New Production Opportunities
Programs or Issues for the Homefront series might come from a variety of sources to inform a diversity of constituencies.
Labor
To better serve the working men and women of the Greater Pittsburgh area, it is essential for public broadcasting to complement the management and investor focus of PBS business and Wall Street shows. Yet, of the more than 40 professionally produced program series about workplace issues now airing on public and public access stations around the country, none are available in Pittsburgh. Such programs examine important issues:
child labor
economic conversion
the impact of free trade agreements
privatization and replacement workers
the status of undocumented workers
sexual harassment
drug testing
forced overtime
affirmative action
PET offerings could address these concerns, assist in job retraining, and provide employment bulletin boards to serve a now neglected segment of our community.
Public Interest Groups
Pittsburghers need a better forum to explore social problems in their communities and to discuss how to make Pittsburgh a better place for all of its people. PET programs could provide public education and information about their issues and struggles:
from hunger to homelessness
from hate crimes to domestic abuse
from gang violence to civilian review of police
from transportation to urban revitalization
from unemployment to school reform
Democratic Discussion
The Twentieth-Century Fund report suggests public broadcasting adopt the model of an "electronic town square" in which stations "take the lead in attempting to solve community problems by putting their resources at the disposal of community groups and agencies that are addressing these problems." Like C-Span, but on the local level, PET could take its cameras into campus debates, town meetings, university lecture rooms, even plays and poetry readings.
Filmmakers
Pittsburgh is home to Pittsburgh Filmmakers, an active association of producers, teachers, students and supporters of independent films. PET could help produce programs featuring such work, from short experimental projects to finished documentaries and feature films. Such showings could be supplemented by presentations and interviews with filmmakers, subjects and others.
Higher Ed
Pittsburgh also is home to several institutions of higher learning that offer broadcast training programs. Students learn the professional skills required for success in the industry whether behind or in front of the camera. PET assisted program production could offer a terrific supplement to the academic programs at these institutions.
Pittsburgh is a major center for medicine and academics. These institutions have faculties of international and national reputation. In the early days of public broadcasting, the hosts and guests frequently were people of accomplishment discussing great ideas. These days, stations too often settle for the latest paperback author of the month presenting their typical seminar on investing money or managing emotions. PET programs will challenge the community intellectually while showcasing some of the brightest stars of our local universities and hospitals.