VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0328/01 0971539
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071539Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4760
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 3908
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1408
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0818
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 6111
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR MONTEVIDEO 4340
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2289

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA, INR/IAA, PA/OBS/BS-GSANTULLI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO ENRG ENVR PGOV ECON EFIN CI
SUBJECT:  POST REPORT ON CHILE'S REGIONAL CONCEPCION TV CO-OP: 
"CLIMATE CHANGE AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES" 
 
¶1.  Summary:  A 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.  The University of Miami has already 
requested the team provide copies of the recorded segments they will 
produce.  The team also plans to prepare several three-minute 
reports for CNN Chile, as well as producing between 4-6 half-hour 
segments on different aspects of their U.S. visit.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  A two-member team from Concepcion's Canal 9 Regional (Regional 
TV Channel 9) and Embassy Press Specialist Veronica Clarke 
participated in an extremely successful TV Co-Op program that 
included program activities in: Miami, Florida; Washington, D.C.; 
Boulder, Colorado; San Francisco, Sacramento, Modesto, and other 
locations in California, from March 15-30, 2009. 
 
Appreciative Chilean Team 
------------------------- 
¶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. 
 
¶4.  Both professionals were impressed with the detailed organization 
of the trip, the quality of the interviewees, among them several 
award-winning and world-renowned scientists, as well as impressive 
film producers and State government officials.  The Chileans 
especially mentioned what a great pleasure it was working with their 
Producer George Santulli.  They praised his perseverance in locating 
top-notch experts to address specific interests they had identified 
during the production stage of the Co-op. 
 
¶5.  The TV crew covered a wide array of topics:  ocean warming and 
its effects, including rising ocean levels; hydroelectric plants and 
the problems caused by less available water; garbage disposal and 
recycling; community participation, among others.  Both Schwartzmann 
and Saavedra emphasized that all interviews and visits during the 
program were worthwhile and not a single moment was wasted. 
 
¶6.  The trip began with an early morning interview of U.S. 
Ambassador to Chile Paul Simons, who spoke of the importance of 
renewable energy and its prominence in U.S.-Chilean cooperation. 
Ambassador Simons was interviewed on the same day the TV crew flew 
to Miami, Florida. 
 
¶7.  During their first day in Miami, the team recorded the launch of 
the Discovery space shuttle and prepared a report that was sent to 
their TV network in Chile.  This report aired that same night as 
well as during the next morning.  The "spur-of-the-moment segment" 
served as an introduction to other segments the team produced and 
generated placement on the Bio-Bio radio network, which received 
national coverage in Chile.  The reports also generated high 
interest at the University of Concepcion, which has requested copies 
of all the material that will be produced. 
 
Side Benefits From TV Co-Op 
--------------------------- 
¶8.  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.  Both CNN Chile and Bio-Bio 
radio have nation-wide reach.  In addition to the University of 
Concepcion, the University of Miami requested copies of all the 
material produced by the Concepcion TV crew. 
 
¶9.  The Regional Channel 9 TV network team offered to prepare 
between 4-6 thirty minute segments on different topics covered 
during this TV Co-op.  The team also has offered to prepare 
three-minute segments for broadcast on CNN Chile as well as radio 
segments for the Bio-Bio Radio Network.  Post will work with the 
team to make sure this commitment becomes a reality. 
 
¶10.  The material produced by the TV crew will also be shared with 
and utilized by the University of Concepcion in its journalism and 
science classes.  Since the Bio-Bio region is a leading industrial 
hub in Chile, these TV segments should generate much interest in the 
municipal government as well as in the industrial sector. 
 
¶11.  During the TV Co-op, one contact requested that Post assist 
 
with a High School Sister Partnership between Sacramento, California 
and Chile, and PA Santiago will try to facilitate contact between 
high school environmental clubs.  The Sacramento area has several 
environmentally-themed schools called "Green Academies," funded by 
California grants that teach all the traditional subjects, but with 
an environmental theme.  The students study organic gardening, 
various forms of renewable energy and participate in community 
service by teaching the public about recycling to energy 
conservation measures. 
 
¶12.  Post will continue working with the Concepcion team to make the 
most of the TV Co-Op in the United States.  As a result of the many 
interviews, FSN Veronica Clarke identified several candidates for 
possible future U.S. Speaker programs on renewable energies and 
education. Furthermore, two of the interviewed scientists, Francisco 
Chavez from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) 
and Ted Scambos from the Cooperative Institute for Research in 
Environmental Sciences (CIRES), might soon visit Chile and agreed to 
participate in additional Embassy-organized outreach and 
programming.  Ted Scampos participated in a November 2008-February 
2009 crossing of the Antarctica. 
 
¶13.  During the trip, FSN Veronica Clarke posted brief stories and 
comments on Facebook about the many interviews and visits by the 
Chilean TV crew.  The stories generated interest among several 
contacts at the Communications School at the University of Miami, 
which is doing similar stories on renewable energy in conjunction 
with the U.S. Embassy in Prague.  In a second meeting with the 
University of Miami before departing for Chile, Ms. Clarke shared 
many of the team's contacts from the two-week trip, which will be of 
assistance in a series of multimedia stories the School of 
Communications is producing.  A producer of the University of Miami 
has already been in touch with at least one of the TV Co-Op contacts 
to pursue a similar story to that of the Concepcion crew. 
 
¶14.  Award winning documentary filmmaker Sanjeev Chatterjee -- who 
is also the Vice Dean, Professor and Executive Director of the U. of 
Miami Knight Center for International Media -- provided Ms. Clarke a 
copy of his global motion picture project entitled "One Water" to be 
screened at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago and other Chilean venues. 
This film premiered on the closing night of the 2008 Miami 
International Film Festival, and has been screened at special United 
Nations conferences.  PA expects to be able to use this film in a 
special screening as well as part of the Embassy's upcoming Earth 
Day activities. 
 
A Special Thanks 
---------------- 
¶15.  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.  Both 
Chileans expect to be able to pursue many follow-up stories based on 
this fabulous experience. 
SIMONS