One of the many things that make the Tri-Valley region special is Tri-Valley Community Television (TVCTV), a nonprofit that has been broadcasting since 1976 and operates as Tri-Valley Community Television Corporation. The corporation is governed by a three-member Board of Directors made up of the mayors of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton. As a government and public education channel, TVCTV's primary mission is to serve and inform the residents of those cities by covering local issues. Known to many as TV30, the station operates Channels 28, 29, and 30 on the Comcast Cable System and is also available via AT&T U-Verse and online.

The three channels broadcast 24 hours a day. Programming includes educational and informational lifestyle shows highlighting the community, current events, local news, and sports. The city council meetings of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton are regularly covered, as well as meetings of the cities' school boards, the Zone 7 Water District, and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. TVCTV creates more than 30 original productions per month.

"In a nutshell, TVCTV is all about the positive, wonderful things in the Tri-Valley," says Melissa Tench-Stevens, Executive Director. "That includes its natural beauty, scientific achievements, culture, opportunities, and people." Perhaps surprisingly, TVCTV and its hyperlocal programming has developed a global presence via its online streaming service. Approximately 16.8% of viewing from outside the United States is done in mainland China, according to TVCTV.

One of the areas covered by TVCTV is emergencies affecting Tri-Valley residents. Its new, specially equipped video van can broadcast live from nearly any location. During the COVID-19 pandemic shelter in place mandate, TV30 has broadcast several shows from multiple locations, usually from the residences of the participants. TVCTV has facilitated remote learning opportunities as well.

Broad Programming

TV30's newest regular production, Justice for All, is hosted by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley. Two episodes have been taped to date touching on issues of interest to residents. Conversations, hosted by Mel McKay, features conversations with interesting people from all walks of life in the Tri-Valley. One East Bay Regional Parks show focuses on the hidden treasures at local parks and what they offer the community. In addition to many other events, TVCTV also covers the Holiday Parade in December for all three cities. Because Pleasanton and Livermore usually have this popular event on the same day, TVCTV must double up on equipment and crews to cover these traditional and well-received celebrations. TVCTV offers much more to the community as well.

"Each summer we produce two video camps for local middle and high school students," says Tench-Stevens. The camps are held in June and July at the organization's broadcast studio, which gives students access to state of the art equipment. As part of the camp they produce a complete television show called Youth View and do all the jobs from writing the program to filming it to delivering it for broadcasting.

To produce Youth View, student campers interview successful individuals in interesting fields. "There is a twofold result intended here," notes Tench-Stevens. "The students are actually doing hands-on TV production, and they and the viewers learn the educational requirements needed to work in the fields of those interviewed."

The organization's signature broadcast event is the Annual Outstanding Tri-Valley High School Athlete Awards. Originally scheduled for April, it has been postponed until the shelter in place mandate has expired. Each year roughly 52 young men and women from the Tri-Valley varsity teams are invited to a celebration of the best of the best of student athletes. This event is funded by TV30 and the TV30 Foundation, with no charge to any attendee. "This is the only ceremony of its type produced and broadcast in Northern California," says Livermore Mayor Emeritus Marshall Kamena, who is also President of TV30 Foundation.

The Origins of TVCTV

When cable television arrived in the Tri-Valley in the mid 1970s, there was a significant popular interest in arts, science, education, and entertainment unaddressed by the cable system, according to Dr. Kamena. "Local issues were non-existent on cable."

As Dr. Kamena describes it, an energetic group of local activists from Livermore's Cultural Arts Council and elsewhere asked the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton to research best practices for local community channels in California. After a group of residents, including Dr. Kamena, were sanctioned by the City of Livermore to do that research, he introduced a business plan for the proposed public education channel to the Livermore City Council. The motion to establish Tri-Valley Community Television as a 501 c3 non-profit passed unanimously. Shortly afterward the City of Pleasanton also approved such a motion, and a joint venture was created. Dublin joined the consortium after officially incorporating as a city a few years later.

The nonprofit Tri-Valley Community Television Foundation directly supports the work of TVCTV by providing financial resources to support the organization. TVCTV does more than produce programs. It also supports other nonprofits in the Tri-Valley by recording and broadcasting Public Service Announcements to help organizations promote events at no charge to the nonprofits. TVCTV simply asks for a six-week lead time in order to help. In addition to its other service, TVCTV offers professional and affordable video production services clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Although many watch it on Comcast, TVCTV programming is also available on AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 by clicking on Dublin, Livermore, or Pleasanton. The programming is also available at its website. No app is required to view TVCTV's live video stream for Channels 28, 29, and 30 from any device.

For more information about Tri-Valley Community Television, please visit www.tri-valleytv.org.