HomeMy WebLinkAbout14.E. Government Access Policy-Res. No. 5847
It./. E,
City of Shakopee COf~SE~JT
Memorandum
TO: Mayor & City Council
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
FROM: Tracy Schaefer, Assistant to the City Administrator 1/1 ~
SUBJECT: Government Access Policies
MEETING DATE: January 21,2003
Introduction
City Council should move Resolution No. 5847, adopting the City of Shako pee
programming policy and procedures for government access cable channel 16.
Background
The City of Shakopee does not have any formal government access policies for
government access cable Channel 16, and to date, has worked off of informal guidelines.
Telecommunications Commission has discussed 1) objective of government access
channel 2) policies and responsibilities 3) prohibitions 4) editing policy 5) program
sources 6) program priorities and scheduling 7) electronic video bulletin board, and
developed the attached government access policies for Shakopee cable channel 16.
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 5847, government access policies for the City of Shako pee.
Action Requested
City Council should move Resolution No. 5847, adopting the City of Shakopee
programming policy and procedures for government access cable channel 16.
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City of Shakopee
Memorandum
TO: Telecommunications Commission
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
FROM: Tracy Schaefer, Assistant to the City Administrator
SUBJECT: Government Access Policies
MEETING DATE: January 8,2003
Introduction
Telecommunications Commission should discuss establishing new government access
policies.
Background
The City of Shakopee does not have any formal government access policies for Channel
16, and to date, has worked off of informal guidelines. Telecommunications Commission
needs to discuss 1) objective of government access channel 2) policies and
responsibilities 3) prohibitions 4) editing policy 5) program sources 6) program priorities
and scheduling 7) electronic video bulletin board.
Attached are draft government access policies, please discuss and direct staff if any
changes needed to be made.
Recommendation
Adopt government access policies for the City of Shakopee.
Action Requested
Telecommunications Commission should discuss establishing new government access
policies.
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RESOLUTION NO. 5847
ADOPTING CITY OF SHAKOPEE PROGR.AM:MING POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
GOVERNMENT CHANNEL 16
WHEREAS, the City of Shako pee ("City") established the Shakopee Telecommunications
AdvisOlY Commission by Resolution No'. 5655; and
WHEREAS, among other duties, the Telecommunications Advisory Commission is
authorized to operate the government access channels and develop and adopt advisory policies
for such operations; and
WHEREAS, the City does not have any programming policies or procedures for
govennnentaccesschannel16;and
WHEREAS, such policies and procedures, as outlined in exhibit A attached hereto and
made apart here of, are necessary to protect the City and the integrity of tlle government access
channel.
BE IT RESOLVED By the City Council of the City of Shakopee, Scott County, Minnesota that
Exhibit A, programming policy and procedures for the government access cable channel 16,
attached hereto and made apart here of be adopted.
Adopted in adjourned regular session held this _ day of ,2003.
William P. Mars, Mayor
ATTEST:
Judith S. Cox, City Clerk
RJV-212101vl
SH155-22
CITY OF SHAKOPEE
PROGRAMMING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
FOR GOVERNMENT ACCESS CABLE CHANNEL 16
1-21-2003
The municipal access chaJ.mel shall operate on Channel 16 and shall use the designation Cable
16, City of Shakopee. It shall be the goal of the municipal access channel to provide
governmental programming to the citizens of Shakopee. Live programming, recorded
programming, network programming, or alphanumeric information service will be utilized when
available and as necessary.
OBJECTIVE
The fundamental purposes of the municipal access channel are as follows:
. To promote the education of the City's citizens concerning local government by cablecasting
meetings consisting of the City Council, Planning Commission, or other commissions and
boards as the Telecommunications Commission deems appropriate and beneficial to the
City's citizens.
. To inform the citizenry at large about programs and public services provided by City
departments and City-sponsored agencies.
. To promote the education of citizens by presenting educational and cultural programs
beneficial to the City's citizens.
