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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOM_Policies_Procedures_and_Communications_Guidelines Oshkosh Media Policies, Procedures, and Communication Guidelines Adopted August, 2016 Updated July, 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS Life TV Policies and Procedures – (Pages 3-14) Gov TV Policies and Procedures – (Pages 15-18) Objectives for Sharing Public Information – (Page 19) City Website/Bulletin Board/WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9 – (Page 20) City and Oshkosh Media Website Linking Policy – (Page 21) Media Release – (Page 22) Media Advisory – (Page 23) Oshkosh Media Television Programming – (Page 24) News Conference – (Page 25) Oshkosh Media Life TV Policies & Procedures Oshkosh Media Life TV Mission Statement: “To provide an electronic free speech forum that promotes, encourages and reflects the cultural diversity of the Oshkosh community.” Overview: Use of the city of Oshkosh’s Life TV is considered a democratic right of responsible Oshkosh citizens. Oshkosh Media offers users free usage of television equipment for the production of community programming, in addition to training and instruction in television production techniques. Like citizenship itself, community access demands certain standards of behavior. With the intention of keeping restrictions to a minimum, these pages spell out the standards for using Life TV. Please accept and abide by our rules and regulations, in the spirit of cooperation that makes Oshkosh Media a communication opportunity for everyone. Life TV rules are administered by the Oshkosh Media Operations Coordinator. Definitions: A. Life TV: a cable channel dedicated for use by non-profit organizations, persons or groups residing within the city of Oshkosh on a first-come, non-discriminatory basis including race, creed, sex, religion or general content of programming. B. Local Resident Producer: the person, group, organization or other entity who conceives of the program idea and manages the production of the program (whether the production is done by the local resident producer or another crew). C. Advertising Material: any material in a program designed for the sale of commercial products or services, or the solicitation of donations, remuneration, or barter. Exceptions to this include fundraising events or programs for Oshkosh Media or the Friends of OCM. D. Obscene, Indecent and/or Libel Material: any material in a program and/or presentation that would be deemed obscene, indecent or libel by local community standards or by standards established by any federal, state or local regulation or law applicable to cable television. 1. Obscenity: the Supreme Court has defined obscenity as works which, taken as a whole, appeal to the prurient interest in sex; which portray sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and which taken as a whole, do not have serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. 2. Indecency: in a 1992 policy statement, the Federal Communications Commission defined indecency as Language or material that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory activities or organs. 3. Libel: Defamation by publishing or broadcasting that may expose its subject to public hatred, shame or disgrace. E. Cablecast: to send video and audio signals through a cable television system instead of traditional broadcast (over-the air) systems. F. Copyright: the exclusive legal right of publication, duplication, imitation, or sale of literary, musical or artistic work. All necessary copyright clearances are the sole responsibility of the access user. G. Lottery/Raffle: any promotion, contest or other program that involves the elements of prize, chance and consideration, which is considered a lottery/raffle under applicable local, state or federal laws. I. Who May Participate: A. Oshkosh Media equipment and facilities are owned by the city of Oshkosh and are reserved primarily for use by Oshkosh residents. Persons eligible to become access users and use Life TV equipment and facilities include: 1. All Oshkosh legal residents, defined as residing within Oshkosh city limits. 2. Members and employees of commonly recognized local non-profit organizations that serve the Oshkosh community. B. Proof of residency is required, in the form of: 1. A valid driver’s license or photo ID, or 2. A current utility bill or other proof of residency with mailing address (required, if address is not up-to-date on photo ID). C. Production facilities and equipment will be made available to Life TV access users on a first-come, first-served, non-discriminatory, non-monopolistic basis, proved they: 1. Have successfully completed the necessary required courses and passed the evaluation given at the conclusion of the course; OR can demonstrate the basic operation of the requested equipment, 2. Are registered as either a volunteer, local resident producer or sponsor of non- local programming, 3. Complete and submit the required documents for use of equipment and facilities, 4. Have current public contact information on file with Oshkosh Media. This may be an address, email or phone number that the producer will allow be given out to viewers who would like to contact them about their show. 5. Obey all the rules and regulations adopted by the City Manager. D. Use of Oshkosh Media equipment and facilities must be for the purpose of recording and preparing programs for distribution on Oshkosh Media. Use of community access equipment for personal use, financial remuneration or commercial purposes is prohibited. Access users may distribute their programs on digital platforms such as YouTube, in addition to distribution on Life TV. E. Oshkosh Media invites younger residents to learn community television production techniques, and welcomes their participation in the community access process. It is necessary for access production applicants between the ages of 16-18 years of age to have their parent or guardian co-sign all required documents. The co-signer is then responsible, along with the user, for all costs which may be incurred as a result of damage to the facilities or