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● Introduction & Index ● What is PR ● Job Expectations ● Types of Media ● Building Relationships ● Media, Hams & FCC Rules ● The Basic News Release ● Interviews and Live ● Making your own show ● Easy P.R. ● Public Service Events ● Piggy-back to Events ● Pictures NOW! ● P.R. Research Aids ● Making Friends ● ARES® PIO ● Final Exam Information Next Page

Sometimes third party, non-profit organizations manage an area’s Public Access programming. While these groups may provide similar services to a cable operator’s Public Access facility, the cable operator does not manage or them. These facilities vary greatly in staffing and facilities. They can range from completely volunteer staff to a large staff of full time employees. An Executive Director usually manages the larger facilities. These facilities are funded by fees charged to the cable subscribers. Some non-profit access providers also have authority over the E and G channels. Like all Public Access facilities, they do not, technically, produce their own programming. They provide training, editing time, studio time, and playback facilities for others to produce their own programming and to cablecast programs that are already produced by independent producers. So how do you get a Program on a Cable System? No matter what type of Public Access facility is associated with your cable company, you should find out who are the contacts for getting programs on the cable system. There are usually strict rules about who can use a specific time slot. The most desirable time slots are during TV prime time from 7pm to 11pm. Time slots and playback dates need to be reserved in advance and producers need to fill out some forms about their programming. Public Access facilities allow you to submit a pre-produced program that may or may not have originated in their franchise area as long as it meets their local access content guidelines. For example, a program about Amateur Radio produced by the ARRL would be permitted to run on Public Access but there usually has to be a local producer who submits the program to the Public Access facility and assumes responsibility for its delivery and content. Make sure that you have the rights to run programming that you produce or submit to an access facility. Generally music rights on public access are paid under a blanket license by the cable operator and, as an access producer, you are exempt from individual music rights negotiations. It is usually not a big deal on public access, but make sure that you have obtained the necessary permissions to use the likeness and image of the people on your program. To see a PDF of a standard release form CLICK HERE