Community Media of the Foothills (CMF) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, managed by a seven-member appointed board, that operates the public access TV station for the City of Monrovia
Our Mission is to promote Artistry, Freedom of Speech and Civic Engagement
Our studio is open to members and the public, Monday through Friday 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturdays by appointment
CMF’s 2025 Budget is $259K. $210K comes directly from the City of Monrovia. This amount is primarily sourced from Franchise and Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Fees. Cable providers, like Spectrum Cable, collect a small fee from their customers as part of these PEG fees, which are then passed on to the City to partially fund our work
CMF makes up the budget shortfall by actively raising revenue through contracted services for clients such as the Monrovia Unified School District, (MUSD), and the City of Sierra Madre. This effort is supplemented by modest private donations, typically totaling $500 to $1,000 annually
Per the City of Monrovia’s 2025–2026 contract, Community Media of the Foothills (CMF) is responsible for the following key areas:
a. Meeting Coverage: Provide coverage and broadcast for up to 24 City Council meetings and 12 Planning Commission meetings
b. Event Production: Produce video coverage for up to 33 designated City events
c. Public Access & Training: Facilitate public access services for Monrovia residents and non-profits, including hands-on access to the KGEM-TV Studio’s resources (soundstage, editing suites, field equipment). This includes basic equipment training and two dedicated annual training events
d. Channel Management: Oversee the management and programming of our three cable channels: KGEM, KGOV, and KMAC
e. Equipment Management: Manage the acquisition, repair, and ongoing maintenance of all production and broadcasting equipment
f. Facility Management: Manage all maintenance and repairs for the KGEM-TV building
g. Insurance: Manage the maintenance and compliance of seven organizational insurance policies.
Beyond our core contract deliverables, CMF actively manages several digital platforms to expand our reach and provide meeting access to more viewers:
a. All of the videos we produce are made available through both broadcasting and digital streaming. Our content is widely broadcast across our Spectrum cable channels and is also streamed and archived online. We utilize two main digital platforms for access: our Website (KGEMTV.com) and directly to our YouTube Channel (KGEM-TV), which currently maintains 2,634 followers.
b. CMF maintains a robust social media presence across various platforms including Instagram: 967 followers, Facebook Page: 794 followers, Facebook Group: 456 members and we recently launched a TikTok account
CMF produced 244 videos in 2024 and 272 videos in 2023
“History is who we are and why we are the way we are”
Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation, Founding City Council Members
November 1, 1983 - The City of Monrovia Establishes the Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation, Resolution 83-89; signed by Mayor Paul A. Stuart, Bob Bartlett, John Nobrega, Mary Wilcox, and Ed Zoolalian
December 20, 1983 - Articles of incorporation signed for the Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation
1984 to 1993 - Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation started KGEM-TV from two closet sized rooms in the basement of Monrovia City Hall
July 1, 1992 - The City of Monrovia relinquished control of the Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation to a volunteer board elected from the membership, and established a separate, non-profit entity to manage the PEG channels
March 11, 1993 - The Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation board, Monrovia Unified School District, and the City of Sierra Madre pooled resources to establish a 900-square-foot studio at Clifton Middle School. This studio was ultimately deemed insufficient in size. The associated monthly rent paid to MUSD was $300.00
July 1, 1999 - The Monrovia Cable Usage Corporation’s Articles of incorporation were amended and the name was changed to Community Media of the Foothills
2001 to 2003 - Community Media of the Foothills (CMF) successfully undertook a major capital campaign to construct a new, larger studio in the Mary Wilcox Building at Recreation Park. CMF and grassroots efforts raised over $180,000 toward the project. The remaining funds, totaling $276,000, came from a U.S. Department of Labor Grant, completing the $456,000 project
KGEM Studio Groundbreaking, Daihan Lee, Jasen Lewis (Executive Director), Karen Suarez (Board Chair). The new KGEM Studio broke ground on January 21, 2003 and was fully constructed in eight months
September 19, 2003 - The new 1,900-square-foot KGEM Studio was inaugurated with a Donor Premiere Party