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Natick Pegasus Inc. Media that Counts The POWER of P.E.G. Public Access brings the power
of television to ordinary residents. Natick Pegasus provides a forum for Natick
residents for the discussion of ideas and issues that may not otherwise be
addressed through commercial media. Educational Access brings the
power of television to local public educational institutions. Natick Pegasus
provides programming and support services for local public educational
institutions, (including subject matter related to structured education, such
as that received in public schools) not otherwise provided through commercial
media. Government Access brings the
power of television to local government. Natick Pegasus provides a forum for
gavel-to-gavel coverage of town government and school committee meetings that
is not otherwise provided through commercial media. Natick Pegasus Inc. Policies and Procedures PREFACE 1.0 WELCOME TO NATICK PEGASUS 2.0 USING THE ACCESS CENTER 3.0 TRAINING 4.0 USE OF PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT 5.0 PROGRAMMING AND CHANNEL USE 5.14 Youth Channel 5.15 Massachusetts SATURN 6.0 SUSPENSION OF PRIVILEGES 7.0 DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS & THE
REVIEW BOARD
PREFACE The purpose of this document is to
clearly set forth the rules and procedures that govern the operation of the
Natick Pegasus, Inc. facilities and channel. These rules and procedures are
intended to encourage maximum participation by groups in the town of Natick in
a fair and equitable manner. The Natick Pegasus, Inc. Board of
Directors in response to the changes we face as demand on our resources
increases and as the needs of the community evolve may revise these policies.
Approved changes in these policies will be published and available during
business hours. Effort will be made to notify all producers of policy changes,
however producers are responsible to keep up to date on current policies. This document describes the
policies guiding training, program production, channel use, and user
responsibilities. They are guided by: The Constitution of the United States of
America; The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, as amended; the Cable
Consumer Protection Act of 1992, as amended; the Telecommunications Act of
1996; other applicable federal and state laws and court decisions; Natick
Pegasus Inc.Bylaws; Natick Pegasus’s service contracts with the town of Natick;
and the AT&T and RCN Communications cable franchise documents for the town
of Natick. The policies and procedures
described in this document supersede all other Operating Policies previously
issued by Natick Pegasus, Inc. as well as any express or implied
representations previously made by the employees or Board of Directors of
Natick Pegasus, Inc.. Policy statements as written do not amount to promises of
specific treatment and are merely general statements of Natick Pegasus, Inc.
policy. Natick Pegasus, Inc. specifically reserves the right to modify these
policies and procedures. Announcements of policy changes are made through the
office of the Executive Director. If a member has questions concerning current
policies and practices, he/she is encouraged to discuss them with the Executive
Director or Station Manager. 1.0 WELCOME TO NATICK PEGASUS 1.1 The Organization Natick Pegasus Inc.(hereafter
refered to as Natick Pegasus ) is a private, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Natick Pegasus serves as the public, education, and government access channel
for the town of Natick, Massachusetts. Natick Pegasus is controlled by a Board
of Directors. Funding for Natick Pegasus comes
from contracts between Natick Pegasus and the town of Natick to provide Public,
Educational and Government Access, and from subscriber/franchise fees from
AT&T and RCN. Natick Pegasus Inc. and the Natick
Pegasus Media Center is located on the third floor of the Clark Block building
at 2 Summer Street .Our mailing address and other contact sources are listed
below. Natick Pegasus Inc. 2 Summer
Street, Natick MA 01760 Phone: (508)
651-0022/(508)740-2996 The mission of Natick Pegasus is: To serve the community by
providing a public forum for local residents, organizations, and government. 1.2 Introduction/history Natick Pegasus moved to its’ new
down town location in June of 2002. We celebrated our Grand Opening on July 20,
2002. 1.3 Definitions "Advertising or Commercial
Promotion" shall refer to any material, which promotes any business,
product, service, private school or commercial event. This includes, but is not
limited to, business, product, service, private school or commercial event
descriptions, publicity or endorsements. ³Candidate² shall refer to any
person to whom one or more of the following applies: (a) any person who has
made a formal announcement of candidacy, (b) any person who seeks to qualify
for nomination or election by means of a petitioning process or as a write-in
candidate, (c) any person who has received contributions or made expenditures,
