By Kolby R. LaMarche

For over forty years, Town Meeting TV, operated by the Center for Media and Democracy (CCTV), has been a vital chronicler of the greater Burlington community, capturing everything from city council meetings to protests, concerts, and neighborhood gatherings, all on video and streamed for Burlingtonians. 

These moments, preserved on VHS tapes and DVDs, form an invaluable archive of Vermont’s history, documenting the voices, events, and struggles that have shaped the region since 1984, the channel said. Though, with the average lifespan of a VHS tape being at just 25 years, many of these recordings are at risk of being lost due to deterioration. 

The urgency of this fundraiser stems from the fragility of the archives’ physical media. Housed on over 11,000 VHS tapes and DVDs, the recordings capture scenes like the groundbreaking fight for marriage equality documented in The State of Marriage, which highlighted Vermont’s role as the first state to grant legal recognition to same-sex couples through a 1999 Supreme Court decision and civil unions in 2000. The recent termination of a federal National Endowment for the Humanities grant has left the preservation effort underfunded, making community support critical, CCTV says, to digitizing and protecting these tapes for future generations of. 

To raise money, Town Meeting TV is hosting a 24-hour telethon fundraiser on July 25th at 6 PM through July 26th at 6 PM, for the preservation of its archives. The telethon, broadcast live on Comcast 1087, Burlington Telecom 217, and streamed on YouTube, is set to host a full lineup of Burlington’s community media: Death to Intelligent Dance Music, Avery Lavoie, Infinite Culcleasure, and P. Alimony & Friends, alongside creative acts and community-based talk shows like Celebrate Life with Gary Decarolis, Meet the Author with Dr. Louis Meyers, Juxtaposition with Mark Hughes, and more.

The event, held in collaboration with the annual Old North End Ramble, invites community Burlingtonians to join together at the live studio at 294 North Winooski Avenue in Burlington. There will be an online auction, all of which will directly support the preservation of over 41 years of programs in the CCTV Archives. Community members can contribute by donating at cctv.org/donate.

Peeking Into the Archives:

About six years ago, Town Meeting TV started digitizing and uploading video contributions from then-Mayor Bernie Sanders, recorded between 1985 and 1988. Elected in 1981, Sanders began producing content shortly after Town Meeting TV’s founding in 1984. In total, he created 51 episodes of his show, Bernie Speaks, which featured Sanders engaging with the community by conducting street interviews, hosting public forums, or facilitating discussions on local issues.