Calling all creative geniuses!
No TV experience required.
Ever thought about creating your own TV show? Now’s your chance! AccessNow TV is a community channel with a love (and CRTC mandate) for airing programs created by community members like YOU!
Pitch your show idea!
Tell us all about it below or email us anytime at accessnowtv@myaccess.coop. We appreciate and respond to all suggestions and requests!
Want to help out behind the scenes?
This place runs on awesome volunteers! No experience required. We’ll train you! (You already have the awesome part down.) Click here >
It’s your community channel.
Access Communications, AccessNow TV, has a mandate to broadcast programming created by community members. These programs are defined as “access”, and the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) sets the regulations regarding access programming. As explained in their Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-622-1:
“The Commission considers that the key criterion for defining access programming is that creative control is in the hands of a community member, i.e. an individual or group residing within the licensed area of a terrestrial BDU. Creative control consists of two elements:
1) The idea for an access program must originate from a community member not employed by a BDU [Broadcasting Distribution Undertaking, basically, an Access employee]; and
2) The community member must be involved in the production team:
a. in an on-camera role (e.g., a personality or actor that appears in a predominant portion of the production); and/or
b. as a creative member of the production crew (e.g., directing, producing, writing).”
Following are guidelines for community producers to assist in developing a proposal for a television series or program. We appreciate that you may want to discuss a show idea prior to submitting a formal proposal. If you have any questions about submitting a proposal or presenting an idea, please contact accessnowtv@myaccess.coop.
Download our Community Producer booklet (PDF) or view our FAQs below.
Be An AccessNow TV Community Producer!
A few frequently asked questions (with answers!) to help you get started.
What is AccessNow TV and what kind of programming do you do?
Access Communications Co-operative Ltd. is a 100% Saskatchewan community-owned not-for-profit co-operative. That means we reinvest all our earnings back into the communities we serve. YOUR communities! Our mission: to provide exceptional communications and entertainment services and unique opportunities for local expression, and to improve the quality of life in this province we love to call home!
That’s where our AccessNow TV community channels come in. Each Access community has (or will have, as we continue to grow) its very own AccessNow TV channel with its very own homegrown shows!
With equipment provided by AccessNOW TV, and training from our fabulous staff, ordinary people of all ages learn how to share their stories, neighbours and interests through the magic of community television!
Every year, hundreds of volunteers just like you devote their time and talent to help create thousands of hours of local TV! AccessNOW TV loves being a modern version of the old-time gathering place where neighbours come together and connect about things that matter to them and their families.
As for our programming, it’s YOUR programming! If you can dream it, you can do it! Topics include:
- Children’s Interests
- Local & Provincial Sports
- Community Events & Activities
- Instructional or Informative Programs
- Arts, Culture & Entertainment
And it doesn’t “just happen”! It requires commitment from volunteer Community Producers like YOU!
How does an AccessNow TV show get started?
With an idea! With someone (or several people) thinking, “Hey! There should be a show about…”.
We encourage anyone with an idea for community programming to get in touch:
Access Communications
2250 Park Street
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4N 7K7
(306) 565 5366
Email: accessnowtv@myaccess.coop
Assuming your idea’s a good fit, you’re ready to take the first steps in the production process by talking to an AccessNow TV staff member. Then you’ll need to prepare a written proposal covering what you discussed in your meeting and all of points below.
Please send us your proposal by email to accessnowtv@myaccess.coop as a pdf. If that’s not doable, just let your AccessNow TV contact know, and we’ll work out another option.
1. Who would like to watch this show? (Probable target audience) Would people in other communities in other parts of the province like to watch this show?
2. Why do you think it is important to do this on AccessNow TV?
3. How do you think each show (or a typical show) would be put together? What kind of format do you think it could have?
4. What costs would be involved? How much is it likely to cost (outside of AccessNow TV’s staff and equipment)?
5. Are there any potential sponsors for your show? Organizations or businesses who may be interested in funding your production and/or promotional plan?
6. If you’re representing an organization, tell us something about your organization.
7. How many volunteers from your organization would likely be able to work on making the program?
8. Are there other people in the community who might help out? (Providing expertise? Volunteering? Helping to promote the show? Etc.)
9. Are there any deadlines involved in making your show? (Date of an event? Times when certain people will be available? Weather limitations etc.?) When do you think the show should be produced?
10. What ideas do you (and your organization, if one is involved) have about ways your show could be promoted in the community and/or the province? How can you help make sure the people who would enjoy seeing this program are going to know about it?
What’s the approval process for show proposals?
Our Community Programming Manager reviews all proposals. Depending on how many we’re considering at the time, approvals can take up to two months. Although we might like to, we just don’t have the staff or resources to produce all the show ideas we receive. We base our decision on a variety of factors:
- Available resources
- Available time in broadcast schedule
- Program concept, and how it is treated
- Commitment and enthusiasm of producer(s)
- Availability of volunteers for production and promotion
- Viewer appeal
- Ideas for publicity and promotion
We appreciate and respond to everyone who takes the time to send us a proposal! If your idea is a go, we’ll invite you to enter into a formal production agreement.
What if my proposal is turned down? Can I submit the same proposal again later?
Unfortunately, no. You’ll need to write a new proposal if ever you want to try again. Same goes for renewing existing programs: we ask that you submit a new proposal.
Once a show proposal is approved, what happens next?
- We assign your project an AccessNow TV staff producer
- With our help, you develop your idea and create a production and promotion plan (what’s the right format, what resources will be required, who needs to be part of the show, do we need additional resources, are there sponsorship opportunities etc.)
- You create a production schedule covering recording, editing and broadcast date(s)
What responsibilities will I have as an AccessNow TV Community Producer?
These will be detailed in your production agreement but may include providing expertise in the subject matter, volunteers and a plan to help promote the show.
What responsibilities does AccessNow TV have?
These will also be specified in your production agreement but may include helping you develop your proposal, assisting in shaping the presentation of the program, training volunteers to assist with production, providing adequate resources to facilitate production, and assisting or leading the negotiation of sponsorship.
So, do YOU have an idea that could grow into your very own show on AccessNow TV?
We can’t wait to hear about it!
Access Communications
2250 Park Street
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4N 7K7
(306) 565-5366
Email: accessnowtv@myaccess.coop