Tuesday sessions
Here are some of my abbreviated notes from the afternoon sessions I was
able to attend. Apologies for some of the 'randomness of thought.'
Opening session:
Skip Hinton. NETA President
Welcomed those who were able to make it in. Some folks are delayed
getting in due to the weather. Announced the next NETA meeting is Oct.
18-20 in Kansas City.
Polly Anderson. NETA Board Chair and Pres/CEO- KNME
Said many challenges to our industry ahead. In light of recent events,
we MUST fight to keep public media as the last place people can
participate in civil discourse. The management team for APTS, CPB and
PBS are the right people in the right place at the right time.
Becky Magura. GM of WCTE/Cookville
Previewed Wednesday’s Jammim’ At Hippie Jack’s reception and
concert taping...and there was a Wild Horse saloon joke that involved a
play on the name. Use your imagination.
Beth Curley
President/CEO NPT
Noted that Nashville is the home of ALL kinds of music. Country, rock,
jazz and classical. It’s a creative city that includes Art.
Filmmaking. Television. Soundstages. It's all happening here. Nashville
is also a growing international city. Largest concentrated Kurdish
population the US. 95 languages spoken by children and parents in the
greater Nashville K-12 system.
Karl Dean
Nashville Mayor
Welcomed attendees and encouraged all to spend lots of money while in
Nashville (with a wink and a smile)
Explores four distinct immigrant cultures within Nashville. Kurds.
Sudanese. Arab. Somali. Feedback within the overall Nashville community
was very positive.
Kevin Crane
EP for Next Door Neighbors
Program idea came from their education department. Multi-lingual
literacy workshops were being requested of their RTL unit. There was a
need. NPT a CPB grant to seed the project. Their development unit raised
money to fund the production of the entire series. They forged many
relationships. Old and new. (with the immigrant & refugee communities of
Nashville) One key was working with young, open minded students within
those immigrant and community communities. Training members of the immigrant and refugee
communities in creating their own stories and posting them to youtube.
and Wisconsin Vietnam War Stories (Stories you haven’t heard from
vets who can’t forget) Jon Miskowski- WHA EP for project
Vietnam vets were skeptical and NOT eager to tell their stories. Very
different story and feel than WWII and Korean vet stories. GOAL: Wanted
to reach every Vietnam vet in the state. (Beyond broadcast) Components:
Documentary & archive
Companion website
Curriculum component for schools
Community screenings & discussion Companion book
Traveling portrait exhibit to museums (non traditional viewing places) That led up to LZ ("Landing Zone") Lambeau event. Official welcome home
and thank you to the vets. An amazing and emotional and impactful project. WHA toolkit is available for those stations who wish to produce local
companion programming for Ken Burn’s upcoming Vietnam national series.
Editorial Integrity for Public Media (aka: “IT COULD HAPPEN TO
YOU”)
Session presenters: Ted Krichels PSU; Tom Thomas/Station Resources Group
When we partner is new and different ways, surprising folks can come to
the table seeking a voice. Might be good. Might not.
the government. Now at risk: 214 radio/76 TV are university licensees
and beholding to state funding. Social media: tip of the iceberg. Juan Williams situation as an
example. Employees expressing views and opinions as station
representatives and public citizens. When does one pass onto another?
Does it? Website: pmintegrity.org Production Council
Great discussion by about 20 production folks from across the country.
While many frustrations were expressed, we also agreed that in this is
an unprecedented time in terms of new technology tools to do our jobs
better. Group agreed to make a greater effort to reach out system wide
to help each other in our new multi-platform production world. New
volunteers were solicited to serve on the council. Yours truly agreed.
-Tim Zeko, WKAR-TV Executive Producer