equipment, other than normal wear and tear. Residents under the age of 16 wishing to use the Oshkosh Media facilities can do so only when in the presence of their parent or guardian. Parents or guardians are then responsible for the actions of their child and for all costs that may be incurred as a result of damage to the facilities or equipment, other than normal wear and tear. F. The Life TV electronic bulletin board service may be used by Oshkosh residents and by members and employees of commonly recognized local non-profit organizations that serve the Oshkosh community. Announcements may be submitted through the “Bulletin Board” tab on the Oshkosh Media website. The following are content guidelines for posting on the bulletin board: 1. All messages must announce a specific community organization, event or activity with a specific time and place associated with the event or activity. Some examples are: community meetings, nonprofit fundraisers, public services, neighborhood events, parades, celebrations, cancellations or schedule/situational changes, public school events, religious services. 2. Messages must be noncommercial in nature, and the bulletin board may not be used for political campaigning purposes. 3. Wording of messages must be concise stating primarily who, what, where and when. II. Producing a Program: A. After attending and successfully completing the necessary training classes required, access users may begin producing a program. Life TV schedules are based upon series programming. Whenever possible, Oshkosh Media encourages access users to produce programming on a regular basis, however, one-time or special programs are also accepted. B. Local resident producers are responsible for gathering their own volunteer crew in producing their program. Oshkosh Media staff can assist with providing producers with the proper equipment and by providing names of potential volunteers. C. Recording/Playback Media: 1. Local resident producers are responsible for providing their own DVD’s for recording, and/or USB drives for file storage, and playback. Final programs submitted for distribution can have only one program per DVD or USB drive. 2. Programs submitted for distribution on Life TV must be on a DVD, USB drive or sent to staff using a file-sharing service (i.e. Dropbox, WeTransfer) via email. Exceptions may be made for other media, however, a transfer fee may be charged to dub original program materials to DVD. 3. If files are submitted digitally via USB drive or file-sharing service, the program must meet the minimum video standards of 1280x720 resolution with a bit rate of at least 3 Mbps (Megabits per second). Acceptable file formats include: .mp4, .mov, and .m2t. Other file formats may be accepted. 4. Each program submitted for distribution on Life TV must include: - A completed Life TV Program Application and Agreement Form - The Life TV “Local Resident Producer” disclaimer D. Duplications & Digital Encoding: 1. Oshkosh Media will set fee rates for copies (dubs) of Oshkosh Media programming. Such rates will be based upon charges incurred for media and dubbing costs. 2. Local resident producers are allowed to make one free dub of each program on a media they provide. If multiple dubs are required they will be subject to normal dubbing costs. 3. Oshkosh Media reserves the right to make copies of any programs submitted for distribution on Life TV, except in situations in which a local resident producer has provided Oshkosh Media staff with a written notice of copyright on his/her program. Oshkosh Media has no obligation to notify producers that a copy was made of their program. 4. Local resident producers are allowed to have their program encoded to a digital file for their use. Oshkosh Media staff will coordinate the equipment used to encode the file. Producers must furnish media on which to save the file. E. Sponsorship & Underwriting: 1. Underwriter Acknowledgements: Life TV local resident producers may choose to solicit underwriting funds for documented production expenses. Local resident producers or their crew may not receive financial remuneration in underwriting agreements. However, local resident producers may list acknowledgements of program sponsors in accordance with Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Guidelines. A total of 2:00 minutes will be allowed per program for underwriter acknowledgements. Before soliciting for any underwriting, local resident producers must present a written proposal to the Operations Coordinator for his/her approval. When announcements documented production expenses (mileage, food, production supplies, etc.) are made, they may include: - A trade name or brand name; - Location, website and phone number; - Logos or slogans that are not of a promotional nature; - Value-neutral descriptions of a product line or service that aid in identifying the contributor; - Names or service listings that do not include qualitative or comparative language. 2. Non-Commercial: Life TV local resident producers are not allowed to promote the goods or services of any underwriter or donor. In order to avoid “promoting,” announcements made regarding entities who have furnished some consideration must NOT include any: - Mention of price: no interest rate, pricing information, discount, savings, or value of any kind may be included in acknowledging a contribution; - Call to action: any announcement regarding a company or person who furnishes remuneration to the public broadcaster may not suggest that the viewer take action—the listener cannot be encouraged to “call,” “come by,” “try,” or even “be sure” in relation to a product or service; - Inducements to buy: it is improper to entice the viewer to make a purchase by offering bonuses, freebies, or other specials; - Qualitative or comparative language: this area prohibits descriptive or comparative language of a product or service. An announcement may not explain, for example, that something is “perfect,” “less filling,” or is the “largest,” “smallest,” or “most” anything. F. Non-Locally Produced Programs (Imported): 1. Non-locally produced public access programs (programs produced outside the city of Oshkosh limits) may be distributed on Life TV provided the following: a. The program is sponsored by a legal resident of Oshkosh and meets all the technical requirements (see Section C, #3 above) and administrative requirements as listed within these guidelines, b. The local resident producer sponsoring the program completes all necessary scheduling and program agreement forms on a regular basis, c. The local resident producer obtains all necessary rights to the program. This includes all necessary literary, artistic, intellectual, performing, and music rights as well as all necessary clearances from the owners of licenses of such material. Local resident producers must be able to document, in writing, that the distribution of such material does not violate the rights of third party. 