.CONTINUING TIlE COMMITMENT:

STIMULA TIN G EXem J .ENCE AND VIS ION

IN PUBLIC TELEVISION PROORAMM!NG

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's

1993Statement of ProgI':lmming Objectives

For Public Television

January 1993

Introduction

The ammal SI.atemmt of Programming Obj«tivt!s (SPO) is the COI'ponrlon foc Pubtic B~~s

(CPB) dart to stimulate public teIcYisionto create onh:t:nvl"-g programming that cmcrs a wide range of

i<>socs~ important by the American people. This third ammal SPO 1'CDCWSSCYCDof the eight

objectives stated byCPB in the 1992SPO and replaces the .cu.vn uen(" tbcm.e with a .community"

objective which CDCOIIlpas5CSincrcasiog 00DCCrDabout such i<>socsas bn:akdown in the family, crime and

the drug problem. and pow:rty and bom('~~"

CPB stroogiy cucouragcs the j,v-Incinnof SCYCDof the eight 1992 thcmc5--cducabo health, culture,cbiJdrcn. America's intcmatioaa1 roles, govcnuncut. and hi<itmy-in the ft2hnn~1public teIcYision program

srN.dn1e The Corpocatioa has ~ that p"Ut;I...,mn,g ODthe .Ql.y~...~n1f".nt"tbcm.e has rcacbcd a

IcYclof sv~t am:ngc, based on rcsuhs of a Ic:adasbip suncy and gcuaal public focus group

research. Rather than dc--cmpha.~g this objcctivc altogctba, bowcw:£, CPB wiDconsida it at a

m:aint~:ance IcvcI,wbcrcby ooticc wiDbe taken of programming avec the oat fcw years and, if a need foc

attcmioo is DOted,that theme wiDbe rcucwcd in a sub6cqucnt SPO .

The 1993SPO is titled Continuing the Commitment: StirrrulIItingExx:~ tmd VISionin Public Tdevision

Programming. The opc:nbYc 'WOI'dis stimuUzting,as CPB seeks to spur, prod, and inspire public teIcYision

producers to take a fresh look at the i<>socsthat CPB beJicw:swill continDr'.to grow in public interest.

The eight 1992objectives were ~ped from DCCdsiden~ through COI\.c:nIt:ahQnin 1991 with opinion

leaders., the gcucral public, and the public television community. Rcscarch among the same groups in

1992 undcnoorcd the importa.oc.cof SCYCDof the objectives and provided additional data foc apanding

and dt-.finn--gthem more fully foc the 1993SPO. In aMmnn. responses in the 1992 c:onsnlt:ahnnproa:ss

rcvcaIcd the growing importancc of the comm unity issues.

Stimulatiog ~~ aud VISion in Public B~

CPB's 1990 report to Cod&c~ N«ting the M'usion in II 0uInfirrK EmVonm.mt, dH.iIM a plan by which

public tdcvisioa would improve savice to the public tbroagh 1I2rinna1programmiDg. The plan was

impJcmCDted in a 1991 aJIdract bctwcaa CPB aud the Public ~ Sc:nicc (PHS). The agrecmcm

bc:tM:cu CPB aud PHS calk £01'CPB to I-nri aD 8IIIUIal ~ to dctcnniDc DCCdsrcla1cd to

pugrJu..mn-g themes of iDtcrcst to the public tcIc¥iI;iQa .nm-,... CPB bases the annual SPO 011theneeds ~cnt

In proridiDg these pl"Ogl'JIOfI,mn-gobjcctM:s, CPB reo:'tS,,;~ that public tcJcvisioo's produd cannot be anoutgrowth simply of a litany of prcfcrcuccs dirl"tl'.d by public statioa lII"n~ produa:rs, opinion

leaders, and the gcucral pubtic. Neither can public tdcvisioa's efforts rcspood in a ~inded fashionto a laundry list of DCCdsof the moment..

