Policies & Procedures

Policies & Procedures

ABOUT US (Policies and Procedures)

I.  ORDINANCE PROVISIONS

The Cable Television Franchise Ordinance of the City of Marshall establishes the following parameters to which users of the public access channel, the City of Marshall, franchised cable provider(s) must adhere.

    A.    The non-commercial public access channel shall be available for use by the general public on a first-come, first-serve, non-discriminatory basis.

    B.    No charges may be made for channel time or playback of recorded programming on the public access channel.

    C.    Personnel, equipment and production costs may be assessed for live studio presentations exceeding five minutes in length.

    D.    Charges for such production costs shall be consistent with the goal of affording the public a low-cost means of television access.

II.  GENERAL PROCEDURES AND RESTRICTIONS

    A.  Procedures

         1.  Users shall read and understand these operating rules and policies and shall complete and sign all necessary forms before using equipment, channel time or facilities.  Failure to comply with these operating rules and policies may result in forfeiture of the right to use the equipment, channel time and facilities.

         2.  When conflicts among requests for time or equipment arise, access shall be determined by the Marshall Cable Commission using the following priority (listed in order of importance):

              a.  First time users shall have priority over previous users.

              b.  Previous users who have not been scheduled in prime time shall have priority for prime time hours 5:30pm-midnight, adult programming 12:01am-6:00am.

              c.  Users from the geographical area served by the cable system shall have priority over users from outside the area.

    B.  Restrictions

         1.  Public access equipment, channel time and facilities may not be used for illegal purposes.  Users are responsible for being aware of the applicable state and federal law.  The City undertakes no responsibility for screening or monitoring programming.  Users who are responsible for illegal programming or information intended to defraud the viewer may forfeit rights to public access programming.

         2.  Users of public access time shall assume complete responsibility for program content.  The necessary forms acknowledging responsibility for program content.

         3.  The following types of material are prohibited from the public access channel:

              a. advertising material promoting the sale of commercial products or services

              b. advertising by or on behalf of candidates for public office

              c. material directly or indirectly containing a lottery or lottery information

              d. materials which are obscene or indecent

III.  EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS

    A.  All equipment is the property of the City of Marshall and/or franchised cable provider(s).  Users shall not be liable for equipment repair unless deliberate damage is involved.  Users shall report damaged or malfunctioning equipment promptly and shall not attempt repair of the equipment.

    B.  Prior to using equipment, users shall be certified to use the equipment either by completing equipment training sessions or by demonstrating competence. Users shall be required to retake training sessions as necessary.

    C.  Individuals and groups may schedule equipment and studio time no more than two weeks in advance.

    D.  An individual member of a group or organization shall be responsible for reserving and using equipment on behalf of a group or organization.

    E.  Use of equipment shall be restricted to adults who are 18 or older, or to minors who are in 9th grade or able.  However, minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult when equipment is checked out.  The adult shall complete necessary forms assuming responsibility for equipment.  Minors must also be certified to use the equipment.

     F.  Certified users may reserve equipment for a maximum of 48 hours, unless a special project is requested and approved in advance of the reserve time.

IV.  PROGRAMMING REGULATIONS

    A.  All program sponsors and producers shall be required to complete and sign the appropriate forms for each program prior to reserving program time.

    B.  All minors (9th grade or above, up to 18) must have a responsible adult sign the necessary forms on behalf of the minors.

    C.  All programs shall include identification of the user.  At least one such identification shall be provided for programs of 30 minutes or less and at least two such announcements for programs of more than 30 minutes.

    D.  The names and addresses of all users requesting program time shall be kept by the City in a public file for a period of two years from the date of request.