"So you want to be on TV ?!?"

Residents of Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin are entitled to use the Birmingham Area Cable Board’s contracted studio and staff to produce their own programs. This is a great way to creatively express your interests and viewpoints. And, it’s fun! You’ll be surprised how many of your neighbors and friends will see you on our local channel (Channel 18). Of course, there are some rules and procedures to follow.

• All program content is the responsibility of the community producer. You must follow FCC regulations and policies adopted by our local communities.
• Potential producers (residents of the communities named above who show proof of residency) must attend at least one volunteer workshop at Bloomfield Community Television (BCTV), located at Telegraph Road and Long Lake in Bloomfield Township. At this workshop, you will learn everything you need to know to crew on another producer’s program. You are encouraged to volunteer as a crew member for other programs.
• Fill out a program proposal form and submit it to BCTV. You will meet with the Program Development Committee, community members who have expertise in local programming. With them, you will fine-tune your program concept into a working plan.
• You are responsible for copyright approval, creating and purchasing your set, and scheduling all your guests. You will learn more about this at pre-production meetings with BCTV staff members.

Many people just want to volunteer as a crew member rather than to produce their own show. This enables them to view many local events and studio programs from the other side of the camera and become a part of them. Your name will be included in the show’s credits. Consider this as a unique way of volunteering in your community.

For more information, see the following schedule of volunteer workshops, or call the Birmingham Area Cable Board (BACB) at (248) 336-9445. Or, go to the Services/Cable section of the Bloomfield Township website, www.bloomfieldtwp.org.