2. Scheduling non-locally produced programming: (See section V). III. Reserving Equipment and Facilities: A. Oshkosh Media equipment and facilities are available to access users on a first-come, first-serve basis. Access users may request equipment by completing a reservation in the Facil computer system available at the Oshkosh Media offices. All requests must be completed in person; no reservations will be confirmed unless the Facil reservation is submitted. B. Access users assume full responsibility for the use of production facilities and will be liable for damage, misuse or theft that occurs while the equipment or facilities are in their possession or control. The user shall identify and hold harmless Oshkosh Media and the city of Oshkosh, from and against any damages, liabilities and costs of any nature including attorney fees and disbursements arising out of or resulting from any action or use by the user of the equipment or faculties herein described. C. Oshkosh Media staff reserves the right to refuse the use of equipment or facilities to any persons who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not in full control of his or her facilities, or who engages in inappropriate conduct. D. Equipment reservations are non-transferable. The access user or producer making the reservation must be present at the time of check-out and check-in of equipment. E. Oshkosh Media is to be informed at least one day in advance of any cancellations of reservations. Equipment and facility bookings may be given to other producers if the producer or crew are over 30 minutes late and have not called to hold their reservation. F. Reservation limits for local resident producers: 1. Two (2) three-hour evening studio reservations per month. 2. One (1) camcorder reservation per week, not to exceed three days in length. 3. Reservations may be made up to two months in advance. G. Section 17-11 of the Oshkosh Municipal Code (Damage to Public Property) includes Oshkosh Media equipment and facilities as public property. Continued abuse, damage or neglect to Oshkosh Media equipment or facilities are grounds for suspension of access privileges. IV. Program Content: A. Local resident producers are fully responsible for the content of the programs that they produce. This responsibility includes libel, defamation, copyright, and any other legal accountability. Criminal prosecution and/or civil lawsuits can result from illegal use of community access. Applicants are responsible for insuring that programming submitted is not obscene, libelous, or otherwise prohibited by law. Oshkosh Media staff are neither qualified nor permitted to advise producers about the legality of questionable material. B. In accordance with the Free Speech protections of the First Amendment, Oshkosh Media does not censor programs. Programming rules are not intended to exercise editorial control, but to keep Life TV a fair and open forum for all local residents. Neither Oshkosh Media nor the city of Oshkosh, accept any responsibility for the content of access programs, except those produced or sponsored by Oshkosh Media staff. Oshkosh Media’s response to individuals with complaints about access programming include the following options: 1. Referring complainant to the Winnebago County District Attorney (when the program is alleged to be obscene or otherwise illegal); or 2. Advising the complainant of his or her rights to present opposing views in a response program that would also be distribution on Life TV. 3. Provide a written complaint to Operations Coordinator to have the matter reviewed. (See Section VII- Denial of Access Privileges/Appeals) C. Keeping with the concept that Life TV is for non-commercial purposes only, the following commercial uses are also prohibited on the channel: 1. Any material designed to blatantly promote the sale of products, services, trade, business or person. 2. Copyrighted materials. 3. Lottery or lottery information. 4. Direct or indirect solicitation of funds. D. Use of the Oshkosh Media, Life TV, Gov TV, or Oshkosh FM logo or name in any context is prohibited without the written consent of the Operations Coordinator. V. Scheduling a Program: A. All local resident producers are required to complete a Program Application & Agreement Form along with each program submitted for Life TV. All programming must be submitted to Life TV or cleared for scheduling by the beginning of the business day on Friday prior to the week of the requested distribution. B. Community Producers submitting a one-time or special program for Life TV may request programming time using the Program Application & Agreement Form. All programs submitted for distribution on Life TV will be run a minimum of one (1) time on the channel. C. Oshkosh Media staff is responsible for coordinating the scheduling of Life TV programming. Scheduling will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis keeping the following priorities: 1. Oshkosh Media produced programs or specials; 2. Friends of OCM sponsored programs or partnerships; 3. Regularly produced local programming (done by local resident producers); 4. Non-locally produced programming (sponsored by local resident producers). D. SERIES PROGRAMMING: In many situations access users are producing programs in a series. Once a local resident producer completes six (6) shows in a series, they will qualify for a regular