These sample contracts and policies, originally developed by the New Britain Area LWV, may be customized to include your League’s name, the date, etc., including the substitution of “debate” for “forum” wherever appropriate. They can be copied and printed onto your Local League’s letterhead and used as needed.
Please call the LWVCT office if you have any questions.
No audio or videotaping of candidates’ forums, sponsored or co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters-__________ , may be done by any one other than a news service that has been given permission to tape by the President or Voter Service Chair of The League of Women Voters-__________ or by a TV producer that has the League’s authorization to tape in writing signed by either the President or Voter Service Chair. All videotapes of the production are owned exclusively by the League of Women Voters-__________ .
The videotape is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part under any circumstances whatever without the written permission of the President or Voter Service Chair of the LWV-__________ .
I, the undersigned, hereby agree to abide by the above policy.
Candidate’s signature __________ Date __________
All television productions must follow LWV- __________ guidelines.
The production must be 100% non-partisan in its content and must avoid the appearance of partisanship. For instance during the election season which starts in June and ends on election day, the League should not air issue productions that support or oppose issues that are closely associated with one candidate.
Candidate forums are non-partisan if all candidates are treated equally and without favoritism The candidates' portion of a debate must be shown in its entirety. Candidates’ comments may not be edited.
If a candidate production needs to be shortened, editing may be done on the opening and closing remarks by speakers other than the candidates, applause (as long as it is even handed), pauses, intermissions, and the moderator’s nonessential remarks. In worst case scenarios, all the candidates for a certain office could be deleted. For instance, in a forum where candidates debate for council and board of education, all of the board of education segment could be deleted!
The staging of a debate must give all candidates equal opportunity to present themselves at their: best.
Attempts need to be made to have the candidates sitting or standing at an approximately equal height.
Backgrounds should be equal or comparable (no flags behind one candidates etc.).
The camera person must be fair and equal in the filming of each candidate and should try to show each candidate at his or her best.
Lighting, camera angles, and sound should be as equal or comparable as possible.
It is best if there can be a mix of political parties when assigning the production personnel so there can be no complaints of favoritism.
The panel and their name plates should line up appropriately as viewed through the camera.
The director should preview the location as soon as possible after the place is decided upon to make sure it is appropriate for a television production. The ability for an adequate sound system, lighting, electrical outlets, traffic flow, and visibility of candidates or panelists if there is to be an audience, should be evaluated.
The director should report back to the Voter Service Chair ASAP so that final arrangements can be made to reserve the location or a new place selected, if necessary.
The director should brief all the candidates prior to the production on the use of the microphones and should remind them during the production if they are not using them properly. This must be done in an even-handed way.
The director keeps track of the total time for the production and apprises the moderator or facilitator when to start the production and gives him/her warning several minutes before the production must end so the closing will be smooth and fair.
If the candidates are to have closing remarks, the moderator and director must coordinate their timing so that the moderator will know when to start the closing so that all candidates have a chance to speak.
The moderator must allow all candidates the opportunity for equal air time (not all candidates may choose to avail themselves).
When the TV production is done by LWV -__________, the tape and production belong solely to the League. Persons or organizations may obtain copies of the production only with permission from the Voter Service Chair or President of the League and the expense should be borne by the other party, not LWV-__________. Candidates may purchase copies of the videotape if they agree in writing not to use it in their campaign unless it is unedited and in its entirety.
If the production is to be shown by any second party, it should be in its entirety as specified previously. The exception would be when a. news service shows news clips. ALL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATING IN A TAPED DEBATE MUST SIGN THE “ VIDEOTAPE POLICY AGREEMENT.”
Other persons are not allowed to tape a League production under normal circumstances since the League would not have control over the content or its use. A cosponsor in charge of taping a League production must follow the League TV Production Policy.
Candidates or TV production crews are not allowed to wear partisan buttons or other election advertising. The TV crew must show no personal favoritism towards one candidate over another during the production. There are no restrictions to partisan participation at other times.
The TV crew should arrive early enough’ so that the equipment is set up and working at least 15 minutes prior to the time the debate or production is to start. If a cosponsor is doing the TV production, the same guidelines must be followed.
Candidates may bring hand held visual aids in the form of poster board, graphs, etc. if they are totally issue oriented and are not attacking another candidate. No electronic visuals are allowed (such as over-heads) and visuals must be small enough to be held up without obstructing another candidate. Visuals can only be held up while the candidate that brings them is speaking and must be out of sight immediately when the candidate finishes (they count as speaking time). The TV camera person must be even handed in showing the visuals in close-up while the candidate is speaking.
*The key to League productions is scrupulous non-partisanship and equal and fair treatment of all candidates or presenters, both in the actual filming and also in the editing process. There must be no actual or appearance of support for a candidate or party by anyone putting on or televising the forum.