UVMtv makes its cable debut

The greater Burlington community will now be able to watch original shows created by UVM students on cable television.

(From Left to Right) Junior Mattie Friberg, senior David Landay, junior Lilly Dukich and sophomore Yuwei Zhu rehearse in the UVMtv studio. RYAN THORTON/The Vermont Cynic
[/media-credit] (From Left to Right) Junior Mattie Friberg, senior David Landay, junior Lilly Dukich and sophomore Yuwei Zhu rehearse in the UVMtv studio. RYAN THORTON/The Vermont Cynic
Following a new partnership with Burlington Telecom, UVMtv is expanding beyond its online-only content and into citywide television screens, senior Melisa Rayvid, UVMtv’s station manager, said.

“They want to stream student content to get college kids to be more engaged with Burlington Telecom, so they’re hoping this is a way to do that,” Rayvid said.

The station began filming new shows in January, many of which will be featured from 8 to 10 p.m., she said.

Senior Dave Landay, UVMtv’s technology director, said Burlington Telecom has been a generous partner.

“They purchased the video encoder box and activated another Ethernet port in our studio so we could stream our content to them for broadcast,” Landay said.

“In addition, they are providing us with gear that will allow us to watch our channel from our studio without cable,” he said.

Landay said UVMtv has had difficulty maintaining a fan base since the University got rid of cable in the dorms.

 

“They effectively took away our audience,” he said. “Not many people know who we are or remember us because we have been forced to migrate all of our content online.”

“Essentially, Burlington Telecom has allowed us to be a television station again,” Landay said.

Burlington Telecom provided the channels to UVMtv for free and will generate profits from advertisements shown on the channel, Rayvid said.

She said she hopes the new partnership will help increase the viewership of their content.

Abbie Tykocki, the director of marketing and public relations at Burlington Telecom, sees the new partnership as a way to engage more members of the Burlington area in original UVM content.

“Even though all the content is also available online, with the potential to reach a worldwide audience, a late-night channel surfer might happen upon ‘The Sad Boy Variety Show’ or ‘The Current’ and be hooked,” Tykocki said.

UVMtv will be featured on channels 300 and 313 in standard and high-definition, respectively, Rayvid said. The first content appeared on cable Jan. 30.