MHTV Station Manual PDF

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Station Manual to follow when in the studio...

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OPERATIONS MANUAL (as of Fall of 2020)

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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TABLE OF CONTENTS MHTV Station Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. COVID-19 Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Program Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Program Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. Program Content/Structural Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. Show Producer Expectations/Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13. Executive Staff Requirements and Responsibilities Station Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. Social Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17. Promotions Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18. Traffic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19. Business Grants Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20. Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.

Producer Contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. Talent/Performance Release Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. Executive Staff Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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MHTV STATION PROFILE Recognized by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters as College Television Station of the Year for 17 consecutive years, MHTV is a 24-hour station that is cablecast to the Central Michigan University campus network on channel 26.2, and the Mount Pleasant community on Charter cable channel 189. All MHTV content is written, produced, directed, and edited by the students of the School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts. Program content varies widely and provides students with a multitude of opportunities to learn from real-world, hands-on, professional production experience. Students may also choose to learn the administrative side of television by serving in one of the many MHTV Executive Staff positions within the organization.

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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COVID-19 CHANGES General Studio Guidelines Studio-based shows must be able to produce their content with a single floor operator, and no more than three control room operators. All talent and crew must always maintain at least 6ft of social distancing. Studio positions should be utilized as follows: ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

One person serves as Director/TD/Video Playback/GFX Operator One person run audio console One person runs teleprompter (if needed) If talent will be utilizing the teleprompter foot pedals, the third operator can run GFX or video. One floor operator serves as Floor Director and makes camera adjustments as needed

Field Productions Currently, all field productions will be suspended until further notice as we cannot guarantee the following of safety precautions for students. Cleaning/Sanitizing After using the facility, all equipment that has been utilized and any contact surfaces must be carefully sanitized using the provided alcohol and Kim wipes. Keys No permanent keys to the MHTV Studio will be circulated to students. Use will be granted through coordination with the BCA Video Facilities Manager, only. If access is required outside of normal business hours (M-F, 8:00A - 5:00P), the BCA main office will be notified of approval and an overnight key will be issued by the office. All keys must be returned by 8:00 the following business day. Moore 119 Editing Lab Due to a lack of sufficient social distancing space, the MO 119 editing lab will be temporarily closed for the Fall 2020 semester. CMU is now recognized as an official Adobe Campus, which grants all students with full access to all Adobe programs on both university, and personal computers. Students without their own equipment may access the full Adobe suite at Park Library or in any open computer lab on campus. Meetings/Collaborations All meetings and collaborations that take place must be done virtually. All students have a WebEx room where they can utilize the space to ensure safety. How to access: (Example) ❖ http://cmich.webex.com/meet/sikor1gr (insert your global ID for your own WebEx chatroom)

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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MHTV PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Typed program proposals should be submitted to the MHTV Executive Staff and its advisor(s). Submission due dates are based on the semester in which you’d like your prospective series to air. Proposals for Fall semester consideration must be turned in by April 1st, while proposals for Spring semester consideration are due no later than December 1st . Incomplete, or late proposals will be ineligible. This proposal is intended to sell your program concept to the Executive Staff. Ideas should be explained with as much detail as necessary, in order to convey a complete concept of the series. The program described must be worthwhile to students involved with the production and to viewers as well as representing, professionally, the image of the station. It also must be feasible to produce and air. PROGRAM PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE: ❖ Program Title ❖ Concept: Describe the program, including format and length. Be thorough. ❖ Purpose of Objectives: What is the purpose of the show? What is the communication objective (i.e. to inform viewers about local issues, to entertain, to showcase the musical talent of CMU students, etc.)? ❖ Target Audience: Describe the intended audience for the program. ❖ Talent: Explain each on and off-camera positions needed (host, announcer, actors, etc.). List the names of the people who have given a firm commitment to work on this show if it should be approved. ❖ Production Crew: List the crewmembers needed for production (note: technical people must be certified through MHTV). Include both studio and remote crews as well as post-production personnel required. List the names of those students who have given a commitment to work on the show, if it should be approved, and which position each student will serve. ❖ BCA Field Equipment and Supplies Requested: Include type of camera, mics, lighting, etc. If no field equipment or supplies are requested, explain what equipment will be used and who will be providing it. ❖ BCA Studio Facilities and Supplies Requested: Explain the set pieces, set dressings and props required for the show. What BCA set pieces, set dressings, and props will be used? What will you supply? Do you have any special lighting needs? Include a floor plan for your standard studio set. ❖ BCA Postproduction Facilities and Supplies Requested: Include a description of any postproduction equipment and/or facilities required to complete your production. ❖ Rundown: Outline the sequential order of the show, describing the content and length of each segment. ❖ Production Schedule: Identify preferred day(s) and time(s) for shooting (studio and/or remote) and post-production work. Include the number of hours anticipated for each production activity (studio use, field shooting, postproduction, etc.). ❖ Preferred Air Time: Suggest the time that your program should air and explain your reasoning. Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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❖ Any additional materials you feel will help sell the program. ❖ Signed and dated Producer Contract (make sure you read this carefully before signing). ❖ A completed Producer Contact Information sheet. A proposal pdf is to be sent over Slack to the Station Manager by the due date listed above. ❖ CRITERIA FOR PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE: o o o o o o o

