The City of Seattle and Seattle Channel would like to hear from you! Please take a moment to complete our survey to help us better understand what kinds of programs you want to see, how you currently watch (or would like to watch) our content, your opinion about local media in our community, and how we can build long-term sustainability for the Seattle Channel through future funding options. The survey should take about five minutes.
Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/g/eYzSq6XiQJ
This survey closes: Monday, June 9, 2025.
Seattle Channel is an award-winning municipal television station that reflects, informs, and inspires the community it serves with a local mix of news, analysis, stories, and perspectives you won’t find anywhere else.
Seattle Channel programming includes series and special features highlighting the diverse civic and cultural landscape of Seattle. The station’s compelling, high-quality content includes a weekly public-affairs show; live government meetings and press conferences; in-depth arts coverage; a news/lifestyle magazine show; community features; panel discussions and interviews with local leaders and national figures, including best-selling authors.
Why are we asking for the community’s feedback on the Seattle Channel?
- As part of the last budget process, the Seattle City Council passed Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) ITD-002S-A. The SLI requested that the Mayor’s office collaborate with the City Council to establish an advisory workgroup to explore alternative financing and operating models for the Seattle Channel to ensure its long-term sustainability in recognition of declining cable franchise fee revenues.
- The Advisory Workgroup launched in April 2025 and is comprised of nine members — three representatives from city departments, three Mayoral appointees, and three Council appointees. These are volunteer appointments and are scheduled to meet through the end of June.
- Omari Salisbury: Converge Media, COO and Founder
- Suzanne St. John-Crane: Former CEO of American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, Former CEO of CreaTV
- Enrique Cerna: Former KCTS Senior Correspondent (Retired)
- Essex Porter: Former KIRO 7 Reporter (Retired)
- Renee Radcliffe Sinclair: TVW, President
- Kerry Swanson: KUOW, COO
- Rob Lloyd: Seattle IT, CTO
- Tom Fay: SPL, Executive Director/ Chief Librarian
- Shannon Gee: Seattle Channel, GM
- The operations and activities of the Seattle Channel are funded by revenues raised from franchise fees assessed on cable television providers’ gross revenues. Cable franchise fees have been declining for a number of years, likely due to customers switching away from traditional cable television service towards streaming options. Chart 1 below shows the declining cable franchise revenues from 2018 through 2028.
- The Seattle Channel adopted budget for 2025 is $3.2 M, and the endorsed budget for 2026 is $3.2 M.
- The Advisory Workgroup will explore the operating and financing models of other government access television stations inside and outside of Washington State for creative ideas for managing the City’s declining cable franchise fee revenues and generate recommendations addressing, at a minimum, the following areas:
- Financing – donations, sponsorships, advertising, grants, subscriptions, etc.
- Governance – remaining a City-owned and operated service, operating as a non-profit or independent entity, or establishing state, county, regional partnerships, etc.
- Operations – partnerships with other governmental entities, establishing a consortium to create operating efficiencies, etc.
Chart 1: Cable TV Franchise Fund Revenues 2018–2028
For questions about this survey, please email contact@seattlechannel.org.
Seattle Channel is on cable television channel 21 on Comcast (321 HD) and Wave (721 HD) for cable subscribers in Seattle. Programming is also available on Seattle Channel’s website, on YouTube, or search or browse for older videos through the Seattle Municipal Archives Digital Collections.