or has given consent for any other person or campaign committee to receive
contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about the person¹s
nomination for election or election to, or retention in a public office, (d)
any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository; or (e)
any person who has filed qualification papers seeking a public office. Current
public officials are not automatically deemed to be a defined candidate unless
one or more of the above criteria apply. "Channel" refers to the
channel on the AT&T and RCN cable system in Natick Massachusetts that is
administered by Natick Pegasus. "Equipment" shall refer
to any and all media equipment available for the production of community access
programming. "Executive Producer"
shall refer to those Natick Pegasus producers who have signed a Natick Pegasus
Program Agreement accepting responsibility for the content of their programs
and paid their access fee for the current year. "Facilities" shall refer
to the property directly related to the production of community access
programming currently under control of Natick Pegasus. "Indecent Material" is
defined by the courts as the repetitive and deliberate use of language or
material that depicts or describes, whether directly or by innuendo, in terms
patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the
broadcast medium, sexual or excretory activities or organs. For example,
extreme physical violence or degradation, nudity, graphic depiction of medical
procedures, and repetitive use of profanity would be considered
"indecent." Profanity includes, but is not limited to, words such as
those identified in FCC vs. Pacifica. "Late Night Time Slot"
shall refer to program cablecast times between midnight and four a.m. on Friday
and Saturday. "Nonprofit Organization"
refers to any organization that is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c) (3)
tax-exempt organization and also registered with the State of Massachusetts as
a non-profit corporation. "Obscene" is defined by
applying the Miller test: (a) whether the average person, applying contemporary
community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the
prurient interest; (b) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently
offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable state law; and
(c) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic,
political or scientific value. "Outside Programming" is
defined as programming which does not involve a town of Natick resident in the
production of the program. "Producer" shall refer
to a person who has paid his/her access fee for the current year and
successfully completed a Natick Pegasus training workshop and/or demonstrated
to the Natick Pegasus staff a sufficient working knowledge of the facilities
and equipment available to them. "Resident" is defined as
an individual whose principal abode -- i.e. the home, house, apartment,
facility, structure, etc. - within which the individual lives the majority of
the time is located in the town of Natick, Massachusetts. 1.4 Non-Discrimination Policy
Statement No individual will be denied access to Natick Pegasus equipment,
facilities, or channel time on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age,
physical disability, religious or political belief, ability to pay or due to
the nature of the programming interest. 2.0 USING THE ACCESS CENTER 2.1 Eligibility The Natick Pegasus Media Center is
open to residents, non-profit organizations, businesses and government agencies
located in the town of Natick. An annual access fee is required of the producer
as well as all crewmembers that operate any Natick Pegasus equipment. All executive producers (persons
accepting responsibility for the content of a program) must be at least 18
years of age. However, members of the production crew can be of any age as long
as they can operate the equipment effectively. Anyone checking out equipment
(such as a portable camera) must be at least 18 years old. If a person under
the age of 18 has had the workshop and wants to check out equipment, an adult
must sign the contract for use of Natick Pegasus portable equipment accepting
financial responsibility for the equipment. 2.2 Relationship Between Natick
Pegasus and Producers Natick Pegasus Inc. is a private
non-profit corporation. Producers are not agents or employees of Natick
Pegasus. They are considered to be independent producers and create programming
for themselves or the organization they represent. At no time may any
individual or organization identify himself or herself as an employee or agent
of Natick Pegasus unless hired by Natick Pegasus. Natick Pegasus exercises no
control, beyond these policies, over production activities by producers except
when members have been recruited by Natick Pegasus to crew productions that are
specifically coordinated by Natick Pegasus. Producers must not identify their
production efforts as being "for Natick Pegasus." Rather, producers
should indicate that their programs "will be seen on Natick Pegasus."
