Submit a Program for Television

Programming Policies

Programming time on SMC’s cable television channels and streaming platforms is made possible through cable franchise agreements with RCN and Comcast and contracts with the City of Somerville. The public owns these rights-of-way, such as the streets and sidewalks, under which all the fiber optic cables run to homes. In exchange for permission to run profitable businesses on land that the public owns, the city receives a small percentage of the revenue and a number of public channels on the cable system in order to provide access to these electronic systems for the use of the public.

Anyone who lives or works in Somerville may request programming time, free of charge, to distribute a program of up to one (1) hour in length once per year.

Members of SMC may request programming time for content they have produced or may sponsor programming time for content produced by other entities on a first come, first served basis.

The policies and procedures for all individuals to request programming time are the same.

Responsibilities

SMC promotes freedom of speech and provides services, such as cable television channels and other electronic platforms, for members to distribute their perspectives and viewpoints. SMC requires members using our services to understand the legal limitations of free speech and to assume responsibility for the outcomes of distributing their programming. Members are required to indemnify SMC against any legal repercussions as a result of the content of their programming. Members must use good judgment when creating media and respect the Somerville community at large and SMC’s excellent reputation within it.

SMC is a “content neutral” organization and takes no editorial control of the content presented on our platforms unless it is specifically produced by the staff of our organization. SMC reserves the right to set and change the scheduling of all programming on our television channels and other electronic platforms. SMC reserves the right to refuse to schedule programming if programming does not meet minimum technical standards for distribution.

Anyone requesting use of cable television channels or other electronic platforms must:

Be thoroughly familiar with the content of any programming submitted and understand the personal risks associated with distributing such programming.

Ensure compliance of the programming with all applicable laws, including, when relevant, election laws. Obtain clearances, permissions, releases, and licenses as may be needed from entities who appear or own material found within the programming being submitted.

Indemnify SMC entirely against any liable or any false statements in the programming.

Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to all programming distributed on SMC’s cable television channels and other electronic platforms.

Content must not include commercial material. Advertising or promotion of commercial products or services, or commercial calls to action or inducements to buy are not permitted.
Content that contains libel, slander, or obscenity(1) is not protected speech under the provisions of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and is not permitted to be distributed on SMC’s cable television channels or other electronic platforms.

Content must not include trademarked or copyrighted material unless expressed written permission is granted to the user. Members must be prepared to present documentation of written permission to use copyrighted material to SMC if requested.

Content must not incite violence or invade the privacy of an individual or entity.
Content must not contain material in violation of FCC regulations, local, state, or federal laws.

Disclosure Requirements

All persons requesting programming time are required to disclose the presence of advisory material. Advisory material includes profanity, excessive violence, nudity, or explicit sexual content. SMC reserves the right to limit the scheduling of advisory material. Failure to disclose the presence of advisory material may result in suspension of membership benefits.
Submissions

All persons may submit programming requests for two types of programs on SMC’s cable television channels and other electronic platforms.

Singles programs stand alone and do not necessarily come as a series or group of episodes.
Series programs are part of a group of episodes that are intended to be viewed in some order.

Members submitting single or series programming must complete an online application form. The application requires clear program titles and descriptions, disclosures of advisory material or copyrighted material, requests for specific programming times, and an indemnification of SMC for the outcomes of distributing such programming.

Applications for single programs must include copies of the media to be distributed. Applications for series programs must include no less than four programs, or a schedule for the production of the next four episodes that must be honored in order to maintain a regularly scheduled programming schedule time.

Once the agreement is approved, programming times are prepared at the discretion of the staff who will take all specific requested times into consideration. Staff may rearrange the programming schedule at their discretion to accommodate the addition of new programming or to retire old programming. Programming agreements must be renewed each year in order for the content to remain on the programming schedule.

Members retain copyrights to their program. Submitting programming for distribution grants SMC permission to use samples of said programming for its own promotional or fundraising purposes.

Distribution of programming beyond SMC’s cable television channels and other streaming platforms is the sole responsibility of the member. SMC will neither contact nor submit content to third parties on behalf of members.

SMC is not obligated to retain copies of programming indefinitely and members are expected to keep their own personal archives and backups of their programming.

Scheduling and Priority

Programming time on SMC’s cable television channels and other streaming platforms are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. In the event of competing requests for programming time, SMC will prioritize requests in the following order:

Live programming produced by Somerville residents or stakeholders

Pre-recorded programming produced by Somerville residents or stakeholders

Live or prerecorded programming of demonstrated interest to Somerville residents or stakeholders
Live programming produced beyond by non-Somerville residents or stakeholders

Pre-recorded programming produced beyond non-Somerville residents or stakeholders

All members are obligated to provide copies of their completed programming for distribution on SMC cable television channels or other electronic platforms.

Programming requests must be made and media must be provided to SMC not less than two (2) business days prior to a requested program time. Once submitted, programming may be distributed on SMC’s cable television channels or streaming platforms at least once. Repeat broadcasts or additional weekly time slots may be provided at the discretion of staff.

If regularly scheduled series programs do not receive regular new episodes then staff may cancel distribution of that programming at their discretion.

Promotion

SMC engages in basic promotional activities about the programming it distributes, such as regular newsletters and social media messages that contain announcements about new programming. Members may write and send their own press releases to local newspapers, radio stations, and other access programs in an effort to build an audience for their own program.

Underwriting

Members are encouraged to seek underwriting for their programs. Please note that members can be asked to provide an accounting of underwriting and other monies taken in over the course of their production to ensure adherence to SMC policies. If a member raises $2000 or more for a project, SMC will charge rental fees for equipment used for that project. It is the member’s responsibility to inform SMC if he or she reaches that limit. Such funding may come from grants, donations, sponsorships, admission fees, or any other source beyond the member.

All sponsors must be clearly identified at the end of each sponsored program. Individual or for-profit sponsors are permitted only if the sponsor does not have or appear to have editorial control, or the right to editorial control, over the program being sponsored. Individual or for-profit sponsors must also meet at least one of the following conditions:

There must not be or appear to be a direct connection between the interest, product, or services of the sponsor and the subject of a program or series.
The program or series content is not blatantly promotional or self-congratulatory.

Community Bulletin Board

Anyone wishing to communicate with cable subscribers for non-commercial purposes may submit a brief message and graphic to be shown on SMC’s cable television channels or other electronic platforms. Messages must be delivered two weeks in advance and must be accompanied by the start and end dates for the public announcement, email, phone number, and the name of the sponsoring organization or individual.

Messages may be sent to submissions@somervillemedia.org

Messages must abide by the Policies and Procedures and the Code of Conduct. SMC reserves the right to reorganize and/or reschedule its services including equipment, facility, and programming times in order to ensure equitable access by all members.