. To provide an outlet for discussion of issues that impact the Shakopee community.
. To explain the opportunities for citizen participation in programs and services.
. To provide information on public health, safety, and welfare issues.
POLICIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
. The Municipal Cable Channel, facilities and programming operate under the jurisdiction of
the City Council. Responsibility for programmmg lies with the Shakopee
Telecommunications Commission under the advisement of the Assistant to the City
Administrator. Day to day operation of the channel is under the direction of the Television
Production Specialist.
. The Shakopee Telecommunications Commission shall periodically review the programming,
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policies and operations of Cable Channel 16 and make recommendations to the City Council.
. The Shakopee Telecommunications Commission will be available on request ofthe Assistant
to the City Administrator or City Council to help resolve conflicts involving Channel 16
policies or operations.
. The municipal access channel and City Hall facilities are for the use of the City of Shakopee
departments.
. The use of the municipal access channel and City Hall facilities shall be reserved solely for
informational and educational programming created by municipal departments or agencies of
the City of Shakopee or provided by another municipality or government agency.
. Non-municipal agencies may participate in programming only at the invitation of the City
Administrator, or through the sponsorship of a City department.
. Selection and scheduling of videotapes and live events shall be the responsibility of the City
T elecOlmmmications staff.
. When material is determined to be unsuitable for use on the channel, appropriate notification
will be made in writing to the submitting agency, giving the reasons for the decision.
. The department producer or source of programming over the municipal access channel shall
be identified in the presentation.
. Use of City Hall video equipment shall be restricted to Chani'1el 16 activities, by City
employees and/or interns under the supervision of City employees. Loaning or rental of said
equipment for personal or outside agency use is strictly prohibited.
. The City shall be held harmless from any and all claims and demands, which arise as a result
of programming submitted by outside sources.
. It shall be the general policy to retain tapes of public meetings for a period of at least two (2)
weeks. Duplicate tapes of public meetings may be requested during this period at the public
access studio. At the end of that time the tapes will be erased and re-used. Regularly
scheduled Planning Commission and City Council meetings will be available for check out
for up to six (6) months at the Shakopee Public Library. Tapes shall not be considered an
official public record and there shall be no liability incurred for inadvertent erasure or
omISSIOns.
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PROHIBITIONS
. Any advertising messages on behalf of a political candidate or measure on a ballot.
EXCEPT: This shall not preclude the presentation of official materials or programming
produced by the municipal cable channel which includes the opportunity for all candidates
for a particular elective position or proponents of all sides of any issue to appear in an
equitable maImer.
. Any advertising message on behalf of or opposing any measure proposed by a City agency or
department or under consideration by the Shakopee City Council. EXCEPT: This shall not
preclude the presentation of information derived from the Shakopee City Council Agenda,
meeting notes or programming produced by the municipal channel which provides
background information on any measure tmder consideration if the various sides of the issue
are presented.
. Programming policy shall be to provide direct non-editorial information to the citizens of
Shakopee concerning the operations and deliberations of their city government. The cable
channel is not intended as a political forum, nor as a mechanism for building support for a
particular policy, program, issue, party or individual.
. Any promotional material concerning products or services presented for the purpose of any
solicitation of funds or other things of value. EXCEPT: This does not prevent the municipal
channel from seeking sponsors to offset the production costs associated with its
programming. Such sponsorship shall be acknowledged both before and after the program is
aired.
. Any information concerning any lottery, gift enterprise or similar promotion offering prizes
based upon lot or chance.
. Any material which constitutes libel, slander, invasion of privacy, violation of trademark, or
copyright, or which might violate any local, state or federal law, including FCC regulations.
. Programming produced outside of City production facilities without prior approval of the
Shakopee Telecommunications Commission.
EDITING POLICY
. Public Meetings - Any public meeting cablecast shall not be edited or subjected to editorial
comment. Meeting coverage shall be from gavel to gavel. Insertion of alphanumeric or
computer graphic information visual aids pertaining directly to councilor other meeting
agenda is allowed.
