WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – The name – South Washington County Telecommunications Commission – is a mouthful. So it’s time for a change. SWCTC will now be known as TrueLens Community Media.
“For years, we’ve heard just about every version of our old name—the cable commission, SW-something-TC; and plenty of creative variations in between,” Ann Schweisguth, executive director, said in a news release. “We realized it was time for a name that people could connect with, easily remember, and say with confidence.”
The rebranding includes a new tagline – watch, listen, connect. Leaders are confident the new marketing approach will have a greater recollection and name recognition in the community.
For more than 4 decades SWCTC has aired the recordings of Woodbury City Council meetings, ISD 833 School Board meetings, Cottage Grove City council meetings, and videos about non-profit organizations in the South Washington community.
“For me the essence of the name change is for us to connect better with the community. A shorter, more memorable name that reflects the authentic community stories we tell,” Bob McSherry, multimedia manager, told WNN.
The TrueLens team will return to its new facility in Woodbury’s refurbished Central Park in 2026.
“We’re excited to begin this new chapter,” said Andrea Date, SWCTC board chair. “TrueLens Community Media signals a refreshed identity that aligns with our evolving mission and future goals. While our board of directors will continue under the name South Washington County Telecommunications Commission (SWCTC), the public will come to know our staff and our work as TrueLens Community Media.”
TrueLens Community Media is a non-profit organization. They will continue to deliver content on its Xfinity cable channels 798, 799, and 859 and use the new facility for production shoots and perhaps some community workshops.
The new location will serve as the home base for new low-power FM radio stations, WWBY 91.5FM and WGRO 104.5FM, launching in 2026. “These stations will allow us to deliver hyper-local audio programming focused on news, government, music, community voices and possibly even local high school sports. Look for future communication on ways you can voice your opinion on what kind of content you want to hear, “ the release states. “WNN readers can also subscribe to the TrueLens Podcast — launching in June with a new episode added on the first Friday of every month.”
The TrueLens Community Media team will attend local events including Strawberry Fest, Woodbury Days, Heritage Days, and Pioneer Day in the communities they serve, Woodbury, Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport, and Grey Cloud Island Township.