timeslot on the channel. Producers may select any available time from the existing schedule on a first-come, first serve basis. Oshkosh Media reserves the right to pre-empt series programs for Oshkosh Media produced programs or specials. Producers will continue to hold their timeslot until any of the following occurs: 1. The producer chooses to discontinue producing a program, (shown by not submitting a new program after three weeks), 2. The producer decides to change the timeslot to a different time (See Clearing of Boards below). E. CLEARING OF THE BOARDS: To ensure fair and equitable access for all access users, whenever needed, Oshkosh Media staff will conduct a Clearing of the Boards. This exercise clears the program schedule of all community-produced regular timeslots, and allows all producers to reschedule new or existing times on a lottery basis. Once scheduled, the new timeslots will remain until Oshkosh Media staff determines there is enough demand to conduct another Clearing of the Boards. Series programming will be scheduled keeping the following priorities: 1. Local programs produced by local resident producers, 2. Non-local programs sponsored by local residents. F. Oshkosh Media requires that all programs submitted for distribution on Life TV must be turned in by the beginning of the business day on Monday of the week of the scheduled distribution. Failure to meet this deadline may result in a program not being distribution. Whenever possible, Oshkosh Media staff will attempt to schedule a repeat program. If after three weeks a new program has not been submitted, Oshkosh Media staff reserves the right to reschedule other programming in its place. VI. Special Programming Considerations: A. GENERALLY 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 subscriber’s right to be protected from unwanted exposure to offensive material. Oshkosh Media 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. Oshkosh Media policy is not to distribute programs which are obscene under federal or Wisconsin law. Life TV will distribute programs that are identified as “generally offensive” under the following guidelines. B. Guidelines for determining “Generally Offensive” Content: A program, which contains any of the following, will be considered to be “Generally Offensive to some audiences.” It will be distributed with a viewer warning/disclaimer and in a “Late Night” slot (between midnight and 4:00 a.m.). Series producer’s programs that must be run in a “Late Night” slot will forfeit all other regular weekly replay time(s) until the program is not identified as a “Generally Offensive” program. 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. Violence a. Extreme acts of violence against people; or b. Depictions of extreme violent acts in dramatic and/or poetic manners. 3. Graphic Images a. Images or depictions of: 1) human or animal elimination and/or mutilation; 2) graphic medical surgical procedures; or 3) abuse against men or women, ethnic groups, religious groups, sexual orientation, or persons with disabilities. In addition to the foregoing factors, Oshkosh Media staff also has the authority to determine classification as “Generally Offensive” based on the 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 disclaimer to the program and any subsequent replays will occur in “Late Night” time slots. Disclosure of “Generally Offensive” Content: Each local resident producer is responsible for certifying on the Life TV Program Application Agreement whether their programming contains any “Generally Offensive” material according to the above guidelines. Should any producer fail to properly disclose the “Generally Offensive” nature of the program on the Program Application Agreement, Oshkosh Media has the right to suspend or terminate the producer’s privileges. Any suspension or termination of privileges will include both the producer and all other persons associated with the production of the program. LOCAL RESIDENT PRODUCER DISCLAIMER: All Life TV programs are required to include at the beginning of the program the Life TV “Local Resident Producer” disclaimer with both audio and video. VIEWER WARNING DISCLAIMER: In programs that have been identified to include “generally offensive” material, local resident producers will include a viewer warning disclaimer that immediately follows the standard Local Resident Producer Disclaimer stating with voiceover and video text: “This program contains generally offensive material which may be disturbing to some viewers. Parental discretion is advised. The program content is the sole responsibility of the local resident producer and does not reflect the views or policies of Oshkosh Media, the city of Oshkosh, or the Video Service Provider.” Oshkosh Media retains the right to place a viewer warning disclaimer before any program. C. POLITICAL CANDIDATES: Political candidates can utilize the channel as like any other access user, provided they abide by the Life TV Policies & Procedures. Oshkosh Media has provided the following information for all candidates running for office: 1. Political candidates can appear on Oshkosh Media programming by: a. Appearing as a guest on a program; b. Participating in a televised candidate forum; c. Producing and appearing on their own program; d. Having a resident of Oshkosh “sponsor” their program to be run on Life TV. 2. Oshkosh Media staff WILL assist political candidates by: a. Helping candidates find producers to have them on as guests; b. Training candidates and/or their supporters in becoming their own producers; c. Scheduling programs to be distributed on Life TV. 3. Oshkosh Media staff WILL NOT do the following: a. Produce any programming for political candidates, campaigns or referenda, (with the exception of candidate forums); b. Provide special “rebuttal” time for candidates; c. Make special scheduling changes-- (i.e. bumping a regular program to make room for a political rebuttal program two days prior to an election). 