2.3 Addressing the Board of
Directors Persons must notify the Board in
advance of their intention to be heard. Persons wishing to address the board
will be heard at the end of the scheduled board meeting, unless they are
speaking to a specific agenda item. 3.0 TRAINING 3.1 Eligibility Any town of Natick resident who
pays the annual access fee is eligible to take any Natick Pegasus basic
workshop. 3.2 Workshops Before operating any Natick
Pegasus equipment, a community producer must take the appropriate production
workshop or be certified by Natick Pegasus staff. Production workshops are
designed to ensure that producers understand their rights and responsibilities
as producers, programmers, and viewers. In addition, the workshops will
familiarize the user with proper equipment operation, and the specific
technical set up of the Natick Pegasus facilities. The types and number of
workshops offered are based on available facilities and equipment and may
change as Natick Pegasus grows. Natick Pegasus offers three different basis
workshops: The Studio Workshop: Community
producers are instructed in all aspects of studio television production,
including camera operation, lighting techniques, directing, audio, basic graphics,
and on-camera presentation. A minimum of 6 people is required to take this
workshop. The Portable Camera Workshop:
Introduces producers to the portable video camera and techniques for producing
a show on location. A minimum of 3 people is required to take this workshop. The Digital Editing Workshop:
Offers instruction in non-linear digital editing using Adobe Premiere. This
workshop is more complicated than basic linear editing and is recommended for
editors who enjoy working with computers and are interested in more complex
visual tools. These classes are generally conducted with no more than three
people and are often one to one. Each workshop consists of up to
four sessions conducted in the afternoon or evening, depending on what works
best for the group. For example, a group might take a studio workshop on the
first four Monday evenings of a given month. In each session, certain skills
are introduced, and the group is given time to practice these skills and
incorporate them into the production process. In the next session, more skills
will be introduced, with the process continuing each session. Please note that
you do not have to take all of the workshops. For example, once you have
completed the studio workshop (four sessions) your group will be ready to begin
producing television programming. Producers are responsible to put
together their production crew. If a producer cannot find the required number
of persons for a workshop, Natick Pegasus can place him/her on a list with
others who need crewmembers. Workshops are conducted Mondays
through Thursdays in the afternoons and evenings. To sign up for a production
workshop, contact the station manager. 4.0 USE OF PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT 4.1 General Guidelines Producers
are encouraged to seek assistance from the Natick Pegasus staff during the
pre-production planning of their programs. Staff will not produce your program
for you but can provide suggestions on technique, equipment, and production
planning that can help to ensure a successful project. Natick Pegasus production
equipment and facilities are made available on a first-come, first-served
basis, free of charge. Only those who have paid the access fee and have had the
appropriate workshops are allowed to operate equipment. The primary intent for
the use of the Natick Pegasus facilities and equipment must be to create
programming that will be seen on the access channel. Natick Pegasus equipment is not available for rent,
personal use, or commercial production. 4.2 Equipment Availability and Use
Natick Pegasus facilities are
currently available for use from 1:00pm to 4:30pm and from 5:00pm to 9:30pm
Monday through Friday. No more than three hours of editing time may be reserved in advance in any week. However,
producers may use the editing rooms beyond the three hours if, on the day of
intended use, no one has signed up for it. Producers may reserve equipment by
phone or in person. All equipment is reserved on a first- come, first-served
basis. A producer who repeatedly signs up
for facilities and does not fulfill his/her commitment may face the loss of
access privileges. Please let staff know as soon as possible if you are not
going to make your scheduled session. Each producer is responsible to
see that the facilities he/she uses are left in good order, with any equipment
malfunctions reported to staff. Any producer checking out equipment will sign
an agreement accepting financial responsibility for any equipment, which is
lost, stolen, or damaged while in his/her possession. Only persons of at least 18 years
of age may check out equipment. However, members of the production crew can be
of any age as long as they can operate the equipment effectively. If a person
under the age of 18 has had the workshop and wants to check out a camera, an adult
must sign the check out form accepting financial responsibility for the
equipment. If a program is produced with
Natick Pegasus equipment, the program shall be recorded on Natick Pegasus
videotape. Natick Pegasus reserves the right
to adjust equipment use policies based on user demand and the general technical
health of our production equipment. 4.3 Videotapes and Dubbing Groups may have a maximum of 10
tapes on the cablecast shelves at any given time. No more than 5 tapes of
unedited footage may be kept on the editing shelves. Any tapes beyond these
numbers are subject to recycling, based on Natick Pegasus’s need for them.
