Wadsworth cable rate increases expected to momentarily bring in additional revenue

WADSWORTH — With the recent cable rate increases for Wadsworth cable users, the city is expecting an increase of $30,000 in additional revenue. The increased rates for residents as passed are: $36 for basic service $99 for enhanced service $119 for premium service Nonresidents would pay $38.35, $102.75 or $122.75 for the respective services. Wadsworth Assistant Service Director Mike Testa said Wadsworth City Council had several readings around the cable rate increases before adopting the increases in September. The rate change went into effect at the start of October. "The expectation is that the total additional revenue from the rate increase would be about $30,000 a month," Testa said. "Because we are switching people over from the cable video product to a streaming product that is actually going to evolve over a declining scale, meaning the next month's revenue would be smaller than this month's revenue and so forth." With the installation of fiber throughout the city, users, once fiber is in their area, will be transitioned over to the city's streaming service. This will eventually bring the number of cable users down. Testa said a percentage of the cable rates revenue is the chief funding source for Wadsworth Community Television. By increasing the rates, it increases the contribution that goes to the WCTV budget. Currently, the city is in the process of finalizing the budget proposals that will be presented to Wadsworth City Council, which includes the television station's budget. Testa said Johanna Perrino, operations and community relations coordinator, at WCTV retired at the start of August. "Since that time, I have basically been shepherding or managing the operations while we figure out what our next steps are," Testa said. "We do have an internal candidate that is interested in assuming duties at WCTV. We have not finalized anything yet, but I think it would be a good fit. "The budget proposal for next year would include funding for that position as well. We would continue to fund a total of two full-time people, plus we have a budget for three part time staffers. The challenge going forward in terms of the budget is that the bulk of the revenue that supports WCTV comes from a percentage applied to cable revenues." Testa said the percentage is around 7.5 percent of the cable revenue sales. As people transition away from cable TV to streaming platforms, the revenue does not continue, meaning less funding overall. By comparison, the budgeted revenues for 2025 were about $390,000, and the 2026 budget is around $374,000. "That is after taking into consideration the cable rate increase," Testa said. "Had cable rates not increased, we would have probably been closer to $350,000. That is a concern that we need to watch going forward is how do we continue to fund operations when the main revenue sources are going away." Testa said the city has been considering what the next iteration of the service looks like as the fiber and streaming project progresses, and as the city's budget discussions begin. Contact reporter Patrick Rhonemus at (330) 721–4050 or prhonemus@medina-gazette.com.