Educational/training benefits for students involved. Numbers of students involved in the production Hours of time required. Each proposal must state the numbers of hours anticipated for use of the studio, control room, field equipment and editing facilities. A balance and variety of MHTV programming content for the semester. Maturity, reliability, integrity, and professionalism of the students pitching the show. Members’ previous work with MHTV, coursework, and outside video experience. Quality of program proposal, including: clarity of concept, adherence to proposal guidelines, completeness of description, thoroughness, and neatness.

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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MHTV PROGRAM RENEWAL This is intended for shows where both Producers will be returning the following season. Changes to Producing teams will require the show to go through the show proposal process again. PROCEDURE: Shows that have completed a successful season run on MHTV are required to submit a Show Renewal request in order to be considered for airing in the following semester. Forms should be emailed to the Station Manager no later than December 1st (for Spring) or April 1st (for Fall). RENEWAL REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE: ❖ Program Title ❖ Talent: Explain each on and off-camera positions needed (host, announcer, actors, etc.). List the names of the people who have given a firm commitment to work on this show if it should be approved. ❖ Production Crew: List the crewmembers needed for production (note: technical people must be certified through MHTV). Include both studio and remote crews as well as post-production personnel required. List the names of those students who have given a commitment to work on the show, if it should be approved, and which position each student will serve. ❖ Production Schedule: Identify preferred day(s) and time(s) for shooting (studio and/or remote) and post-production work. Include the number of hours anticipated for each production activity (studio use, field shooting, postproduction, etc.). ❖ Preferred Air Time: Suggest the time that your program should air and explain your reasoning.

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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PROGRAM CONTENT/STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS

It is critical that all MHTV shows maintain a consistent structure and quality. Therefore, failure to adhere to any of these requirements will constitute a violation of policy, which will result in the issuance of a warning per violation. A. Master File Specifications In order to ensure proper playback quality and traffic scheduling all MHTV master files must meet the following specifications: ❖ FILENAME: o Episodes with donor spots: D_SHOW_NAME_SY_E01 o Episodes without donor spots: P_SHOW_NAME_SY_E01 (See point three of Section E, Subsection iii, Article b.) o EXAMPLE ▪ P_CENTRAL_VIEW_F16_E01 All caps, underscores for spaces. D=Donor version, P=PSA version, S=semester, Y=year, E= episode number ❖ FORMAT: o H.264 o Select H.264 from the Format menu in Premiere. ❖ CODEC: o .MP4 o ‘Vimeo 1080p HD’ from the Presets menu sets this as the default selection. ❖ RESOLUTION: o 1920 x 1080 o ‘Vimeo 1080p HD’ from the Presets menu sets this as the default selection. ❖ FRAME RATE: o 29.97fps o Any frame rates other than 29.97 will be rejected by the playout server! ❖ BITRATE: o Constant Bitrate (CBR) @ 15 Mbps B. Audio Levels: Most important, and often overlooked, MHTV programs are required to have properly mastered and polished audio. Always watch your final version through and monitor the VU meters before exporting! These are easy strikes to avoid. ❖ The master record level for all programs, promos, etc. should approximate, but should NOT peak above, -12db, ❖ Secondary audio sources (music, sound effects, etc.) should always fade UNDER any voice audio. This means secondary sources should approximate, but not exceed, the -12db mark ONLY when Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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there is no voice track, then FADE (not simply cut out) UNDER the voice – typically 1/3 the level of the voice – then FADE back up to a proper level. C. Opening Credits/Title Sequences: All MHTV programs must have an attractive, attention-getting opening that includes an animated title graphic. The length of the overall production determines how long a program’s opening can be. 1. A 30-minute program may have an opening credits/title sequence that lasts up to :30, but no longer. Producers may stretch this to 1:00 for the first episode of each season. Closing credits for a 30-minute program must not exceed :45. 2. A 60-minute program may have an opening credits/title sequence that lasts up to :45, but no longer. Producers may stretch this to 1:00 for the first episode of each season. Closing credits for a 60-minute program must not exceed 1:00. D. Name Keys: Anyone who appears on camera should be identified with a name key. This does not include narrative/dramatic programs. 1. The rule of thumb is that they should be name keyed the first time they appear, and whenever they appear on camera after coming back from a break. 2. Name keys must be attractive and easy to read. They should match the design/color scheme of the show title and other graphics and, when possible/appropriate, they should be animated. 3. Name keys must fall within the safe title area. 4. Name keys must remain on screen long enough for the audience to read them – typically :03 :08, depending on the length of the name, additional information in the key, etc. E. Breaks: 1. 30-minute program o may have NO MORE THAN 2 breaks. o must have a minimum of 4 minutes of breaks OR the minimum amount of time needed to fulfill the station break requirements (see sections E./iii.-viii. below). o may have no more than 7 1⁄2 minutes of breaks. 2. 60-minute programs o may have NO MORE THAN 4 breaks o must have a minimum of 6 minutes OR the minimum amount of time needed to fulfill the Station Break requirements (see section C. below). (Exceptions to this rule may be made for sporting events or other special programs, wherein a “sole sponsor” is secured for that program.) Every episode of every show MUST include the following: ❖ Outgoing Show Bumpers: o These are :03-:05 FULL SCREEN ANIMATED graphics (with or without voice over) that signal to audiences that the show is going into a break. (A typical, simple outgoing show Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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bumper may be a full screen animated graphic that features the show logo and reads “We’ll be right back.” Donor Spots: o Required donor spots are announced at every MHTV producers/staff meeting and will appear in meeting minutes. o Each of these spots must appear in every episode once and ONLY ONCE, unless otherwise directed. DO NOT place ANY spot more than once per episode unless otherwise instructed to do so by the Station Manager, Faculty Advisor, or Operations Manager. Show o Each production team (including Executive Staff members who produce programming as part of their job duties) must create a :30 promo for their show by the due date of episode two. o As producers, you have the option of running your own promo during your own show. o You are required to run the promos for all other programs once in every episode. o Promos MUST clearly identify the title, air time and basic premise of the program Station Bumpers coming back from every break: o These are a type of station ID. Typically, they consist of shots of random CMU student saying “You’re watching MHTV...” and include the station logo. They vary in length from :03 to :06. Incoming Show Bumpers: o Like the outgoing show bumpers going into the break, these must be FULL SCREEN and ANIMATED. These bumpers immediately follow the Station Bumper, signaling to the audience that the show is coming out of the break. (A typical, simple incoming show bumper may be a full screen animated graphic that features the show logo and reads “Welcome back!” The Legal Station ID: o This is a standard ID that will be identical for all shows. Typically, it will consist of just the station logo with a VO. This ID will be the very last element of each episode. As such, if the ID is :05, it will be the very last :05 of your show: the station ID IS NOT an additional element – it must be timed as PART of your 30:00 or 60:00 program. Break Structure Summary o A rundown for a typical break would appear as follows: Break 1 Outgoing Show Bumper :05 “We’ll be right back!” Show Promo :30 Donor or PSA :30 Donor or PSA :30 Show Promo :30 Station Bumper :05 “You’re watching MHTV” Incoming Show Bumper :05 “Welcome back!”

