SCTV GENERAL GUIDELINES Revised October

SCTV GENERAL GUIDELINES

Revised October, 1999

TOWN OF SCARBOROUGH
SCARBOROUGH CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM
SCTV STUDIO

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1) Any individual who is a resident of the Town of Scarborough (verification will be required) may use, on his or her behalf, the SCTV Studio, its equipment, training programs and its access channel. Any not-for-profit organization doing business in Scarborough and providing services in the Town may use the SCTV Studio, its equipment, training programs and its access channel to produce programs for the organization. All users of the facility must: be at least 18 years of age or, if a minor, have a legal responsibility form signed by a parent or legal guardian and permission of the SCTV Program Director, or Director of Community Relations and Training, or Community Services Director, AND, satisfactorily complete the training program offered through SCTV and Community Services before he or she may use the facility and/or equipment. The parent or legal guardian (or, the adult whose name appears on the legal responsibility form) of the minor must remain in the studio at all times. The studio facility may only be used during the regular work week of Monday through Friday, and shall not be available for use any later than 9 P.M. Requests for use of facilities shall be made through Community Services.

2) The primary purpose of the SCTV Studio and its equipment is to provide programming for the access channel. Copyright ownership is as follows: Programs produced of all official town meetings and functions, including those functions designated as official functions*, are the property of SCTV, and the Town of Scarborough; Programs produced in SCTV Studios, and/or with SCTV equipment, on SCTV tape, are the property of SCTV, and the Town of Scarborough; Programs produced by individuals or not-for-profit organizations on their own tape are the property of that individual or organization.

*The following town officials may designate meetings and functions to be recorded: Town Manager, Town Council Chairperson, School Board Chairperson, and Superintendent of Schools.

3) The SCTV Studio is equipped to air programs recorded on 1/2" VHS videotapes that meet very specific standards and requirements. An individual program may be submitted for airing by bringing the completed videotape to Scarborough Community Services, and filing a Channel Time Application (CTA) four (4) weeks in advance.

4) Air times for individual programs are available on a first-come, first-served basis within scheduling blocks*. The staff will make every effort to fit your request for a specific play date and time with the SCTV Studio's needs for a complete program schedule after they have received the finished tape.

5) Public access material cablecast on the SCTV must be submitted by a Scarborough resident, preference will be given to locally produced programming. Public access material shown on SCTV must be of local interest.

6) A copy of the finished program can be purchased by the user for a cost of $25.00.

7) Because of the high estimated traffic through SCTV Studio, only those people who are scheduled to use the facility or who are on-air guests will be allowed in the studio and/or control rooms. All other persons are asked to wait in the reception area.
8) Bona fide and registered candidates for public office may submit tapes for airplay on SCTV. Additional guidelines for political tapes are as follows:
a) tapes are limited to a maximum of 5 (five) minutes in length
b) tapes will run for 21 days prior to an election
c) all tapes submitted for airplay will be copied to a composite tape for replay.

II. Program Scheduling

1) All programming produced using the SCTV Studio and/or equipment and materials shall be first shown on SCTV.

2) Unless prior written arrangements have been made with Community Services and/or Community Television, all programs produced using the access center equipment and/or facilities must be submitted to SCTV for cablecasting within twenty-one (21) calendar days after completion. Non-compliance with this rule could result in suspension of privileges.

3) Every effort will be made to air your program on the date(s) and time(s) you request on the Channel Time Application for your program. Replay of a tape, at the producers request, is limited to two (2) non-consecutive program blocks*. Airtime is on a first-come, first-served basis within scheduling blocks*. SCTV reserves the right to additional airing(s) of your program above and beyond those requested by you without notification being given.

4) Programs scheduled as part of an on-going series shall have priority. Other scheduling conflicts will be resolved in favor of the individual whose application was filed earliest. In the event applications bear the same filing date, the individual who has programmed the least shall have priority.

5) All producers and/or organizations delivering tape(s) for airplay are required to file a “Responsibility for Program Content” and/or execute “Talent Release” forms. No tape will be aired prior to the receipt, processing and acceptance of these forms.

The Fairness Doctrine, Equal Time provisions of the Federal Communications Commission (SS 76.205 and SS 76.209 of the Code of Federal Regulations) for candidates of public office, the Personal Attack Rule, and requirements concerning political editorials, do not apply to cable access channels. The SCTV Studio will make an effort to provide for fair and balanced programming throughout its entire programming schedule.

? A Program block is defined as a segment of a week. The three programming blocks for SCTV are defined as:
Sunday p.m. to Tuesday p.m., Tuesday p.m. to Friday p.m., and Friday p.m. to Sunday p.m.

III. Charges

1) Use of SCTV Studio, portable equipment, materials, editing equipment and cablecast time is free to eligible Scarborough residents and not-for-profit organizations.

2) Individuals returning equipment late are liable for penalty charge of $25.00. All penalty charges must be paid prior to airing of the program.

3) Although equipment and materials are loaned free of charge, the borrower (or in the case of a minor, a parent or legal guardian who signs the legal responsibility form) is responsible for all damages, loss, or cost of repair involved while the equipment is signed out, and may be required to acknowledge this responsibility in writing prior to sign out.

IV. Resolution of Disputes

1) A dispute over use of the SCTV facilities and/or equipment, or over the use of SCTV should be resolved informally at the SCTV staff level, or with the Station Manager and/or Director of Community Relations and Training.
If efforts at informal resolution fail, the person or entity that feels aggrieved by an action or decision of the SCTV staff or management may file a formal complaint in writing with the staff and/or management. The complaint should be as specific as possible and describe the action or decision complained of, the date of the action or decision, and the relief requested. In addition, the complaint must identify each public access user whose use of SCTV is at issue. Staff and/or management must issue a written decision and rationale for the decision within four (4) days after a complaint is filed.

2) The written decision of the Staff/Management may be appealed to the Cable Television Advisory Committee by any person or entity that feels aggrieved by the written decision. The appeal must be filed with the Staff/Management within ten (10) days after the written decision is issued.
If the appeal is to the Committee, the Committee must hold a public hearing on the appeal at its next regular meeting which is more than seven (7) days after the appeal is filed, or it may hold a public hearing at its next regular meeting which is seven (7) days or less than seven (7) days after the appeal is filed. The person or entity must submit all materials and evidence it wants considered by the Committee at or before the hearing. A written decision and rationale for the decision must be issued by the Committee within seven (7) days after the hearing is concluded.
3) Any person or entity that feels aggrieved by the decision of the Cable Television Advisory Committee may seek a hearing with the Town Council.

4) Any decision rendered pursuant to this dispute resolution process is advisory only with respect to the Town and SCTV.

5) If any deadline prescribed in this subsection falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline shall be extended to the next business day. Days are calendar days.

6) A challenged action or decision remains in effect until reversed or modified on appeal.