Programmiog that f"nIpIo.m the topics f'ltflftv..din this dnMnnt"JIItmust build 011what bas been

presented 011public tcIcvisioa in pI'cviousyears.. Themes from the 1991 and 1992SUztemenls have been

f'!DIllln-I and dcvcJopcd further, and the focus of some of tho&c~n;;S has been sharpcucd 01"

~ .A~IIy, in ~,.d;"" of the ~ strides in CXJIIUDuni«ttinn.c;,programming can

utilize the c:maonJiDaJy range of possibiIibcs oIJcn:d by DCWtrJeronolllnn~tV-: tm.~ to develop

the objectives even further. This iDdudcs DCWdistribuboa ~ such as ~'" ~ and

the increased capacity of public broadcasting's DCWpt,.lIitl".which can be used to sene the public in more

ways. Furth.ec, through its outreach fuDcboo-ooc of its programming strcugths-public television can

amtinuc to be part of the Wntinn to many problems that beset CXJIIUDunitics.It can provide a uscfol

public scrvia: by pr-r-n~ gcucnllocal proga.1lOftllllir1gthat addresses topics of coaa:m in bcaJth,...mu-,.hnn.and maD)'other areas.

The Public TeIeromlllunicatioas Act of 1992,which rcauthorizcd CPB eOI'fiscal JCarS 1994-96,provides

fOl"CPB -ro fac:ilit.a1cthe CuDdcvcJopmentof public~~mlllliNl~ in whichprograms oflUghquality ~ .. I'!D'PJL.nt.p and . . -L: -L obtaiDCdfrom dNasc willbe,"'~""'1, aca1IYdy, , IIIDOVabOD,-ua;u arc sources,

made available to public ~mun~tions t"JIIhh.-.c.with strict adbcreucc to objcdivity and ""I,,~ in

aDprogcams 01'sc:rics of programs of a amtrovcn;ial aature.- CPB wants to CIISUICmotinued do5c

mopc:raboa bc:tM:cu CPB and PHS, ~"IIY in rcspc:d to the special activWcs that CPB and the system

will be ondcrtakiDg to aN'nIftmodatc the wishes of Coogrcss regardiog -strict adhcrcucc to objedMty and

h,.1"ft(:Cin aDprograms 01'sc:ricsof programs of a amtrovcn;ial aature. -

As it marked its first 2S JCUS of scnicc to the American people in 1992, the CorponDoa eOI'Public

B~ (CPB) rcac.tn.d its rnmmihnent to ~ the acaboa oflUgh quality, iImovative

programmiDg. This rnmmihnent will remain a major' part of the CorponDoa's efforts in the coming

years, as it sccb to stimulate the acaboa of programming that ~t~, informs, and iDSpirc:s.

In the eight sections of the 1993SIIztemml of Prot?rzmmingObjectiw:s that follow, CPB reiterates and

apands seven of the eight programming themes ~ in the 1992StmemmI and adds another to

eDCOIDpass -mmm DDity"issues.

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Stimu1abDgFYr('""-- aDdVISioain PublicB~

1993Programming Objectives for Public Television

Education: Preparing America for the 21st Century

The sixn:lhnnal ~hnn goD set in 1989cm~ specifially the importaoc:cof a Iitcra1cworkfOl'CC

po6-~~ ~ bowkxtgc aDd skills ~ to mmpr-.tt".in a global eronnmy" More than ever, the

mmpc.t;t.;~ of the aaboD'S e<x)n(WI1ydcpcods on how ~tM its WOI'kas arc. ~~ America's

eoooomle problems, lcadcrs-far more than most Amc:ricms-emphasize the importaoc:c of aweII-educated labor fon:c.. Among 20 ~ the Icadecs rnncikred in a rea:ut suncy, ~hnn was

OO'I'cibrcd the most important.

With its coon1n~ to the oountry's ~hnnal goals kJU-I in the ~~hnn 21XX)objcctm:s, public

teJcvic;ioacan play a majoI- role in hcIpiog the public UDdcrstaod the 1P.b~ among an ~tf".d

wodfOl'CC,mmpd.ib~ aDd the aaboa's l".i'rtI1nmy.It can UDdcrliDcthe importaoc:c of the

amtribubon of local scbooIs to this issue.. Public tcIcvisioo can also bc:Jpbreak down the barriers to

Iitaacy and prcsCDtrole modds and wlucs which show the importaoc:c of improving IiteI'acyin aD cuJtnraI

groups.

