, public events, and new developments in community media.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vermont Community Access Media, operating as Media Factory, is a nonprofit community media center that provides free access to professional-grade media production equipment, training, studio facilities, and multi-platform distribution (cable television, low-power FM radio, and OTT streaming). The organization serves greater Burlington, Vermont residents, municipal governments, schools, and community organizations through three cable TV channels (CREATE, LEARN, ENGAGE), a 99.3 FM radio station, equipment checkout, workshops, and event coverage services.

Product overview

The Media Factory operates as a community media center providing free access to media production gear, training, and local distribution across multiple platforms. The organization offers a unified platform of media services organized around three core TV channels (CREATE for community content, LEARN for educational content, and ENGAGE for government content), a low-power FM radio station (99.3 WBTV-LP), equipment rental, professional production services, and educational workshops. Additional offerings include graduation and municipal meeting coverage, youth programs, an archival channel (REWIND), and special projects like Crowdsourced Cinema VT and PechaKucha Night Burlington. The center serves the greater Burlington, Vermont area with both in-person facilities and streaming distribution via cable, OTA apps, and online platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 99.3 WBTV-LP: Low power FM community radio station broadcasting from the Media Factory at 99.3 FM in Burlington, Vermont
• CREATE
• LEARN
• ENGAGE
• REWIND

Products and services

• 99.3 WBTV-LP FM Radio Low-power FM community radio station broadcasting in Burlington, Vermont at 99.3 FM, available via web streaming and Mixcloud for community members to host radio shows.
• CREATE Channel Community creator television channel featuring films, music videos, talk shows, animations, and podcasts produced by community members. Available on Burlington Telecom 15 & 215 and Comcast 1074.
• LEARN Channel Educational access television channel featuring local documentaries, concerts, lectures, school board meetings, and global news coverage. Available on Burlington Telecom 16 & 216 and Comcast 1094.
• ENGAGE Channel Government access television channel featuring live municipal meetings, statehouse coverage, candidate forums, and civic discussions. Available on Comcast 1084.
• REWIND Archive Channel 24/7 online archive channel showcasing decades-spanning Media Factory content including discontinued programs and never-before-digitized shows.
• Video Production Services Professional video production services including short-format documentary production and multi-camera coverage of live and recorded events, with full-service consultation on preproduction, production, editing, and distribution for organizations and individuals.
• Equipment Rental Free equipment rental for members including professional cameras (Panasonic UX180, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6K, Canon 5D), lighting kits, audio equipment, editing suites, and studio space with reservation policies and certification requirements.
• Education & Workshops Media production training programs including workshops on camera operation, audio recording, mobile filmmaking with iPads/iPhones, and editing essentials, with custom workshops available for organizations.
• Graduation Coverage Live streaming and recording of local high school and college graduation ceremonies for schools and families, with 9-10 ceremonies covered annually.
• Municipal Meeting Coverage Live and on-demand coverage of local government and school district meetings, including Town Meeting Day events across Chittenden and Addison counties for municipal clients.
• Crowdsourced Cinema VT Statewide creative project where filmmakers collaborate to create their own versions of classic films, hosted and produced by the Media Factory.
• PechaKucha Night Burlington Visual storytelling event series where presenters share their passion in 20 slides, each visible for 20 seconds, hosted and recorded by Media Factory.
• Paws and Play Annual pet video contest in partnership with the Humane Society of Chittenden County, featuring judged submissions for funniest, most heartwarming, most interesting, and Best in Show categories.
• OTT & Mobile Apps Over-the-top streaming applications available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, iOS, and Android for viewing community media content outside cable TV.
• Media Factory 360 Internship 8-week paid internship program introducing participants to a full-circle view of community media center operations, rotating through production, education, marketing, and distribution departments.
• Vermont Youth Orchestra Recording Full concert recordings and selected performances by various ensembles of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, produced and broadcast by the Media Factory.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,000 hours of hyperlocal content transmitted in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont Access Network (VAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 24 community media centers operating 80 PEG Access Television channels and 9 community radio stations across Vermont. Media Factory is a member and collaborates on state-wide coverage including Town Meeting Day events.
• Seven DaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVermont's Independent Voice provides generous underwriting support for the Media Factory.
• Humane Society of Chittenden CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Paws and Play pet video contest partnership. Judges select winners and winners receive prizes including gift cards to Pet Food Warehouse.
• Burlington Technical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for youth media programs. BTC students utilize Media Factory facilities and equipment for video production education.
• The FlynnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth programming partnership with Burlington's performing arts center for media education initiatives.
• Sarah Holbrook Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth media programming partnership serving the local community.
• Champlain CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcast Television students complete projects at Media Factory. Students have produced numerous documentaries and films in the facility.
• ComcastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCable provider that pays franchise fees funding public access. Distributes Media Factory content on channels 1070, 1074, 1084, and 1094.
• Burlington TelecomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal cable provider that pays franchise fees and distributes Media Factory content on channels 15, 16, 215, and 216.
• Vermont Community Television (VCTV)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHD channel (Comcast 1070) showcasing Vermont content creators statewide. Project of Vermont Access Network featuring arts, culture, government content, and statehouse coverage.
• CCTV/Town Meeting TelevisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for server room hosting and collaboration on Town Meeting Day coverage across Chittenden County.
• PechaKucha Night BurlingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisual storytelling event series featuring 20 slides per presenter for 20 seconds each. Media Factory hosts and records these community events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cambridge Community Television: Cambridge, MA PEG-access community media center offering public/educational/government channels, equipment lending, workshops, and municipal meeting coverage. Direct functional analogue to the Media Factory in a different New England market.
• Berkeley Community Media: Berkeley, CA PEG access media center offering public/educational channels, equipment lending, and production training. Directly comparable community media center with similar GTM and service offerings.
• San Francisco Government Television (SFGovTV): SF's PEG government access channel providing municipal meeting coverage and civic programming, partnered with community media producers. Comparable municipal-transparency focus and PEG franchise funding model.
• CCTV/Town Meeting Television: Burlington-area PEG partner that hosts Media Factory's server room and collaborates on Town Meeting Day coverage. Sister community media organization with overlapping municipal coverage focus.
• Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV): Chicago's PEG access organization operating five channels covering public, educational, government, sports, and Spanish-language programming. Comparable scale, multi-channel structure, and municipal coverage mandate.
• PhillyCAM: Philadelphia's community access media center providing public access TV channels, equipment, training, and youth programs under a similar PEG framework. Comparable scope of services and member-driven production model.
• Metro Nashville Community Education Channel (CNC): Nashville's PEG access center providing government and educational programming with similar municipal coverage and PEG franchise funding model. Comparable functional scope and public-sector audience.
• Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): NYC's largest PEG access center operating multiple channels, FM radio, equipment rentals, and training. Comparable community media center model with similar GTM (community membership + free access + multi-platform distribution).

Broad incumbents

• Vermont Access Network (VAN): Statewide network of 24 community media centers including the Media Factory, operating 80 PEG channels and 9 community radio stations. Broader industry peer and coordinating body for PEG access in Vermont.

Others

• Alliance for Community Media: National nonprofit industry association representing PEG access media centers; awards body for the Hometown Video Festival that recognized Media Factory in 2026. Industry peer and ecosystem support organization rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCK-pgcVtCKeb644cOZZZYSg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vermont-community-access-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Vermont Community Access Media