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Community Programming Handbook

[[2 columns]]
|Table of Contents|Page|
|---|---|---|
|A brief History|1|
|Manhattan Cable TV Today|2|
|Understanding Community Programming|3|
|∙Public Access|4|
|∙Leased Access|6|
|∙Municipal Areas|7|
|∙Local Origination|8|
|∙Community Outreach|10|
|Some Things You Need To Know|11|
|Pre-Production Considerations|16|
|Production Considerations|19|
|Suggested Production Facilities|21|
|Map of Suggested Production Facilities|23|
|Suggested Flow Chart—Your Checklist|24|
|Glossaries|25|
|Rate Card For Channel J|28|
|Rules Governing Access to Channels C&D|28|
|Rules Governing Access to Channel J|31|

Copyright ©1982
Manhattan Cable TV, 120 East 23 Street, N.Y.C.
All rights reserved.

PAGE 1

A Brief History

Manhattan Cable TV entered the communications capital of the world in 1970, with the awarding of the first New York City franchise for cable television operations.  Manhattan Cable TV's franchise area runs from 86th Street on the East Side and 79th Street on the West Side south to Battery Park, and includes Roosevelt Island.

By the end of 1970, 26,000 subscribers proved there was a market for home entertainment alternatives in New York--although only five channels of cable programming were offered at that time.  A key factor in this initial success was improved picture quality, still a factor in cable TV service today.

In 1970, two public access channels, Channels C and D, were established, giving the citizens of Manhattan their first opportunity to use the medium of television for the benefit of the community.

Since 1970 public access programming has increased eightfold.  In 1971, for example, public access programming totaled 20 hours each week.  Today, Manhattan Cable TV receives over 170 hours each week from approximately 160 independent producers for Channels C and D.

Public access continued to flourish when, in 1976, Channel J, the first leased access channel in the nation, was created.  On this channel, a producer purchases time for a fee and sells commercial time on his program, which in turn helps to offset production costs.  As a result, leased access producers have had the opportunity to turn their programming into profit-making enterprises.

That same year, City Channel L made its debut.  With financial support from Manhattan Cable TV of more than one-half million dollars since 1977, Channel L is one of the few ongoing municipal access channels in the country and has served as a model for the rest of the nation.

The growth of programming on all community programming channels has been remarkable.  Currently, Manhattan Cable TV cablecasts more than 10,000 hours of community programming every year over Channels C, D, J, L and 10.

Community programming is for everyone.  This handbook was created to familiarize you with one of the most exciting features of Manhattan Cable TV—its community programming channels.