Lights, new cameras, action! Wareham Community Television has added 10 cameras to the station's fleet, and employees say viewers are going to notice a difference in the quality of the station's programs.

"The new cameras are going to allow us to put better images out," said WCTV Executive Director Jay Heard, adding that the cameras are "state-of-the-art."

WCTV will replace the cameras used in the Main Street studio. Plus, some of the new cameras will be used for shoots outside of the studio, and two will be used in WCTV's new space at Wareham High School.

"The plan was to give [students] a better studio experience," said WCTV Education Coordinator Christian Fernandes, who currently works with two work-study students at the high school and helps with video production needs.

The new cameras will "give students a much closer idea of what they can expect when they graduate from high school," said Heard.

So where are the old cameras going? All over the place!

Some will still be used by WCTV members who are shooting for WCTV's many shows and recording live events.

Others will replace still older cameras in the town's Multi-Service Center, resulting in better video during live Board of Selectmen meeting recordings.

"We're listening to our viewers," Heard said, noting that the station has received complaints about blurry Board of Selectmen video.

The new cameras are "a culmination of about $100,000 of equipment we've purchased this year," Heard said, including a television truck to help with live broadcasts of events and meetings.

"The truck has been a big, big, asset to us," Heard said. "It's a rolling studio."

The nonprofit station is funded by fees paid by Comcast and Verizon television subscribers and through membership fees.

Wareham residents, employees of Wareham businesses, and organized groups in Wareham are all eligible to become members of the WCTV.

"We want people to come in, do their courses, get certified, and make their own programs," Heard said.

He noted that all viewpoints are welcome.

"We're good for the democracy of the town," Heard said. "We offer a voice for the people."

For more information about WCTV, call the station at 508-273-2340 or visit www.warehamtv.org.