Community Television, the Tri-Valley's Own TV Voice, to Expand Business Programming

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Ever wanted to see your business profiled on television? Community Television, a local non-profit broadcaster with a surprisingly diverse programming palette, may be interested in telling your story.

CTV was created 18 years ago by the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, San Ramon and Dublin to provide information on television about these communities.

Since the beginning, CTV has strived to cover important new developments in businesses of all sizes from small, local firms to large, international companies with a local presence.

Darla Stevens, executive director, says that CTV is actively looking for business stories as the Tri-Valley continues to grow rapidly, attracting many high-tech businesses.

"We are looking for stories about start-ups with innovations and large corporations that are established or have new products or services."

She notes that many Tri-Valley businesses have already been featured on 580/680 News, the ground-breaking Tri-Valley nightly newscast on channel 30. She also noted that public interest in local businesses is so high that CTV will begin producing a program focused exclusively on business soon.

CTV produces a wide array of programming each week. A professional staff works behind the scenes to produce a variety of community service programs.

The 580/680 News is a daily newscast with sports and a community calendar and provides on-location coverage of important public and private sector events. The Mayors Report features bi-weekly interviews with Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and San Ramon mayors about issues in their cities. Valley Forum is a public affairs program and the place for local election news and candidates forums.

At the Media Roundtable, local reporters discuss the local news each week. Fully Informed highlights local people and agencies. Everything Local is an opportunity for cultural and nonprofit groups to promote their events or agencies. Local newsmakers are featured on Conversations. On Let's Talk Sports, Bay Area and national sports figures are interviewed. Stevens said that surveys show that viewership numbers are very good for CTV programs.

CTV recently teamed with Shaklee Corporation, ANG Newspapers, and the Tri-Valley Community Fund for a Community Champions Awards ceremony honoring local volunteers and volunteer organizations. The gala event was held at the Shaklee world headquarters in Hacienda.

CTV programs are cablecast on AT&T Broadband Channel 30, a community service channel. Along with producing programs for the channel, CTV manages channels 28 and 29, where viewers see, in their entirety, meetings of the city councils in Pleasanton, San Ramon, Dublin and Livermore; the Pleasanton Unified School District; and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District.

To volunteer stories for the station's business programming or to learn about underwriting opportunities, call Stevens at (925) 464-3030. A complete programming schedule for channels 28, 29, and 30 is available online at www.ctv30.org.

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