It was the fourth home game for the Bedford boys basketball team, but there was one difference when the Bulldogs took on Coe-Brown – the camera was rolling.

For the first time, BCTV recorded a Bedford basketball contest, and this week on Channel 16, viewers can tune in to the game, complete with play-by-play and post-game interviews.

Although Bedford lost the game 52-33, it was a sign of things to come in the Bedford community.

“When the high school was first built, it’s always been a plan to get the school involved in broadcasting taped games and live ones,” said station manager Bill Jennings. “The long-range plan is to broadcast games live.”

Residents Bill Greiner and Kevin Keyes served as game announcers during the event, and at halftime Jennings took the camera onto the court to film two donations to Bedford althletes being made.

The Bedford Friends of Recreation donated $20,000 to be used for general athletic needs, and $2,500 to the Rich Beyer Scholarship Fund.

Greiner, who has had several shows air on BCTV in the past, said the relationship between the station and the town is an important one.

“Our next goal is to get a hockey game on air,” said Greiner. “To get the various teams on BCTV is important to give people a chance to see what’s going in town, and everyone benefits from that.”

Jennings said he would love to broadcast a wide variety of sporting events at the high school, but it is difficult with a small staff.

“The challenge we have is that we only have two people (at the station). Unless people step up to the plate, they won’t see these things unless they come down, get trained and help edit the project,” said Jennings. “We’re looking for people not only in front of the camera, but also behind the camera. I’m going to cover as much as I can, but mostly it’s the sports I am interested in.”

BCTV donated $100,000 worth of equipment to the high school’s television production department, and Jennings said in an ideal world, he will attend an event at the high school and see students prepare their own broadcast.

Jennings said he is looking for adults to run the camera and be trained to edit the material as well, but he also wants students to get involved, too.

“What I really want to see is a student calling me up and saying that they really want to do this,” said Jennings. “A lot of parents call for their kids, but that’s not who I want to hear from. I want to identify a kid who has the interest because I guarantee they’ll be pretty good.”

Beyer was an example of the connection between BCTV and Bedford athletics, as he had several shows which focused on local youths involved in sports.

Greiner said Beyer, who died in 2007, would be proud to see the progress being made. “He would be very excited about the athletics. For him, it was always about sportsmanship,” said Greiner. “Having a high school in town, it puts that front and center, and if he were here today, he’d be a big part of it. He’d be as active today as he was five years ago and 10 years.”