New Bedford City Council Meetings Will Now Be Live Streamed

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — At long last, meetings of the New Bedford City Council and several key committee meetings will now be live streamed for viewers to be able to watch them at home or anywhere else as they happen.

The council announced today after several successful “test runs,” the city council “is officially making the public aware that meetings can now be viewed live on the City’s website.”

The live streams will feature “high-definition video and sound, corresponding agendas which enable viewers to follow along as meetings progress, and the ability to view past meetings in the Archives section,” according to the release.

“As a body committed to representing each and every member of our city, my colleagues and I are pleased that our proceedings and deliberations will now be accessible to the public without delay,” City Council President Linda Morad said.

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What New Bedford City Council Meetings Will Be Live Streamed?

All regular and special meetings of the full city council will be live streamed, along with those of the Special Committee on Affordable Housing and Homeless Affairs; the Committee on Appointments and Briefings; the Committee on Cannabis Regulation and Host Community Agreements Review; the Committee on City Property; the Committee on Environmental Affairs; the Committee on Finance; the Committee on Ordinances; the Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods; and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Elderly, Youth, Health & Housing & Disability Issues.

Where to View New Bedford City Council Live Streams

The live streams will be hosted on the City of New Bedford homepage.

Live meetings can be viewed while in progress, while past meetings are available by clicking on “Archives.”

Why Weren’t City Council Meetings Live Streamed Already?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, council and council committee meetings were held via Zoom, allowing citizens to watch them either through Zoom or via the New Bedford Cable Access Facebook page.

However, when the council returned to its chambers, live streaming was no longer an option due to technical limitations.

“This is an objective we have been working toward for quite some time now. After some technical challenges, we are grateful for the efforts of the City’s MIS department, New Bedford Cable Access and our team in the City Council Office in bringing this important goal to fruition. We encourage the citizenry of New Bedford to view the city council and council committee meetings via the live stream to stay informed on important city issues.”