4. Other important issues regarding political candidates and their usage of Life TV: a. Candidates may appear on Life TV programming up to the election day; b. There are no limits to how often candidates may appear on programming; c. Candidates and/or producers take full responsibility for their words or actions while appearing on a program—Oshkosh Media and the city of Oshkosh are not held liable for the content of any programs; d. Life TV is not required to provide “equal time” provisions unlike broadcast television; e. Life TV programming consists of series (weekly programs with community producers), and non-series (without a guaranteed timeslot). Series programs have a permanent timeslot and can drop a new program in at any time, while non-series programs need to be scheduled at least three weeks in advance; f. Oshkosh Media offers training classes on how to use community television throughout the year; candidates should register for classes well in advance of the election. D. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS: Oshkosh Media works with non-profit organizations in the production of community service programming. 1. Organizations will first be offered the chance to produce their own program using Oshkosh Media facilities, following the successful completion of training classes. 2. Oshkosh Media staff will work with non-profit organizations to produce programming as facilities and staff time are available. 3. Oshkosh Media will partner with organizations that are based in Oshkosh, are politically neutral, and which have a mission in alignment with the Oshkosh Media mission. 4. Production service fees will be charged. Oshkosh Media will set fee rates for production services. Such rates will be based upon charges incurred for facilities usage and staff time. E. LIVE PROGRAMMING: Oshkosh Media staff may air live productions on Life TV. In this case, the Friends of Oshkosh Community Media will act as the community producer submitting the program for distribution. Oshkosh Media does not provide the equipment or resources to allow for live streaming by community producers. Examples of live programming on Life TV include: live sports, parades and other community events. VII. Denial of Access Privileges/Appeals: A. VIOLATIONS: Non-compliance of Oshkosh Media policies & procedures will not be tolerated. The following steps will be taken for offenders: 1. Upon a violation the access user will receive a written explanation of their violation with notice of their immediate temporary suspension of access privileges until the matter is reviewed by the Operations Coordinator. All documents to be presented by appellants must be presented with their request for appeal. 2. The Operations Coordinator will review the violation at his/her earliest convenience. If he/she upholds the violation the access privileges of the access user in question may be suspended for up to one year. 3. Those disagreeing with any suspension decision may appeal within thirty days of receiving their suspension decision letter by submitting a written request to the City Manager containing the explicit reasons based on Oshkosh Media policy for their appeal. This appeal will be reviewed by the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee. 4. Those disagreeing with the decision of the City Manager or City Manager’s designee may appeal to the Oshkosh Common Council within thirty days of receiving their decision letter by submitting a written request to the City Clerk containing the explicit reasons based on Oshkosh Media policy for their appeal. B. In such cases where the content of a Life TV program is being called into question, the following procedures will be followed: 1. Complainants will provide a written complaint to the Operations Coordinator detailing the program title, air date and time, and specific basis of the complaint. 2. The Operations Coordinator will then review the complaint and investigate the matter. A copy of the complaint will be sent to the local resident producer, with an invitation to respond to the complaint. 3. Should the Operations Coordinator determine a violation of Life TV policies has occurred the local resident producer will receive a written explanation of this finding with their notice of immediate temporary suspension of access privileges and replays of their programs. 4. Those disagreeing with any suspension decision may appeal within thirty days of receiving their suspension decision letter by submitting a written request to the City Manager containing the explicit reasons based on Oshkosh Media policy for their appeal. This appeal will be reviewed by the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee. 5. Those disagreeing with the decision of the City Manager or City Manager’s designee may appeal to the Oshkosh Common Council within thirty days of receiving their decision letter by submitting a written request to the City Clerk containing the explicit reasons based on Oshkosh Media policy for their appeal. Oshkosh Media Gov TV Policies & Procedures Oshkosh Media Gov TV Mission Statement: To create an informed electorate through the coverage of local government meetings, issues & events; to provide greater accessibility and understanding of city government through municipal programs and other video communication; to foster and promote citizen involvement and participation in the democratic process. Overview: Gov TV provides municipal programming to Oshkosh residents. Gov TV operations, services and programming are coordinated by the Oshkosh Media Operations Coordinator. In order to meet the Gov TV mission, the following programming and operational procedures were developed to provide guidelines to effectively and efficiently manage the channel. Policies & Procedures: A. USAGE OF FACILITIES: Gov TV staff resources and facilities are limited to municipal agencies/departments and those entities with direct corporate relationship with the city of Oshkosh. The use of Gov TV video production equipment shall be restricted to municipal agency/department related activities by such employees or persons under the direct supervision of Oshkosh Media staff. Gov TV is not intended for general public use. Loaning of equipment for personal use is not authorized. Other entities may apply for use of the facilities and staff time on a fee basis. B. PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES: Gov TV will adhere to the following program priorities: 1. Public Meetings (live & replays) 2. Gov TV produced programs 3. Video bulletin board service 4. Imported tape or satellite programs C. PUBLIC MEETINGS: Public meetings will air LIVE (with subsequent replays) on Gov TV, broadcast live on WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9 and video streamed on the Oshkosh Media website and the Oshkosh Media channel on over-the-top (OTT) platforms (i.e. Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV). The Operations Coordinator can provide a full list of meetings covered by Oshkosh Media, upon request. Meetings related to governmental committees, boards, and commissions may be distributed at the request or permission of the City Manager or City Manager’s designee, staff and equipment logistics permitting. 1. Oshkosh Media regular meeting coverage requests are approved by the City Manager in consideration of a formal request from the board/commission chair for covering the meeting, the general public interest for the particular board/commission business and/or issues, OM staff availability to assume the additional production time, and the ability to televise the meeting from Room 404/406 of City Hall. D. MEETING EDITING POLICY: Any public meeting on Gov TV, be they live or replay, will be aired in its entirety, gavel to gavel without editorial comment. Exceptions to this policy may occur only when editing out possible recesses, to comply with public standard of decency or when technical limitations restrict production procedures. Supplemental information on agenda items which the Oshkosh Media staff determines will aid the viewer in understanding the issues or matters under discussion may be provided. E. RETENTION OF PUBLIC MEETING MEDIA: Digital copies of Gov TV media of all local meetings will be held for seven (7) calendar years from the date of the meeting in accordance with state law regarding official public records. F. COPYRIGHT: All Gov TV produced productions will be under the copyright control of the city of Oshkosh unless otherwise noted. In situations where other organizations use the Gov TV facilities and/or resources, it is the responsibility of said organizations to obtain all necessary written copyright clearances for use of any copyrighted material. Organizations and individuals may use excerpts of programs and meetings produced by Oshkosh Media staff with the following provisions: 1. Content must be acquired by the requestor either by paying for a dub, or by recording the material via video service provider or Internet stream. 2. The portion of content being used must be a continuous clip of video and audio, as not to alter the original content or context. 3. Requestor must provide a courtesy graphic for the use of the clip which states “Video courtesy of Oshkosh Media” for a duration of at least 5 seconds during the clip, or a voiceover announcement stating the same, or both. G. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING: Programs produced by Gov TV or other entities related to government facilities, state, federal or local services and/or operation will be distributed if appropriate. Any programming prepared or provided by a municipal agency/department may be modified or edited as deemed appropriate to the policies governing Gov TV. Oshkosh Media staff will produce programming or cover events as staffing and facilities allow, in accordance with Oshkosh Media policies and approved by the Oshkosh Media Operations Coordinator. H. VIDEO BULLETIN BOARD: The Gov TV bulletin board provides alpha-numeric text, graphics and video for municipal and government information including program schedules, job postings, meetings, agendas, municipal events and other information. Oshkosh Media staff reserves the right to edit and program any written information submitted for inclusion in the Gov TV bulletin board to maximize, clarify or promote the message. Information for the bulletin board may be submitted by any city of Oshkosh municipal agency/department. I. DUPLICATIONS: Oshkosh Media will set fee rates for copies (dubs) of programming. Such rates will be based upon charges incurred for media and dubbing costs. In consideration for their cooperation for a program’s production, persons contributing to the production of a program may receive one free copy of the program provided they provide media stock or pay the appropriate recording media stock cost to Oshkosh Media to supply said dub. Copies of programs, meetings or portions of meetings for in-house, governmental use are provided at no charge. That government agency or official is expected to provide the required recording media; otherwise, copies of programs/meetings made on media provided by Oshkosh Media for use in-house remain the property of Oshkosh Media. All copies are subject to availability of programming and dubbing resources. J. UNDERWRITER/SPONSORSHIP/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Gov TV may list acknowledgements of program sponsors in accordance with Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Guidelines. When announcements for donations (money given without any direct connection to any programming) or underwriting for profit entities are made, they may include: 1. A trade name or brand name; 2. Location, website and phone number; 3. Logos or slogans that are not of a promotional nature; 4. Value-neutral descriptions of a product line or service that aid in identifying the contributor; 5. Names or service listings that do not include qualitative or comparative language. K. NON-COMMERCIAL: Gov TV is not allowed to promote the goods or services of any underwriter or donor. In order to avoid “promoting,” announcements made regarding entities who have furnished some consideration must not include any: 1. Mention of price: no interest rate, pricing information, discount, savings, or value of any kind may be included in acknowledging a contribution; 2. Call to action: any announcement regarding a company or person who furnishes remuneration to the public broadcaster may not suggest that the viewer take action—the listener cannot be