Live Television

Programming on SMC’s channels and website are created by members of SMC, residents of Somerville, or sponsored by residents of Somerville.  This programming is produced either in SMC’s brick-and-mortar facilities, streamed from remote facilities, or provided by digital file for rebroadcast.  In some instances, programming is produced by the staff of SMC when important local events occur that will not receive other media attention, such as election coverage, local celebrations, local news, and more.

SMC is a “content neutral” organization.  In order to protect the First Amendment rights of each producer and ensure that each local voice has fair and equal air time, SMC does not pre-screen or evaluate the content of any program in advance.  The individual producers of each program are solely responsible for the content of their programming and make agreements to indemnify SMC, the City of Somerville, and the cable providers of any liabilities that arise as a result of the contents of their programming.  SMC producers are furnished with materials to help them understand their rights, protections, and responsibilities at the time they submit programming.

Somerville Media Center makes no assertion as to the status of any article of speech or expression found on its channels or platforms.

However, there are many experts in the field of free speech to whom we may refer:

United States Courts
https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does-free-speech-mean

American Civil Liberties Union
https://www.aclu.org/issues/free-speech

FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus
https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fires-guide-free-speech-campus