Sponsorship is defined as a contribution (money, goods or services) made by an individual, company or organization toward the direct capital cost of a Public Access Volunteer Userʼs production. Examples of applicable costs would be: CTV equipment usage fees, gas or food and beverages for crew on specific production days, purchase of video equipment, props, or costumes for specific productions. Users must be able to provide receipts for any and all sponsorship monies and goods upon request. Productions receiving monies and / or goods in excess of direct capital costs for said production will be considered commercial, with all applicable rates, policies, and procedures withstanding.

CTV encourages local USERS to solicit outside sponsorship support, in order to help underwrite the highest quality programs possible. CTV will permit program funders or sponsors to receive acknowledgment of their support of noncommercial cable programming on local access channels. CTV recommends coordination with the Executive Director or designee in securing sponsors, to help prevent multiple USERs from approaching the same sponsor for funding.

Permitted:

• A fifteen (15)-second announcement per sponsor at beginning or end of program
• Factual information about the sponsor, including: location, product name, and description of services. Credits may contain a phone number or website address.
• A single fifteen (15)-second request for sponsorship at the end of the program.

Prohibited:

• Calls to action such as “buy, try, consider,” or “call this”.
• Comparative statements, qualitative adjectives or any subjective evaluations, such as “the best pizza”.
• Music or audio elements not in keeping with the overall tone of the program

Sample Sponsorship Acknowledgments:

• “This program was made possible by a grant from xxx”
• “Local presentation of xxx was made possible by xxx”
• “This program has been brought to you by xxx”
• “We’d like to thank xxx for their contribution making this program possible”

Total sponsorship acknowledgments may be no longer than three minutes per hour of programming, or one and a half minutes per half-hour.  To recognize contributions or donations, CTV may acknowledge sponsors between regularly scheduled and special programs during program breaks.

Reimbursement of Sponsorship Funds

If studio or field equipment is paid for with CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER hours, and if there is any sponsorship agreement, CTV shall receive fifteen percent (15%) of only those sponsorship funds totaling over one hundred dollars ($100) per production (exclusive of goods and services).

Sponsorship Credits

– Programs Not Produced by CTV
In addition, if a program not produced by CTV does contain sponsorship credits, the User/Provider must provide staff with signed agreements from each credited sponsor with the following information:

i. Producer/Providerʼs Name
ii. Name of program
iii. Amount of payment (exclusive of goods and services)
iv. The following statement:
“I understand that any financial or other support that I have given to the above USER/provider is for support of the program listed. I understand further that the USER/provider is not an agent or representative of CTV and that the program I am supporting is strictly the USER’s responsibility and expression. I understand that I may receive a sponsorship credit, but will not receive commercial advertising including the promotion of products or services.”
v. Name of sponsor (individual or business)
vi. Signature of sponsor
vii. Date of signature

Appropriate signed agreements must be provided prior to the telecast of any show with sponsorship credits.
Failure of a User to have a sponsorship agreement in place is a major violation.