D. Bala Peterson will lead BCTV as Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2018.
Bala Peterson has been elected by the BCTV Board of Directors to serve the nonprofit media organization as Board Chair effective July 1, 2018. He will succeed long-time Board Chair Richard J. McDougall, who will remain on the Board as a Director.
“This is a great time to engage new leadership with BCTV at the Board level. For more than forty years we have carved out our niche in the community as a reliable and engaging source of information and created multiple pathways for citizens to become involved with local media. The Board welcomes Bala to continue forward with this same passion and vision as we become savvier to the digital landscape,” said McDougall.
Peterson is passionate about narrative based marketing and storytelling. His experience as a Computer Scientist affords him the opportunity to tackle software development and other technical challenges. Additionally, his professional background includes being the founder of Cast & Crew Digital (a technology consulting and marketing firm based in Reading PA), and previous technical and product development roles at Santander (formerly Sovereign) Bank and Comcast Interactive Media.
“It is an honor to be voted to this position and I am excited to continue the great legacy of stewardship of this community asset.
In our next phase of growth as an organization, we have to focus on defining success. We need tangible metrics to measure growth, but even more importantly, we must know and articulate the intangible value we provide to the community. We will continue cultivating a culture where voices are invited to participate in community media, and we must pay attention to engagement and participation, not simply the number of “views”.”
Peterson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Kutztown University, and a Master’s in Project Management from Boston University. He is involved with his church, Spring Valley Church, where he plays the drums, and volunteers with the media and stage design. He also volunteers at Berks Christian School, where his children attend.
Bala was born in Nigeria, raised in the Netherlands and currently resides in Reading, PA. His first experience with BCTV was as a guest of Dr. Joe Amprey on his program “Diversity: The Wider Vision” in the Spring of 2000.
“Myself and a handful of International Students from Kutztown University were invited by Dr. Amprey to come to the studio to talk about “where we are from”. It was surreal because this was my first time on TV. I was 16, freshman year, second semester, and I thought this was pretty awesome! I remember Dr. Amprey saying that “this was an opportunity to share with people in Reading and all over the county about our culture, and a little bit about ourselves.
“Looking back through the years, even though I was not quite sure what the content was, or even the impact it had, I remember how special it felt to be on a BCTV program. BCTV presents the treasure that is Berks County to the rest of the world.”
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