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. Departmental Programs - Any programming prepared by or provided by an individual city
department may be modified or edited as appropriate to the policies governing channel use,
or as dictated by scheduling and staffing requirements.
. Video Bulletin Board - Informational messages programmed for use on the alphanumelic
bulletin board shall be edited for clarity and to maximize the capacity of the system.
PROGRAM SOURCES
Municipal access cable television programming will come from the following sources:
. Live Coverage - Live coverage of public meetings will be provided. This will consist of
cablecasts of City Council meetings and other public meetings and events of community
interest.
. Tape Delay Cablecasting - Some public meetings, city functions, and special events will be
taped for cablecasting later. Repeat presentations at times more convenient to the public will
be given for City Council and other public meetings and events.
. Character Generated Programming - Municipal information, messages and press releases for
inclusion on the Municipal Video Bulletin Board and/or Calendar will be edited to conform
to the space and technical limitations of the character generated system.
. City Produced Programming - Programs will be produced by the municipal
telecommunications staff, illustrating the functions or operations of some unit of City
government. Any City department may submit requests for programming development.
Such programming must be consistent with the intent of this policy statement and will be
integrated into the overall public information purposes of municipal cable television.
Programming ofthis type is subject to the approval ofthe telecommunications staff.
. Outside Source Programs - Some municipal cable television programs will come from
sources outside the City. Such programming will be integrated into the overall public
information purposes of municipal cable television, and must have prior approval by the
telecommunications staff.
PROGRAM PRIORITIES AND SCHEDULING
Scheduling the use of the municipal access channel time shall be the responsibility of the
Television Production Specialist. Scheduling will be in accordance with channel use priorities
(listed below) and the availability of equipment and resources.
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. Emergency Override Notification - To provide citizens with information and procedures in
the event of emergency situations (severe weather, civil emergencies, failure of municipal
service or systems, hazardous waste et a1.).
. Public Meetings - To help increase and encourage citizen awareness and participation in
public policy decision making. City Council meetings and work sessions will be given first
priority.
. Function and Operation of City Services - To illustrate and describe the nmctions, operations,
and services of some unit of City government in order to increase citizen understanding of
their govemment and its services.
. Topics of Interest to Shakopee- To provide an outlet for discussion from a municipal
viewpoint of issues that bear upon the Shakopee community or upon specific audiences or
neighborhoods, including the impact of regional, state and federal policies on the City and its
residents.
. Programming arranged and received via satellite through an affiliation with network(s)
determined by city staff or the Shakopee Telecommunications Commission.
VIDEO BULLETIN BOARD
. To provide calendar or informational messages to citizens about programs and public
services offered by City departments.
. Alpha-numeric information and messages in the form of a Video Bulletin Board (VBB) shall
be programmed on Cable Channel 16 at predetermined times and intervals designated by the
Video Production Specialist.
. The objective of providing these VBB messages are identical to those stated in the
OBJECTIVE section of this policy.
. Information submitted to Cable Channel 16 is subject to editing as defined in the EDITING
section of this policy.
. Sources for information or messages displayed on the VBB shall be limited to those
generated by:
a. Departments or Sections of the City of Shako pee government.
b. Request of Departments or Sections of the Scott County government.
c. Request or publication of the State of Minnesota government.
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d. Those government agencies in which departments or sections of the City of Shakopee are
affiliated.
e. Promotional information about city functions, city-sponsored special events, or other
cities, counties, or state government events.
f. Request of the Shakopee School systems.
. It shall be the general policy of Cable Channel 16 to exclude all other information on its VBB
not described above, except in the following circumstances:
a. Emergency notification (severe weather, civil emergencies, failure of local services or
systems, hazardous waste, et a1.).
b. Providing public notification for area educational institutions, employers, child care
providers, public events or community activities in the event of severe weather conditions
or emergency situations.
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