Natick Pegasus master tapes of finished programs may be purchased from Natick
Pegasus for archive purposes only. These master tapes will be placed in storage
at Natick Pegasus and cannot be taken out of the building. VHS copies of
programs can be purchased from Natick Pegasus. Natick Pegasus will only make
dubs of finished programs, not raw footage. All tapes must be properly labeled
with the series title, episode title or number, "on" time,
"off" time, exact length of program, and date produced. Tapes found
in the studio or edit suites that are unlabeled will be considered available
for use and may be recycled. Due to the large volume of tapes at the facility,
Natick Pegasus cannot be responsible for tapes owned by producers, which are
left at the facility. If a producer leaves tapes, which he/she owns, it should
not be the only copy. 5.0 PROGRAMMING & CHANNEL USE 5.1 Program Rights Natick Pegasus retains the
copyright to all material produced with Natick Pegasus equipment. Programs
produced with Natick Pegasus equipment must be primarily for cablecasting on
the access channel. Any outside use of Natick Pegasus programs other than
personal home viewing or educational uses must first be approved by the Station
Manager. This can be accomplished by submitting a written request to the
Station Manager. If approved, the Station Manager will issue a written approval
of the use. Natick Pegasus equipment shall not be used in any way for personal
profit or remuneration. If this policy is violated, the producer may have
privileges suspended or revoked. In signing the Producers
Agreement, the executive producer agrees to indemnify and save harmless Natick
Pegasus, the town of Natick, Massachusetts, AT&T and RCN, and any members
of their staffs, Boards of Directors, officers, stockholders, etc., from any
and all claims, demands, damages or other liabilities which may be made against
or arise out of the cablecasting of the program submitted by him/her whether or
not the program has been reviewed by Natick Pegasus prior to cablecast, and to
pay Natick Pegasus, the town of Natick, Massachusetts, AT&T and RCN, all legal fees and expenses incurred by it
in connection with any legal proceedings concerning cablecasting of this
program, as such legal fees and expenses arise. Programming on Natick Pegasus is
provided for all viewers in the town of Natick. The channel shall be
unscrambled and programming available to all viewers. 5.2 Program Content Natick Pegasus encourages
community producers to exercise the responsible expression of their 1st
Amendment rights. Program producers are held solely responsible and legally
accountable for the content of their programs and as such may be subject to
prosecution for the cablecast of illegal material. Executive producers are required
to complete a Natick Pegasus Program Agreement in which the executive producer
accepts responsibility for the content of the program and provides Natick
Pegasus with a contact telephone number through which the producer can be
reached for comments. This number will be made available to all who request it.
Producers must be at least 18
years of age. The following content limitations
apply to any and all programs or messages cablecast on the access channel
administered by Natick Pegasus. Community producers should seek staff
assistance in meeting these guidelines. The following are absolutely
prohibited: -Lotteries or contests that
involve directly or indirectly the elements of a prize, chance, and/or
consideration. Reference section 76.213 of the rules of the Federal
Communications Commission. -Material which would subject the
producer or supplier to civil or criminal prosecution under any applicable
local, state, or federal law for production or presentation of obscene or
erotic material, slander or libel, invasion of privacy. -Material soliciting or promoting
unlawful conduct. -Material that is copyrighted or
subject to ownership or royalty rights, union residuals, or other payment (e.g.
music, written works, photographs, film, video) unless the producer has
obtained all necessary permission, releases, licenses and made all necessary
payments to authorize cablecasting of any such material. Natick Pegasus
requires producers to provide evidence of such payment or permission. -Advertising or commercial
promotion of any business, product, service, private school or commercial
event. -Direct solicitation of funds
unless through an otherwise approved venue like a telethon or auction for a
non-profit organization. -More than 25% of outside
programming content (see section 1.3 for the definition of outside
programming). -Promotions and endorsements on
behalf of political candidates. Should a court order be issued
against a program or series for any reason, the cablecast of that program or
series will be suspended pending the legal decision. 5.3 Guidelines Regarding
Potentially Offensive Programming: These guidelines are not intended
to discourage free expression, but rather to achieve a balance between the
First Amendment right to free speech and the cable subscriber¹s right to be
protected from unwanted viewing of offensive material. Natick Pegasus is a
public forum, which provides first-come, first-served public access and whose
program schedule, is managed by reasonable time, place, and manner constraints.
Natick Pegasus policy is not to
cablecast programs which are obscene under federal or Massachusetts’s law.
