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From the President 
Many are more than willing. And, as always, these independents are not only following their artistic muse but also moving quickly to fill a gap in the market: international programming. In the years since 9/11, we have all heard the steady refrain of questions that don’t seem to fade. How much do Americans know about the world beyond our borders? Where do we learn about our international allies, our enemies, our neighbors, our friends? Almost half of all Americans get their news primarily from television. Media watchdogs such as FAIR, Pew and others have documented the problems of an underinformed public fueled by programming that does not give audiences the context they need in order to understand international news. And while these debates have been raging, public television—with its mission to educate, entertain and inform—has been responding. ITVS has been on the front line of that response. Our continuing work to incorporate international perspectives into our own mission of bringing underrepresented views to public television has been guided, in large part, by the independents whose programs and proposals have continued to pour in to ITVS. It’s no coincidence that this year’s Independent Lens features a record number of shows that have an international theme—shows that transport viewers from the rural expanse of AFGHANISTAN UNVEILED to the Eurasian cityscape of Tbilisi in POWER TRIP to the LION’S TRAIL’S trip through South Africa. Over the last decade we’ve learned a lot from these filmmakers, not only about the faraway people and places that they bring to us through their films, but also about the ins and outs of international co-production—more than we ever thought we’d know. Through them, we’ve found ourselves in collaborations with public television networks and production partners all over the world. It’s become clear to us that the globalization of the television market includes us, includes independents, includes public television partners in Europe and Asia, Africa and Latin America. Today, the task of serving our three constituencies—independent producers, public television and audiences—means developing an international strategy. We must learn more about helping producers work internationally, we must feed public television more of the profound international programming that comes our way and we must give audiences the international perspectives they are missing. In May 2005, ITVS will host the International Public Television Conference (INPUT). For us, this conference is an opportunity to tap a global network of public television leaders and independent producers. We are assembling journalists to look at the international potential of public media; we’ve enlisted consulate partners from some 40 nations looking to bridge the divide; and we’re working on scholarship programs to bring delegates from around the world and around the country. Our producer friends have taught us that relationships are everything, that forging partnerships with potential production and distribution partners is critical to the future of public television and independent filmmaking, here and everywhere. INPUT is a beginning for us as we look for new ways to bring the world to America and bring America to the world. We hope you will join us. —Sally Jo Fifer |
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