On another front. with the increased emphasis on improriug ~hnn in American schook. the subject of

f".dnr2hnnitself k:m:nvk aMtfinn,,) cuvaagc. Public tcIcvmon can trca1 this importaD1 topic by

producing regularly ~. compcDiag pl"Ogramsthat awid .~~. while providing infonna1ioo

on topics to bc:Jpboth parcots and studcrtts UDdcrstandcurrent dcYcIopmcuts, trcods, and tcdmoIogics inthis fidd.

To iDcrcasc the uscfuIDc:ssof ,.m.,.,.hr.ou)programmiog. a -vaJuc-addar compoac:at can be iDdodcd to

cncnd ~ct <:nntl":ntinto pradica1 ~hnn21 appJ1r'ttiQns.such as books, videodiscs, and program

guides, with t".D~ rights fOl'~ use. Iiw:ractiYc t~nnIQgy can also be used clIectivc1yto

meet classroom k:m.nds. aDd outreach clIOI'tscan emphasize such topics as literacy and cuJtnraIdiffCI'CDCCS in sdIooIs..

Health: Keeping America Well

Amcricms arc faced cw:zyday with problems rc1atcd to their physical wcII-bc:iDg.'J'bac is a gcuaallack

oJ.uodcrstaDdiDgof the causes aDd risks oJ.disease and of the De~city fOl'using pI'CV'CDtiYcand early

detection measures to CDSUI'CbcaJthfullmDg. Further, the bcahh care system in the United States is

admittt'.dIyamong the finest in the world in many ways, inNnd",& diagnostjcs, surgical procedures,

pharmacent1r:alc;.aDd bospi1aJ.care. E\'CIlso, ODeoJ.the ~bhQg debates in this muntIy is re1atcd to the

rapidlyrisingCO6tsof both health care and health care ~~ B~ poIitkaI~aDdhealth care

Icadc:rsarc imoIvcd in serious ~cioos about health care rcCorm. HDDdrcds oJ.pieces oJ.~d2hon on

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Stimulatiog F'U'P~ aDd Vmoa in Public Brn:atb~, -

the subject have bccD inIroduc.cd in CQO8rcss. Morc Amc:ricms than CVCI'arc ~ocd about their own

pc:rsoaal situatioo rcgardiDg health care costs and coverage, but they arc umriIIiog to ~ the

apI:lnatinm. fO£miog casts, such as advaDccs in m~1 tecImnIogy aDd aging P'V'12hnn PublictcIcvisioa caDprcscD1iIHIcpth infonnatioa about the DP~I issues that hdp gift: the individual amtroI

and ~ fO£his O£ha health aDdbcJp the public wrc&tIewith die public policy impl1cation.<of.

the health care problem.

Also, public tdcvisioo programs caDbe ~ as foroms fO£~miniqg many facets of. bcahh care as it

pcrtaios to iodividuaIs in the mmmuoity seUiog. Soda programs caDemph-r- many problemareas-from caDCCI',AIDS, and svt.ct:l~ abuse to nutriboo and acn:i<;c. ~~:lI1y, through projects

that employ dic:t:llv-ro.learning, public tc1evisioncan prescot programs that hcJp Americans of aD

agcs-dUIdrc:n, adults, scoior ~1IIIdastand DCWapproacbcs to pc:rsoaal health care as 1IICIlas issues

such as bcahh care !':IhnnD,g,trcatmCDt of.prcm.aturc infants, importaucc oi prcna1aI care, and bcaI1h

ha7Mds cxpericnc:cdby minorities.

To use the latest t.e.l.-1-nrnmrnn,.,.hnnc.dcvdopm~h: morc clIcctNeJy. programmiag caDbe produced fO£a

"bcaIth DCtwod" that employs digital aDd<at~Jlitf'.t~lI()logy. In such an approach, public tebisioo. can

iDtrodoce in an uodc:rst.andabI way the aJID~ of.the latest mecfir8JpI~ go and tcdmiqucs to a

widec a~ of both medical pasonnel and laypersoos..

