This section is meant to clarify FCPAN's underwriting guidelines.
You can download a form to report your underwriting. Note: You only need to report underwriting if you are using FCPAN equipment.
If you have any questions about acceptable underwriting credit, please contact the Program Director before submitting a video.
What is Underwriting
For the purposes of these guidelines, a program "underwriter" is a third party that has voluntarily contributed cash or substantial in-kind services to finance, in whole or in part, the production or acquisition of an FCPAN or FCPAN Producer program, and that may not, and has not, exercised any inappropriate influence over the content of the program it has funded. Underwriters shall not have a close commercial connection between their products and services and the content or focus of a program. (For example: A yoga studio may underwrite a general program about yoga, but may not underwrite a program that features their specific studio or compares their type of yoga to others types of yoga.)
What is Commercial Content?
View the PBS page on commercialism. Commercial content is audio, text or video intended to identify and promote the products or services of a specific business or individual. Commercial content is not allowed on non-commercial channels like FCPAN. However, if a business would like to be mentioned as a supporter of FCPAN they may do so by giving financial support in the form of underwriting.
What is a Call to Action?
A call to action is any audio, text or video that encourages the viewer to take action to purchase a product or service, or to visit a specific business. Calls to action are commercial.
Acceptable Interview Methods for a Business Owner or Representative
In short, if a reasonable perception may exist that the purpose of the interview is to feature a business as promotion, then it is prohibited. The best test is simply to imagine yourself watching the program on TV. If it would seem to you that the program is more advertisement of a specific business than incidental involvement of a business representative in a non-promotional video, then it will most likely be seen as commercial by the program director.When interviewing a business owner or a representative from a business you must be careful to keep the conversation non-commercial and free from calls to action. Programs that contain commercial content and calls to action cannot air on FCPAN. The guest should be introduced and the name of the business they own or represent should be mentioned as a statement of fact. This should be the last time you address his/her specific business. Avoid questions that encourage the business person to talk about what they sell. Instead, ask questions about the business person’s history in the community, how long they've been in business, how the neighborhood has changed and how the business gives back to the community. Encourage the business owner to share anecdotes about his/her participation in the community, charitable events they’ve sponsored, or charitable events that are coming up
in the near future.
Acceptable Graphics to Identify a Business Owner or Representative
A business person who is not an underwriter may be identified during the program with a lower third graphic. The
graphic may include the person’s name, title, and the name of the business they own or represent. The business owner’s contact information including address, phone number and web site address may be included as part of the end credits of the program. The intent of this graphic is to inform viewers - not to promote the business.
When Discussion/Education Becomes Commercial
Example 1. (Generic Interview): A producer has a soda pop specialist from Pepsi on his/ her program. Discussion of the history of soda pop is acceptable. Discussion about how soda pop makes lives better, and improves your health is acceptable. When the discussion becomes focused on how Pepsi makes lives better and improves your health the discussion has become commercial.
Example 2. (Review Program): A producer is reviewing high tech products that can be used to expand the performance of your average personal computer. The host describes a generic family of video cards and how this video card will improve the performance of the PC. The host then identifies one video card as the best and suggests that viewers buy this one card. The program has become commercial. Of course, none of the businesses under review may underwrite that particular program. Review programs are more difficult to work with because often the goal is to identify a “best thing” from a group of things. Here are a few ways to ensure a review program does not become commercial:
• choose three or more best picks from a variety of manufacturers and eliminate the call to action,
• identify best features to look for instead of a best product,
• educate the viewer on how to make the choice for themselves,
• avoid suspicious underwriting (keep it independent).
Acknowledgement of a underwriter vs. Where to Buy a Product
Acknowledgement of a underwriter is a “thank you” message, not an advertisement. When acknowledging
a business it is to thank them for supporting the program, not to tell viewers where or how they can purchase an item.
Verbally thanking a business that has donated an item for the production of the program is acceptable. Graphics at the end of the show may include a thank you to the business for their support, and the address, phone number, and web site address of the business.
For example: You may thank a local clothing boutique that has provided an outfit for the host of the show, or a restaurant that has provided free food for the production crew.
Who underwrites FCPAN Programs?
An underwriter can be any individual, group or business that believes in supporting community building efforts such as those that happen through FCPAN productions.
An underwriter of FCPAN programming must understand that underwriting is not an advertisement
for their business. Underwriting may be a show of support for a particular production project. It may be a method for the underwriter to personally participate in the promotion of free speech, or it may be a means for the underwriter to express his/her own views by supporting programming with similar ideas.
A small business can greatly improve it’s visibility in the community by underwriting FCPAN programming without the need for commercial content or calls to action.
The following text is from the two sections in the FCPAN Policies and Procedures that deal with underwriting.
5.9 Underwriting Credit
5.9.1 Underwriting credit shall be limited to the following:
• Visual and/or audio presentation of the underwriter’s name and logo during the beginning and ending credits of the program only
• A maximum of 15 seconds is permitted for identification of an underwriter
• A maximum of four (4) underwriters may support any given program or series of programs
• The specific address and phone number of the underwriter is permitted
• Identifying the city and state where the underwriter is located is permitted
• Underwriting credits shall not include any call to action, superlative description or qualitative claim about the company, its products or its services, direct comparison with other companies, or with other companies’ products or services, price or value information, inducements to buy, sell, rent, or lease, endorsements or demonstrations of consumer satisfaction.
• Underwriter may not appear or be featured in a program they have underwritten.
• Voice or text over descriptions may NOT use the word “sponsor.” “SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY” or “THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERWRITTEN BY” and similar phrases are permitted.
• A producer of a program may never receive credit as an underwriter even though a producer may have a financial investment in the program.
7.0 Guidelines for Underwriting Support
For the purposes of these guidelines, a program "underwriter" is a third party that has voluntarily contributed cash or substantial in-kind services to finance, in whole or in part, the production or acquisition of an FCPAN or FCPAN Producer program, and that may not, and has not, exercised any inappropriate influence over the content of the program it has funded. Underwriters shall not have a close commercial connection between their products and services and the content or focus of a program.7.1 All underwriting must be reported to the Fort Collins Public Access Network by completing and submitting the FCPAN Underwriting Form and required accompanying documents.
7.2 Any underwriting for FCPAN Producer productions must be managed by FCPAN as the fiscal agent of the project/production.
7.3 Fort Collins Public Access Network retains 25% of donated funds, and releases the remaining 75% of underwriting funds to the FCPAN Producer, provided that these funds be used only to cover expenses incurred in production, and do not constitute a profit or wage for the producer.
7.4 Once an FCPAN Producer becomes a Program Provider (no longer using FCPAN equipment), the Program Provider is no longer required to have FCPAN act as the fiscal agent of the project/production, and is free to negotiate underwriting agreements without involving FCPAN, provided that their show continues to abide by FCPAN’s content regulations, contains no commercial material, and abides by the guidelines for underwriting credit as outlined in Section 5.9 Underwriting Credit.
If you have any questions about acceptable underwriting credit, please contact the Program Director before submitting a video.