The Lottery

An informational letter to our local producers went out in the mail today, explaining some details about the next program lottery. Here is that letter, for those interested:

The next lottery drawing, which will guide us in scheduling programming, will take place February 13, 2006, at 12:05 p.m. in the studio of WCTV.

This letter is to inform you, our producers, about some of the several positive changes in lottery rules which have been recently adopted. These changes will help us in our efforts as we work toward the goal of all of our producers receiving a regular time slot for their program. We are also attempting to provide better times for as many programs as possible.

As they existed until recently, rules for lottery drawings were written during a time of easy placement in the WCTV schedule. We had more times available in those days due to relatively few producers wanting the available time. Now, there literally aren’t enough hours in the programming day, thanks to the large number of producers we currently enjoy.

In the past, we have been forced, in certain instances, to place some programs in somewhat undesirable time slots. Some other programs have had to be inserted as time permitted, not on a regularly scheduled basis, and at a perhaps undesirable time.

As the new rules provide, local programs originating and recorded inside Wayne County, Indiana, will be served first. This means that local programmers will be drawn first, and they will receive a set day and time for the six-month duration of the new lottery. This will enable locals to promote a weekly time and date for their program to their potential audience. Local is also now referred to as Tier One.

At this time in the new rules there should also be space for all other current programmers. Therefore, through the new lottery process, we hope and should be able to accommodate all current non-local programs with a set day and time, too. Non-local is also now referred to Tier Two. Under the new rules, maximum time for any program will be one hour (59:30 actual).

Please watch your personal postal mail for details and a sign-up form to get registered for the upcoming WCTV Channel 21 lottery drawing. The lottery procedure will allow all producers a chance to be entered in the lottery drawings. When you receive the lottery registration form in the next mailing (during the week of January 30, 2006), please complete the registration form and return it to us promptly.

The new schedule will begin the week of March 5, 2006.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of WCTV.

Sincerely,



John Oak Dalton
WCTV Station Manager



If you have questions or comments, drop me a line at jodalton@indiana.edu.