CTV's programming policy is informed by the principles of community access and participation. Community TV serves as an access point for diverse members of the community as a means to share political, cultural, artistic, spiritual, and individual expression.

CTV serves as a television broadcast medium for citizens and civil society organisations. In doing so it aims to provide opportunities for emerging and established film makers to develop and air productions that are in line with the station's principles and values.

CTV programming aims to support and promote sustainable development, participatory democracy and human rights as well as the educational and information needs, language, culture and entertainment interests of the people of Cape Town.

Programme sources

1. In-house programming

In-house programming refers to all programmes that will be financed and produced by CTV internally. This includes:

1. News service: CTV will take responsibility for producing daily news and current affairs programmes. News items will be derived from community video journalists as well as material sent in by viewers via the internet and cell phones. CTV will seek partnerships with other organisations with capacity for community reporting and training in community or .civic. journalism.
2. Current Affairs: CTV will produce a current affairs programme covering issues that affect Capetonians.
3. Arts Desk: CTV has established capacity to cover arts and cultural events in the city.

2. Acquired programming

Licensed programming includes programmes that have been produced by independent producers, NGOs, educational institutions, distributors, broadcasters and other community TV stations. CTV will sign a license agreement with contributors which grants the station non-exclusive rights to broadcast material over a 12-month period. The station does not pay for content - all programmes broadcast are acquired free of charge.

3. Programme partnerships

Programming is selected on the basis programming priorities that have been established by the CTV board, as well as CTV's programming policy and license conditions.

Once selected, CTV will enter into a partnership with content providers and will endeavor to support partners in the following ways:

• By providing a Conditional Broadcasting Agreement which can be used by partners to raise funding or sponsorship to cover production costs.
• By selling advertising and/or assisting partners to leverage funding or sponsorship;
• By providing access to a studio and equipment, where possible.

In return CTV will have non-exclusive usage of the material, in perpetuity.

Independent producers are encouraged to submit proposals in partnership with non-profit organisations in order to ensure a) skills transfer, b) film makers are accountable to the community they are representing and, c) make it easier for film makers to raise funding or sponsorship. This will not be a ridgid policy as there may well be certain types of programming where there is no obvious NPO partner. The principle of community participation will be taken into cosideration when programme partners are selected.

4. Public access programming

CTV has established the Open Studio series, where selected presenters can host their own talk show. These shows are based in the AFDA studio in Observatory. Members of the public wishing to host their own show should contact CTV's in-house producer at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Editorial decision-making

The CTV board is responsible for developing a programme policy. The Station Manager and the Programme Manager are responsible for developing programme partnerships that are in line with the programme policy. The Acquisitions Coordinator and others appointed by CTV to view potential programme acquisitions, make recommendations to the Programme Manager on programmes to be acquired from outside sources. Final editorial control resides with the Programme Manager.

Diversity and representivity

CTV has a programme panel that reviews content acquisitions and proposals from independent producers to ensure that:

• Programming reflects the widest diversity of people and interests in Cape Town , with a focus on mid-to-lower LSMs.
• No one interest group has more than one programme partnership at any given time.
• Programming is produced by a wide diversity of people across all ages, sexual orientation, disabilities, class, race and gender, with no one group dominating.

Language

Programming will be produced in the languages spoken by the people of Cape Town. The station aims at the following language targets:

English: 50%
Afrikaans: 25 %
IsiXhosa: 25%