How to submit a program for cablecast

Channel time at MetroEast is available to the public in the Portland-Vancouver Metro area free of charge for the cablecast of non-commercial programs after taking our free orientation.

Program submitters are responsible for program content.

All programming produced outside the greater Portland Metro area requires a local sponsor to air on MetroEast channels. The sponsor of the program will be responsible for submission of cablecast requests and for pick-up and drop-off of DVD's. Click here for the Single Program Cablecast Request form.

If you would like other volunteers to assist you with your production, or if you are available to help, stop by MetroEast to fill out a "Help Wanted" or "Help Available" card. We will display the information on our lobby’s volunteer bulletin board. Contact Teri Jensen for more information (326).

To learn more about submitting programs for cablecast, click on one of the following links, or scroll down the page.

Acceptable Program Formats
Scheduling Your Program
Single Program Replay Information
Submitting a Series
Series Replay Information
Public Access Channels
Tape Storage


ACCEPTABLE PROGRAM FORMATS:

DVD in mpeg2 format is preferred over tapes

DV and DVcam
Program audio on channels 1 & 2, only. We do not use channels 3 and 4.
Program Time Code must be continuous and unbroken.

Shows must start at 1 minute Time Code for tapes to be uploaded properly.
ONE PROGRAM PER TAPE ONLY -- NO EXCEPTIONS!!


SCHEDULING YOUR PROGRAM
To schedule your program, fill out a Cablecast Request form and return it to MetroEast Community Media. You may submit your program with the Cablecast Request or separately. Your program must be received no later than 5 pm three days before its first scheduled cablecast. (For example, if your program is scheduled to air on Thursday, the tape must be delivered to the Programming Department by 5 pm on Monday.)

If you are interested in producing a series, you can submit a request at the beginning of each of our four seasons. For more details, contact Aaron Edwards, Playback, at (503) 667-8848, ext. 332.

If you would like a Cablecast Request form for series or single programs, call or visit the Playback Department, (503) 667-8848, ext. 332.


SINGLE PROGRAM REPLAYS
The following rules apply for single programs airing on MetroEast channels. If you have questions please contact Aaron Edwards, Playback, at 503-667-8848, ext. 332 or email aaron@metroeast.org

Programs less than 15 minutes in total length are considered “filler” programs and will not receive scheduled replays. Filler programs are used to fill the gaps in our daily channel schedules. Filler programs receive a minimum of four plays and can play many more times on MetroEast channels.

Replay will be as follows if you are submitting a program that has been produced within the greater Portland Metro area, your program is longer than 15 minutes in total length, and your program has not previously aired on community media channels:

• Your program will be scheduled to air four times.
• Three plays will be on MetroEast Channel 21 and one play will be on the Community Access Network (CAN), Channel 11.
• If time is not available on CAN, the fourth play will be on Channel 21.

If you are submitting a program that has been produced within the greater Portland Metro area, your program is longer than 15-minutes in total length, and your program HAS previously aired on community media channels:

• Your program will be scheduled to air three times on MetroEast channel 21.

If you are submitting a program that has been produced outside of the greater Portland Metro area, your program is longer than 15 minutes in total length:

• Your program will be scheduled to air once on MetroEast channel 22.

SUBMITTING A SERIES
The following rules apply for series programs airing on MetroEast channels. If you have questions please contact Aaron Edwards, Playback, at 503-667-8848, ext. 332 or email aaron@metroeast.org.

Series Details:

• Each series season spans 13 weeks. There are 4 series seasons per year.
• There is an opportunity to apply for a series four times a year. Series applications are not accepted outside of this application window. To find out when you may apply for a series contact Aaron Edwards, Playback, at 503-667-8848, ext. 332 or email aaron@metroeast.org.
• A series program submitter may offer a series that is monthly (3 episodes), bi-weekly (6 episodes), or weekly (13 episodes).
• Program lengths must be a minimum of 28 minutes long to receive a series schedule.
• If a series producer misses 3 episodes in a row the series will be canceled. Series producers should let Programming Department staff know three days in advance when they won’t be able to submit a new episode.
• Series reservations will not be scheduled for any program submitter who does not have the appropriate prerequisites in place prior to series application. Prerequisites are as follows:
1) If you are sponsoring a series, or producing a series with your own equipment you must live within CAN service area and have taken our free orientation workshop
2) If you are using MetroEast equipment to produce a program you must have taken the appropriate workshops for equipment and paid your activity fee.

SERIES REPLAYS
If you are submitting a series that has been or is being produced within the greater Portland Metro area, and your program has not previously aired on community media channels:

• Each episode will be scheduled to air three times.
• Two plays will be on MetroEast Channel 21 and one play will be on the Community Access Network (CAN), Channel 11.

If you are submitting a series that has been produced within the greater Portland Metro area, and your program has previously aired on community media channels other than MetroEast:

• Each episode will be scheduled to air two times on MetroEast Channel 21.

If you are submitting a series that has been produced outside of the greater Portland Metro area:

• Each episode will be scheduled to air once on MetroEast Channel 22.

PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELS
MetroEast Channel 21 reaches approximately 180,000 households in Portland and the East Metro communities of Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview, Wood Village, and unincorporated Multnomah County East.

Community Access Network (CAN) Channel 11, a regionally programmed channel, is shared by the Community Media Centers in the Portland Metro area. CAN reaches approximately 330,000 households in the greater Portland Metro area.


TAPE STORAGE
You may pick up your personal media after each episode’s last scheduled replay. After 90 days your media will be considered abandoned and will be recycled at the end of each quarter.

All program copies MUST be made prior to submitting your media to the Playback Department.

If you have any questions, please call the Playback Department, (503) 667-8848, ext. 332. We look forward to receiving your program!

Click here to learn how to produce a show at MetroEast.

MetroEast Community Media helps everyday people make television programs. We offer media workshops and equipment, plus studio and video editing space. We show your programs and others from our community on eight (Comcast Cable & Frontier FiOS) channels. Visit us and get involved. Let your voice be heard, and see why we are community television and beyond.

MetroEast Community Media