Culture: Presenting the Best of America's Creativity

Program.m..iogfcaturiug the acatiYc arts is a sbowasc fO£open, daDcc:,music, aDd drama that bcIp&

distinguish public tclevision from the mmmczcial DCtworb. It is possible through the ~ of. public

tdevision fO£more people to view and hear a Mozart ~ a VcnIi opcza, aDd a S""'~~ play in

one CYCDingthan have :ltt~ those pcrf()(n1:1ftN"$sinc:cthe worts wac first composed or written..

Aa:onliDg to focus group rcs.can:h, pcrlonnanc:c program.m.iogis also ODeof.the chief rcasoos people

value public tdcvisioo and ~ it sc:ncs an important funt1ion That ~providing the public

with a fresh viewof.the arts in ~ that raogc from the ~ I to the avant-garde, &om the period

piece to the c:.It- :...,..,t:lLdocs DOtrestrict the aom ,...,to ODeset of.9Oiccs01'values. Tn<t~.ad.it opcDS

the stage to a pIctbon of.ideas, themes, customs, and taIcDt that immasc:s viewers in the acatiYc procx:ss,

czpands thcir borizoas, rdIccts the &n;&~1 of.the worid, and fulfills their desire fOl'cmichmCDt. Public

tdevision can build OIlthe arts as a mbcsiYe fOl'CCand present Ijographia of.artists as a way of.m:lkirtgmhure morc readily nndastood.

By offc:ringthe:best in pcrfonnanc:c prcscntatioos, the natiooal ~Lo. wiDambnOC to respond to the

public's desire £0£program.m.iogthat is idcntifi~4 almost solely with public tc1evic>ionand, aa:ording toresearch, "ISwidely and dc:cpIyapprcciaIcd. .

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StimulatiDg E~ and VISion ill Public B~~

Children: Continuing the Commitment to Children and Youth

Public tcJcviWJn'soogoing cnmmihnl".lltto ~JL.nt programmiog fOl"chiJdrcD and youths is

~ In fact, a major reason for' the --wurtcujoycd by public tdcvisioa is its vmbIc success in

olfcriag the Iargcst amOUDtol uwen::ia1 gcoaaIpr"l9"".amiqg fOl"~1!";1'5 fOl"more than 20

years. This programming compL-nu-ntttboth the eduahQn21 and social ~ 01 chiJdrcDand

youog pcopIo-arcas that arc still fertile grouod fOl"public tcIcvisioa to CDCOUI'agCIcamiog ~. to

help ill IIDdczstaDdingdiffC7CIICCSamoag pc:opIc, to provide role models, and to t.c:achvalues. Because 01

public tcIcvisioa's reputaboa as a proWIcr 01~JL.nt chiJdrcD'sprogram.m.ing,CPB was singled out inIt-gj<J:lhooin 1992to implement the proposed Ready to Learn pt~t". DCtvouk.

To m:amt:am its NWIImihnCDt,public tcIcvisioa should produce programs that meet the DCCdsof the

UDdcrscncd a~ of 12-to-17-ycar-olds.. Such programs should be cbdoped with the intent that they

become a regular, daily 01"weekly prCSCDCCin a spr-rifir time period on public ~ so that teen:lgr.rs

and prctccDS will bow wbc:n they can c:xpcd: to W:w such program.m.ing, Public tdcvision should also

~i7r. that aD other categories 01 progr miqg aced. 8("hiLfMnd" compoac:ut

On another IcYcI,cbiIdrc:n'sp£Ogr...mmiqgdocs DOthaYcto target chiJdrcDand JOUIIgpeople specificaDy;

it can be about them and their role in the family. Public television can emphasize topics that higJIligJIt

family-rcla1cd i<;sucsthat deal with cbiIdrc:nin the family rontt".ft.such as breakdown in the family, helping

dWdrcn become rcspoosibIe adults, and coping with childrearing problems. In adtJit'nn to parents, the

target anAUo:nn-,of such progr:ammiqg ~ c:ounscJon;and mimdl!";l'5.Appropriate, acativc outreach

projects sbooId also be cbdoped on such topics.

America's International Roles: Understanding the Interdependent World

The la1c:com.mnnir:ahnnsguru Marshall Me' nh:ln ~I'LI that, as part of the 8g1OOalviIIagc,8nations of

the world arc allied through . common ..m.:I'W" 01informatioo that makes it casicI"fOl"them to interact

and iDfhv.:ntt oac anntht".r. Aax¥&og to Icadcnhip suncy results, many Amcricms fed that the media,

including public tdcvmoa, deYote too much ~t1~hQn to inIematiooaI DCWSand dcwdopmCDts abroad.

