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CABLECAST GUIDELINES

Any Berkeley Resident, Berkeley City Agency or Berkeley Non-Profit Organization can submit a video tape to be cablecast on B-TV 28. Just bring your tape to BCM 2-3 weeks in advance and fill out a cablecast request form. If you did not produce the tape yourself make sure you have the rights or permission of the video maker. You are legally responsible for any rights infringement and the content of the tape. *If your program is of adult nature, please make sure to indicate that on the form and to affix or draw a big red dot on your tape label. It will be scheduled at or after 10 pm. We can NOT show tapes with any commercial content or obscenity as defined by the law.

Scheduling of your Cablecast

Your Program will be scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance on first come first serve basis according to availability of slots and the length of the program. When ever possible each 1/2 or one-hour program will air 3 times within one week. Programs of longer length might be scheduled only twice. However, only one replay is guaranteed. If you have specific scheduling needs (the show is tied to a special event or date), please contact the programming director 3 weeks in advance. Your scheduled program will be listed in the Berkeley Voice, TV Guide Channel 11 and our website (www.betv.org)! Publicize your Airdates! Make a flyer, post it at community centers, have it announced in a newsletter, call all your friends!

Tape Guidelines

· We accept only S-VHS, VHS, Mini DV or DVCam tapes for cablecast with one program per tape.

· When you record / dub your on-air tape, lay down 60 sec. of color bars and black or slate and start your program (in-point) at 60 seconds exactly from beginning of tape. You must lay down at least 1 minute (60 seconds) of black at the end of your program.

· You can record your audio in Normal or HiFi.

Cablecast Requests & Labeling your Tape

Please fill out a cablecast request form completely and drop it off at BCM with your correctly labeled tape at least 2-3 weeks before you wish to air your program. Exceptions only possible for very time sensitive / emergency cablecast by arrangement with the programming director.

Labeling Your Tape & Tape Cover: (label both the spine and the front)

1. In-Point how many seconds exactly from the very beginning of your tape does your program start.

2. Show length/ Total Running Time, (TRT) the length of your program from the very first second that should show on-air to exactly the last second to be showed.

3. Title of Series & Episode #(if Series) in bold black marker, or your tape might be misfiled and lost.

4. Title of the Individual Show, Your Name, and Phone Number.

5. If your audio is recorded HiFi alert us by using a bright yellow highlighter over the word HiFi, if not properly marked your program will air without sound!

6. If adult programming, affix or draw big red dot to both spine label and tape cover!

Program Information

- Each program produced at BCM is entitled to two cablecasts in the year it is produced. Other programs are entitled to one cablecast in the year they are submitted.

- BCM may pre-empt any program scheduled to be cablecast on B-TV to permit the presentation of timely or special programs. We will attempt to notify the producer/provider of a pre-empted program in advance.

- BCM reserves the right to discard or recycle ALL videotapes if they are not retrieved within 90 days of the original cablecast date.

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