North Beach TV unveils new leadership and vision

North Beach Community TV, the all-volunteer, non-profit organization that has served the people of Ocean Shores and the North Beach since 1983, recently announced a new leadership team and the outline of plans to expand coverage and move the TV station to a new operational level.

On January 18, NBCTV Vice President Bill Vandenbush posted on the organization’s Facebook page, “As of today, Shannon and I will be stepping down from our positions in North Beach Community TV and have passed the reins to Angelo Bruscas and Scott

Johnston.”

The group’s new president, Bruscas thought he had concluded a lengthy career in journalism when he retired in April, 2019, after six years as editor of The North Coast News and 25 years at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer as an assistant city editor, news and sports reporter. But when the Vandenbushes began talking with him last fall, he found it impossible to resist the opportunity to continue to serve the people in the area by leveraging his experience and wealth of contacts, the TV station’s 38-year legacy, and additional elements, to develop an expanded vision for the station.

Johnston, the new vice president, has been doing free-lance reporting and photography for The North Coast News and Aberdeen’s Daily World since 2016 and was previously involved with KOSW radio in Ocean Shores for six years.

Ocean Shores City Council member Bob Peterson, who works as a school psychologist for the North Beach School District, is on board as the new secretary of the nonprofit. The trio hosted a meeting at the station Saturday, where they explained their ideas which, as Bruscas cautioned, are still being developed. NBCTV runs programming, including Ocean Shores City Council meetings, on Coast Communications channel 68.

Bruscas said the broad vision is to expand local coverage by growing the nonprofit’s volunteer ranks and by posting material on a new website, www.northbeachnow.com, as well as continuing with channel 68.

He told a group of about 20 local leaders and others, “I hope to get all you people thinking about what you would like to see out of the television station, and what you might like to contribute … because we really have need for all kinds of volunteers. We see a lot of ability to expand the kind of offerings that we have.”

Johnston, who had some video and TV production experience 15-20 years ago as general manager of the monster truck originator and operator, Bigfoot 4×4, Inc., said he is excited about opportunity to explore the format and “tell more stories about the people, places and things that make Ocean Shores and the North Beach so special.” He also said he plans to continue free-lancing for the two newspapers.

Peterson explained another interesting possibility when he noted that he and Bruscas have had promising talks with folks at the North Beach School District about creating opportunities for local high school students to get involved, perhaps even creating some media-related curriculum.

They also are in discussion with KOSW radio management about sharing some content, cross-promotional opportunities, and other ways to work together.

Bruscas said they are looking for people who would like to serve on either a seven-member executive board or a larger advisory board. He said they will meet twice monthly while they are putting the new effort together. He noted they will continue to do the City Council meetings and would like to start streaming them later this year.

In his departing statement, Vandenbush noted, “We have managed the station for 15 years and have made many wonderful friends along the way, but due to health problems I have not been able to be as productive as I would have liked over the past few years. I am confident that Angelo and Scott will be able to improve on the legacy that Shannon and I leave behind, and will provide new and interesting video experiences for our community.

“I am proud of the work Shannon and I have done over the past 15 years; we have produced hundreds of original TV shows and brought many of the city events to the TV screen so that they can be enjoyed by the entire community. We will still be involved in community projects, but on a less intense level than we have previously done.

“I want to thank all the volunteers who made it possible to keep NBCTV alive and functioning; it has been a joy and a pleasure to work with each and every one of you. Thank you Ocean Shores for the love and support you have given us.”

Photo by Scott D. Johnston Pictured is part of the group of 20 or so who heard details Saturday on the new leadership team and vision for North Beach Community TV are, left to right, Doug and Lisa Griebel, Cathey Peterson, a North Beach School District board member, and Bob Peterson, City Council member and North Beach school psychologist, Angelo Bruscas, new NBCTV president, and new NBCTV secretary Nancy Eldridge and Butch Larson, KOSW radio station manager.