encouraged to “call,” “come by,” “try,” or even “be sure” in relation to a product or service; 3. Inducements to buy: it is improper to entice the viewer to make a purchase by offering bonuses, freebies, or other specials; 4. Qualitative or comparative language: this area prohibits descriptive or comparative language of a product or service. An announcement may not explain, for example, that something is “perfect,” “less filling,” or is the “largest,” “smallest,” or “most” anything. L. PROHIBITIONS ON USE: The Gov TV facilities and resources shall not be used for the following: 1. Any material which constitutes libel, slander, pornography, violation of trademark or copyright, or which might violate any local, state, or federal laws, including FCC regulations; 2. Any material which advocates a particular religious belief or beliefs; 3. Any advertisements or programming on behalf of a political candidate or elected official or measure of a ballot. Note: This does not preclude Oshkosh Media from the production of programming which includes the opportunity for all candidates for a particular elective post or proponents of all sides of an issue to appear in a fair and equitable fashion organized by a third party, i.e., Candidate Forums by the League of Women Voters. In situations where parties wish to have Oshkosh Media record a candidate forum, such requests must be received a minimum of six (6) weeks prior to the date of the event and will be granted dependent upon staff and resources availability; 4. Any personal statements by announced candidates shall not be permitted on Gov TV, except in the regular discourse of public meetings or within a forum of public debate or question/answer format with all other declared candidates being invited and under the oversight of an impartial third party. Incumbents who become candidates for public office cannot appear on Gov TV except as described above during their period of candidacy. 5. Any advertisements including specific messages on behalf of or opposing any measure or referendum under consideration by the Oshkosh Common Council, the Oshkosh Board of Education, the Winnebago County Board or other governmental bodies. Note: This will not preclude the production of programming by Oshkosh Media staff to provide programming on Gov TV on such issues if all sides of the issue are presented, or the production of programs include debate by their proponents/opponents. M. ROLE OF GOV TV IN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS: Oshkosh Media staff are members of the City of Oshkosh Public Information Officer Team. Under direction of the Lead PIO Team Member, Oshkosh Media resources will be made available for disseminating information to the public during the city’s emergency response. Oshkosh Media staff will also assist in documenting on recording media any damage and recovery efforts for use by the PIO Team, the Emergency Operations Committee and other city departments. N. ELECTION RESULTS: Oshkosh Media will present election results from local races as staffing allows on election nights. Races and referenda will be covered if staff has access to complete results data for the whole district of the office, seat, or referendum question. Staff may opt to not cover unopposed races, and will focus on local races and referenda. Oshkosh Media Overview Oshkosh Media offers a variety of options for dispersing information including the city website, Oshkosh Media website, Oshkosh Media Bulletin Board, WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9, media releases, media advisories, Oshkosh Media television programming, Oshkosh Media channels on over-the-top (OTT) platforms (i.e. Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV), news conferences, and social media platforms. The aforementioned communication outlets are explained in detail in the document. The goal of the document is to serve as a tool to aid departments in their public information needs. Objectives for sharing public information  Serve as the communications link between the city, its residents, communities, and other stakeholders in the region.  Increase interest and participation in city services, programs, and activities.  Ensure our audiences have access to information and services via a diverse media portfolio – print, internet, radio, and/or television.  Promote city of Oshkosh goals, initiatives, programs, and services.  Create the best internal and external communications possible.  Strengthen our relationship with the news media to ensure they have timely and accurate information. City Website / Oshkosh Media Bulletin Board / WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9 / Social Media The city website, Oshkosh Media Bulletin Board, WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9, and social media platforms are all part of the standard method of communication. The information will be posted on the city website in a text version with possible links to supplemental information. The Bulletin Board is an informative graphic page that is displayed on Gov TV. The informational page runs for a cycle of two weeks during the appropriated time for specific departments. The Bulletin Board is broadcast anytime there is no programming scheduled. The information will be periodically broadcast on Oshkosh FM as audio. Examples: Upcoming Event Promotion, Citizen Survey Results, Etc. Guidelines: Departments can submit information by contacting the Communications Coordinator. Methods of dissemination of information  The information is emailed to Oshkosh Common Council members.  At the City Manager’s discretion he or she may include the information in the City Manager’s weekly newsletter.  The information is posted on the city website in a text version.  The information is posted on the Oshkosh Media Gov TV Bulletin Board.  The information is broadcast on WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9, when applicable.  