Underwriting Standards

PBS has established specific standards and practices for underwriting credits that all programs appearing on PTV are required to follow. They are designed to reveal to the public all program funding, and to show that no relationship exists between any funder and the editorial control of program content.

When we refer to underwriting, we are speaking particularly of production underwriting, which must have full disclosure for PTV broadcast. Only individuals or organizations that contributed cash to your production can be called underwriters and receive an underwriting credit.

• Donated goods and services may be recognized under "Special Thanks" or "Acknowledgments To" within the production credits.
• Specifically excluded is funding provided by you (the producer, your immediate family or your production company), another production company, as is funding provided through the pre-sale of foreign, audio visual and distribution in other markets.
• Funding for activities such as outreach or distribution efforts is not production underwriting and should not be acknowledged in this section.
• Funding provided solely for advertising and promotion does not qualify for an underwriting credit, but may be acknowledged in a "Special Thanks" credit.

Underwriter Identification: All underwriters must be identified in video by their name or logo. If the logo does not itself adequately disclose the funders identity, then the funder name must be stated in either audio or video.

• Logos created solely for the purpose of underwriter identification on PTV may not be used.
• Animated versions of corporate logos or existing logos that contain product images are permissible, so long as the logo is not gratuitously or blatantly promotional.  If you expect to use any underwriter logos that contain product images, slogans or other content beyond the name of the company (or the brand), get permission from your production liaison.

**Additional Identifying Information: All use of additional identifying information for funding credits should be cleared in advance by your production liaison.

Additional Audio and Video Identifiers: These may be provided as appropriate to help identify each underwriter, as long as it is not gratuitously or blatantly promotional.

• Such identifying information may include the mention of one specific product or brand name item in audio and depiction in video (e.g., “Purina: the makers of Puppy Chow”).
• In addition, up to three generic product lines or target markets for a company’s products may be mentioned in audio and identified by means of text or generic symbols in video (i.e. “Garage d’Or: Sellers of CDs, Cassettes and T-Shirts”).
• In the case of multiple underwriters, producers should weigh carefully the cumulative effect of this information on the non-commercial character of the acknowledgment.

Summary of PBS Underwriting Standards: No underwriter may participate in the process of determining program content. A program cannot be underwritten by any organization perceived as having a direct and immediate interest in the content of the program.

This issue of perceived editorial control extends to copyright arrangements, ancillary program rights and the provision of any in-kind goods and services to your production prior to and during the period of PBS or PTV distribution. In some cases, a mix of funding sources may serve to neutralize problematic funder. Underwriting issues are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by PBS Program Business Affairs.

Underwriting for tobacco or alcohol companies

• Programs for PBS may not be underwritten in part or in full by any entity or entities that are solely engaged in the manufacture or marketing of distilled spirits or cigarettes and/or little cigars.
• Children’s programming in certain time slots may not be underwritten by such companies that are substantially and solely engaged in the manufacture or marketing of the same.
  • Credits for any diversified company engaged in the manufacture and marketing of cigarettes, little cigars or any other tobacco products are limited to the use of the phrase “tobacco products” in the underwriting credits.
  • No visual representation of any tobacco product may be made in the underwriting credit.
• In the event your underwriter is a diversified company engaged in the manufacture and marketing of distilled spirits, no mention or depiction may be made of the distilled spirits whatsoever.

Full Disclosure of Funding: The FCC rules require broadcasters to "fully and fairly disclose the true identity" of all program funders. The purpose served by underwriting credits is to identify the funder in the interests of full disclosure, not to promote the funder or its products and services. Therefore, the on-air appearance and overall effect of each credit and credit sequence must be in keeping with the noncommercial nature of public television.

Music (including identifying music such as a jingle that is used in a company’s advertising) may be used in an underwriting credit so long as the overall effect preserves the non-commercial character of the announcement.

• Lyrics sung to the music are NOT acceptable.
• Sounds of a company’s products and sound effects intended to evoke the impression of a product in use are NOT acceptable.