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Programmer's Guide to Acquisitions
A primer for newcomers.
A review for others.
This guide is a review of program offer materials, voting procedures and program acquisition processes.
So, you’ve received the packet with your pricing and have downloaded the APT offer materials, what comes next, you ask? Well, here’s a walkthrough.
First you’ll find the Transponder page. This contains all the information you need in order to watch or record the teleconference. If you have questions during the teleconference, a phone number is provided. This was included in the mailing you received before the teleconference. Fall Marketplace binders won’t have a transponder page since program presentations are done on-site at the meeting.
Next is the In-Depth Preview feed sheet. This details the program offers that are previewed for stations following a teleconference or Marketplace. This is also published on Connect; you can find it in Program | Schedule Schedule Listings APT NETA and NET. This was also included in the mailing you received before the teleconference.
Following the In-Depth details is the Order of Presentation for the teleconference. Next is the program offers for each department. These are divided by department: Syndication, Premium Service and Exchange. For your convenience, all of the descriptions in each programming department are arranged in the order in which they are presented.
In the Syndication section, you’ll find an alphabetical table of contents, immediately followed by the program offer pages. Prices for the Syndication offers can be found on your pricing summary sheet which was mailed separately.
Following the Syndication offers are program announcements from Premium Service. These are brief descriptions for recently announced Premium Service programs. Premium Service member stations are automatically licensed to air these titles; eligible nonmember stations may purchase Premium Service programs, but at a higher cost than if they were a member, please contact Erin Bowles or Natasha Walwyn for pricing.
Next, you’ll find the Exchange table of contents and Exchange program offer descriptions. Exchange programs are available at no cost to any licensee subscribing to the Exchange service. To find out if your station is an Exchange subscriber or to inquire about joining, please contact Erin Djerf.
Before the teleconference, station-specific response sheets are mailed with the station pricing. PDF response forms are also available to download at www.APTonline.org/telecon If there are any Rapid Responses (responses with a voting deadline earlier than the majority of program votes), the rapid response sheet will be clearly marked at the front of the section. The response due date is listed at the bottom of each response page along with our voting fax number and e-mailing address. The response due date is typically the third Friday after the teleconference. Marketplace response deadlines vary due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Please pay close attention to the response deadlines since late fees apply when purchasing Syndication programs. Response sheets are also published to Connect Forums in Attend | Learn Teleconferences, a notification posting is sent to “Program Schedule Content Notification”.
Here is a how-to guide on obtaining programs from Syndication, Premium Service and Exchange. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
GENERAL
Program voting for Syndication and Exchange must be confirmed by the station’s designated buyer, generally the Program Manager. This is done either by choosing “yes” on APT Response sheets and returning them via email or fax or by contacting Natasha Walwyn to add-on to existing contracts. For syndication titles, "yes" votes on a signed and submitted response sheet constitute a financial commitment between the station and America Public Television. Premium Service nonmember add-on inquiries should be directed to Erin Bowles or Natasha Walwyn. Please refer to each programming department’s section below for possible add-on fees.
APT always attempts to obtain as much information as possible about each program/series prior to the offer. This includes program “flags,” prior broadcast or cable history, program-related offers, technical information, home-video offers, underwriters, content ratings, excluded stations, etc. This information is included on the description page. Any changes to this information will be published in an “Offer Book Update” on Connect in Program Offers, Updates & Flags – a notification that this has been published will be sent to the “Program Schedule Content Notification” forum.
All programs going to contract will be made available to purchasing/subscribing stations by initial satellite feed and by tape library booking (a.k.a. “bike tape”). To book a tape, please send an e-mail directly to Robyn Mills. Tape library bookings are encouraged five to seven weeks in advance, and orders received outside a three-week (15 business days) lead are processed at no charge to stations (stations cover only outbound UPS Ground shipping costs.) Tapes booked inside a three-week period (15 business days) will be assessed a $75 late processing fee; in addition, shipping must be covered by the requesting station. For questions about the tape booking process, please contact Robyn Mills via email. Email address format is FirstName_LastName@APTonline.org.
Syndication and Exchange program offers are confirmed once a “Program Release Announcement” is published to Connect in Program Offers, Updates & Flags. The “Program Release Announcement” contains the confirmed title, release date, feed information (date/time/NOLA code), rights term and offer period. Exchange “Program Release Announcements” also lists any excluded stations (where applicable). “Program Release Announcements” are typically published as soon as APT and the program supplier have agreed to proceed to contract. A notification that the “Program Release Announcement” has been published will be sent to the “Program Schedule Content Notification” forum.
Once program details have been finalized with the supplier, a “Contract Confirmation Announcement” will be published to Connect in Program Offers, Updates & Flags by APT’s Contract Services department approximately four to eight weeks prior to the release date. The “Contract Confirmation Announcement” contains final program information. A notification that the “Contract Confirmation Announcement” has been published will be sent to the “Program Schedule Content Notification” forum.
Press materials are posted on Connect forums by APT or the presenting station, approximately four to eight weeks prior to the release date.
SYNDICATION
All U.S. Public Television stations can purchase Syndication program offers. All "yes" votes on signed and submitted response sheet constitute a financial commitment between the station and America Public Television.
In those markets with more than one public television station, the “primary” station has the option to exclude the “secondary” station from purchasing the Syndication program by voting Yes-Exclusive. This option can only be exercised by previously designated primary stations on Syndication program offers. If a primary station does not buy a program, the secondary station can purchase non-exclusive rights for the price listed on the pricing sheet or can exercise exclusivity by paying the same price the primary station would pay. If your station can be excluded (or can exercise exclusivity,) it is indicated at the top of the Syndication section of your response sheet. In our experience, primary/secondary buying is best coordinated via programmer-to-programmer conversations.
