Bob - I thought you'd like to see this. I recently sent the letter below to Jerry Starr (the book author and CIPB executive director) and basically he likes it. A lot. Starr will be requesting startup money for Chicago from the MacArthur Fdtn. soon and he wants to include the new Chicago chapter in his regular budget thereafter. CIPB (and maybe PBTV too?) will be requesting grants from not only the Open Society Institute and Schumann but Ford and MacArthur too. I am to send Starr a bio and budget. He told me to include money for an office for Chicago which is where you and PBTV might come in - literally. Please let me know if you might consider sharing office space with us should this actually happen, or if you know of any other sharing arrangements that might be as close a fit as a PBTV/CIPB/WTTW coalition arrangement would clearly be. It is interesting that Starr is willing for this proposed WTTW, Inc. reform coalition effort to be a more or less autonomous (i.e. legally independent) entity, though within the Chicago chapter of CIPB. Scott Sanders cc: gq, mn, ld ------------------------------------ The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Office of Grants Management 140 S. Dearborn Street Chicago. Illinois 60603 November 2000 To whom it may concern, In 1916, educator John Dewey said in his book "Education and Democracy" - "A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated living" (our emphasis). Today, less than ten corporations control more than half of all CD, book, newspaper, magazine, radio, television and motion picture communications enterprises. This figure is down from fifty corporations in 1983. As the commercial imperatives of the dominant media by their nature expand and as this power becomes concentrated in fewer and fewer hands, diverse and minority voices are silenced. The publicly-owned airwaves continue to be given away at no charge to commercial broadcasters. The digital fix is in and the public sphere and consequently democracy are more dangerously eroded than ever before. When Congress created public broadcasting in 1967, it called for an "alternative" that would express "diversity and excellence", involve "creative risks", and "address the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities". But, since 1967 the federal government has repeatedly failed to create an independent, democratic and accountable trust mechanism for the funding of public broadcasting at healthy levels. Local public broadcasting outlets continue to be closed and undemocratic, controlled by self-elected patricians, their corporate interests narrowing and restricting the acceptable parameters of public discourse, especially in the areas of public affairs and documentaries. It is for these reasons the organization I head - Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting (CIPB) - has been founded. In Chicago, Window to the World Communications, Incorporated (WTTW Communications, Inc.) oversees WTTW-TV and WFMT-FM. It does not permit the inspection of communication it receives from the public, unlike for-profit broadcast entities. It does not make public its board minutes, agendas or financial reports, nor does it give adequate notice of its meetings or permit cameras or recording devices at those meetings. Public comment at its board meetings is not permitted and only under duress is it permitted at committee meetings. Even its federally mandated community advisory board (CAB) is closed and undemocratic. * In 1995, WTTW-TV's private trustees were handed a reprimand by the FCC for airing home shopping programs hawking wares including camouflage "rain forest umbrellas" and warned to be careful in the future. * This year in March, they paid a fine of $2,000 assessed by the FCC for airing commercial advertisements for TV sets that bring you "pictures more realistic than ever before". Sometimes public broadcasting in Chicago is excellent - but only sometimes. Bland, safe, mediocre and unresponsive programming clogs the preponderance of the schedule. Educational organizations of similar scope to WTTW Communications, Inc. such as public library boards and public school boards are more accountable. These boards are usually publicly elected. WTTW Communications, Inc. has failed in its public mission. Therefore, the Window to the World Communications, Inc. board of directors must be asked to leave and be replaced with a board that is representative of and accountable to all of the people of Chicago, not just the rich and powerful. Public broadcasting should be like a forest or public park without market restraints - a place set aside where thoughts can truly flow freely - a place where communities can help plan programming without fear that their ideas may be censored into extinction. BACKGROUND, PURPOSE AND GOALS The enclosed excerpt entitled "Chicago" from the new book I have written "Air Wars: The Fight to Reclaim Public Broadcasting" tells the long overlooked story of the Coalition for Democracy in Public TV. My book tells of the groundbreaking reform work it achieved - without any paid staff - from early 1993 through its demise in 1995 due to burnout. Scott Sanders coordinated that landmark project. CIPB and many others in the media reform movement need to see the work pioneered in Chicago recognized and extended. Financial support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is needed firstly here to encourage the development of a new independent coalition - Democracy in Public Broadcasting - and later to help sustain it. This coalition's long-term purpose is to eliminate corporate and government censorship from public broadcasting but with a special and highly focused regard to Window to the World Communications, Inc. Democracy in Public Broadcasting's goals are to: + Help create a democratic and accountable structure and process at Window to the World Communications, Inc. + Help create a democratic, accountable, independent and robustly financed national public broadcasting trust