Submit Your TV Series!

Did you know that you can submit your TV series to air on Open Signal's channels?

In Open Signal terms, a series is any project with episodes that have the same time slot on the same channel. Series episodes can air once a month (3 episodes), twice a month (6 episodes) or weekly (13 episodes.)

Series programs have the benefit of a regular airing schedule, helping you build an audience. You can also consistently schedule your studio reservations in advance if you use our studios for your project. The series period is three months (13 weeks). Please note that you must be a member of Open Signal to use our equipment or book time in our studios. Find more information here.

We open up series applications four times a year. The next period opens in February for series that air between April and July. For a more detailed schedule, please check out our series production calendar.

Getting Your Series Approved:

Detailed instructions for first time series producers can be found in this guide.

Criteria:

• Your show can be between five minutes and one hour in length. Please stay as close as possible to the running time on your application.
• Potentially objectionable content is acceptable, as long as you note that your project is 'Adult' in the series application form. These episodes will play during our safe harbor hours (between 10pm and 5am PST, depending on the channel).
• If you aren't sure if your show is potentially objectionable, please contact our Community Media Distribution Manager, Emily Roland, at distribution [at] opensignalpdx.org.
• If you produce your show at another community media center in the metro area, it may not air during Open Signal's programming blocks on the Community Access Network channel (Xfinity 11 and HD 331). Additionally, if your show is produced outside of the metro area, it will not receive a series airing on that channel.
• Series scheduling can take up to five weeks. If your series project has been approved, you will receive an email about airing and a studio schedule (if you need one) approximately one month prior to the beginning of the series season.
• If you have not been approved, you will receive a letter explaining why and give you tips on how to get it approved for the next application period.
• If you need equipment or studio use to producer your series, you must fill out the Equipment and Studio Request form.

Our equity goals aim to support communities who have been historically underserved and underrepresented in media. To do so, we are offering prioritized use of our studios and equipment to members of these communities: Black, Indigenous, and people of color; people living with disabilities; English language learners; and/or people with low incomes (defined as 80% or below the median Portland income for your household size, found here). 

Other important notes:

• Producers share their files online and if that’s not possible can come into the facility. Please contact playback with questions, playback [at] opensignalpdx.org.
• We require pre recorded episodes show forms filled out in your Community Dashboard and files to be submitted a minimum of two days in advance of the premiere date. 
• If you are having trouble with getting us an episode, please contact distribution staff. In the event that you do not submit an episode, we will replay the previous episode. Too many missed episodes may result in a cancellation of the series.
• We recommend that new producers consider starting off with a monthly or a bi-monthly series, rather than a weekly series. Your pilots can also be aired as episodes in your series, but please let our distribution staff know first; we do not move your pilots over to the series airings.

Please speak with our staff about how to submit your first series episode if you have questions.

Our technical requirements for broadcast are listed in our Programming Standards guide.

We have additional information about our policies, Commercial Content and Sponsorship and more on our website in the FAQ section of our Make A Show page.

Please contact our Media Distribution Manager, Emily Roland, with any additional questions or need help with any part of the process: distribution [at] opensignalpdx.org or call 503-288-1515 ext. 301.