Submit a Program for Broadcast

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Somerville Media Center offers time on local cable television channels, streaming video platforms, and internet radio services. Please complete this form below to request time on these channels and feeds.

Program Title(Required)

Please enter the full title of this program to be shown in public listings and schedules.

Program Description(Required)

Please enter a thorough description of this program. Include the full names of guests or actors, locations of production, intended audience and other essential information that will be seen by the public. Providing a complete program description will help SMC schedule and promote the program.

Program Duration(Required)

Please enter the total run time (HH:MM:SS format) of this program.

Original Production Date(Required)

Please enter the original or first intended production date of this program.

Program Expiration Date

If the content of this program will expire, become outdated, or be otherwise irrelevant after a specific date, please enter that date here.

Platform(Required)

Choose the type that best describes this program.

Cable Television and/or Streaming Video

Internet Radio

Type(Required)

Choose the type that best describes this program.

Live

Pre-Recorded

Direct Download for Program or Episode(Required)

Provide a direct download link for a high quality video file of this program. SMC will not be responsible for technical issues involving incorrect download permissions, incorrect links, or the performance of third party online services. Please note that SMC WILL NOT DOWNLOAD content from Youtube, Instagram, Mixcloud, BandCamp, or other such community sharing sites because it is a violation of their terms of use policies.

Program Type(Required)

A "Single" program is a piece of content that stands alone with no related programming to follow. A "Series" is a collection of related programs meant to be viewed in distinct episodes.

Single

Series

Total Available Episodes(Required)

Please enter the exact number of episodes available as of today's date.

Episode Frequency(Required)

How often will a new episode be submitted?

Weekly

Bi-weekly

Monthly

Other

Future Submission Method(Required)

What electronic service will be used to transmit future episodes to SMC?

Dropbox

Google Drive

WeTransfer.com

Links via email

Other

Somerville Audience(Required)

Choose the option that best describes the intended audience for this program.

Produced in Somerville for a Somerville audience

Produced in Massachusetts and relevant to Somerville

Produced in another community and intended for a general audience

Category(Required)

Please select the categories that best describe this program.

Arts & Culture

Documentary / Events

Informational / Local Government

Public Service Announcement

Religious

Short Fiction

Other

Mature Content(Required)

Does this program contain depictions or descriptions of nudity, profanity, or graphic violence?

Yes

Copyrighted Material(Required)

Did this program receive permission to use any and all copyrighted or trademarked materials, including music, images, and video, contained in this program and can the producer provide verification if requested?

Yes

Commercial Intent(Required)

Does this program promote commercial businesses, advocate for the sale of products of services, or generally have significant commercial intent?

Yes

Compensation(Required)

Did this production of this program generate any compensation for the producer or production crew?

Yes

If yes to above, please specify the nature of the arrangement.

Requested Day of Week for Broadcast(Required)

SMC will make every effort to accommodate requested schedule times.

Requested Time of Day for Broadcast(Required)

SMC will make every effort to accommodate requested schedule times.

Your Information

Your Name(Required)

Enter your contact information.

Your Phone(Required)

By providing a telephone number and submitting this form you are consenting to be contacted by SMS text message. Message & data rates may apply. You can reply STOP to opt-out of further messaging.

Your Email(Required)

Your Mailing Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Membership Status(Required)

Are you a member at SMC?

Yes

Unsure

Original Producer(Required)

Are you the original producer of this content?

Yes

Original Producer's Permission(Required)

I have received permission from the original producer to submit this program for rebroadcast at SMC's channels and can produce such written permission if requested.

Yes

Original Producer's Name(Required)

Enter information for the original producer of this program.

First Last

Original Producer's Mailing Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Original Producer's Email

This information will be available to the public on electronic program guides and information pages for this program.

Original Producer's Phone

Agreement with Programming Policies(Required)

Programming Policies

SMC operates channels on the local cable television systems as well as web-based streaming video and audio services. Individuals may request programming time on cable television channels and streaming platforms to distribute content intended for viewing by the Somerville audience.

