ADOPTED _____________ REVISED: ____________
1. The purpose of the public access channel is to provide the residents of Lamoine with an increased awareness to town government functions and an opportunity to benefit from and participate in the utilization of the cable television medium for cultural enrichment, enhanced community spirit, and improved quality of life.
2. This policy is intended to encourage and facilitate public access by defining eligibility, procedures, responsibilities and technical standards with the intent to provide general and uniform access at low cost and with minimal burden on the users of public access.
3. The Town of Lamoine Administrative Assistant may adopt additional procedures and forms governing the use of LCTV equipment, scheduling of programs and other matters, provided such procedures and forms are not inconsistent with this policy.
1. Any individual who is a resident of the Town of Lamoine (verification may be required) may use, on his or her behalf, or on behalf of any unincorporated organization, association, or group, the LCTV Studio, its equipment, training programs and access channel. An individual representing an unincorporated organization, association, or group should identify the organization, association or group but must act as an individual and assume all the responsibilities this policy imposes on individuals.
Any not-for-profit organization doing business in Lamoine and providing services in the Town may use the LCTV Studio and its equipment, training programs and its access channel to produce programs for the organization.
Any governmental entity may use the LCTV Studios, its equipment, training programs and access channel.
2. Any user 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 Lamoine Administrative Assistant, AND satisfactorily complete the training program offered through LCTV before he or she may use the facility and/or equipment. The studio facility may be used only if prior arrangements are made with the Administrative Assistant.
3. The primary purpose of the LCTV 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 functions1, are the property of LCTV and the Town of Lamoine; Programs produced in LCTV Studios, and/or with LCTV Equipment, and on LCTV tape, are the property of LCTV and the Town of Lamoine. Programs produced by individuals or not-for-profit organizations on their own tape are the property of that individual or organization.
4. Program content is the responsibility of and is determined by the program producer. LCTV does not review program content prior to cablecasting programs and neither LCTV, the Town of Lamoine, nor any of its agents, employees, volunteers or officers is responsible for program content. Each producer shall place a notice indicating that LCTV and the Town of Lamoine, and their agents, employees, volunteers and officials disclaim any editorial responsibility or control of program content at the beginning of each program. It is the responsibility of the producer to ensure compliance with the following:
a.
Commercial, obscene,
lottery, and purely personal programming cannot be cablecast.
b.
If a program contains
political information about a certain candidate or referendum issue during an
election campaign, it will be cable cast during the three calendar days prior
to the election day, only if it is a debate type program. Debate type programs are those in which all
candidates or referendum viewpoints are invited to participate and the forum is
organized fairly.
c.
If a program may be
offensive to some audiences, than the producer must inform the Administrative
Assistant when requesting cablecast time.
An appropriate viewer warning shall be included at the beginning and end
of each program. Program listings shall
also contain an appropriate viewer warning.
Programs that contain any of the following are considered “inappropriate”
and will not be aired on LCTV:
1.
Slang, vulgar or
colloquial expression which refers, in the context in which it is used, to
sexual intercourse, masturbation, sexual contact, human genitals or human
elimination;
2.
Abusive language against
men or women, ethnic minorities, religious groups, sexual orientation or
disabled people.
3.
Sexual material which
depicts sexual acts or sexual contact what cam be seen or heard; dramatic
presentations depicting sexual acts. Whether actual sexual contact occurs or
not;
4.
Extreme acts of violence
against people or depiction of violent acts in dramatic presentations; and
5.
Graphic images depicting
human or animal elimination and/or mutilation and images that are abusive of
men or women, ethnic minorities, religious groups, sexual orientation or
persons with disabilities.
d.
Commercial advertising
is prohibited; however, financial underwriting of a program must be
acknowledged. Donors shall be
acknowledged only at the beginning and end of programs, except for programs
running longer than 60 minutes or when donated prizes are given away. Commercial providers of products and
services used in producing the program may be credited at the end of the
program.
e.
If a program attacks the
honesty, character, integrity or other personal qualities of an identified
person or group, the LCTV will provide a reasonable opportunity to respond.
5.
First time users of the LCTV Studio and/or equipment must submit a
request in writing to the Town Office at least four weeks in advance of any
request to use the facility and/or equipment to ensure that someone is
available to provide necessary training and orientation. The studio facility is located in the
Lamoine Town Hall which is used for multiple purposes The Studio is available to individuals trained in its use, when
the room it is located in is not in use, when Town Hall is open, and , if
assistance is necessary, when volunteers are available to provide
assistance. Individuals who have been
trained to use it, may sign out LCTV equipment for use during hours when the
Studio is not open or the room is not available, provided arrangements are made
to pick up the equipment during hours when Town Hall is open. Individuals who are already trained may
submit requests in writing to the Town Administrative Assistant at least one
week in advance of the request to use the Studio or equipment. LCTV will attempt to accommodate scheduling
requests by working with the Administrative Assistant’s Office; However, users
must recognize that the studio is located in a public meeting room and is
shared with other users.
6.
The LCTV Studio is
equipped to air programs recorded on ˝” VHS videotapes.
