RCTV’s role, contributions, and the ongoing conflict with Select Board member Chris Haley
Updated June 10, 2025, to clarify RCTV recorded the Menorah Lighting.
(5-6 minute read)
For decades, Reading Community Television (RCTV) has been a vital public service in Reading, providing access to local government, community events, and educational opportunities that have shaped the lives of countless residents. Yet, recent criticism from Select Board member Chris Haley and his ongoing role in the RCTV grant agreement negotiations have raised concerns among residents about personal conflicts, leadership accountability, and the future of local media access in our town.
RCTV: more than just a cable channel
RCTV is not just a broadcaster - it’s an educational cornerstone in Reading. Unlike many community access stations, RCTV funds a full-time teacher at Reading Memorial High School who teaches up to 200 students each year in film, media, and production classes. This partnership has launched successful student careers and introduced young people to professional-level experiences long before they reach college.
Ari Menes, a Reading graduate, credits RCTV with building the foundation for his media career. Through summer camps, high school classes, and real-world production work, RCTV gave him not only the skills but the confidence to pursue a career in film.
“I don’t think I’d be where I am without them... They were the best support system every step of the way. It gave me the confidence that this career could be real for me, because I was actually doing it.”
His mother, Janice Menes, added that RCTV provided opportunities beyond just learning - it made Ari feel respected and valued as part of a professional team.
“He was respected as a team member, even though professionals were on staff. That gave him the confidence that he could actually do this.”
Ari has gone on to make his own films, work on professional film sets, and credits RCTV for preparing him to stand out in a competitive field.
“RCTV is still relevant today... The video landscape is changing, and more companies are looking for people who can create content that connects with audiences - whether that’s long-form, short-form, or social media content. RCTV gives students that foundation early.”
Janice added, “RCTV is woven into the fabric of Reading. It’s the film arm, the production arm, the broadcast arm of this community.” She pointed out that many residents don’t realize RCTV is an independent organization - not a department of the Town or School District. “Only now that it’s at risk are people realizing how essential it is.”
A personal conflict that cannot be ignored
Despite RCTV’s significant contributions to Reading’s students and residents, Select Board Chair Chris Haley has persistently criticized the organization. Haley owns and operates the Reading Recap, a competing media platform. Haley has failed to disclose that he is a competitor to RCTV during ongoing RCTV grant agreement negotiations, including the May 27, 2025, Select Board meeting.
During that meeting, Haley spent considerable time discussing Wilmington Community Television’s fundraising model, without acknowledging the fundamental differences in structure and mission between Wilmington and RCTV. Haley’s comments don’t take into account RCTV’s purpose: it is not designed to make money - it is a nonprofit that exists to provide a public service.
Four RCTV Board members attended the May 27 meeting and explained how RCTV has already implemented significant cost-saving measures - saving more in the past year than they could have raised through traditional fundraising efforts.
More about what RCTV does and its cost-saving strategies.
RCTV’s mission is to provide accessible public broadcasting and educational opportunities - not to operate as a commercial news organization.
This is not the first time Haley’s behavior has raised concerns.
During the 2023 Menorah Lighting, event organizers asked RCTV to record the event, which they agreed to do. Chris Haley volunteered to take photos for the organizers, but instead live-streamed the event on his own media page without providing the promised photos.
On Memorial Day 2025, Haley did not participate in the ceremonies as a Select Board member, as would typically be expected of the Chair. He left ceremonial duties to newly elected Board member Karen Rose-Gillis and instead covered the event for his media platform, including flying a drone over the crowd gathered at Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Haley’s dual roles - as a Select Board Chair negotiating a public contract with RCTV and as the operator of a competing media outlet - are a clear conflict, to the detriment of local residents. His continued participation in these negotiations jeopardizes public trust.
Impact on RCTV staff and operations
Haley and other Select Board members have publicly disparaged RCTV staff, particularly the Executive Director Phil Rushworth, both at the May 27 meeting and in prior discussions.
As Chris Cridler, President of the RCTV Board of Directors, noted, this has created significant stress and uncertainty for RCTV’s five employees.
“They don’t know if they’ll have jobs on July 1... Yet they’ve continued to deliver high-quality work under immense pressure.”
If the Select Board has concerns about RCTV operations, the appropriate channel is through the RCTV Board of Directors - not direct public criticism of staff. It would be completely inappropriate for the Select Board to direct a town department employee or for the School Committee to bypass the Superintendent and target individual teachers. The same principle applies here.
The community’s voice and the path forward
Despite this turbulence, RCTV has consistently exceeded the expectations outlined in its grant agreement. They’ve expanded coverage, saved costs, and provided invaluable educational programming and public access.
Residents have rallied in support of RCTV, as seen in recent Letters to the Editor published in The Reading Observer.
It’s now time for the Select Board to approve a new grant agreement that secures RCTV’s future. The community can further support RCTV by becoming members, contributing content, and advocating for the organization’s essential public role.
For the integrity of this process, Chris Haley should recuse himself from future grant agreement negotiations with RCTV. His personal conflict is not hypothetical - it is active and ongoing. His inability to maintain professionalism during public meetings has further eroded public confidence.
RCTV is not just a media outlet - it is a lifeline for civic engagement, student opportunity, and community connection. Its presence is vital to a healthy, transparent democracy in Reading.
Let’s not allow misinformation, personal conflicts, or personal agendas to dismantle one of the most valuable institutions in our town.
It’s time to stand up for RCTV.
Photo by Taylor Gregory.