Natick Pegasus will cablecast programs, which are identified as ³potentially
offensive² under the following guidelines. Natick Pegasus’s Board expects that
these guidelines will change in the future based upon actual experiences with
specific programs. Guidelines for determining
³Potentially Offensive² Content A program, which contains any of
the following, will be considered to be ³potentially offensive to some
audiences.² it will be cablecast with a viewer warning and in a late nighttime
slot. 1. Language a. Slang, vulgar or colloquial
expression which refers, in the context in which it is used, to sexual
intercourse, masturbation, anal or oral sexual contact, to human genitals, or
to human elimination; or b. Abusive language against men or
women, ethnic groups, religious groups, sexual orientation, or persons with
disabilities. 2. Sexual Activities - Images or
depictions of the Specified Sexual Activities 3. Anatomical Areas - Depictions
of the portions of the human body defined as Specified Anatomical Areas 4. Violence a. Extreme acts of violence
against actual people; or b. Depictions of extreme violent
acts in dramatic and/or poetic manners. 5. Graphic Images a. Images or depictions of human
or animal elimination and/or mutilation; b. Images or depictions of graphic
medical surgical procedures; or c. Images or depictions abusive
against men or women, ethnic groups, religious groups, sexual orientation, or
persons with disabilities. In addition to the foregoing
factors, the staff of Natick Pegasus also has the authority to determine
classification as potentially offensive based on items, which may not be listed
above. If a live program is intended for
a general audience, and measures are taken to prevent indecent language to no
avail, scheduling of replays as adult programs can be avoided by editing out
vulgarities. If indecent language cannot be deleted, then the producer must add
a viewer advisory message to the program and any subsequent replays will occur
in ³Late Night² time slots. Viewer Warning A Viewer Warning (audio and video)
shall be cablecast and/or edited on the videotape for 30 seconds to 60 seconds
prior to the start time of the program (Viewer Warning may also be required in
the body of long (60 minutes or greater) programs). Natick Pegasus retains the right
to place a viewer warning before any program. Definition of ³Late Night² Time
Slots Programming containing potentially
offensive programming will be cablecast between midnight and four a.m., Friday
or Saturday. Disclosure of ³Potentially
Offensive² Content Each producer is responsible for
certifying to Natick Pegasus on the Program Content Form whether their
programming contains any ³potentially offensive² material according to the
above guidelines. Should any producer fail to properly disclose the
³potentially offensive² nature of the program on the Program Content Form,
Natick Pegasus has the right to suspend or terminate the producer¹s privileges.
Any suspension or termination of privileges will include both the producer and
all other persons associated with the production of the program. 5.4 Program Liability Program submitters must sign a
Program Agreement acknowledging legal responsibility for program content. If
the submitter is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the Program
Agreement. The content of programs presented on the access channel is solely
the responsibility of the executive producer. As such: No liability for the content of
access programs for which Natick Pegasus does not have direct production control
shall attach itself to the town of Natick, Natick Pegasus Inc., AT&T or RCN Executive producers must provide
Natick Pegasus with a contact telephone number through which they may be
contacted by members of the community with comments regarding the program.
Natick Pegasus will make this contact number available to community residents
who request it. 5.5 Program Scheduling Natick Pegasus accepts o locally
produced programming for airing on the access channel. Taped series programs will be
assigned a regular time slot by means of an annual lottery. The Station Manager
will place new series programs on the air schedule where time allows until the
next lottery. In order to maintain time slots, there may be no more than 50
percent of repeated programming during any three-month period. The number of repeat showings any
program receives after its first cablecast will be determined by Natick Pegasus
staff based on the available channel time and may change as demand for channel
time increases. Natick Pegasus reserves the right to preempt program repeats.
Government programming preempts all other programming. Programs must be submitted by the
Thursday before the week they are intended to air. Programs not delivered in
accordance with this schedule may be delayed for playback. Natick Pegasus
reserves the right to change delivery requirements. 5.6 Advertising or Commercial
Promotion Programming aired on Natick
Pegasus shall not contain any advertising or promotion of any business,
product, service, private school or commercial event. This includes, but is not
limited to, business, product, service, private school or commercial event
descriptions, publicity or endorsements. Except as expressly permitted below,
business, product, service, private school or commercial event names, logos,
dates, or locations in any form whatsoever shall not appear or be presented in
any context that involves the producer¹s promotion, endorsement, approval or
recognition of the business, goods, services, private school or commercial events.