7.
Airtime is made
available in accordance with the Program Scheduling Policy in Section III
hereof.
8.
Only a Lamoine resident
or a not-for-profit organization doing business in Lamoine may submit public
access material for cablecasting on the LCTV.
Preference will be given to locally produced programming. Public access material shown on LCTV must be
of local interest.
9.
A copy of a LCTV tape
may be purchased for a cost of $25.00 per tape by submitting a request to the
Town Office.
10.
Because of the
anticipated high traffic through LCTV 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 room.
1.
All programming produced
using the LCTV Studio and/or equipment and materials shall be first shown on
LCTV.
2.
An individual program
may be submitted for airing by bringing the completed videotape to the Town
Office at the Town Hall and filing a Channel Time Application Form at least 7
calendar days before the date requested for the first showing of the
program. LCTV will attempt to show the
program on the date and time requested, if the time slot is available. Producers of a live program shall submit the
Channel Time Application Form at least seven days before the first air date
requested. Producers of the programs
who do not provide a live program for the reserved time slot may not reserve a
live program airtime again during the next 120-days.
3.
A series (defined as 3
or more programs related in some way with a regularly scheduled airtime during
120-days) may be scheduled by submitting a Channel Time Application Form to the
Town Office at least 14 calendar days before the beginning of the series. The first program tape must be submitted at
least 7 calendar days before the first reserved program slot requested and each
successive tape I the series must also be submitted at least 7 calendar days
before the reserved program slot for the series. Failure to submit a tape in a timely manner will result in
cancellation of remaining programs in the series.
4.
Every effort will be
made to air a program on the date(s) and time(s) requested of the Channel Time
Application for the program in accordance with the following scheduling
priorities:
A.
Official Town and School
meetings including board or committee meetings and functions when aired as live
programming.
B.
Live events, such as
school concerts or plays, sporting events, or civic functions such as parades.
C.
First showing of a
series program in its reserved time slot.
D.
First showing of an
individual program.
E.
A live series or program
will have scheduling priority over a taped series or program, if the
application is submitted as required by section III, Paragraph 3.
F.
The first replay of a
previous shown tape.
Airtime is on a first come first served
basis within the categories outlined above, except that replays after the first
replay are scheduled as time permits for second, then third, then fourth
replays of all programs within a scheduling block.
A producer may request the replay of a
program as follows: A program that airs first on a weekday may be replayed up
to 3 times during that week and up to two times on the following weekend. A program that first airs on a weekend may be
replayed no more than once during that weekend and up to four times the next
week. A week is defined as the prior
from 8 am Monday through 4:59 pm Friday.
A weekend is the period from 5:00 pm Friday to 7:59 am Monday. All replays are dependent upon availability.
5.
The Town Administrative
Assistant is responsible for setting the weekly schedule. The Station Manager, as designated by the
Board of Selectmen, shall review Channel Time Applications at least weekly and
assign program slots in accordance with this policy. Wen more than one producer requests the same time slot, decisions
shall be made in accordance with the priorities established by this
Policy. LCTV reserves the right to
additional airing(s) of a program above and beyond those requested by the
producer without notifications being given.
6.
All producers, including
not-for-profit organizations, delivering tape(s) for airplay must file a
Responsibility for Program Content Form with the Office of the Town
Administrative Assistant. Producers are
responsible for obtaining the written authorization (a Talent Release Form)
from each individual appearing in a program, except when individuals appear
during a meeting of a town or other governmental board, committee, commission
or public event.
7.
The Fairness Doctrine,
Equal time provisions of the Federal Communications Commission for candidates
for public office, the Personal Attack Rule, and requirements concerning
political editorials, do not apply
to cable access channels. The LCTV
Studio will make an effort to provide for fair and balanced programming
throughout its entire programming schedule.
1.
Use of LCTV Studio,
portable equipment, materials, editing equipment and cablecast time is free to
eligible Lamoine 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. Repeated
tardiness in returning equipment may result in revocation of the privilege to
use the equipment.
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 will be required to acknowledge this responsibility in
writing prior to sign out.
1.
A dispute over use of
the LCTV facilities and/or equipment, or over the use of LCTV should be
resolved informally at the LCTV staff level.
2.
Step One: The dispute will be filed with the Town
Administrative Assistant in as much detail as possible and include the relief
requested.
3.
Step Two: If the aggrieved person is not satisfied
with the decision at step one, he/she may appeal the decision to the Cable
Television Advisory Committee within 10 business days.
4.
Step Three: If the aggrieved person is not satisfied
with the decision at step two, he/she may appeal the decision to the Board of
Selectmen whose decision shall be final and binding.
All responses
to the aggrieved shall be made within seven business days after the completion
of the hearing.
1.
The following Town officials may
designate meetings and functions to be recorded: Administrative Assistant, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen,
Town Clerk.
Approved this ___ Day of
December, 2004 by:
_______________________________
S. Josephine Cooper,
Chair
_______________________________
Glenn Crawford
_______________________________
Perry Fowler
The Lamoine Board of Selectmen