Scheduling and Playback Requirements

SCHEDULING AND PLAYBACK REQUIREMENTS

AH provides cablecast time free of charge to community members and to local organizations. Programming is accepted on a fair and non-discriminatory basis, and will be aired without editorial control. The channels exist primarily for the purpose of local expression. While you do not have to be a AH member to submit a program for playback, you must be a local resident.

"Request for Playback" Form

Every program submitted for playback, whether produced at Access Humboldt or elsewhere, must be accompanied with a completed "Request for Playback" form. The reason for this policy is to make sure that there is a local person who assumes all responsibility for the program being aired. The person completing this form and requesting playback (the "presenter") assumes full responsibility for the program content, pursuant to AH rules and to all applicable laws and statutes. Programs can be rejected or delayed if this form is incomplete or inaccurate.

The "Request for Playback" form asks whether the program contains underwriting or a commercial sponsor; whether it has adult language; whether it has content or images that may render it inappropriate for children (e.g., excessive violence), nudity or sexual content. These boxes are required to be marked where applicable so that AH is properly informed. AH will not prescreen, censor, or control the content of any program. The presenter submitting a program for cablecast on AH’s channels is fully liable for the content of all program material they present.

The "Request for Playback" form includes a clause indemnifying AH for any defamation, copyright infringement, or legal action resulting from cablecast of the program. The form will also include a signed statement attesting that the program does not contain illegal material, which may include, but is not limited to any unlawful use of copyright material, any material that violates local, state or federal law relating to obscenity or indecency; any material that is libelous, slanderous or defamatory in character; or material which constitutes an unlawful invasion or privacy.

AH strongly encourages that those submitting programs have signed standard releases from anyone appearing on their program. Sample release forms are available from Access Humboldt.

Closing Graphic Identification

Programs produced that used AH facilities or equipment must have the following wording in their closing credits:

"Produced at Access Humboldt utilizing community media."

AH encourages, but does not require, producers or presenters to include a legible slate allowing viewers to identify the local person or organization presenting the program. This slate would provide viewers with contact information in case of questions or concerns with the presenter’s name and address. Phone numbers and e-mail contacts are optional. For a reasonable fee, AH staff will provide editing and production support for this producer or presenter contact information.

Program Submittal Deadlines and Requirements

All programs produced at AH will be mastered to DVDs or other format supported by AH, and must be submitted with a Request for Playback Form no later than two weeks prior to the desired airdate. Non-series programs will be scheduled only after a VHS or DVD has been received with a properly completed accompanying "Request for Playback" form and after AH has determined that the contents are playable on AH equipment.

If you need AH staff to dub your program to DVD, you must submit the program to AH staff one week in advance. If you want AH staff to add the closing credits or contact information, then submit the program a week in advance, with the necessary information provided clearly in writing. There will be a posted charge for adding the information slate and for dubbing to DVD.

DVDs of live programs and live-to-tape programs should be submitted to AH staff immediately following the studio shoot. The DVD and the case must be clearly labeled with the program name, and show number if it is part of an on-going series. Total Running Time, Date completed, and the producer’s name and phone number should be provided.

Once a DVD is submitted to AH, it is logged into a database, scheduled for airtime, and is not available to the producer or presenter until the current scheduled “run” has been completed. Every program must be on a separate DVD. If you produce a program utilizing AH facilities and equipment, you must use our DVD stock, which is available at a very low cost. If you are importing a completed program, you may submit your program on your own DVD stock.

How to Get Your Program on DVD

Programs made at AH are mastered to DVD. AH provides DVDs to AH members for their productions at a low cost. If you are bringing a program to us on DVD, it must conform to the requirements outlined below.

If you bring us VHS tapes of locally-made programs, AH will make DVD copies for playback of up to two programs per week for free to any one producer or presenter. After the second tape, AH will charge a $5 fee per tape. All VHS tapes of imported (non-local) programs will be dubbed for a $5 fee for each tape.

Technical Requirements for Cablecast Transmission

DVDs do not require bars and tones, but AH can accommodate programs that already include them. The program should start within a second of the beginning of the DVD. To facilitate smooth playback in our automated playback system, each program should fade up from black within the first few seconds, and fade out to black at the end.

AH reserves the right to reject or pull from the schedule programs which fail to meet its minimum audio and video technical standards. Audio must be audible. The DVD must send a stable signal over the cable system.

DVDs with paper labels will not be accepted, as they may get jammed in our playback equipment. If a presenter cannot make another DVD copy available, AH will make a copy of the DVD following the same rules and fees applicable to the VHS to DVD copying fee.

Programs that do not meet published standards for technical requirements or which lack the proper identifying information will be returned for correction.

Program Length

Programs are normally scheduled in 30 or 60-minute timeslots, and should be 28:30 or 58:30 in length in order to allow for short announcements and AH promotions between programs. Programs that meet the 30 or 60 minute standard are easily scheduled. Programs that exceed this length may be cut off or rescheduled at AH’s discretion to times when a longer time slot is available.

Programs that are 14 minutes or less in length may be used as "filler" at the end of other programs or may be bundled together in 30 or 60 minute programs. These short programs are more difficult to schedule but may receive more unscheduled airtime since they will be used as filler. There is no guarantee that any submitted Public Service Announcement (PSA) will air. AH intends to utilize the time between programs primarily for its own promotions, for short videos, and for intern-produced work.

Transferring Air Time

Airtime may not be assigned or transferred by producers or presenters to another program or individual.

