Anne Arundel County Community Television

Anne Arundel Community Television (AACT) is the public access cable channel for Anne Arundel County. Its purpose is to provide a medium for individuals, organizations and educational institutions to communicate with the citizens of the county. AACT is organized and operated by the Anne Arundel County Government to provide the following services:

• Provide training in the use of television production equipment
• Produce and encourage the community to produce programming that serves viewers with high production quality, diverse viewpoints and regular scheduling
• Act as the vehicle for coordinating the public, educational and government access programming
• Develop and administer appropriate regulations concerning the use of the public access channel and its facilities

Eligibility

The facilities and channel are available to residents of Anne Arundel County on a non-discriminatory basis. A user must be an individual, organization or institution that has a legal address in Anne Arundel County. Users may be under the age of 18 provided an adult takes full legal and financial responsibility for equipment and facilities.

Suspension of User Privilege

AACT reserves the right to refuse use of the access facilities and equipment to a user who fails to comply with the rules of operation described herein. Upon the first violation, AACT will give verbal warning. The second violation will be a written warning. The third violation will result in permanent suspension of privileges.

The following violations will result in immediate termination of privileges.

• Deliberately presenting false or misleading information
• Negligence in handling of facilities or equipment
• Use of facilities or equipment while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

Anyone whose privileges are suspended may appeal to the Community Television Appeals Committee. This committee consists of the Chief of Telecommunications, the Cable Administrator and a representative of the Office of Law.

Certification 

In order to reserve and utilize the equipment and facilities an access user must be certified by the staff at AACT, a process whereby eligible users can learn or demonstrate their ability in video production techniques. The intent is to foster competent users and high production quality. Training workshops will be offered in the required area of skill. Completion of the workshops results in certification.

Certification begins the day of completion of the workshop or training, and lasts for one year. The certification remains valid provided the access user has used the facilities at least once during the year. Only users who are actively certified may use AACT’s facilities.  

Scheduling and Use of Equipment and Facilities

Equipment and facility reservations are made on a first come, first served basis to certified users with a Statement of Compliance  on file. A program proposal must be completed and approved prior to check out of equipment. Productions in progress must be completed before a new production proposal will be accepted. Reservations will be accepted no more than 30 days in advance. Only one reservation per producer per request. Requests may be made in person or over the phone.
Any change or cancellation of confirmed reservations must be communicated to AACT staff no less than 24 hours in advance except for unusual circumstances. Users may not exchange reservations without approval.

The user accepts full legal and financial responsibility while the equipment is in his/her possession. The user further agrees to pay the cost of any repair or replacement of equipment due to negligence, misuse or theft.

Program Scheduling

Any resident, organization or institution of Anne Arundel County may submit programming for cablecast on the public access channel. A program that has been submitted for cablecast on the public access channel will be screened for content and technical standards. AACT assumes responsibility for scheduling cablecast time for public access programming.

All programs must:

• Be submitted on ¾”, S-VHS, Hi8 or DVC which is clearly labeled with program title, producer name, total running time and program completion date
• Have continuous control track with 60 seconds of color bars and tone at the beginning of the tape, a slate, a ten second countdown and at least 30 seconds of black following the program
• Have acceptable video and audio levels
• Contain in the closing credits the following "This program produced through the facilities of AACT”

The producer retains full copyright ownership of his/her program. AACT will not commercially distribute the program. AACT will be permitted to cablecast the program for an unlimited number of showings on a non-exclusive basis. Programs may be duplicated by AACT only for the purpose of cablecasting and to take excerpts for use in promotions.

Submitting a Program for Cablecast

Anne Arundel Community Television operates a non-commercial channel which provides the opportunity for Anne Arundel county residents and organizations to have videotaped programs cablecast. Programs can be submitted by the holder of the rights for the material or by those who can demonstrate a proof of permission for cablecasting from the copyright owner.

AACT shall not cablecast nor permit to be cablecast, programs which have commercial content. Commercial content includes, but is not limited to, product placement, advertisement and service descriptions provided in exchange for value of any kind or nature. Commercial content also includes promotion of any individual business, partnership or corporation by direct or indirect reference or testimonial for the purpose of commercial exploitation. Should the producer/submitter wish to appeal the decision regarding commercial content, he/she may do so pursuant to the Appeal of Disciplinary Action of these Rules.

The following is the submission process:

• A Cablecast Request  is completed, signed and submitted
• The videotape of the program is submitted with the agreement form to Anne Arundel Community Television
• A submitted program is screened for content and technical standards
• Once a program has been screened and approved, AACT schedules the program based on availability of programming slots

A submitted program should identify:

• The program title, length and date produced
• The name of the producer and/or copyright holder
• A credit reference to AACT facilities in those programs wholly or in part created using such facilities. That credit must remain a part of any future distribution arrangements.

Illegal Programming

Public access programming may not be used for illegal purposes. AACT assumes no legal responsibility or liability for public access programming. Users responsible for illegal programming or programming containing information defrauding or intended to defraud the viewer shall forfeit their right to use public access facilities or air-time.

The following are examples of types of illegal programming which are prohibited by applicable federal, state or local laws:

• Information about any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes gained by lot or chance or any whole or partial list of prizes awarded by lottery, gift enterprise or similar scheme is prohibited. (Violation of this rule is subject to criminal liability under federal law, Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 1304). For example, a program violates this if it is connected with a valuable prize awarded to any person selected by lot or chance, if the winner is required to furnish anything in exchange for the prize, or if the winner is required to buy or have any product from the sponsor of the program.
• Material which is intended to defraud the viewer or designed to obtain money by false or fraudulent means is prohibited. (Violation of this rule is subject to criminal liability under federal law, Title 18, U.S.C. 1464).
• Obscene material is prohibited. (Violation of this rule is subject to criminal liability under federal law, Title 18U.S.C. 1464). Whoever transmits over any cable system any matter which is obscene or otherwise unprotected by the Constitution of the United States shall be fined by not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two (2) years or both. (Section 639 Cable Communications Policy Act). Neither AACT or Anne Arundel County, Maryland will attempt to make a determination as to the constitutional legality of any content presented for cablecast. A PEG cable  management entity may refuse to transmit any public access program that they reasonably believe contains obscenity. Determinations of obscenity are legal questions which can be determined only after due process by a judge and/or jury. The producer of each program is exercising his/her first Amendment right to free speech and is solely responsible for the program’s content. (Section 611(E) and 639 of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 & 1992). The producer of an access program is the person who signs the application for the use of the access facility.
• Advertisements are prohibited. Advertisements means any message or other programming material which is broadcast or otherwise transmitted in exchange for any remuneration, and which is intended (1) to promote any service, facility or product offered by any person who is engaged in such offering for profit; (2) to express the views of any person with respect to any matter of public importance or interest; or (3) to support or oppose any candidate for political office. (Pursuant to Title 47 U.S.C. 399(a) and (b). The prohibition against commercial advertisements will be applied to all users including non-profit users.

Sponsors of programs may be identified on screen at the conclusion of the program as part of the closing credits only. The credit may only mention the name of the sponsor and contact information. It can not mention specific products, services, prices, or hours of operation.