Those who favor this kind of progrAn1miqg~ that apI:an:lhnntt of America's ~ on foreign

policy arc far mOl'Cuseful as progJam topics than as mvcragc 01 spr-rifir DCWSCVCDts..

Public tcIcvisioa's covaage 01fOl'Cigaaffairs can emphasize the impact of intcmabooal ~ on

American society and the CODSCq1ICIMXS01rcla1cd American adiom on foreign aatioas. Leaders

~ on this topic pointed to the importaDcc of public IIDdczstaDding 01 DCWgIOOal reaIibcs and the

aced fOl"mnlhl:atr-ralsoIuboas in an inc:rcasingIy~dl"nt world.. Public tclcvi<iioacan use the new

technologies of ~tt".njte and mnlripnint distribuboa to provide programs such as multinatiooal town

mec:hn~ produced through comortia including other nat1nrK.

Public tcIcvWoa can provide infOl'lD31ioato give ~~ to such topics as the U.s. cconomyand the

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StimolabDg p~JLont.r.. and VISion in Public ~

~ role 01overseas markets aDd~ aports. It caDdchc into the im~tinns 01 the DeWn:'hnrcali<anin Europe: aud Russia. which an baYeworidwidc rcvcrbc:I'atioa Tbcsc stories will coarinuc

to be part 01 dcYcIopmcats in the global mark~"""" during the DCZtfew years and will cno1inuc to be~ topics fOl'DCWSaDdpublic affairs .- up s and otha fOl'1llDS.Public tdcvisioa, in brief, can

iDcn:asc ~ y 4, to iotcnWioaal iwIcs and cxxaparc bow soc:ie6c:sdeal with sim.iIarproblems.

Government: Exploring Economic Issues

In rcccD1years.,the ecooomy has been a IcadiDgcooccm in the D31ion. With the bt-gjnning 01 a

~tUl ~ it promises to am1inoe as ODC01 the issues that trouble all segments 01 the popularion..Fmthc:r, research shows that 00DCCI1ISabout the fc:dcra1budget ddic:it and govcnunc:ut ~ arc

amoog major issues that public tcJc:visioaaceds to cma man: thoroughly.

Rcscarch focus groups ha\'Cresponded that, while many Amc:ric:aDsare wmried about their own

~~ pcospc:dSand those of the natioa as a whole, thccc is much amfusioa about what bas gooe

wroag aDdwhat mc:asurcs are most ~~ as ways 01 rcstoriDg America's com.pctitftc stn:ugth.

Most Amc:ricaDs~,.;h". that the natioa's economit- problems will not disappear when the current

~ ends. Public tdcvisioo can bdp W:was UDdcrst.aDdthe com.pIcDtyof ~r issues such as

sIn~ producrivity, the importance of higber IcvcJs01 ~I"ftt. m,.",tvv. and the wut1nn:.1economy,

and the iDcrcascd !QgJlifit-2nceof iotcnWioaal trade and dcsc:ribc oourscs of acbon ~ to regain

growth. The public bcJie?cs that Mnr,.~ about the nation's CC()ft('Ifti(-problems is a task public

teJcW;ioo can and sbooJd perform, ODewcIl-suitcd to its strcugths. It can present well-rounded. in-depth

studies of the orononty, without ~riIy advoca1iog ~

History: Presenting Past as Insight to the Future

I'. up Amlftn,gabout historical topics, such as The Civil WGT,bdps to &bowthe rrhhnndwT 01 people to

their times and juu.aposcs issues and events against the CIIITCDtcultural cydc. Such programming also

provides pel~", fOl'undcntanding values, tradiboos, CV'CDts,and people and bdps csUbIish historical

memory fOl'the Amc:ricua people. It lays a f(Vlftli:.tV..fOl'daily living today and in the future, t~

tolaaDc:e and rcspc:d fOl'the many difI'cn:Da:s that WCDtinto buiIdiog this society, and ddiocs the nationin the aJIIt.at 01world history. h. a story-t.cIIa, public tcJcvi.;ioa can provide a base of com.moo

apa ieDcc, it can pass on the values 01soc:ictythrough biogJapby and drama.

