Who are the staff members at BKAT?
Charleen Burnette is the Public Access Manager and Jon Rauch is the Production Coordinator. Part-time production and technical staff members include: Mike Spencer, Tom Henry and Lisa Castro-Waldorf. BKAT also utilizes a few people as contract employees.

What is BKAT?
BKAT stands for Bremerton Kitsap Access Television. BKAT is a division of the City of Bremerton. We are an Access Station that airs all three versions of PEG.

What is PEG?
Programming that is divided into Public, Education, & Government. The specific designation for a video or text message all depends on where the video/message is coming from, not what it is about. A video could be instructional, such as teaching cooking, but the designation would be Public (from the individual). Typically all individuals are Public first. Education comes from BHS, SKHS, Ridgetop Jr. High and OC because they have a regular series or programming that airs on BKAT. Education status also is given to other schools and/or districts and teachers, not students. Government status is from BKAT’s productions for Bremerton, Poulsbo, Port Orchard and Kitsap County through contract agreements with them and from military branches of service. An example of this: BKAT airs Army Newswatch, a Government video program.

What is BKAT in relation to PEG?
BKAT is an Access station airing all three of the PEG.

Who is BKAT available to?
Any cable subscriber to Bremerton based Comcast or Port Orchard based Wave Broadband can watch BKAT. Even though some viewers are also in Mason County, only Kitsap County Residents can utilize BKAT. Cable subscribers can view BKAT on Wave cable channel 3 (Port Orchard, Silverdale and North Mason County) or Comcast cable channel 12 (Bremerton and Poulsbo). BKAT is the public forum for airing your views/programs/announcements to reach more than 50,000 cable subscribing households in Kitsap County over those cable companies whether you currently subscribe to cable or not.

How is BKAT funded?
Through the “pass through” fees on the cable bills from Bremerton and unincorporated Kitsap County (not Port Orchard or Poulsbo) and through the Government service agreements BKAT has with the Cities of Bremerton, Poulsbo, Port Orchard and Kitsap County.

What is BKAT’s responsibility?
- Provide airtime for Kitsap County residents/members to share their talents, thoughts, meetings, information, etc. either on video or through the Reader Board.
- Provide equipment, free of charge, to the public so they can provide programming to BKAT.
- Keep members up to date.
- Provide the members with quality training.

What is membership at BKAT?
Membership is agreeing to the BKAT policies and adhering to them. You become a member by filling out the proper BKAT forms. There is no charge for membership. Forms are for Individuals or Organizations.

What is member’s responsibility?
- Watch!
- Provide programming.
- Properly sign up and properly use equipment.
- Provide BKAT with proper ID.
- Keep BKAT informed of any changes (address, phone, status, etc.)

How can I utilize BKAT if I live in Kitsap County?
* Use the Readerboard
Announce your non-profit organization message (meetings, service times, upcoming events, general reminders, etc). Rules and more info are on the Readerboard Form. Messages have a 2-week maximum run for Non-profit, Education and Government organizations. BKAT membership is not required.

* Have your video played back on BKAT
BKAT airs a wide variety of videos that cover all topics, ideas and thoughts. Only Kitsap County residents may air videos on BKAT regardless of whether they subscribe to cable or not. Videos are either created in Kitsap County (local) or outside of the County (imported). Everyone who gives us a video must sign a Playback Request Form and have a Membership Form on file. Because BKAT stands by the First Amendment and your right to Free Speech, we do not pre-screen any video for content. The only “restriction” of playback is the playback time: if the box on the Playback Request Form is checked (by the person submitting the video) that says this video contains excessive swearing, excessive violence and/or nudity the video will be aired after midnight. All videos that contain copyrighted material must be accompanied by a letter that says you have permission to air the video. See the Policy Handbook for specific wording on that subject.BKAT membership is required.

Single program:
Will air no more than four times in various timeslots in a single season (6-months). Allow two-three weeks once program is dropped off to be on schedule.

Series programs:
Air in regular timeslots on regular days (ex: Tuesdays at 10pm). Must apply for regular timeslot through Series Lottery held in February & August. Seasons are April 1 through September 30 & October 1 through March 31. You can also apply for open slots after the lottery is held and have a time slot until that season ends. Shows can be either weekly or monthly.
- Weekly: One new program each week (26 new episodes or 13 new with 13 repeat episodes)
- Monthly: One new program each month airs either on 1st/3rd or 2nd/4th week.(6 new shows total)

There are no LIVE programming spaces available at this time for any programming.

* Check out Equipment/Edit if available - Certification is required first.
BKAT has video equipment that can be checked out on a first come-first served basis. Individuals will be certified after they either demonstrate working knowledge of the camera equipment and/or edit bay or they can receive individual training that is by appointment with either Jon Rauch. He is more than happy to train you on camera use and edit bay use as the schedule allows.

Please note:
All finished productions done on BKAT equipment MUST air on BKAT before any other use. Also: Individuals under 18 must have a parent or a legal guardian present to check out and return equipment. Individuals under 14 are not allowed to use BKAT equipment either on site or in the field.

I have an idea for a show, but no crew what do I do?
If it’s a 30-minute show you can do an Instant Television with BKAT.

* What is Instant Television and how is it different?
Instant Television (ITV) is when you have a show that you can do that is 28 minutes or under, don’t have a crew and you don’t have equipment. ITV’s are done in the BKAT Studio with BKAT Staff and BKAT volunteers operating all production equipment. It is a show that is done start to finish, there is no editing or adding things later. If you choose to do an Instant Television you must observe one before signing up.

* Instant Television Guidelines:
- Orientation first (observation of an ITV)
- Sign up is first come - first served
- Location is the BKAT Studio in the Comcast Building at 1225 Sylvan Way in Bremerton.
- Frequency of use is quarterly (ex: first use in January, second April or after)
- The crew is provided by BKAT, there is no cost for production.
- All productions are done in under half-an-hour, talk format or band, and is done “live to tape."
- Instant Television is held on the first Thursday of each month at 5-6pm or 6-7pm slots for “talk” format programs; the third Thursday at 6pm is for a band or variety program. The third Thursday is 6pm - 8pm to allow for the band to set up in one hour, perform for half-an-hour and take down equipment in the final half-hour.

BKAT Policy Handbook
This covers the general policies of BKAT, please read it in its entirety.

This “Orientation” should answer the general questions you might have about BKAT. If you do have any further questions, please contact BKAT. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you have or direct you to the person who can best help you.

Thank you for your time.