fund capitalized by assessments against the commercial broadcasting profiteers. Local public broadcasting structural reform is not dependent upon the creation of the public broadcasting trust, but the creation of the trust is mainly dependent upon local coalition building and CIPB's primary strategic locus for this is Chicago. From within CIPB's new Chicago chapter, the Chicago coalition will work closely with other media reform organizations including People for Better Television and its Chicago chapter, Chicago Media Watch and others. HOW? Primarily, the Chicago effort will require coalition building on a massive and perhaps even unprecedented scale. It must perpetually outreach to broaden its support while increasing its diversity. Outreach will include the Chicago Board of Education, the Illinois Library Association, and a broad representation of community groups ranging from (but not limited to) groups involved in neighborhood concerns, the environment, labor, minority issues, global trade issues, women's issues, consumer issues, peace, human rights, as well as groups as mainstream as, say, the Girls Scouts Illinois Crossroads Council and the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. There is overwhelming public support for structural improvements to public broadcasting. We believe this support lies just below the surface with regard to structural reforms locally as well - especially in Chicago. A number of program ideas have been suggested to accomplish the Coalition for Democracy in Public Broadcasting's goals. A fairly comprehensive list follows which may be modified as the coalition sees fit: o Provide a continuing and immediate response to all questionable enterprises embarked upon by WTTW Communications, Inc. and to right wing attacks upon public broadcasting. o Develop an Internet presence to put into place a local alert network, link to the alerts, resources and information of other media reform groups and communicate with our members and the media. o Bring guest speakers to Chicago including media reform activist Kalle Lasn, author of the book "Culture Jam: the Uncooling of America" and director of Adbusters Media Foundation; and myself, representing CIPB. Press as public outreach will be a key element of our speaker programs. o Use media to communicate with and educate the board, the station, its membership and the public. o Create our own public service announcements for radio and TV and seek their broadcast on WTTW-TV and WFMT-FM. o Seek regular space in WTTW Communications, Inc.'s other media. o Purchase advertising space in local newspapers and magazines including the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times as well as other neighborhood and suburban weeklies. o Meet with the station board of directors and management to pressure for structural reforms. o Acquire seats on the board of directors and its committees and community advisory board. o Suggest WTTW Communications, Inc. consider hiring parliamentary/democracy "doctors" to hold a series of group sessions with the board of directors and management executives. o Educate elected officials about our concerns and seek their general support for our principle goals. o Seek the passage of resolutions of support from the Chicago City Council and other local government bodies, the Chicago Board of Education and the Illinois General Assembly. o Organize a citywide non-binding ballot referendum. o If feasible and appropriate, pursue FCC sanctions, license revocation and/or other legal avenues singly and/or in concert against WTTW Communications, Inc. and/or PBS. o Integrate WTTW Communications, Inc. board members and retirees into our advisory board and membership. o Perform a structural democracy survey of the top 30 big-city public TV and radio license holders (sample survey enclosed). A WORD ABOUT PROGRAMMING REQUESTS For the time being, certain programming concerning media reform including our own PSAs shall be our only specific programming requests. Under the right conditions, we would welcome a live town hall broadcast on the issue of media and public broadcasting reform. CONCLUSION Due to its close association with illegal commerce, Window to the World Communications, Inc. is the veritable "crack in the dike" structural reformers have needed. Successes in this Chicago coalition effort may well trigger restructuring efforts nationally as well as in other local communities. Consistently excellent public programming will only flow through a democratically restructured and properly funded service. The opening in Chicago must be exploited - fully and permanently. There is a whole lot of very difficult work to do. The Chicago coalition's work can have a very desirous impact upon the work of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. As the Executive Director of Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting, I personally urge you to support the development of the public broadcasting reform coalition in Chicago described here. Your support will ensure the construction of a solid framework for the coalition and allow it to build. Once it has grown sufficiently, and with additional support from foundations, this organization will be able to put into action programs that will help to restructure public broadcasting in Chicago and prompt much-needed reform elsewhere. We also urge the foundation to participate in this independent Chicago public broadcasting coalition effort as a board member or advisory board member. We must all be in this together for a long, hard push in the offensive direction. The alternative will continue to be a losing defensive battle of appeasement, co-optation and attrition. As has been the case with public broadcasting systemwide, Window to the World Communications, Inc. has only been throwing the people of Chicago bones. The dog is choking on those bones. Very Truly Yours, Jerold M. Starr Executive Director, Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting (enclosures)