The apIosioa of many forms of czprcssioo in Amc:ricua cu.Iturc mirrors to a great atcnt the

atraOI'dinary di~~, of the natioa's people. rt'1'It-rtit,gthe ridmcs& 01 the backgrounds of the many

groups rcprcscnted in the popuIaboo. That dnusity inacasingIy ioaxporates the idea of

"mdosioa8-wbich c:mbna:s the streams 01 wu~Iity, fam..ily,nhnicity, regional idcDtity, and tradition as

rcprc:scutabvc 01the whole culture that has built the stroag Amaica 01 today.

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Stim~ p-~~ and VJSioa in Public B~~

With rllll'lncinn8as a ~ fadOI' widaiD a historic t b~ public tcIcvisioD caD aa:c:u1 many cuItoral

themes that rcpn:scDt these myriad wiccs of America. It is capable of providing the emphasis that unites

Amcricam, although the aatioa's people come from diffcrcut cdmic aud cuhural backgrounds.

PkU51Ammn-gcaDbcIp y;.,_a UDdcrstaDdthe cultural &fk.c.ua:s that make up the 00UDtryaDdhigbl1gJtt

the cIem~t" of di~..4, in serious, dramaric, aDdother W3IJ'L

Community: Providing a Sense of Participation

National polls aDd a rc:ccnt Icadcrship survey itL-ntifiMthree priority issues that wen: not rcOcctcd in the

1992CPB StatemenJ of Prognzmming Objedivt:s: Family breakdown, crime and the drug problem, and

poverty and hom..~c }I~ are a daily rr-min(ler of the scriomDcss of these issues.;DCWSreports

dcsaibc the tragic cztrcmcs of ~, dMJrcc, aucJty, starvatioa, and death to which they lead.

While these issues rcprese:ot a wide range of problems in society today, they c:zcmplifyproblems that

affect-aDd inwI?e-thc whole commUDity. SnInhnrK to tbcsc problems require the unified efforts of

iDdividuaIsas weDas catirc ~t":I'Ik of the commUDity,rcpRSCDtcdby group6as dM:rsc as lawcuforccmCllt, social ~> ~, the church, and schools.

Public television can provide c:ztc:usM;in-depth informatioo OIleach of these problem. areas and prcscn1

ways by which individuaJs and agr--nn- can deal with the causes of and possible soIotioos to each. By

placing these issues in a aJDtcD:which gives them meaning, public ~ caDprovide informJlhnnJlI

programming that draws 00 day-to-day deYcJopmcutsand shows the YicwcI"bow to cope with the

problems and hclp6 bring about c:oast:nJdivcdul1W"~Public tcIcvisioDcaDCOV'amulticultura1 topics byczploring rebhnnc:hip;. amoog communities, gettiDgbe)'oad stc.rcotypes to bcIp ~ ~m-. bow

radically American society is dt:ll~ and what will be ~ to deal with those dul1~ 1'hac are

possibilities, as wen. {ocoutreach efforts through such u.lSA/l;~ as the Public TeIevmoa Outreach

ADiaDce(PTOA).

Conclusion

Tbac ~ DOqucstioa that public tdcvisioa ~ a valuable n:soun:c {occummnnntir,g ideas, CVCDts,and

cultural deYcJopmcuts to the American public. The eight objc:ctivcsstaled Irzc are but the br-gjnnn-gof

the process of cbcJopiDg compcDing. informatiYc, aDdthought-provoking programming that dcIwcsinto a

raugc of issues aud topics of Iastiag intcn:st and vaIuc.. 'These objc:ctivcsare the Iv-ginnn-g of a process to

stimulate public teIevmoa to seck out the informahnn, to dc:wdopthe saipts, and to acatc the

productioos that wiDsene to ~t inform, enl1gbtt":l'l,and CDtc:rtainthe American people.

More than 25 years ago, the Camcgic C.ommkaoa, said that public tdcvisioo rmdudes aD that is of

human intcrc:st aud importaDa:. 8 These objc:ctivcsare IDcaDtto s6malatc programming that lives up tothat definition.

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