The primary purpose of GITV is to provide citizens with a source of information about civic affairs, local government, and education through regular videotaped broadcasts of various public meetings, events, and programs including Grand Island City Council meetings, village board meetings, Hall County Board of Supervisors meetings, school board meetings, and the Regional Planning Commission meetings.

In addition, the GITV bulletin board services otherwise known as “Community Bulletin Board” will be used for the dissemination of announcements and information about special events, festivals, lectures, meetings, recreational and educational opportunities, and/or services.

GITV program services will telecast regularly scheduled programs, produced by either local, state, or federal governments or any political subdivision thereof; or acquired from outside sources, which encourage citizens to take greater advantage of their opportunities to learn about and/or participate in government, civic, and educational activities available in the Grand Island area.

GITV services will provide selective coverage of the results of local elections based on information provided by Hall County election officials.

GITV program services may also provide coverage of governmental town hall meetings, reports to citizens, and other governmental events in the local area by elected state and national representatives whose constituencies include the citizens served by GITV. GITV will broadcast candidate forums for local or state offices in which all candidates have been given the opportunity to participate and when sponsored by a non-partisan and neutral entity which is not affiliated with any candidate or political party, such as the League of Women Voters.

GITV will attempt to provide sponsored and/or a variety of informational and educational programming, either produced by GITV or acquired from governmental subdivisions, which will contribute to the viewers’ understanding of health matters, social issues, cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities, or will provide up-to-date information on the workings of local government such as new or revised laws or ordinances, administrative procedures, civic improvements, educational issues, and related matters.

Policies Concerning Program Content

Public Meetings
The tentative agendas for any council, board, or commission meeting which is to be telecast will be scheduled for showing several times on GITV bulletin board services during the 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Videotaped replay telecasts of the public meetings of various councils, boards, and commissions are not to be construed as being official minutes of those meetings. These telecasts are presented only for the convenience of interested citizens and may not be complete. The official minutes of the meetings are available from the respective clerk or secretary of the specific council, board or commission. During videotaped replays of these meetings, “gavel-to-gavel” coverage is provided as far as possible.

Since during some public meetings both elected officials and interested citizens are provided the opportunity to express their views on issues before the council, board or commission (in the portions of meeting agendas which specifically provide for public participation, such as public hearings), special program time for editorial comments by those in favor or in opposition to any actions taken by the council, board or commissions will not be provided for by GITV. Videotaped replays of public meeting will be scheduled so as to provide opportunities for citizens to view the program.

No advertising or announcements by commercial firms soliciting business in any forms will be accepted.

Public announcements, safety bulletins, and emergency messages issued by local or state public-safety agencies will receive priority time on GITV.

The amount of time each announcement appears on GITV will be determined by station personnel based on the time and space available on GITV.

Locally-Produced Programming
GITV will endeavor to produce regular programming, educational in nature, which keeps citizens informed on the progress of civic improvement projects, assists in the elimination of crime and other public hazards, and highlights events of general public interest. In addition, GITV will from time to time produce programs of educational value to promote citizen participation in recreational and cultural activities within the Grand Island area. The content and origination of such programming will be reviewed and be subject to approval prior to any broadcast.

State Law prohibits the use of public funds to produce, or cause to be produced, programming which takes a position for or against any public issues which will be decided in an election.

Religious Programming
Since GITV is a governmental educational television system, rules regarding the separation of powers will be strictly observed. No religious programming will be broadcast.