After being notified of any exclusions, secondary markets have a one week grace period to respond without incurring any penalty fees. Beginning with the Spring 2009 teleconference, a primary station has 7 calendar days after the response deadline to exercise their exclusivity option. If a primary station has not returned responses within 7 days of the deadline, a secondary station may either purchase non-exclusive rights in the market at the price stated on their pricing sheet, or may pay the primary station price to obtain exclusivity in the market. If a program remains unsold in the market, the primary station may add-on to the contract and exercise their exclusivity at any time during the contract term.
Syndication programs are generally priced according to market size. Your station’s price will be listed on the pricing summary page that was mailed to you prior to the teleconference. If the offer is a single program, the “Total Price” and “Add-on Price” will be listed. If the offer is a series the “Episode Price” will also be listed. The “Add-On price” includes the late fee that will be charged if your votes are returned late, or if you add-on to a contract. Late fees are the same as add-on fees, you will never be charged both.
In those cases where a single licensee programs a second station or a cable station in the same market, programs may be purchased for use on the second or cable channel, subject to noted rights restrictions.
Some markets may be “excluded” by the supplier. Canadian border exclusions are not unusual when the CBC has purchased Canadian rights. If this is the case, the exclusion will be noted on the program offer page.
Late fees for Syndication purchases go into effect the next business day following the response deadline. Late fees are the same as add-on fees, you will never be charged both. Late fees are $75 per episode with a cap of $600 for a series of eight or more episodes.
Syndication program offers are confirmed once a “Program Release Announcement” is published to Connect. Confirmed details will be contained within a “Contract Confirmation Announcement” published to Connect in Program Offers, Updates & Flags approximately four to eight weeks prior to the release date. A notification that the “Contract Confirmation Announcement” has been published will be sent to the “Program Schedule Content Notification” forum.
Add-ons will be accepted for most programs going to contract. Add-on fees are $75 per episode with a cap of $600 for a series of eight or more episodes. In some instances, the distributor has the right to attempt sales to commercial stations in those markets not sold on the original contract. Should the distributor make such a sale, those markets will then be closed to public television stations.
On-air promos may be available for Syndication offers. When promos are available, they are fed on APT promo reels announced by our Distribution Services department.
If you have any questions regarding purchasing Syndication programs, please contact Erin Bowles via email or 617-338-4455, ext. 146. Email address format is FirstName_LastName@APTonline.org.
PREMIUM SERVICE
Premium Service is a programming fund that provides fundraising specials exclusively for Premium Service members and authorized licensees. The fund comprises a group of stations that subscribe on an annual basis. Membership is open to most stations and enrollment closes July 1 of each year.
Eligible nonmember stations may purchase Premium Service programs, but at a higher cost than if they were a member. In markets with more than one public television station, if the “primary” station is a Premium Service member, the “secondary” station is excluded from membership and from purchasing Premium Service programs.
Premium Service programs are usually available in both standard and pledge versions. Often times, a pledge event is also offered. Some programs are presented in HD. On-air promos are always provided.
Premium Service programs are initially announced directly to member stations. Shortly thereafter, a “Program Release Announcement” is published for the general public television community via Connect. Once program details have been finalized with the supplier, a “Contract Confirmation Announcement” from APT’s Contract Services department will also be published to Connect.
Postings containing program timings, segment descriptions, premium pricing and ordering information are published to Connect around the time of the program satellite feed. Published information can be found in either the Pledge Program Formats, Pledge Event Rundowns or Premium and Ticket Offers areas of Connect. A notification that this information has been published is sent to “Pledge On-Air Content Notification” forum on Connect. Since many Premium Service programs are original productions, much of this information is not available until the program is completed, often close to the release date.
If you have any questions regarding Premium Service membership and/or programs, please contact Erin Bowles via email or 617-338-4455, ext. 146. Email address format is FirstName_LastName@APTonline.org.
EXCHANGE
Exchange offers are available free-of-charge to licensees that subscribe to the Exchange service.
Licensees are required to vote on each program included in the offer book. To find out if your station is an Exchange subscriber or to inquire about joining, please contact Erin Djerf.
Exchange offers require a minimum of 25 “yes” votes in order to be released for broadcast.
Exchange program offers are confirmed and available for air once a “Program Release Announcement” is published to Connect. Confirmed details will be contained within a “Contract Confirmation Announcement” published approximately four to eight weeks prior to the release date.
Occasionally, due to the timing of a release, Exchange will offer a program/series via a “Special Offer.” Special offers are not specifically offered at a teleconference or marketplace. The “Special Offer” is published to Connect with all pertinent details found on a typical offer page, but will also include the release date, program feed (date/time/NOLA code) and preview feed information. The “Special Offer” also serves as the “Program Release Announcement” and confirms that the program is available for air as of the published release date. Confirmed details will be contained within a “Contract Confirmation Announcement” published to Connect. The program/series will be mentioned in the next scheduled teleconference or Marketplace, and votes will be collected at that time.
On-air promos are generally made available for Exchange offers. For Exchange series, one generic promo is available. Promos are fed via satellite on APT promo reels, and are announced by APT’s Distribution Services Department.
Exchange subscribers may add-on to an Exchange program/series by contacting Natasha Walwyn or Whitney Vieira, at any time during the rights term without incurring a late fee.
If you have any questions regarding the Exchange process, please contact Erin Djerf via email or 617-338-4455 ext. 147. Email address format is FirstName_LastName@APTonline.org.
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