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Everything you've ever wondered about CAPS is hopefully answered with this list of FAQ's.
CAPS has nothing to do with headgear but is an acronym for Community Access Partners of San Buenaventura, the legal name of our non-profit corporation. We could have used CAPV, but every time you said it you’d sound like you had a lisp.
CAPS is a non-profit 501 3(C) corporation formed on December 20, 2000 as an outcome of the cable franchise negotiations between the City of Ventura, Avenue TV Cable (now Charter Communications) and Adelphia Cable (now Time Warner). It was designed to ensure that operation of a media center for community service is managed independently and without discrimination.. So even if you taped yourself sleeping all day, snores and all, we’ll put it on the air.
For the cost of taking a date to the movies ($25, small popcorn only) you can become an individual member at CAPS-TV for one whole year. For organizations the annual fee is $75.00 which includes four people with privileges. If you had to pay out of pocket the cost of renting the equipment and facilities for just one day of production and editing anywhere else in Ventura you could rent out an entire movie theater and buy the jumbo popcorn. At least then you wouldn’t have to worry about that ten-gallon hat cowboy in front of you.
Our mission is to provide Ventura community groups, institutions and individuals with the necessary equipment, resources and training to produce noncommercial community-based media programs for cable channel 6 and to assist in the management of VTV, the government and educational Channel 15. In essence, you make it, we air it. Just try not to be boring, unless that’s your point.
In late 2006 CAPS-TV moved into a brand new modern facility especially built for the community’s needs. Located at 65 Day Road it houses staff offices, a TV studio, three enclosed edit bays and three open edit bays and an inventory of camera and lighting equipment all available for use by members. We are adjacent to Ventura Community College and across the street from Foothill Technology High School. See map.
Approximately 21,000 Ventura households subscribe to the two cable television services in the city. So, potentially, if every household with an average of four people per house held a party inviting four friends or relatives from out of town and all tuned to Channel 6 at the same time you could potentially have 105,000 viewers. Then again, even American Idol couldn’t do that but there’s always hope.
CAPS-TV is made up of an 11-member board which includes representatives from the City of Ventura, Ventura Unified School District, the Ventura Community College District and the Ventura County Library System as well as various community members with in an interest in Public, Education and Government (PEG) access programming. These are serious people who are looking out for your free-speech rights…or they just like getting together and playing video games and talking about celebrity gossip. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
CAPS-TV is a membership based organization and only members may submit tapes for cable casting or have privileges to use equipment and facilities. To join just fill out a membership application and submit it in person to any CAPS staff person along with proof of residence (utility bill works but it must be a street address, no P.O. boxes, you got it?) and your cash or check for the appropriate amount. For organizational memberships we require ID or proof of employment with a Ventura County-based non-profit or business, plus a list of the four people designated for privileges, including addresses and phone numbers all on organizational letterhead. I know that’s a lot to do but in the end it’ll all be worth it, believe me.
In order to use CAPS-TV equipment and facilities you must attend our orientation classes held once a month at our facility. We have a general class that goes over all the rules you have to follow and a tour of the facility. We also have camera and editing classes that will help you learn the basics of using a DV camera and get you started on how to edit your show. And if you’re lucky your CAPS staff members will give you a floor show, but don’t hold your breath. Classes are scheduled for 6pm on Wednesdays. Call CAPS-TV to sign up for one or more of the monthly classes. If you really, really, really can’t attend at the regular times other arrangements are possible, if you’re extremely nice to us. (HINT: We love chocolate).
CAPS-TV’s facility at 65 Day Road houses a bevy of digital video cameras, support equipment, lights, microphones and all the tools you’ll need to produce a program of your choice. We have Sony PD150, VX2100 and TRV900 cameras for check out and Sony PD150’s in our studio. On the editing side we have three enclosed editing bays, two with Mac G4’s and one with IMac and three open-air IMac stations. All stations are equipped with Apple iMovie and Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro HD is available on certain stations. Please speak with a CAPS-TV staff member for more details. Remember, all equipment is checked out for only a 24 hour period and you can only reserve equipment up to two weeks prior to check out.
Funding for CAPS-TV comes from a portion of the cable franchise fees paid to the city by the two cable services operating in the city. Not a dime comes from local tax revenues. And that’s the fact, Jack.
