State Proposal Could Weaken DarienTV, Officials Say

DARIEN, CT — Darien officials are voicing opposition to a petition before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PUIRA) that would scrap the town-by-town local TV model and replace it with a regional cable channel that mixes meetings from multiple towns.

The proposed change would give control of local access programming to a private out-of-area company, Nutmeg TV, and combine meetings from across Southwest Connecticut into shared channels.

"In plain English: instead of turning on Darien’s local cable channels 78 and 79 and seeing your school board or town meeting, residents would have to sift through programming from as many as ten different towns to find what matters to them," DarienTV said in a news release.

Darien’s meetings are carried on dedicated local channels on Optimum cable and funded through a system run by the Area Nine Cable Council, funded by cable subscriber fees.

Through the longstanding model, residents have been able to follow board of education meetings; budget workshops; planning, zoning and board and commission hearings; and special town meetings, among other programming.

Meeting videos are also archived on the DarienTV website for on-demand viewing.

Several officials submitted written comments to PURA and objected to the proposal.

"A consolidated, multi-town channel lineup would materially reduce the visibility and discoverability of Darien meetings, dilute the Town's ability to set programming priorities and respond quickly to community needs, and undermine the transparency residents expect," First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky wrote. "The proposed change would also reduce annual funding to TV79 by approximately $8,000, weakening the capacity of our local service to cover meetings consistently, support closed captioning and other accessibility needs, and maintain reliable archives for residents who cannot watch live."

Darien Board of Education Chair Robin Nelson submitted identical written comments.

State Rep. Tracy Marra (R-141) said in written comments the current model administered through the Area Nine Cable Council "has worked well for decades because it reflects the unique needs and priorities of each town."

"In Darien, these channels are widely used by residents, parents, educators, and local leaders," Marra added. "They serve as a reliable and trusted source of information and help ensure that government remains accessible and accountable to the people it serves."

In a letter to PURA, Optimum questioned the proposal and urged the agency to further examine Nutmeg TV.

Residents may submit public comments on the proposal by Friday, Feb. 27.

Comments must reference PURA Docket 25-09-07, and they can be submitted by email to PURA at PURA.ExecutiveSecretary@ct.gov.

More information can be found here.