Program Cancellations and No Shows

A presenter or producer may cancel a program or series at any time by notifying the Programming Coordinator in writing via email or regular mail.

A presenter or producer who is unable to deliver a program or produce a live program must inform AH of the problem at least two business days prior to the scheduled airdate. Three cancellations or no shows within a six-month season may result in loss of the regular scheduled timeslot.

PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Different categories of Programs

Programs airing on our channels come from four different sources. They can be produced at AH by AH members; produced elsewhere in the community; produced by AH staff; or imported from outside the area but sponsored by a local resident. It is important to know what type of program you are presenting for playback, because there are specific responsibilities for each type of production.

Access Productions are ones produced using AH equipment and/or facilities. Access Productions include single time studio programs, a series, and individual field productions. Access Productions must have a designated Program Producer, a current AH member who assumes responsibility for initiating a program idea, finding certified crew, completing all applicable AH forms, supervising crew, talent and guests, and complying with AH rules and responsibilities. Series programs may have an assistant producer, but all other Access Productions must have a single designated Program Producer.

Local Productions are programs submitted and produced by residents of Humboldt County (whether an AH member or not) that did not utilize AH facilities or equipment. Local Productions might include student work, documentaries made by a local resident, animation, community events, or short video projects. These programs may have been made at school, home, at another access center, or in a professional setting. Each Local Production must also have someone who completes the Request For Playback and assumes responsibility for the program. The content considerations spelled out above apply to Local Productions as they do to Access Productions.

AH expects and encourages community video producers to submit their work in order to find a venue for their programs. AH wants to expand its programming breadth, scope, and quality by actively soliciting videos produced by community members.

Local Productions will be scheduled and aired with the same priority as Access Productions. Local productions must be submitted on DVD.

AH Productions are programs produced by AH staff, volunteers and/or interns working with AH. AH is also responsible for producing or obtaining programming, including acquisition of curated programming, covering local events, and creating local programming which may air on access channels. AH staff will produce some programs of community interest for free, as time and funds allow. In addition, AH will offer fee-based production services to governmental, nonprofit, and educational organizations.

Import Productions are those programs produced by a person or organization not residing in Humboldt County. Every Import Production must have a local resident who initiates and signs the Request for Playback Form, and who assumes complete liability and responsibility for the program content. This information will be a public record, and, upon requests from viewers, AH will provide the information to callers.

AH will continue to accept Imports. However, they will air less frequently than Access Productions, Local Productions, or AH productions. They will be scheduled according to available airtime at the discretion of channel management. Imports that qualify as a series will also be scheduled according to available airtime. Import Productions must be either submitted on DVD or the submitter must pay AH a $5 fee to copy the program to DVD for playback.

Series Programming

A series is defined as programming with a common theme, format, length and title that is produced weekly, on alternating weeks, or monthly. Each program in a series must contain at least 75% new material. No more than 25% of the programs can be re-runs. A series can originate from any of our four program categories: Access Production, Local Production, AH Production, or Import.

Applying for Series Status and the Programming Seasons

Presenters or producers may apply for a series status at any time. When series status is granted, a time slot will be reserved for that particular series program for the duration of that programming season. At the end of each programming season series time slots may be reassigned.

There will be two six-month long seasons per year. The first will begin February 1 of each year, and the second will begin August 1of each year. Presenters who already have a series on AH and who wish to continue this series on the same time slot into the next season must reapply for renewal of series status prior to the ending of the programming season that is in progress. There is however, no guarantee that their current time slot will continue into the next programming season.

In order to give priority to presenters of new series, producers or presenters of existing series have a limited time to apply for renewal of their series. Presenters applying for a renewal of series status for the spring season beginning February 1 must submit their application to AH as early as November 15, and no later than December 15. Presenters applying for a renewal of their Series for the fall season beginning August 1 must submit their application as early as May 15 and no later than June 15. Access Humboldt reserves the right to consider applications that arrive after deadline at its discretion.

Presenters of new series programs may apply for their desired time slot at any time during the season, upon approval of their series, and after they have successfully submitted three programs to Access Humboldt for playback. If the time slot applied for is already taken, the presenter or producer of the new series has the option of applying for a different time slot that is available at the time of his/her application, or s/he can choose to wait for the end of the current programming season to apply for their first choice of time slot.

Time slots for series will re re-assigned on a first come, first served basis. In the event two presenters submit their request at the same time, for the same time slot, priority will be given to newly approved local series. In the event both are new, local series, priority will be given to the person who is a new presenter or producer with AH.

Requests for series status will be honored if the producer or presenter has completed, submitted, and successfully cablecast three individual programs, thereby demonstrating ability to produce or provide programming that meets playback standards.

For each programming season, series producers may request a specific playback slot. AH staff will make every effort to honor the time slot request, but will also take into consideration other programming priorities as described at the outset of this chapter. Maintaining a consistent series time slot from season to season is not guaranteed.

Presenters or producers must fill out an "Application for Series" form in order to be considered for series status. In addition, presenters must complete a "Request for Playback" form for each episode of their series.

AH reserves the right to determine time slots at its discretion. Presenters requesting series time slots are not guaranteed the time slot of their choice. Committed series time slots may be preempted at AH’s discretion in order to play programs that are timely, newsworthy or urgent.

Series Episode Cancellation

Presenters or producers may cancel their series at any time

In order to maintain a regular series time slot, a presenter or producer must submit episodes as scheduled. Failure to submit two consecutive programs within a scheduled season may result in loss of the regular scheduled time slot and cancellation of the series.