What The Buske Group does

The Buske Group is a Sacramento, California-based private consulting firm specializing in cable communications and community media services. Founded approximately in 1991 (with firmographic records dating operations to 1987), the firm is led by President Sue Buske and Vice-President Randy VanDalsen, both nationally recognized experts with careers in cable policy and PEG (public, educational, and governmental) access spanning from 1972. The firm serves two principal client segments: local government municipalities (cities, counties, towns) and nonprofit community media organizations operating PEG access channels.

The company's core offerings are professional service engagements rather than technology products: cable TV franchise renewal consulting, community needs assessments, strategic planning, executive search, and franchise/PEG fee reviews. Each engagement is staffed with specialized associates drawn from a long-standing network that includes engineering firm Columbia Telecommunications Corporation, accounting firm Ashpaugh & Sculco, CPAs, and law firms Spiegel & McDiarmid and Best Best & Krieger. The firm does not develop software or sell technology products; instead it delivers advisory work, often anchored in franchise fee compliance audits, regulatory interpretation, and executive recruitment.

The Buske Group generates revenue through negotiated professional service contracts with municipal and nonprofit clients, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct engagement, supplemented by industry thought-leadership channels including presentations at Alliance for Community Media conferences and a downloadable resource library on its website. The firm has served over 100 municipalities across more than 40 U.S. states, including major metropolitan clients such as Los Angeles, San Jose, Denver, Nashville, and Seattle.

Name

The Buske Group

Legal name

The Buske Group

Website

https://thebuskegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Buske Group is a Sacramento-based consulting firm providing cable TV franchise renewal, community needs assessments, strategic planning, executive search, and franchise fee reviews to local government municipalities and nonprofit community media organizations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Consulting Services: The Buske Group provides consulting services to government clients (cities, counties, towns) for cable TV franchise renewal, needs assessments, compliance reviews, and strategic planning. Revenue is generated through professional service engagements with municipal clients.
2. Nonprofit Community Media Consulting: Provides consulting services to nonprofit community media centers including strategic planning, executive search, and franchise renewal support. Revenue generated through service contracts with nonprofit organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Buske Group is a cable communications consulting firm that advises local government clients (cities, counties, towns) and nonprofit community media organizations on cable TV franchise renewal, community needs assessments, strategic planning, executive search, and franchise and PEG access fee reviews. Engagements include technical audits of cable systems, performance evaluation of cable operators, financial reviews, compliance reviews, community needs ascertainment, franchise negotiations, and drafting of franchise agreements and enabling ordinances. The firm has worked with over 100 municipalities across 40+ U.S. states.

Product overview

The Buske Group is a cable communications consulting firm offering a unified suite of professional consulting services rather than a software platform. Their core offerings include Cable TV Franchise Renewal Consulting, Community Needs Assessment, Strategic Planning, Executive Search, and Franchise Fee Reviews. The Resource Document Library provides supplementary PDF templates and guides supporting these consulting engagements. The firm serves local government clients seeking cable franchise renewals and nonprofit community media organizations requiring operational and strategic guidance across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cable TV Franchise Renewal Consulting Provides consultation and assistance to local governments during the cable franchise renewal process, including technical audits of cable systems, evaluation of cable operator performance, financial reviews, compliance reviews, community needs ascertainment, franchise negotiations, and drafting of franchise agreements and enabling ordinances.
• Community Needs Assessment

Quantifiable outcome

• Franchise fee underpayments discovered that significantly exceeded the cost to conduct the review
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia Telecommunications CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNationally recognized engineering consulting firm providing telecommunications engineering support to state and local governments for over 30 years. Areas of expertise include long-term telecommunications planning, design and construction oversight of institutional networks, and technical support to municipal governments in CATV system franchising and technical performance oversight. Has worked on cable communications projects for The Buske Group since 1992.
• Ashpaugh & Sculco, CPAs, PLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAccounting firm providing franchise and PEG fee reviews, sales tax analysis, and litigation support as expert witnesses. Led by Garth Ashpaugh with 40+ years of accounting and utility regulatory experience. Has completed over 100 cable franchise and PEG fee projects. Has worked for The Buske Group since 1992.
• Garth AshpaughcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFinancial analyst with over 40 years of accounting and utility regulatory experience. Served 4 terms on the Board of NATOA as Secretary/Treasurer and Life Member. Has worked since 1992 for over 200 cities and counties on municipal utility contract and franchise related matters. Works with The Buske Group on franchise fee reviews and financial analyses.
• Spiegel & McDiarmid (James Horwood)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm specializing in energy and communications law, representing municipal and cooperative electric distribution systems and advising cities on cable television issues. James Horwood has over 40 years of practice experience. Provides legal advice to The Buske Group clients on telecommunications law, municipal ownership, fiber optic systems, and cable franchise matters.
• Best Best & Krieger (Gail Karish, Tillman Lay)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing telecommunications legal advice to local governments and municipal utilities. Attorneys Gail Karish and Tillman Lay advise on broadband and fiber network acquisitions, franchising, wireless facilities zoning, pole attachment disputes, and regulatory compliance. Have provided legal advice to The Buske Group clients for over 20 years.
• Todd ThayerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical analyst with over 30 years of experience in media technology, including 11 years as Executive Director of Community Access Partners of San Buenaventura. Expertise in startup, upgrade and relocation of media operations, broadcast/cablecast, studio production, and post-production. Has worked for The Buske Group for over 10 years.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Keller and Heckman LLP: Keller and Heckman is a large law firm with a communications and cable practice advising municipalities, cable operators, and nonprofits. Broader portfolio but overlapping cable franchising and PEG regulatory expertise.

Others

• Alliance for Community Media: The Alliance for Community Media is the national trade association for PEG access channels and community media centers — the same constituency Buske's nonprofit segment serves. It is an ecosystem enabler, not a direct competitor, but central to Buske's market and referral network.

Direct peers

• Best Best & Krieger: Best Best & Krieger is a full-service municipal law firm with a substantial broadband, cable franchise, and telecom practice. Overlaps with Buske on advisory work for cities on franchising and broadband matters.
• Magellan Advisors: Magellan Advisors provides broadband, cable, and telecom consulting to cities and counties, including franchise-related and community broadband work. Comparable to Buske's municipal cable franchise advisory practice.
• HC Communications: HC Communications is a niche consulting firm providing cable franchise renewal, community needs assessments, and PEG access advisory services to local governments — a near-identical service line to The Buske Group.
• Columbia Telecommunications Corporation: CTC is an engineering and consulting firm providing telecommunications planning and CATV franchising support to state and local governments. It is directly comparable to The Buske Group and is also one of its long-standing associate partners.
• Civitium: Civitium is a consultancy serving local governments on broadband strategy, cable/PEG franchising, and fiber networks. Overlaps directly with The Buske Group's franchise renewal and needs assessment services for municipalities.
• CTC Technology & Energy: CTC Technology & Energy is an independent consulting firm advising municipalities and public agencies on broadband, cable franchising, and telecom policy. Directly comparable in scope to The Buske Group's franchise renewal and strategic advisory work.
• Spiegel & McDiarmid: Spiegel & McDiarmid is a law firm advising cities and cooperatives on cable TV, telecommunications, and municipal broadband issues. Directly comparable as both legal counsel and policy advisor in the same cable/municipal ecosystem Buske serves.
• Ashpaugh & Sculco, CPAs: Ashpaugh & Sculco performs cable franchise and PEG fee audits and utility/franchise contract reviews for municipalities, with over 100 such projects completed. Directly comparable to Buske's franchise fee review practice.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buske-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 The Buske Group