Channel 6 is Ventura’s public access channel and by our charter we must air whatever is submitted to us without discrimination, unless it contains material deemed indecent by local laws. Producers must fill out a form and answer questions about their submittal which determines when a show may air. Certain mature material will be aired after midnight for the benefit of families with children. Channel 15 airs government and educational programming, including city council and planning commission meetings and programming produced by Ventura College and other educational institutions or individuals if the content is strictly educational in nature. Click here for weekly programming listings.
Not on your life. We operate much like a public television broadcast station and can run public service announcements or underwriter spots but no regular ads. During times when there is no programming we run a community bulletin board where individuals and organizations may submit short text pieces to promote their organization, events or even their shows. Just no direct sales solicitations, but free giveaways are okay. For underwriting opportunities please contact a CAPS-TV representative for more details.
CAPS-TV Channel 6 is public access and by nature we must run anything that is submitted to us. We don’t even watch most of the programs we air in order to protect your free speech rights as best we can. We rely on the public to inform us if programs violate any state laws and cannot take anything off the air unless deemed indecent by an outside source. With that, there will be certain programs that may not be to your liking but to protect everyone’s rights we must air all submitted programming. Click here for a feedback form.
No way, Ray. We’re an independent non-profit corporation operating a media center and managing two cable channels in the City of Ventura. We work in partnership with the cable services and our funding is derived through cable franchise fees but we are run independently from the cable services in the city. We’re unique because we’re one of the few independent non-profit organizations in the State of California operating public, educational and government channels.
You can bring us pre-produced shows on most video formats made elsewhere or with your own equipment or you can produce your own new show utilizing CAPS-TV equipment and facilities. Just so you know we prefer shows on DV tape or DVD disk, but we can also accept VHS, SuperVHS, ¾ Umatic, or professional Betacam. We apologize but if you’re still stuck in the 70’s we can’t accept consumer beta – what were you thinking back then, anyway? Click here for a cablecast request form.
Producers may request certain time slots but it is the discretion of the program director whether a certain time slot is available in any given week. Programming is designed to be fair to all submitted shows and so for those highly requested time periods, such as early evening, you must take your turn, though we try to accommodate all requests. New shows run four times during one week and the same show may be resubmitted up to four times. Schedules run on a weekly basis and new submittals are given priority. If this is just too much for your brain to handle give us a call and we’ll try to make more sense.
Weekly programming lists for Channels 15 and 6 are available here or come by our media center where printed schedules are located in our very cool foyer. We know it’s comfortable but remember, no loitering.
CAPS-TV manages Channel 6, the community access channel for the City of Ventura and Channel 15 or VTV, which runs government and educational programming.
CAPS-TV manages two channels and a media center for community use. We do not currently produce public shows ourselves and we do not have a local news show currently on the air. Please refer your news item to other media outlets in the area, such as the Ventura County Star. We would also be glad to help you get started producing a show so you can get that big idea on Channel 6 all on your own.
Currently the only live TV we cablecast are various city meetings on Channel 15. We are currently not able to cablecast live from our studios but that is something planned for the near future so stay tuned.
We operate with a lean staff and cannot help independent producers with crew assignments. This goes for either field or in-studio productions. Producers must provide their own crew. We can provide producers contact information where they may be able to obtain volunteer help. Please ask a staff member or contact our Executive Director for further information.
Currently our only production van is for CAPS-TV use only.
Any member who checks out equipment or uses equipment in-studio is responsible for its safe return in the same condition it was in when checked out. Any equipment that is lost, stolen or is returned damaged must be replaced with an equal or better piece or you will be charged the replacement or repair cost. Replacement costs for most pieces of equipment are printed on our Equipment Request forms. Member privileges may be suspended until such reimbursements are made. Remember, we know where you live.
Unfortunately, to be fair to all members you must put in a request for the additional day in person at the CAPS-TV facility on the original day of check-in. Additional days are at the discretion of the Executive Director and are made on basis of availability. But I can tell you if you ask nicely and smile we’re more than likely to give you that extra day. If you want multiple extra days…good luck. If you're still in the dark and have yet to have your question answered please email us at info@capstv.org and we'll try our hardest to enlighten you. |
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