Talking Points For Approaching TV Stations About Broadcasting Democracy Now!

Download PDF version–TV Talking Points

Why Democracy Now!?

• Democracy Now! is one of public broadcasting’s fastest growing programs and now broadcasts on over 650 TV and Radio Stations.

• Democracy Now! has won numerous awards for journalistic excellence, including the George Polk Award, The Columbia-Dupont Award, and many Golden Reel Awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. For a partial list of awards that Democracy Now! and its hosts have won, see the “Downloadable Resources” section at www.democracynow.org/get_involved

• As a news show that is funded entirely through contributions from listeners, viewers, broadcasting stations and foundations, Democracy Now! maintains its editorial independence, providing a counterweight to media consolidation.

• Democracy Now! has raised thousands of dollars for public access stations through hosting joint events with TV stations around the country. For more information on these benefits, see “How Democracy Now! Helps Stations Raise Money” under the “Downloadable Resources” section at: www.democracynow.org/get_involved

• At the National Conference on Media Reform January 2007 legendary TV journalist, Bill Moyers said in his keynote address, “In moments of revelry, I imagine all of you returning home to organize a campaign to persuade your local public television station to start airing Democracy Now! I can’t think of a single act more likely to remind people of what public broadcasting should be. On Democracy Now! the truth lies where the facts are hidden, and Amy digs for them.”

• Democracy Now! often outperforms all other programs during radio station fundraising drives, including NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. For testimonials form TV and radio station managers about Democracy Now!, see the corresponding documents in the “Downloadable Resources” section at: www.democracynow.org/get_involved

• Democracy Now! is popular among journalists. CNN’s Gloria Hilliard says,” Amy, your courage is an inspiration. Thank you for your voice.” For more comments from journalists, see “What Journalists are Saying about Democracy Now!” at www.democracynow.org/get_involved under “Downloadable Resources”.

• “Democracy Now! retains a jagged and intriguing edge,” says the Washington Post. You’ll hear a diversity of voices not often heard on other U.S. media including independent and international journalists; ordinary people affected by government policy, whether in the U.S. or around the world; grassroots leaders, artists, academics and independent analysts. The daily live one-hour program combines the cutting edge of a breaking news program and the magazine format that allows for extended discussions and debates.

Tune into Democracy Now! on Television

1. Democracy Now is on both major U.S. TV Satellite Networks

• Dish Network on:
  Channel 9415 (Free Speech TV), M-F at: 8am, 12noon, 7pm and 12 midnight EST
  Channel 9410 (LinkTV), M-F at: 11am & 6pm EST

• DirecTV on:
  Channel 375 (LinkTV), M-F: 11am & 6pm EST

Link TV and FSTV are nationwide, noncommercial public television channels offering global perspectives on world events, issues and culture.

2. PEG (Public Access) and PBS Television Stations Can Broadcast Democracy Now! Over 200 TV stations nationwide already carry Democracy Now!

There are three ways for TV stations to get Democracy Now!:

a. TV stations can broadcast DN via the FTA (free to air) C-BAND Satellite Feed:

Stations will need to have an MPEG-2 decoder and C-band satellite dish to receive the show. If a station already has an MPEG-2 decoder and C-band satellite dish, it can easily pick up the show directly, as a free to air (FTA) program. If not, you can organize fundraising efforts to buy an MPEG-2 decoder and C-band satellite dish (approximately $1500). The Democracy Now! outreach team would be happy to help you organize effective and creative fundraising drives.

The Democracy Now! feed is in MPEG-2 format, weekdays from 8-9 a.m. ET.:
-Galaxy 16 (Gal16) (99’ W)
-Transponder 13C
-FEC: 2/3
-Symbol Rate: 6.62
-D/L: 3973.500 Horizontal
-Virtual channel 2

If a receive site needs assistance they can contact the Intelsat Network Operations Center at 404-381-2600 or 800-231-3959

Public TV/PEG stations can take Democracy Now! from a the local cable company’s distribution center/head end for delivery via fiber optic or cable to the public TV/PEG system.

b. TV Stations can broadcast Democracy Now! via Dish Network/Free Speech TV

• Democracy Now! is distributed via satellite TV over a nonprofit channel Free Speech TV (FSTV). Public access television stations can obtain Democracy Now! from this satellite channel.

• The dish and related equipment are FREE. There is an annual subscription fee of approximately $350 per year.

• Besides enabling the public access station to receive and broadcast Democracy Now!, the satellite dish will allow the station access to FSTV’s 24 hours per day of programming, with permission to broadcast whatever the station chooses.

• The agreement with FSTV can be cancelled at any time without penalty.

• The Democracy Now! Outreach team is available to discuss in detail how to bring Democracy Now!I to any public access station, to provide a copy of the FSTV Agreement, and to provide references to other public access station staff where Democracy Now! is carried, so that interested station managers can benefit from their experience.

• Both Democracy Now! and FSTV promote stations that carry Democracy Now!, building an audience for the station. Democracy Now! has an extensive radio audience with many who are eager to see the program on television, as well as broad e-mail and other networks to promote these stations that carry Democracy Now!

• The station can take DN! from a the local cable company’s distribution center (also called the “head end”) and then a fiber optic cable can deliver it to the town’s cable system, and out to homes via the public access system.

c. A Democracy Now! supporter or group of supporters could tape the show each day off of satellite TV and transport it to the station. This option is very labor intensive should be a last resort.