Frequently
Asked Questions
·
Will I be able to
receive NvTv?
·
When do you begin
transmitting and at what times?
·
What sort of
programmes will NvTv be broadcasting?
·
Who makes the
programming? Can anyone become involved?
·
Is there a need for
local TV?
·
What are local
television licences?
·
What do the Community
Television Journalists do?
·
What is the School of
Community Journalism?
·
Will NvTv carry
any advertising or programme sponsorship?
·
How will you ensure
that programming is fair?
·
Can I obtain a copy
of a programme I saw on NvTv?
·
How will you
know if the station is successful?
·
I’d like to donate to Northern Visions
What is NvTv?
NvTv operates on a
non-profit-distributing basis.
NvTv aims to provide alternative
local television programming to that presently on offer. “A television service
which reflects and enriches the diversity of the Belfast community by
presenting programmes which contribute to expanding the variety of viewpoints
broadcast in Northern Ireland and enhancing the diversity of programming
choices available to the general public”.
NvTv seeks to widen the community's
involvement in broadcasting and to encourage active participation in the making
of programmes for local broadcast. The ethos is to develop standards of
practice and support on an inclusive basis for groups and individuals wishing
to access local television production.
NvTv was made possible by Northern
Visions who secured a 4-year licence from the Independent Television Commission
to broadcast to the city of Belfast.
Who are Northern
Visions?
Members of Northern Visions have been involved in
community based media and arts projects since 1972 and today operate the
largest not-for-profit media centre in Belfast, situated in the Cathedral
Quarter of the city centre. Over two hundred community-based organisations
together with increasing numbers of individual artists and filmmakers use
Northern Visions programmes and services annually.
Northern Visions promotes integrated work practice in
filmmaking: education, access, production, distribution and flexible work
practices. It provides resources and professional services for media projects
throughout N. Ireland. Each year, two seasons of training workshops are held
for filmmakers, visual artists and community/cultural groups in the creative
use of digital technology in spring and autumn. Northern Visions also works in
partnership with community arts and development groups on media literacy,
organises a young people’s film unit; presents screenings of local and
international works and acts as a venue for arts events.
Northern Visions also undertakes
commissions from cultural, community, statutory and private agencies. All
surpluses are redistributed to develop initiatives and provide project
subsidies for communities at disadvantage.
Will I be able to receive NvTv?
NvTv broadcasts free-to-air to the Greater Belfast area
on. You can receive NvTv in much the same way as the BBC and UTV by tuning in your
television set to Channel 62, or Frequency 799.276MHz.
Northern Visions are licensed to
broadcast using one 500-watt transmitter. Currently, to cover all of Belfast,
takes several transmitters, so there will be areas in the city, which may not
be able to receive the NvTv signal clearly. Having a good
aerial correctly installed by a reputable company may improve the signal. NvTv
hopes to give better coverage through time with additional transmitters.
Northern Visions are presently in discussion with other organisations in
relation to distributing NvTv on other platforms.
Further information on reception see BBC web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/factsheets/
Detailed
advice about good reception
When do you begin transmitting and at
what times?
Tests are being broadcast at
present so you can tune in anytime.
Regular programming begins
transmitting from 5.00 p.m. on Monday 9th February
We will initially begin
broadcasting at least one hour of programming per day repeated throughout the
day with a compilation of the week’s broadcast at the weekend.
What sort of programmes will NvTv be
broadcasting?
NvTv is a community venture which seeks to create a public
space where:
new
voices are brought to the screen local
issues are presented in informative and entertaining ways; health
education and economic resources in the community are promoted; local
talent and initiatives are celebrated; participation
is inclusive of all under represented communities (whether geographical,
racial, ethnic, cultural or generational)
NvTv will
carry some news items but these will be discussed in depth as local news is
well covered by our regional broadcasters. As well as information and
educational programming, there will be arts programmes, youth programmes, local
films and documentaries originating from volunteers.
Who makes the programming? Can anyone become involved?
Programmes are made in several
ways:
Northern Visions has a team of
community television journalists who are out and about in the city covering
events and working alongside groups to produce films and videos. If you have an
event, issue or idea, which you would like them to cover then you can contact
at Northern Visions
Northern Visions has a scheme
for volunteers to produce programming. With Northern Visions’ assistance
people, many new to television, become involved in producing television. If you
would like to know more about the scheme visit our web site.
NvTv will
distribute existing programmes made by community groups and individuals. NVTV
will be profiling these programmes into the schedule.
NvTv does
not have the resources and budgets of regional broadcasters to produce
programmes such as high end drama but we do hope the commitment, enthusiasm,
inventiveness and creativity of all the programme makers makes up for this and
that viewers will find the programming interesting.
W also encourage members of the public to submit their
programmes for consideration.
Is there a need for local TV?
Surveys
were carried out by Northern Visions in 1999 and 2001 with the community media constituency.
Over 200 local groups responded in support of the initiative, saying that they
would like a community television service to be established and that they could
clearly see the benefits of such an initiative.
