Communities of Truth and Trust
Healthy communities depend on trust, transparency, and accurate information. Facts in community conversations are critical for healthy and constructive progress. In today’s digital age, however, it has become increasingly common for misinformation to circulate online, sometimes unintentionally, but often with significant consequences.
Social media makes it easy for speculation to be presented as fact and for rumors to spread more quickly than the truth can catch up.
Recently, comments on social media raised concerns about CatchMark Community’s coverage of police reports and suggested that our organization may withhold information to protect local politicians. Other comments implied that CatchMark’s contract with the City of Whitehall involves special treatment or favoritism. These are serious claims. And while they may spark discussion, it is important to ground such conversations in facts rather than assumptions.
Transparency – Facts in Community Conversations
Here are the facts: CatchMark’s agreement with the City of Whitehall is straightforward and transparent. We are paid $150 per council meeting to provide a livestream and archive of the proceedings. This ensures residents who cannot attend in person still have access to the same information and can remain engaged with their local government.
If meetings extend beyond the contracted timeframe, or if there are additional meetings the city would like streamed, the agreement includes a contracted rate to cover those circumstances. This is no different than how cities contract with other professional service providers such as auditors or legal advisors.
It is also important to note that this contract was not rushed through or hidden from the public. The renewal was submitted months in advance to give city leaders ample time to review it, compare costs, and even seek competing bids if they wished. The process was open, deliberate, and subject to a public vote by the elected council.
Like any technology-driven service, live broadcasts can experience interruptions for a variety of reasons. In Whitehall, the internet connection provided by the city has been unreliable. Although the contract requires solid connectivity, CatchMark went above and beyond by volunteering time and expertise to help improve the system at no cost to the city.
Council meetings are streamed in full, including many instances of challenging or even abrasive exchanges between council members and citizens. Nothing is edited out or hidden.
A Service, Not a Profit Center
CatchMark is a $4.5 million per year business, and our streaming contract with the City of Whitehall represents a tiny portion of what we do. The core of our revenue comes from delivering IT, cybersecurity, and digital marketing services to businesses, with a customer base that spans multiple states. Livestreaming local government meetings is not a profit center. In fact, it costs us more than we receive. Each broadcast requires trained staff, professional grade equipment, and long term digital storage and management. The actual expense of providing these services far exceeds the $150 per meeting rate.
And this service is not limited to the City of Whitehall. CatchMark also provides coverage of multiple township and school board meetings, ensuring residents across the region have access to the decisions shaping their communities. Beyond government meetings, we highlight and promote local events, cover community stories, and give visibility to people and organizations who otherwise might not receive it. From high school sports to civic celebrations, we dedicate time, staff, and resources to ensure our community is well-represented.
None of these services are profit-generating. In fact, every meeting we stream and every local event we cover operates at a loss. We absorb those costs because we believe our community deserves to see itself reflected, documented, and celebrated. It is part of our mission to help people, solve problems, and build stronger connections.
The Harm of Baseless Accusations Instead of Facts in Community Conversations
Unfortunately, public comments that suggest otherwise, without supporting evidence, can be harmful in ways that reach beyond one business. They damage reputations and undermine trust, which in turn can discourage local organizations from stepping forward to help in the future.
Small towns like ours thrive because local businesses invest in them. Whether it’s sponsoring a youth sports team, donating to a nonprofit, or covering a community event at little or no cost, businesses choose to give back because they care about the people who live here. But when those efforts are met with suspicion or hostility, the incentive to contribute decreases. Why continue to donate time, money, or resources if doing so opens the door to unfair criticism?
This is not unique to CatchMark. Across many communities, businesses and volunteers step up quietly, often absorbing costs themselves, to make sure local programs and services thrive. But goodwill is a fragile thing, and once it is taken for granted, or worse, attacked, it becomes harder to sustain.
Choosing Facts Over Assumptions
Constructive criticism and open discussion are essential to community growth, but so is a commitment to facts in community conversations. No business, organization, or public body is above accountability, yet accountability must be rooted in truth rather than assumptions or rumors. Conversations are most effective when they remain respectful and are grounded in verifiable information.
Before posting or sharing something online, ask:
- Do I know this is true, or am I assuming?
- Have I checked with a reliable source?
- Does this help my community move forward, or does it create division?
By pausing to ask these questions, we can avoid the damage caused by misinformation and focus our energy on building up, rather than tearing down, the communities we love.
Moving Forward Together
The reality is simple: we are stronger together. When residents, businesses, and local governments operate with mutual trust and respect, and focus on facts in community conversations, small towns thrive. But when negativity and speculation replace facts, everyone loses.
At CatchMark, we will continue to serve our communities with integrity, even when doing so costs us more than it pays. We believe transparency matters, and we remain committed to providing it.
As a community, we all benefit when facts drive the conversation.