❖ Access to Donor Spots and Show Promos: Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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o

o

It is the Traffic Director’s responsibility to make the required Donor Spots and Show Promos available to all Show Producers. Required content can be found on the shared MHTV OneDrive account, within the "Other Content" folder. In the absence of a Traffic Director and, ultimately, the responsibility for placing ALL required elements – including Donor Spots and Show Promos – falls upon the Show Producers and Executive Staff members who produce programming as part of their job duties.

F. Sample Show Rundown: ❖ While programs will vary, a typical rundown for a 30-minute show might appear as follows: (See section E./ix./a. for a summary of the typical break structure.) ELEMENT IN TIME RUN TIME OUT TIME Title Open 30:00 :30 29:30 Segment 1 29:30 7:15 22:15 Break 1 22:15 3:15 19:00 Segment 2 19:00 7:15 11:45 Break 2 11:45 3:30 8:15 Segment 3 8:15 7:30 :45 Close/Credits :40 :40 :05 Station ID :05 :05 :05 G. Transitions: ❖ Shows should never go to black within the show itself. The only time black should appear is as follows: o between Show Bumpers and Break content: shows should “kiss” or “dip to” black between the Show Bumpers and the first and last element of the break itself. This is a very quick fade to black followed by an equally quick fade up to the other element. The “kiss” should last for :01 or less. o between elements within a break: for example, between donors, promos and PSAs o an illustration of this procedure might look as follows: Show Segment 1 (Cut, dissolve, or wipe) Show Bumper:

:04 (kiss black)

Show Promo:

:30 (kiss black)

PSA

:30 (kiss black)

Moore Hall Television | School of Broadcast & Cinematic Arts | Central Michigan University

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Donor #1

:30 (kiss black)

Show Promo:

:30 (kiss black)

Station Bumper:

:04 (kiss black)

Show Bumper:

:04 (Cut, dissolve, or wipe) Show Segment 2

H. Copyright Protected Material: ❖ In general, NO copyright protected material may appear in MHTV shows. This includes licensed music, clips from television commercials and programs or films, photographs or other copyrighted works of art, etc. The ONLY exception to this rule are: o cases where use of materials falls under the notion of “fair critique,” such as movie and music reviews o cases where use of such material falls under the notion of “fair use,” such as part of a game show competition o cases where the license/copyright holder has provided formal written permission for the ...