Michael Valentine, long time director of Rutland’s PEG-TV, has stepped down from the community access station. PEG-TV announced Valentine's retirement this week, citing personal health reasons.
The 63-year-old has overseen a lot of changes at PEG-TV in his 21 years with the organization. When Valentine started there was one channel; today there are three. He oversaw the completion of a new state-of-the-art studio facility and the creation of digital streaming services that provide viewers 24-7 access to programs.
Valentine also helped build a collaborative partnership with VPR.
Chris McCormack has worked at PEG-TV for 15 years and says one of Valentine’s most important legacies will be the expanded political and election coverage the station is now known for. “Aldermanic debates, mayoral debates, having the political candidates come in and do what we call candidate profiles,” he explains. McCormack says the station tries to provide a good picture of what’s going on in Rutland county, “So that viewers are able to make decisions before they go to the polling place.”
PEG-TV announced Valentine’s retirement this week and says Laura Vien, a member of PEG-TV’s board of directors, will serve as interim director. Chris McCormack says a search will be conducted for a permanent replacement.
To honor Valentine, the station’s main television studio will be renamed in his honor during PEG-TV’s annual meeting next month.