Telecommunications Board Of Northern Kentucky

What Telecommunications Board Of Northern Kentucky does

Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) is a quasi-governmental, non-profit public access television organization established in 1998 by an interlocal cooperative agreement between Kenton County Fiscal Court and 15 local cities. It operates PEG (Public, Educational, and Government) access channels on Spectrum and Altafiber cable systems, alongside its proprietary TBNKtoGO streaming platform, which delivers three live 24/7 channels and a video-on-demand archive accessible via web, mobile apps (iOS, Android), and smart TV apps (Roku, Fire TV). Its core product is gavel-to-gavel coverage of over 20 local government meetings per month, supplemented by sports programming (Thomas More University, K-12), educational content (Educable channel), community programming (NKY Community TV), and faith-based content (Devotion channel). Production outputs include local shows such as City Talk, Discover Northern Kentucky, and the NKY Sports Hall of Fame series.

TBNK's underlying technology stack is built on conventional broadcast and streaming infrastructure: Castus for video-on-demand and live streaming, WordPress with BoldGrid for web content, professional Sony ENG cameras and Miller tripods for field production, a 3-camera broadcast studio, and Avid First and Davinci Resolve for editing. The organization also operates a sound-treated podcast studio with four RODE microphones and a Tascam Mixcast mixer. All services — studio access, field equipment rental, edit bays, airtime, and training classes — are provided free to residents and member organizations, with no direct user fees.

TBNK's revenue model is structured as a regulated utility: it is funded entirely by cable franchise fees administered through the interlocal cooperative agreement, rather than by user charges, advertising, or grants. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on partnerships with local governments, schools, nonprofits (NKY Chamber of Commerce, Covington Business Council, Kenton County Public Library), and faith-based organizations to source content and reach audiences. The organization is governed by a board of representatives from member cities, with two-year rotating terms, and it is not privately owned, venture-backed, or involved in any M&A activity.

Name

Telecommunications Board Of Northern Kentucky

Legal name

Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky

Website

https://tbnk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky is a quasi-governmental, non-profit PEG access television organization that broadcasts local government meetings, sports, and community programming across cable, web, and mobile platforms for Kenton County, Kentucky and 15 member cities, funded entirely by cable franchise fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Access Television Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABADAH

Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning)

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

SECONDARYEDAEAGAG

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

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Library, Media Center & Learning Space Operations

SECONDARYMPAKAOAJ

B2B Sports Digital Syndication & White-Label Streaming Services

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Streaming & Digital Broadcasting

Keywords

• Public access television
• PEG broadcasting services
• Government meeting coverage
• Community media production
• Cable franchise operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Covington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cable Franchise Fees: TBNK operates as a cable television regulatory authority created by an interlocal cooperative agreement among Kenton County fiscal court and 15 local cities. Revenue is derived from cable franchise fees and administered through the interlocal agreement for PEG access operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TBNK operates a PEG (Public, Educational, Government) public access television system serving Kenton County and 15 member cities, broadcasting government meeting coverage, community programming, educational content, and sports across cable channels (Spectrum, Altafiber) and the TBNKtoGo streaming platform. The organization provides free media production resources including a broadcast studio, podcast studio, field equipment rental, video editing bays, and training classes for residents and community organizations.

