Selectmen Approve High School as Site for New Local Cable Television Studio-October 15, 1983

Overcoming earlier anxieties regarding municipal oversight and public accessibility, the Board of Selectmen voted 4 to 1 on Wednesday night to authorize the construction of a new local cable television studio inside Norwood High School.

Protecting Public Access and Licensing Authority

The decision came after Selectman John F. Kinnaly reported receiving firm assurances from school officials that the Board of Selectmen would retain their absolute rights and authority as the town’s official cable TV licensing body.

Previously, selectmen had voiced strong concerns that establishing the studio within the high school might compromise equal public access, fearing that student broadcasting activities and school scheduling priorities would dominate the facility and leave insufficient airtime for the general public and community organizations.

Kinnaly urged swift approval, noting that the Adams-Russell cable television firm might scrap plans for the secondary studio entirely if municipal delays continued. While Adams-Russell constructed its primary studio facility on Vanderbilt Avenue, the company previously agreed to build a second, more centrally located studio dedicated to filming local access programs.

Divided Vote Among Selectmen

Despite the assurances, caution remained on the board. Selectman William F. Butters cast the sole dissenting vote, maintaining his position as the most vocal critic of placing the municipal studio within a school setting due to lingering concerns over administrative control and public access.

With the site officially approved, the Adams-Russell studio project moves forward to bring local television production closer to the center of Norwood.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger