INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Placement Report On Chile's Regional Concepcion Tv Co-Op:

Published: Thu 11 Feb 2010 04:32 PM
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RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #0202/01 0421633
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111632Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0870
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000202
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/PDA, PA/OBS/BS-GSANTULLI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV KPAO PGOV ECON EFIN CI
SUBJECT: PLACEMENT REPORT ON CHILE'S REGIONAL CONCEPCION TV CO-OP:
"CLIMATE CHANGE AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES"
REF: 12958
1. Summary: Post is pleased to report the results of the FY09
Regional Concepcion TV Co-op project, March 15-30, 2009. The crew
included Radio Bio-Bio Press Chief and Regional TV Channel 9
journalist Salvador Schwartzmann, cameraman and producer German
Saavedra, and LES Press Specialist Veronica Clarke as interpreter.
With the vital assistance of OBS producer George Santulli, the TV
Co-op team successfully gathered all the footage and interviews
necessary to produce five one-hour special programs for the
network's press department they entitled "Global Warming, an Urgent
Matter." The segments aired between October 28-November 29, 2009,
and all aired twice each during prime-time. The different programs
of the series were "Water,""Climate Change,""Renewable Energies
I,""Renewable Energies II," and "Recycling and Alternative
Energies." Post's assessment is that each of these
professionally-produced programs has helped to raise public
awareness in the Region of Concepcion about USG and private
initiatives on these topics and has enhanced press coverage of
Chilean GOC environmentally and energy related projects in the
region. The programs had such success that the TV network is
planning on producing more shorter chapters with footage left from
the trip. End Summary.
Appreciative Chilean Team
-------------------------
2. The team from Chile's TV network "Canal 9 Regional" in
Concepcion spent two weeks in the United States learning about the
importance of climate change, it effects on people's lives, and the
growing demand for renewable energies. The team met with
government officers, NGOs, utility companies, scientists, school
teachers, university professors, and students to explore what is
being done in the United States to address these issues, and the
role individual citizens play in addressing climate issues. The
team visited more than a half-dozen U.S. cities, including Miami,
Florida; Washington, D.C.; Boulder, Colorado; San Francisco,
Sacramento, Modesto, and other locations in California.
3. Radio Bio-Bio Press Chief and Regional TV Channel 9 journalist
Salvador Schwartzmann, and cameraman and producer German Saavedra
had nothing but high praise for PA/OBS/BS' organization of the
trip, including all the logistics, lodging, and transportation
arrangements. They similarly commended PA/OBS/BS for selecting the
right sites to visit, the right people to interview and the
accurate timing of each day's activities for the TV Co-Op. Until
today, the Chileans continue mentioning what a great pleasure it
was working with their Producer George Santulli.
Description of the programs
----------------------------
4. Regional TV Channel 9 is one of the most important regional TV
networks in Chile. In addition to the southern Bio-Bio region --
the second largest and important region of Chile -- the TV
network's broadcast reaches the southernmost parts of the country.
Its programming can also be seen online. Regional TV Channel 9 has
a partnership with CNN Chile and Bio-Bio Radio network -- one of
the most important radio networks in Chile.
5. Before the five prime-time programs aired, Concepcion Regional
TV Network broadcast an interview with U.S. Ambassador to Chile
Paul Simons, who spoke of the importance of renewable energy and
its prominence in U.S.-Chilean cooperation. The interview was used
as an introduction to the special programs.
6. The first program "Water," aired on October 28 and November 1,
2009, and included segments of the award winning documentary "One
Water" and an interview with its executive director and filmmaker
Sanjeev Chatterjee -- who is also the Vice Dean, and Professor of
the U. of Miami Knight Center for International Media. This chapter
also included an interview with University of Miami Dr. Shouranseni
San Roy, expert on climate change who spoke of the rain
precipitations and patterns; and an interview with Otis Brown, also
Dean of the University of Miami Rosentiel Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences.
7. The second program, "Climate Change," aired on November 4 and 8,
2009. This segment began showing the 2006 floods and later forest
fires of the 8th Region of Concepcion and continued with interviews
with NBC's Luis Carrera who emphasized an increase in the
perception of the problem by the general public. Dr. Elizabeth
Holland from NCAR stated that scientific evidence shows a better
understanding of the problem, and highlighted the importance of all
efforts. Finally, University of Colorado CIRES scientist Eric
Steig, who had recently returned from an expedition in Antarctica,
spoke about the temperature increase in that part of the world.
8. The third of the specials, "Renewable Energies I," aired
November 11 and 15, 2009. This segment included interviews in
California with Farniente director Larry Mcguire, who described the
benefits of solar panels they are using and Frito Lay executive Tom
Melead and Namaste Solar Panels company director Black Jones, who
extensively described the advantages of solar energy. The segment
ended with a visit to a Wind Farm in Solano, CA, where Mariana
Hernandez from PG described the efforts of the local government
to achieve California's plans to reduce dependency on traditional
energy sources and enhance the use of renewable energies.
9. The fourth program of the series, "Renewable Energies II", aired
November 18 and 22, 2009, and included interviews with Sussane
Garfielf of CS California, and Dan Gehringer who described a
hydrogen cell fuel vehicle in development and showed one of the
first zero emission refueling facilities for these vehicles. In
this same program, Owen Torres, in charge of the Miami's
weatherization program, described the local government's project to
make households more energy efficient. The segment also featured an
interview with a beneficiary of this program, as well as a
beneficiary of a solar panel household initiative in Berkeley,
followed by an interview with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, who said
Berkeley is considered a laboratory for its "green" initiatives.
10. The fifth and last of the series, "Recycling and Alternative
Energies," aired November 25 and 29, 2009. The first portion
described recycling problems in the area of Concepcion, then moved
to the U.S. where people interviewed featured Germ????n Gonzalez from
the city of Miami, who explained Miami's waste management
challenges; Tim Israel from the Kiefer Treatment Plant that
produces energy from garbage; and Fred Fernier from the Fred
Fernier Dairy Farm I Sacramento, who described new techniques and
processes he used to turn animal residues into a source of energy
and an economic opportunity. The program also included Felipe
Castro from Sacramento, who explained the benefits of recycling
mowing machines and other similar products during the city's "Mow
Down Event."
Additional Benefits From TV Co-Op
---------------------------------
11. The material produced by the TV crew was shared with, and
utilized by, the University of Concepcion in its journalism and
science classes. This TV Co-op generated enthusiasm among other
regional TV stations that have already asked post if they can
participate in future programs in the U.S., and the Public Affairs
Section has benefited from enhanced contacts around the country.
The last three chapters of the series will be used at a
presentation in March at the Chilean-German chamber of commerce as
an introduction to a meeting on the enhancement of green energy
projects for Chile. The director of Concepcion's Regional TV Canal
9 told post they had valuable material and footage left from this
TV Co-op and would try to produce more programs to air in the next
couple of months.
A Special Thanks
----------------
12. Post is grateful to Producer George Santulli for making this
program work so smoothly. The team members were very appreciative
of the opportunity to partake in such a fruitful trip to the United
States -- their first U.S. experience. Both Schwartzmann and
Saavedra said they would welcome the opportunity to return to the
United States. They were impressed by the amount of time and
generosity that top experts gave to a foreign TV crew.
SIMONS
URBAN
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