OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — After 40 years of broadcasting for Oshkosh Media, Life TV is set to shut down on Aug. 15. Community members are speaking out about losing the public-access and community television channel in an effort to save it.
Common Council Member Alec Lefeber said city manager Rebecca Grill ultimately decides the fate of Life TV, but options are available. Lefeber said council support could pressure city leadership to act.
"If we have 4 voices on the council who do want to look for a future for Life TV, then the city manager would be obligated to listen to that and try to find a good way forward for Life TV."
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Employees and viewers of Life TV have been fighting to keep the program alive. Tony Palmeri, a UW-Oshkosh professor and a fan for more than 30 years, pointed to specific programs he believes define the channel's value to the community.
"Eye On Oshkosh, The Place to Be Oshkosh, and The Outpost, those are the kinds of programs that Oshkosh should be bragging about. It should be part of the Oshkosh identity."
John Nieman, who worked with Life TV for 24 years before retiring, is also voicing his support. When I asked him how the shutdown would affect him personally, he said the focus is on dialogue, not conflict.
"I'm not trying to fight City Hall. I'm trying to have City Hall communicate with us. We do have counselors now, sitting on the council asking questions, and we just had a workshop last week and we're hoping that that will bring about better results."
Nieman also emphasized that seven churches air their services through Life TV, and losing the channel would hurt audiences who cannot attend in person.
Some council members do not feel that Oshkosh must choose between preserving Life TV and engaging younger audiences. Council Member Joe Stephenson said he hopes to expand into newer platforms while still preserving what makes Life TV special.
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