Production related expenses incurred by a Natick Pegasus producer
may be defrayed through in-kind contributions or financial assistance from
program underwriters. All in-kind contributions must be directly related to the
production. The only credit for underwriting
support (goods or services) is credit, which appears at the beginning and
conclusion of the program. The credit shall be placed in the opening and
closing credits of the program and may use full or partial screen with plain
background or over program video without voice-over for a maximum of 10
seconds. Underwriters shall not be thanked or recognized in the body of the
program. The underwriting/support credit
shall read as follows: SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN
PROVIDED IN PART BY (business name(s).) In the closing credits commercial
web sites and phone numbers are permitted under the heading FOR MORE
INFORMATION … It is presumed that .com and .net
are commercial sites. However, .edu, .gov, and .org are permitted at anytime. 5.7 Identification of Guests Producers and guests who appear on
Natick Pegasus programs may be verbally identified once at the beginning of the
program, and once at the end by name only. Character generation throughout the
program may contain only the name of the individual, or individuals, not their
affiliation. Under no circumstances should reference be made to any entity that
employs or is owned in any way by the producer or guest. Violation of these policies may
result in suspension or revocation of access privileges. 5.8 Political Programming Promotions and endorsements on
behalf of political candidates are prohibited. Community producers who invite
current office holders or defined candidates to appear on their show must
notify Natick Pegasus within forty eight (48) hours prior to the first telecast
and complete and submit a Candidate Appearance form. The community producer
must also notify competing candidates within forty eight (48) hours prior to
telecast, telling them about the appearance and explaining what Natick Pegasus
is and how they too can participate. Each political program produced by
Natick Pegasus and for which Natick Pegasus has direct editorial control will
be non-partisan and will provide an equal opportunity for all candidates or
parties concerned to participate. If a candidate or issue representative
declines to participate, Natick Pegasus will not be obligated to provide other
opportunities. Before each primary and general
election, Natick Pegasus will produce and air a program entitled "Equal
Time." In this program, each candidate on the Natick town ballot is given
the opportunity to speak for five minutes directly to the television viewer,
addressing topics of his/her choosing. 5.9 Live Programming - Studio and
Off-Site 1. Live programming is permitted
in the producer¹s regularly scheduled time slot either in the Natick Pegasus
live studio, or from an off-site location with INET connections. An application
should be filed with the station manager at least 30 days in advance of the program
date. 2. Each producer is allowed
additional live programming time outside of their regularly scheduled time slot
on a one time per year basis under the following conditions: A. An application must be filed
with the station manager at least 30 days in advance of the proposed program
date. B. The off-site location must be
available on the proposed day and time. It is up to the producer to secure the
off-site location. C. The proposed time slot must be
available. 3. Additional live programming
time during normal cablecast hours may be made available to producers if all
the conditions mentioned in #2 (above) are met. In addition, the producer must
have in writing the approval of any group whose time slot would be preempted by
their special program. It is up to the producer to negotiate this approval.
This approval will be submitted with the completed application form. 4. There is a one-dollar ($1.00)
per minute charge for all live programming (see #s 1-2-3 above)above and beyond
the producers regularly scheduled time slot, to cover any expenses incurred.
This fee is to be paid to Natick Pegasus no later than 7 days prior to the
program date. This fee can be waived at the discretion of Natick Pegasus. Note: Those events, which Natick
Pegasus is required to cover, live or on tape by law, agreement or contract
(e.g., government meetings) may never be preempted by producer programming. 5.10 Technical Requirements All programs must be submitted on
S-VHS, VHS, DVCam or mini DV videotape. Tapes should have a minimum of 30
seconds of video black or color bars prior to the beginning of the program and
should run continuously with no break in control track. The program should have
a distinct end with black recorded for at least 1 minute following the program.
5.11 Community Calendar Natick Pegasus operates a
community calendar during non-programming airtime. This calendar is a source of
information for the community and may be utilized free of charge for all
non-profit, civic, community and government organizations who wish to submit a
notice for the calendar. Notices should be mailed or faxed to Natick Pegasus or
emailed to cc@natickpegasus.org.
Natick Pegasus withholds the right to determine the scheduled airtime for each
notice and to edit all notices at Natick Pegasus’ discretion. 5.12 Public Service Announcements Natick Pegasus runs Public Service
Announcements in order to assist community groups in announcing upcoming dated
events and promote their organization. Any 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
may send in a pre-recorded announcement or schedule studio time to tape one.
