Connecting Pittsfield Through Local Media: AccessPlus and Pittsfield Community Television

Since 2019, AccessPlus has been helping Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) play an essential role in keeping the Pittsfield community informed, connected, and creatively engaged. From live-streaming City Council meetings and local government coverage to broadcasting local sports and producing original community programming, PCTV helps ensure local voices are seen and heard. 

That mission comes to life every day through the people behind the scenes. Team members like Shawn Serre (pictured here) and Bob Heck, help lead PCTV’s efforts to create, produce, and share meaningful local content that serves the greater Pittsfield community. 

AccessPlus’ relationship with PCTV goes beyond providing internet services. It reflects a shared commitment to strengthening community access, connection, and participation across the city. 

Keeping the Community Connected When It Mattered Most 

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person attendance at City Council meetings was no longer possible, PCTV worked with the City of Pittsfield to livestream meetings for local residents. Making that possible requires a reliable, secure connection capable of supporting these live broadcasts. 

AccessPlus stepped up to create a unique, secure connectivity solution that allowed PCTV to connect directly into the City’s network to enable consistent, high-quality livestreaming of City Council meetings at a time when access to information mattered more than ever. 

Supporting the Evolution of Community Media 

We recently toured the PCTV studios and sat down with PCTV Executive Director, Shawn Serre, to discuss the station’s connectivity challenges and how AccessPlus helped implement a customized solution.  

Shawn joined Pittsfield Community Television in 1989 as a volunteer after seeing a newspaper announcement about the organization’s launch. What began as an opportunity quickly became a lifelong career in community media. Since the late 1990s, he has been working with the organization, guiding PCTV through years of growth, updates, and innovation. 

As PCTV modernized its station and expanded digital programming, bandwidth became critical. Live streaming, video on demand, and digital content delivery require significant upload capacity. Basic cable service was no longer enough. 

“We were starved for bandwidth when we were in the middle of modernizing our station,” Shawn shared. “We knew we needed fiber and symmetrical speeds, especially on the upload.”  Reliability was also essential for PCTV. In community media, even small disruptions can impact public trust. “We were able to partner with AccessPlus and create the perfect solution for our high-demand needs,” Shawn explained. 

And while PCTV’s mission is rooted locally, its reach now extends far beyond Pittsfield. “We deliver content locally, but now with access to better broadband services, people all over the country are watching PCTV,” Shawn said. 

A Space for Learning, Creativity, and Community Voices 

At its core, Pittsfield Community Television exists to empower the community. Anyone interested in creating content can visit PCTV and receive training on how to create their own television shows, radio segments, or podcasts using professional equipment.  

From cooking shows filmed in a kitchen set to locally produced programming, PCTV gives residents the tools and knowledge to share their stories. 

More Than a Client: A Community Partner 

AccessPlus’ partnership with Pittsfield Community Television reflects our dedication to this community. PCTV is more than a client; it is a community partner. Together, we work toward the shared goal of keeping Pittsfield connected, informed, and engaged.