Some governments use a body separate from the channel manager and staff to make policy decisions as they arise, on a weekly or quarterly basis. In some cities, the city council acts as a board overseeing the channel, and makes programming decisions. In other cities, a policy board may consist of appointed community representatives.
The Policy Board/Steering Committee usually approves policies, prioritizes and approves programming requests and undertakes other activities related to the government access channel.
Having a Policy Board/Steering Committee is a good way to get community leaders involved with the channel. It also gives the channel the benefit of the Board's expertise and feel for the community. However, sometimes the Board/Steering Committee cannot put in enough time to address the real needs or issues of the government access channel. They often meet infrequently and can hold up progress on timely projects.
Depending on the relationship, the Board/Steering Committee can be perceived as undermining the authority or autonomy of the government access channel staff. Therefore, in most cities, the responsibility for program decisions is given to the government access channel manager. Generally, successful managers establish themselves as the decision-maker, according to policy, but work closely with city managers, city councils, and city departments by choice.