Organisations
who responded to the survey were working in the fields of community arts,
community development, ethnic minorities, disability, Irish language, youth,
women, unemployed and network umbrella organisations which encompassed one or
more of the above. Surveys found that 49% of respondents would be interested in
set up and support to produce programming and 82% viewed programme production
as of interest to their organisation.
During the passage of the Communications Act through
parliament, nine Northern Irish MPs supported EDM1316, which recognised the
important contribution community media can bring to social inclusion,
neighbourhood renewal, citizen’s participation, local democracy and lifelong
learning. It called on the British Government to include specific measures for
the further growth and development of community media in the Communications
Act.
Communications Act
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/20030021.htm
NvTv
is also a natural progression
to the work, which Northern Visions carries out through its Arts & Media
Literacy Programme, creating a distribution point for the films and videos that
are being produced by local communities and individual filmmakers.
In 1999 Northern Visions issued
a report: Public Access Television: its
potential for Community Organisations in Northern Ireland financed by the
Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust (now Community Foundation for Northern
Ireland), and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The report reviewed the
various community channels operating in the United States in order to enhance
local knowledge of alternatives and choices as they came available for Belfast.
This report was to become the blueprint for NvTv
What are local television licences?
Restricted Service Licences
(RSLs) are a new form of television licence introduced by the Broadcasting Act
1996. Unused analogue frequencies are made available, on a leasehold basis, for
broadcasts to a particular establishment or other defined location, or for a
particular event.
Northern
Visions applied and was successfully awarded a four-year licence.
Ofcom, the regulator for the UK communications industries,
have created a distinctive tier of public service broadcasting which is based
on local community television and radio channels which actively encourage
participation, community ownership and engagement.
Channel 9 in Derry was one of the first local television
services to successfully go on air. There are several local television stations
throughout the U.K. in Manchester, Oxford, Winchester, Leicester, Southampton
and Cardiff.
Who pays for NvTv?
The initial research and
development, set up, transmitter, aerial and the license has been paid for by
Northern Visions from the surplus generated by making commercial and corporate
films for companies and broadcasters. Northern Visions has the responsibility
for the license and is answerable to Ofcom.
Northern Visions is a
well-established organisation and has accumulated the expertise and assets
required to become a broadcaster, but, typically community ventures such as
this are operated on a shoestring budget. NvTv views this positively. On the
technology side, the new emerging high quality yet cheap digital technologies
has been utilised and providing for public contributions to programming
underpins the ethos that this is a community station for the city.
Northern Vision Media Centre’s
arts, film, media literacy and community development work is funded annually by
Belfast City Council, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland
Film and Television Commission. This funding is for an agreed annual programme
of work, which includes training workshops, educational seminars, youth
production and support for individual artists.
Northern Visions Community
Television Journalists’ posts are funded under Measure 2.3 of the Peace II
programme: Skilling and Building the Social Economy by the Community Foundation
for Northern Ireland.
What do the Community Television
Journalists do?
The community journalists’ task is to initiate and produce
a wide variety of community videos and programming with emphasis on building
capacity with marginalised community groups/communities of interest in Belfast.
They also assist in training participants at the schools
of journalism run each spring and winter at Northern Visions. These are
designed to help produce and present community videos and television
programming.
The journalists also assist in
the identification of groups within the community with the potential to
establish satellite/outreach film production units in their areas based on
community business lines.
What is the School of Community
Journalism?
Further details will be available in March 2004.
Will NvTv carry any
advertising or programme sponsorship?
NvTv is
licensed to carry advertising and sponsorship in the same way as commercial
channels.
Initially, we are concentrating our
resources on programme production and developing links and partnerships with
communities. Further details on
advertising and sponsorship will be released once the television station has
been up and running.
How will you ensure that programming is fair?
Northern Visions is responsible
for the output of the station and accountable to Ofcom, the regulatory body for
television in the U.K.
NvTv
operates under Ofcom’s programme guidelines.
Ofcom Guidelines
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/30021--i.htm#319
These guidelines have been produced
to ensure balanced and fair reporting and representation. NvTv also aims to give the public
the right of reply.
Anyone wishing to produce a
programme themselves and distribute on NvTv should discuss their proposal
with us first to ensure that it fits with these guidelines and the ethos of the
station.
Can I obtain a copy of a programme I saw on NvTv?
If you wish to get a copy of a
particular programme, turn to NVTV Schedules
to see if there is a repeat showing and copy off air. You can also contact the
producer of the programme. A small fee will be charged simply to cover the
costs of copying.
How will you know if the station is successful?
Traditionally, broadcasters
determine the success of a programme or television station by audience figures.
While not ignoring this method, NvTv considers other factors in
judging the success of the station: the level of volunteer involvement; the
number of partnerships we create with communities; the capacity to use
television for community development; the number of new faces we bring to the
screen; the participation of under-represented minorities and the range and
exploration of issues not usually heard on television.
I’d like to donate to Northern Visions
Your donation to our charity Northern
Visions Media Trust will ensure that volunteers and communities in Belfast at
greatest need, receive the training, mentoring and media resources to produce
programming for NvTv
Donate