The information is posted on social media platforms, when applicable. City and Oshkosh Media Website Linking Policy The city of Oshkosh’s websites were created to provide useful, city-related information to citizens and visitors. The city of Oshkosh will only provide hypertext links to external websites and pages that further the mission of the city through a direct corporate relationship. Any h ypertext links to external websites and pages may be removed or replaced at the sole discretion of the city of Oshkosh. The determination of links shall be made by the City Manager or City Manager’s designee. Media Release A media release is another tool of communication. It is used for the purpose of announcing something that would have news value. A media release provides reporters with the basics they need to develop a news story or an invitation to attend an event with the aim of releasing information at the event. A media release can announce a variety of items such as: scheduled events, accomplishments, new services, etc. The media releases will be on city of Oshkosh letterhead and are approved by the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee. Examples: Event Road Closures, State of the City Date Scheduled, City of Oshkosh Launches Informational Web Page, News Conference, Media Tour, etc. Guidelines:  The department making request creates a draft of desired media release.  The goal of media release should be included. (Example: time change of event, draw attention to new program, etc.)  The contact person should be listed for possible media requests.  The department making request submits information to Communications Coordinator.  The Communications Coordinator prepares the media release.  The Communications Coordinator sends media release to department head or department head designee for approval  Once approved, the media release is shared with media outlets.  On the day of the event the Communications Coordinator will act as the media liaison, if applicable. Methods of dissemination of information  The media release is emailed to media outlets.  The media release is emailed to Oshkosh Common Council members.  The media release is emailed to City Manager, Assistant City Manager, General Services Manager, Operations Coordinator, and any associated departments making request.  The media release is posted on the city website.  The information from the media release is posted on the Oshkosh Media Bulletin Board, broadcast on WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9 and posted on social media, when applicable.  At the City Manager’s discretion he or she may include the information in the City Manager’s weekly newsletter. Oshkosh Media Video Programming Oshkosh Media staff can help departments share information through a variety of programs. The programming consists of one-time or topical scheduled programs. An example of a one-time show would be to disperse emergency information or highlight a major change of city policy or procedures. An example of a topical scheduled show would be to highlight a new department initiative or major departmental news. The programming would be informative and educational for Oshkosh viewers. All one-time and emergency programs need to be approved by the City Manager or the City Manager’s Designee. Examples: One-time show – FEMA Flood Show, State of the City Address, Etc. Examples: Topical Scheduled Show – On Fire, City Manager’s Report, Etc. Guidelines:  The department making the request outlines the goal of the appearance. (Example: Promote Single Stream Recycling Program)  The department along with the Communications Coordinator work together to identify potential questions or talking points.  The department submits video requests for the program. (Oshkosh Media may have archived video of the topic or Oshkosh Media may need to shoot new video.)  The department submits information that can be turned into graphics for the show. (This would be information that would be helpful to see on the screen rather than just verbalizing.) Example: websites/phone numbers/facts and figures. Methods of dissemination of information  Topical scheduled programs will be recorded and distributed on Gov TV, including subsequent replays.  One-time and topical scheduled programs will be video streamed on the Oshkosh Media website and archived on the website for at least one year.  The programs may be broadcast on WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9, if staffing allows. News Conference Another option available for the sharing of public information is a news conference. Generally, a news conference is held to elicit publicity for a city event or activity and/or to address multiple requests from the media. At a news conference, one or more speakers may make a statement, which may be followed by questions from reporters. All news conferences must be approved by the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee. Examples: Oshkosh Homicide News Conference, Wisconsin Street Bridge Dedication, Etc. Guidelines:  The department making request creates a draft of news conference information.  The department making request with the help of the Communications Coordinator chooses a location, date, and time for the event.  The Communications Coordinator will assist in preparing any supplemental handouts for the media.  The department making request determines who the speakers will be and what other departments need to be involved in the news conference. Methods of dissemination of information  The Communications Coordinator invites media through an emailed media release or media advisory.  The media release or media advisory is emailed to Oshkosh Common Council members.  The media release or media advisory is emailed to City Manager, Assistant City Manager, General Services Manager, Operations Coordinator, and any associated departments making request.  The news conferences will be televised live when possible on Gov TV, with subsequent replays, when applicable.  The news conferences will be video streamed live on the Oshkosh Media website and on Oshkosh Media over-the-top (OTT) platforms, when applicable.  The news conferences will be broadcast live on WOCT Oshkosh FM 101.9, when applicable.  The news conference will be followed up with social media posts containing a summary of the information from the news conference.  The news conferences will be archived on the Oshkosh Media website.