POLICY 6- POLITICAL ELECTION PROGRAMMING

Once an individual is a declared candidate for office, he or she may appear in public access programming on a first-come, first-served basis. The program producer (or submitter) is to inform the Programming Coordinator (or staff accepting the video for scheduling) in writing that the tape contains election-related material––either commentary, appearances by candidates (unless as part of the public information function of their office), or advocacy about a particular ballot issue. In this way, Community Television will attempt to give the program approximately the same exposure as other election programs, with the goal being that other programs of a similar nature (the same race, for example) will be granted the same amount of exposure and be cablecast in the same or similar time blocks established for such special cablecasts.

Appearances of incumbents in regularly scheduled programs as part of government access programming on Channel 25 or 26 (for example, participating in a government agency meeting or appearing on a regular talk show as a public information function of their office) will not ordinarily be "counted" as public access election programming unless the Executive Director and/or the Board of Community Television determine(s) that the content of such programs warrants that the programs be redefined as public access programming.

If a complaint is received about a government access program cablecast on Channel 25 or 26, the Executive Director will immediately review the program and inform the Board of Directors about the complaint. A political programming review committee may be convened to determine the status of the program in question. In the interim, prior to determination, the program will be deemed a public access election program, in order to assure fairness to other candidates, and the staff of Community Television will schedule it as such.

Candidate forums will be considered public access programs unless produced or co-produced by the staff of Community Television as part of CTSCC’s commitment to government access programming. All candidates must be given an equal opportunity to appear in such programs. CTSCC may co-produce independent election coverage with other nonprofits, chambers, political action groups, etc. The Executive Director will endeavor to insure that a diversity of community groups is represented in each election period. Forums produced by independent community producers, or other non-profits, chambers, political action groups, etc., will be considered as public access election programs and will be scheduled as such.

Community Television recognizes the value of providing electoral candidates free access to the media. The organization is committed to provide as many cablecasts as possible of such election programming. Upon request, a log of replays of election programming will be made public for review by anyone concerned about fairness in scheduling. At the same time, the community must also understand that staff cannot schedule programs that are received at the last minute, without adequate time for scheduling, and that CTSCC’s first-come, first-served policy implies that programs that are received first may receive a greater number of replays than programs received later. Community Television reserves the right to require three weeks’ notice to schedule any videotape received.

Adopted 2/22/96- Revised 3/13/04