PEG Access TV Channels Innovating for the Future
Public, Education and Government (PEG) TV channels, which provide valuable services to the communities they serve in the United States, are becoming adopters of OTT streaming as a means of gaining greater visibility and data analytics. Relaxed FCC regulations and the ever-growing base of consumers “cutting the cord” has meant less funding for PEG channels supported by cable operators’ franchise fees for using public Rights-of-Way. For PEG channels to survive, they must continue to adapt.
Community channels like Northampton Open Media and WACA in Massachusetts have also opted for streaming on YouTube. While some video sharing sites may be free, it only solves part of the problem of visibility and access to viewership on smart devices; particularly, for smart tv’s. PEG and community channels need to know there are more options available.
CGM Helps Innovate
Historically, PEG channels have not had the ability of obtaining detailed information on their viewers. According to Public Information Officer Tom Sluis of the City of Durango, their decisions are based on national trends that are then confirmed through surveys and public meetings.
CReed Global Media TV Network offers detailed data analytics on your viewer, when they watch, from where, how long and even on what device. This allows PEG channels to know their customer (KYC) and tailor their programming to viewer preferences.
Notably, more attractive programming increases sponsorship opportunities which generate revenue to replace what could be lost through PEG funding from cable operators. The sponsorship of a well-known brand can expand a PEG channel’s existing audience and vice-versa, creating a symbiotic partnership.
Access to resources like equipment, production and personnel is also an obstacle that CReed Global Media helps PEG channels manage, while offering an alternative platform distributing directly to the smart tv’s of millions, potentially billions of viewers —worldwide. CGM TV is accessible on Sony, LG, Phillips, Sharp, TCL, Samsung, and Panasonic; with more smart tv relationships in the works.
Connect Your Community
PEG channels are routinely used to communicate critical information with the local community, though they shine the brightest during times of crisis. According to a survey of PEG operators by the Alliance of Community Media and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers, “In the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, government officials, nonprofits, schools and community groups all turned to public, educational and governmental (PEG) access services to solve communication needs.” Yet, access remained a problem, hindering the dissemination of information. At the same time, survey respondents reported more people using and discovering PEG services through social media and online streaming. “In one case, a respondent reported a ’50-fold increase.’”
CGM TV’s online streaming platform offers a valuable on-demand way to easily communicate with the citizens of the community and abroad through the user-friendly app, CGM TV, available in the Apple and Google app stores. No more channel flipping or hunting through menus to find the PEG channel people rely on.
Connect to the World
By placing themselves on the CGM TV network, PEG channels join HTV, one of the top PEG channels, and TVSA in making it easy for new viewers to find their programming through other relevant multicultural content that includes movies, documentaries and shows. PEG channels gain a unique opportunity to showcase the character of a community to the rest of the world with content made by their very own community members.
States have shown how much they value PEG channels. According to “Information Needs of Communities: The Changing Media Landscape in a Broadband Age” by Steven Walden, “…Kansas, South Carolina, Missouri, and Nevada do not require new cable operators to provide any PEG support.” Nevertheless, other PEG channels have continued to provide vital information to hyperlocal communities that remain underserved by traditional news media and continue to look for ways to innovate.
CReed Global Media helps keep streaming television technology up to date and easily accessible online, on smart tv’s and on mobile devices so that it is always a few clicks away. Are you a PEG channel ready to take advantage of increased visibility and access? Contact CReed Global Media at info@CReedGlobalMedia.com or click here to learn more!