The organization must supply a copy of their federal tax-exempt letter and pay
the annual access fee to take advantage of this service. The events announced
shall not be commercial in nature. 5.13 Educational Access The mission of the Education
Channel of Natick Pegasus is to deliver programming and support services for
public educational institutions in the town of Natick. Programming will run on the
channel dedicated to educational access programming if it falls under one or
more of the following categories: A. If it is produced and/or
supplied by a public educational institution or organization (a school, board
of educational, teachers union, etc.); B. If students or members of a
public educational institution or organization on behalf of that institution or
organization produce it; C. If it contains subject matter
related to structured education (such as that received in public schools), sanctioned
by a qualified learning institution; D. If it’s on-air participants are
representing a public educational institution or organization. Programming will be produced by
the various public educational institutions in the town of Natick, Natick Pegasus,
or may be imported. 5.14 Youth Channel As part of our commitment to the
National Youth Media Access Project, Natick Pegasus will dedicate a block of
programming time specifically for youth. The Youth Channel strives to build
confidence, establish role models, inform, educate and entertain. It empowers
youth to believe they are capable of creating change within their communities
and the world. The youth channel is governed and programmed by youth age 25 and
under. This is the mission. Create a space for youth to make
their own media. Create a place for youth to show
their own media. Create a space for youth to
collaborate and teach eachother the methods of making media. Create a space where youth can
realize that they can run things. Natick Pegasus will train youth.
We will air their work. We will provide a safe space for expression. 5.15 Massachusetts SATURN Natick Pegasus will participate in
the Statewide AntiTerrorism Unified Response Network (SATURN) initiated by the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety. SATURN is a statewide program that
builds upon the existing public safety infrastructure to develop a
collaborative, cooperative anti-terrorism network. Saturn is bringing together
fire, emergency management and police officials from every community, along
with community leaders, state agencies and the federal government, to form a
unified and coordinated response network dedicated to protecting our
communities from the threat of terrorism. Natick Pegasus will air programming
and public service announcements produced by SATURN as part of this network. 6.0 SUSPENSION OF PRIVILEGES 6.1 General Statement In order to ensure that Natick
Pegasus equipment and facilities remain in good working order and are used in
such a manner as to fulfill Natick Pegasus’ contractual obligations, Natick
Pegasus reserves the right to refuse access on a temporary or permanent basis
or otherwise initiate disciplinary or legal actions against individuals or
organizations that violate the Code of Conduct or otherwise interfere with or
jeopardize Natick Pegasus operations or violate these Operating Policies. The
Natick Pegasus Executive Director, Station Manager and Board of Directors will
determine the termination or length of any suspension based on circumstances
surrounding and the severity of the incident(s) that resulted in the
suspension. Services may also be suspended or prohibited to individuals for
criminal activities off-site that may pose a danger to Natick Pegasus or its
operations. Suspension/termination of privileges may be appealed to the Natick
Pegasus Review Board as described in the Dispute Resolution and Appeals Process
section below. 6.2 Code Of Conduct Individuals and organizations who
use the Natick Pegasus facilities and channel must agree to abide by all Natick
Pegasus policies regarding the use of equipment and the channel for the
production and presentation of their programming. In addition, they are
expected to respect the rights and dignity of the staff and other individuals
in the facility. Conduct that discriminates against or degrades any person will
not be tolerated. A reasonable standard of courtesy and respect must be
observed. Natick Pegasus reserves the right to restrict any person from using
Natick Pegasus facilities for violation of this or other policies that result
in the disruption of Natick Pegasus activities and operations. Executive Producers are
responsible for the actions of their crews. Violations of Natick Pegasus
policies by crewmembers may result in disciplinary action for the Executive
Producer and the entire production crew. In addition to the Code of
Conduct, individuals who use the Natick Pegasus facilities and/or channel must
agree to abide by the following rules. Specific violations are set forth in
writing in order to provide notice to all who use Natick Pegasus facilities.