Product overview

The Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) operates a multi-platform public access television system consisting of streaming and cable broadcast channels. The core offering includes the TBNKtoGo streaming platform with three 24/7 live channels (TBNK ToGo 1, 2, and 3), alongside cable television channels including NKY Community Television, Government Channels (streaming gavel-to-gavel meeting coverage), the Main Event sports channel, Educable educational channel, and the Devotion faith-based channel. TBNK provides free community media production services including a broadcast TV studio, podcast studio, field equipment rental, and video editing bays with professional software (Avid First and Davinci Resolve). The organization also offers free video production training classes covering orientation, field production, and studio operations. Programming content includes government meeting coverage, high school and college sports, local news shows like City Talk and Discover Northern Kentucky, and content produced by community organizations. Access is available via the TBNKtoGo web platform, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and Smart TV apps for Roku and Fire TV.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TBNKtoGo Streaming Platform Video-on-demand and live streaming platform providing 24/7 access to TBNK's community television programming including government meetings, sports, and public affairs shows across web browsers, mobile apps (iOS, Android), and smart TV apps (Roku, Fire TV).
• Government Meeting Coverage Gavel-to-gavel unedited coverage of over 20 government meetings monthly from Kenton County cities, including live streaming on Spectrum channels 203 & 204 and Altafiber channels 814 & 815, plus video archives available on TBNKtoGo.
• NKY Community Television Public access television channel airing programming submitted by local residents and community organizations, available on Spectrum 185 and Altafiber 819.
• Main Event Channel Sports and events channel featuring NKY high school football and basketball game coverage, Thomas More University sports, graduation ceremonies, and community events. Available on Spectrum 200 and Altafiber 817.
• Educable Educational programming channel featuring content from K-12 schools, educational institutions, and NASA programming. Available on Spectrum 202 and Altafiber 818.
• Devotion Channel Faith-based programming channel for local churches and religious organizations to air original, locally created religious content. Available on Spectrum 186 and Altafiber 816.
• TBNK Mobile Apps (iOS/Android) Free mobile applications for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices enabling on-demand and live streaming of TBNK programming on the go.
• TBNK Smart TV Apps (Roku/Fire TV) Free streaming applications for Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices providing access to live channels and video-on-demand content.
• Video Production Classes Free hands-on training classes including orientation, field production, studio sequence, and non-linear video editing for community members.
• Podcast Studio Professional podcast recording environment with 4 RODE microphones, Tascam Mixcast Mixer, and sound-treated walls for local podcast production.
• Field Equipment Rental Free rental of professional ENG-style camera packages including Sony HXR-NX5u camcorders, Miller tripods, microphones, and portable light kits for community producers.
• Edit Bays Free professional video editing facilities offering Avid First and Davinci Resolve software for community members to complete video productions.
• Broadcast TV Studio Free 3-camera professional broadcast studio and sound stage available for community organizations and residents to produce television programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Covers over 20 government meetings per month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT): Brooklyn's PEG channel providing government meeting coverage, free community production resources, and multi-platform distribution. Directly comparable PEG operator with cable channels and streaming distribution.
• Open Signal (formerly Portland Community Media): Portland, OR PEG access center offering free equipment, studio, training, and cable/web distribution for community producers. Directly comparable PEG community media model.
• Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV): NYC-based nonprofit community media center providing production training, equipment access, and distribution channels for independent and community producers. Similar mission-driven media access organization.
• Austin Community Television (ACTV): PEG access operator in Austin providing community media resources, government coverage, and cable/web streaming. Comparable PEG structure with multi-channel distribution and community producer training programs.
• Pittsburgh Community Television (PCTV): Pittsburgh's community media center providing free studio access, equipment, training, and cable channel distribution under a PEG model. Comparable mid-sized city PEG operator serving a defined municipal footprint.
• Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): NYC's PEG access operator providing community media production facilities, training, equipment lending, cable channels, and live streaming. Closest direct peer given its similar quasi-governmental PEG structure with comparable studio, equipment, and training services.
• Cambridge Community Television (CCTV): Cambridge, MA PEG access center offering free studio access, equipment lending, training, and cable/web distribution for community producers. Operates under a similar public access media center model in a single municipality.

Regional players

• Township of Langley - Community Television: Canadian municipal government's community television operation providing government meeting coverage and community programming in British Columbia. Comparable quasi-governmental PEG structure but serving a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• WOW (WideOpenWest): Regional cable TV and broadband provider subject to PEG franchise fee requirements. Adjacent incumbent because cable franchise fees paid by operators like WOW underwrite TBNK's budget.
• Granite Telecommunications: Large-scale telecommunications and cable services provider serving government and enterprise customers. Relevant broad incumbent given TBNK's role as a cable regulatory authority in Kenton County, though operating at vastly larger commercial scale.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TBNKonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telecommunications-board-of-northern-kentucky

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Telecommunications Board Of Northern Kentucky