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Programming
Policy
Channel
Administration
The Programming Director is responsible
for all programming activities and program schedules, which are
established based on direction from the Executive Office of the
Mayor and in accordance with guidelines recommended by OCT. The
costs associated with managing TV-13 and DCN shall be paid for from
franchise fees received from cable franchises as provided for in
the franchise and telecommunications agreements, and from the general
funds of the City, according to District of Columbia policy. 
Programming
Statement
TV-13 and DCN provide information to
residents of the District of Columbia concerning the functions,
activities, programs, and issues of the City. The channels shall
not be used as a political forum by any individual group, nor are
they to be used as a mechanism for building exclusive support for
a particular person, program, or issue. Use of the channels shall
be governed by the operating procedures as set forth herein, and
by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as they
may apply to operations of TV-13 and DCN. The views and opinions
expressed on the channel may not necessarily reflect those of the
DC Council, the Mayor, OCT, or any employees of the District of
Columbia.
The Director
of Programming reserves the right to review all programs, proposed and/or completed,
to determine compliance with technical quality, programming regulations and channel
objectives. Any program under consideration by OCT may be accepted as presented,
may be rejected completely, or may be given conditional approval. In the case
of conditional approval, a program may be deemed appropriate and worthy, except
for stated objectionable or offensive program portions, which will be listed as
needing revision or deletion from the program. The presenter of the program will
then have the option of making all specified changes or withdrawing the program
from consideration altogether.
Program
Restrictions
The District of Columbia recognizes
the programming content restrictions imposed on TV-13 and DCN by
the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), by prevailing community
standards, and by applicable Federal state and local laws. In particular,
TV-13 and DCN will not cablecast, or allow to be cable-cast, any
programming containing the following:
- information
or advertising concerning an illegal lottery;
- paid
advertising material in which commercial appeals for funds are made (Grants and
underwriting for programming purposes shall not be considered as advertising.
Paid advertising material includes, but is not limited to, advertising by or on
behalf of a candidate for public office or program material made available without
charge by persons, corporations, or institutions which have a commercial interest
in the subject matter. This provision shall not prevent the identification of
person or institutions providing grants or contributions to underwrite the cost
of programs unrelated to the commercial interests of the donor or to programs,
which have a public interest overriding the private, commercial interests.);
- copyrighted material, unless clearances have been
obtained and written proof of such clearance can be presented;
- any
material that constitutes libel, slander, pornography or violation of trademark
or copyright;
- any programming that advocates
a particular religious belief or beliefs; and
- programming
which applicable Federal, State or local laws prohibit.
In
the case of programs deemed to be worthy or of social or artistic value, but also
containing some program content or language that may be considered offensive to
some viewers, the following message may be run prior to the program, and during
any natural program break:
"The following program has
been deemed worthy of cable-cast on TV-13 or DCN, but contains language
or other program content that may be offensive to some viewers.
Viewer discretion and parental guidance are advised."
Political
Broadcasts
Declared candidates for any elective
public office and persons advocating any cause, viewpoint or policy,
proposed or otherwise, will not be eligible to appear on TV-13 or
DCN, except in a program or series where the format allows for all
candidates or sides of an issue to be heard on an equal basis and
within the same format. Candidates for public office may appear
on a bona fide news program; a news documentary, if the appearance
of the candidate is incidental to presentation of the subject matter;
or in coverage of official City meetings such as City Council, Commissions,
or Committees. The Director of Programming shall make every effort
to ensure that any appearance, except as authorized in Section 1.,
by any qualified political candidate on TV-13 and DCN will abide
by these restrictions, and will tailor such appearances so as to
minimize the fact of their candidacy.
Equipment
and Facilities Usage Procedures - OCT
production equipment and facilities are to be used strictly and exclusively for
productions that 1) clearly are in the interest of the DC Government and its agencies,
2) occur as a result of a request from the Executive Office of the Mayor, 3) occur
as a result of a request from DC Council members, or 4) occur as a result of a
request from a DC Government Agency Director and with the approval of the OCT
Director.
- Use of OCT production equipment
and facilities for projects that are unaffiliated with the government of the District
of Columbia is prohibited.
- Use of OCT
production equipment and facilities shall be restricted to OCT staff, work-study
students, volunteers, and interns under the supervision of the Director of Programming.
- Loaning, renting, or use of the equipment
for personal or commercial use is strictly prohibited.
Editing
Policies for Programs and Information Messages - All
public meetings will be covered gavel-to-gavel. No editing of any sort shall be
performed. However, alphanumeric or computer graphic information visual aids may
be inserted for clarity and for coverage lost due to technical considerations.
- Any programming prepared by or provided
by a government agency may be modified or edited as appropriate to adhere to the
policies governing channel use, or as dictated by scheduling and personnel resource
requirements.
Program
Priorities and Scheduling
Scheduling the use of TV-13 and DCN
shall be the sole responsibility of the Director of Programming.
Scheduling will be in accordance with the mission statement set
forth by the Office of Cable Television and the availability of
equipment and staff resources.
Program
Duplication Procedure
- VHS videotapes, CD-R disks and recorded
DVDs may be obtained, whether by private parties or by government
agencies, of any program that has aired on either TV-13 or DCN
according to the procedures set forth below.
- Parties
may telephone the Office of Cable Television between 9:00 am & 5:00 pm (Monday-Friday)
at 202-671-0057 to make a duplication (or dub) request.
- Videotape
and DVD duplication fees are based on the length of the program requested. Each
increment of up to two hours requires a payment of $35.00. Thus, the fee for a
one or two hour program would be $35.00. The fee for a three or four hour City
Council hearing would be $70.00…and so on.
- Individuals
and agencies may also purchase duplications on CD-R disk for a fee of $35.00 per
CD-R disk.
- Individuals may purchase their
own testimony only, before the DC Council, or a TV-16 program that they are featured
within, at a discounted rate of $20.00 per request.
- Payment must be received in advance,
in the form of a money order or a business check only, made out
to "DC Treasurer", before any duplication activity can
be scheduled.
- Dub requests will usually
be completed within seven to ten business days after the Office of Cable Television
has received payment in full.
- Upon completion
of the dub request, the purchaser will be notified via telephone that his or her
dub request has been completed and is ready for pick-up at the Office of Cable
Television, 3007 Tilden St., N.W., Pod-P, Washington, DC, 20008, during regular
business hours.
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