Any individual who lives or works in Somerville may request programming time, free of charge, to distribute a program of up to one (1) hour in length once per year.

Current members of SMC may request programming time, free of charge, to distribute an unlimited number of programs of any length. Members of SMC who accessed no-cost use of equipment to produce content are obligated to submit programming for distribution by SMC.

Requests must be made not less than two (2) business days prior to a requested program time slot or release date. Once submitted and approved, a program is entitled to at least one scheduled play time on cable television channels or publication on streaming platforms. Repeat broadcasts or additional weekly time slots may be provided at the discretion of programming staff on the basis of the program offering continued relevance to the Somerville community.

Requests may be made for one of two types of programs:

“Single” programs stand alone and do not necessarily come as a series or group of episodes.

“Series” programs are part of a group of episodes that are intended to be viewed in some order. Programming agreements must be renewed each year in order to continue submitting new episodes of series programs. If regularly scheduled series programs do not submit regular new episodes then the program is subject to potential cancellation of programming time.

Individuals retain copyrights to their content but grant license to SMC to distribute programming on their behalf. Submitting programming to SMC grants SMC permission to use samples of said programming for its own promotional or fundraising purposes.

SMC is not obligated to retain copies of programming indefinitely and individuals are expected to keep their own personal archives and backups of programming.

For programming relating to local elections, see Addendum: Election Content Policies.

Scheduling and Priority

Programming time on SMC’s cable television channels and other streaming platforms is scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. SMC does not assume editorial control of content and does not review content in advance of programming times. SMC reserves the right to set, maintain, and change the scheduling and availability of programming at any time, with or without notice, in order to provide equitable access to resources for Somerville stakeholders.

In the event of competing requests for programming time, SMC will prioritize requests in the following order:

Live programming produced by Somerville residents or stakeholders

Pre-recorded programming produced by Somerville residents or stakeholders

Live or prerecorded programming of demonstrated interest to Somerville residents or stakeholders

Live programming produced by non-Somerville residents or stakeholders

Pre-recorded programming produced by non-Somerville residents or stakeholders

SMC reserves the right to refuse to schedule programming if programming does not meet minimum technical standards for distribution, such as incorrect file formats or file failures.

Content Restrictions

The following restrictions apply to all programming distributed on SMC’s cable television channels and other electronic platforms.

Content must not include commercial material such as advertising or promotion of products or services.

Content must not contain speech that is not protected under the First Amendment of the
Constitution of the United States including obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement, “fighting words”, true threats, criminal speech, and child sex abuse material.

Content must not invade privacy of an individual or entity.

Content must not include trademarked or copyrighted material unless expressed written permission is granted to the user. The sole exception is when music is presented on SMC’s streaming radio platform that is licensed for copyrighted music.

Content must not violate applicable FCC regulations, or local, state, and federal laws.

Responsibilities

SMC requires individuals using our services to understand the legal limitations of free speech and to assume responsibility for the outcomes resulting in distributing their programming.

Individuals are required to indemnify SMC against any legal repercussions as a result of the content of their programming. Individuals must use good judgment when creating media and respect the Somerville community at large and SMC’s excellent reputation within it.

Anyone requesting use of cable television channels or other electronic platforms must:

Be thoroughly familiar with the content of any programming submitted and understand the personal risks associated with distributing such programming.

Ensure compliance of the programming with all applicable laws, including, when relevant, election laws.

Obtain clearances, permissions, releases, and licenses as may be needed from entities who appear or own material found within the programming being submitted.

Disclose the presence of advisory material including profanity, excessive violence, nudity, or explicit sexual content.

Indemnify SMC and the City of Somerville entirely against damages incurred as a result of programs that contain speech including libel and slander, sedition, obscenity, invasion of privacy, copyright and trademark infringements, or any other damages incurred as a result of violations of the law contained in any program.

Promotion

SMC engages in basic promotional activities about the programming it distributes, such as regular newsletters and social media messages that contain announcements about new programming. Members may write and send their own press releases to local newspapers, radio stations, and other access programs in an effort to build an audience for their own program.

I agree to to SMC's Programming Policies

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