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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&E 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