The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
New TV show highlights local real estate, lifestyle
Upcoming episode of ‘American Dream’ series filmed in Middletown will air on CW network in July
For 20 years, Realtor Debbie Huscher has helped families find Middletown-area homes, working out of the William Raveis Realtor office on Main Street.
Now she is giving people from across the country the opportunity to see what Middletown has to offer through a broadcast called “American Dream,” a national television show highlighting local real estate and lifestyle information.
“I’m a firm believer in love where you live,” Huscher said. “The show is really about the community, local businesses and charities. This highlights things people may not know about.”
The episode of the program featuring Middletown and Huscher will air in July on the CW network and be offered on streaming services. The day and time of the airing have yet to be announced.
“From the tranquil Connecticut River to the storied halls of Wesleyan University, to the bustling downtown, Middletown offers a delightful blend of history, culture and charm,” Huscher says at the beginning of the segment. “Come and experience the magic of Middletown.”
Huscher said it took eight hours of filming to create the video, which is then packaged into the segment, expected to last about 4.5 minutes, by the program’s producers in Los Angeles. Huscher said she wrote the script for the segment, which includes an interview with Johanna Bond, president and CEO of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, at the Marketplace in downtown Middletown.
Video footage was also shot at locations of several local merchants, including Spread, Pocket Full of Posies and Perk on Main, and at a home real estate listing in Middletown, she
“People know about Wesleyan but they might not know about all there is to offer on Main Street.” Debbie Huscher
said.
“There is something for everyone (in the segment), from adults to little kids,” she said.
Huscher said the show is an effective marketing tool for real estate agents. Local Realtors who are featured on the show pay for some of the show’s costs, she said.
“People know about Wesleyan,” she said, “but they might not know about all there is to offer on Main Street. ... So the show provides great exposure, but it really is about community and positivity and showing the lifestyle offerings we have here in Middletown.”
The commercial-free program runs for 30 minutes. Ignite New Media, which produces the program, said in a press release that the nationally syndicated program airs on national networks of CNBC, Bloomberg TV, the Travel Channel and other cable outlets as well as on streaming services. The program is also available on social media, Ignite said.
“Each show highlights a cast of elite realtors in each market chosen for their expertise in real estate, reputation, and recognition from their peers and consumers,” Ignite said, adding that the show “is generating millions of views on social media, proudly claiming ‘positive media,’ niched around real estate, lifestyles and culture.”