They are not designed to define violations in exhaustive terms. Individuals may
be accountable to both civil/criminal authorities and Natick Pegasus for acts,
which constitute violations of law on or off the premises. Individuals shall be
subject to disciplinary action for violation of any provision of the Natick
Pegasus policies. Additionally, Natick Pegasus producers are responsible for
the actions of members of their crew and may be subject to disciplinary action
for violations committed by crewmembers. The following acts are prohibited:
A. False information:
Intentionally providing false information to Natick Pegasus for the purpose of
obtaining services, access to channel time, or to avoid determination of facts
in accordance with any Natick Pegasus investigation or hearing. . False
representation: Intentional misrepresentation by a producer as a Natick Pegasus
employee, representative, or agent. C. Destroying or damaging
property: Intentionally and/or recklessly destroying or damaging Natick Pegasus
property or the property of others on Natick Pegasus premises or at Natick
Pegasus sponsored events or activities. D. Illegal drugs: Use, possession
or distribution of any controlled substance or illegal drug on Natick Pegasus
premises or at Natick Pegasus sponsored events. E. Weapons, firearms, explosives
and dangerous chemicals: Use or possession of any weapon, explosives, dangerous
chemicals, substances or instruments or other weapons, as defined by state law,
which may be used to inflict bodily harm on another individual or damage upon
Natick Pegasus premises or Natick Pegasus sponsored events is prohibited,
except when being displayed or demonstrated in conjunction with a bona fide production,
for which permission has been granted by the Natick Pegasus Station Manager. F. Harassment/sexual
harassment/physical harm: Threatening, intimidating, harassing (sexually or
otherwise) or physically harming another person on Natick Pegasus premises or
at any Natick Pegasus sponsored activity or event. G. Disrupting Natick Pegasus
functions: Intentionally and/or recklessly interfering with the normal Natick
Pegasus operations or with Natick Pegasus sponsored activities. H. Smoking: Smoking is prohibited
inside the Natick Pegasus facilities. I. Theft or conversion:
Deprivation of another person's property including Natick Pegasus property or
services without that individual's or Natick Pegasus’s authorization. J. Use of Natick Pegasus
name/logo: Unauthorized use of the Natick Pegasus logo, name, indicia, mottoes,
or symbols for any purpose without prior consent by the Natick Pegasus
Executive Director and Station Manager. K. Behavior: Engaging in lewd,
indecent, erotic, or obscene behavior on Natick Pegasus premises or at Natick
Pegasus sponsored activities. L. Unlawful acts: Engaging in any
unlawful act while on Natick Pegasus premises. M. Trespassing: Unauthorized entry
into restricted areas. N. Improper use of
facilities/equipment: Using facilities or equipment for private, commercial, or
any purpose other than production of programming for cablecast. O. Violating Public Building
Authority policies and or standards. P. Dangerous behavior: Any
behavior, which endangers the safety of persons or property at the Natick
Pegasus Media Center. 6.3 Disciplinary Actions The
following will result in immediate and permanent revocation of all member
privileges: A. Physical assault on Natick
Pegasus staff or other individuals. B. Theft, vandalism, or willful
damage of Natick Pegasus facilities or equipment, or the property of other
individuals while at Natick Pegasus facilities or events. C. Providing false information to
Natick Pegasus staff regarding residence, name, or other required information.
Falsification of legal agreements required for use of the Natick Pegasus
facilities and channels. D. Repeated abusive behavior. Violation of any other Natick
Pegasus policies may result in suspension or revocation of privileges. 7.0 DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS & THE
REVIEW BOARD 7.1 Dispute Resolution &
Appeals Process It is hoped that disputes can be resolved by a good faith
effort to reasonably discuss the problem to arrive at an acceptable solution
for everyone involved. When this is not acceptable or practical, a user may
file a formal written request with the Executive Director to call a meeting of
the Natick Pegasus Review Board. If an individual wishes to file an
appeal to a staff decision they should file a written formal request and return
it to the Executive Director within 30 days of the staff decision. The
Executive Director will notify the Review Board and set a meeting date within
30 days of the receipt of the request. The appellant will be given the
opportunity to address the Review Board during the meeting. Decisions of the Review Board may
be appealed by requesting a review by the Natick Pegasus Board of Directors
using the same process described above. Decisions of the Natick Pegasus Board
of Directors are considered final. 7.2 The Review Board The Review Board deals with
dispute resolution relating to member status, production guidelines, and
channel use. The Review Board is a committee comprised of 3 Natick Pegasus
Board members. The responsibilities of the Review
Board include, but are not limited to: A. Appeals for producers whose
privileges have been suspended B. Review of programs for
adherence to Natick Pegasus policies C. Appeals for programming denied
cablecasting D. Response to viewer complaints
not otherwise resolved by Natick Pegasus staff E. Review of procedures for
compliance with operating policies F. Advise staff on policy
interpretation for specific cases Review Board meetings require a
quorum of three. Decisions of the Review Board are made by majority vote.
Minutes of all Review Board meetings will be sent to the Board of Directors.
The Natick Pegasus Board of Directors will fill vacancies for the duration of
the unexpired term. |