Cablegate: Post Wrap-Up Report On Ntv's Tv Co-Op

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Dianne Wampler 10/11/2006 08:20:58 AM From DB/Inbox: Dianne Wampler

Cable
Text:

UNCLAS ANKARA 05850

SIPDIS
CX:
ACTION: PA
INFO: DCM POL PMA ECON AMB

DISSEMINATION: PAO /1
CHARGE: PAS

APPROVED: A/PAO: EMCKAY
DRAFTED: AIO: SMORIMURA
CLEARED: IO: KSCHALOW

VZCZCAYI073
RR RUEHC
DE RUEHAK #5850 2791435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061435Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9281

UNCLAS ANKARA 005850

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PPD, PA/OBS (SANTULLI), EUR/SE,

PA/OBS/BE (GSANTULLI), PB/PBS, EAP/PD AND IIP (AFELDMAN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO TU
SUBJECT: POST WRAP-UP REPORT ON NTV'S TV CO-OP

1. Summary: A TV co-op program with Turkish all-news TV station NTV
resulted in five original documentary programs covering US-Turkey
trade relations, US-Turkey defense relations, Cyprus policy, the
fourth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and western US
history and culture. In addition, the station produced ten short
segments on US border security and control, as well as several short
pieces on cultural events. The pieces aired between August and
November, 2005, some during prime time and some during the day.
While there are no reliable rating figures commercially available
for individual NTV programs, among Turkey's four all-news
broadcasters, NTV dominates the sector with a 56% prime time market
share. The TV co-op opportunity was seen as valuable by the NTV
team. End Summary.

2. TV Co-op Production: The NTV team produced five documentary
segments and over 10 short pieces during two separate trips to the
US, the first from June 5 to June 19, 2005, and the second from
August 28 to September 12, 2005. The three-person crew visited
Washington DC, Florida, North Dakota, Texas and New York to meet
with government officials, artists, dancers, NGO officials and
ordinary citizens. The resulting segments provided a favorable
depiction of the US, covering a wide variety of topics, including
"US Border Policy," "US-Turkish Trade Relations" and "The Wild
West."

3. Program Descriptions:

- Wild West documentary, featuring interviews with residents,
historians and academics in North Dakota, aired in conjunction with
the US TV series "Into the West" (59 minutes, 24 seconds)
- US-Turkey Trade Relations, featuring interviews with government
officials and business people (19 minutes 46 seconds)
- US-Turkish Defense Relations (24 minutes 30 seconds)
- Interview with former US Special Coordinator for Cyprus, Thomas
Weston (25 minutes, 7 seconds)
- Fourth Anniversary of September 11 attacks, live broadcast from
New York City, featuring interviews with visitors to Ground Zero, an
historian, a downtown New York small business owner, and coverage of
the commemoration ceremony (About 20 minutes)
- A program covering a variety of topics: lobbying in America, US
border security, the Seattle Bumbershoot Arts Festival, belly
dancing and square dancing in Dallas and the NASA Visitors Center in
Houston (14 minutes)
- Border security and border control, including interviews on the
Canadian and Mexican borders (10 segments, averaging 2-4 minutes
each)

4. Viewer Reaction: NTV received extensive positive feedback from
viewers. The "Wild West" segments received special attention, as
several newspapers reported on the program including
Islamist-oriented daily "Yeni Safak." Pairing the series with
broadcasts of the popular US TV series "Into the West" also
contributed to the documentary's high viewer ship (according to the
station, no specific figures available).

5. Evaluation: Reporter Ahmet Yesiltepe, despite having served as
NTV's New York correspondent for several years, found the
opportunity to travel to the US and report on the experience
invaluable. He appreciated the access to people at all levels that
he was able to get with the help of the Department producer. In
addition, because of his own experience, he was able to capitalize
on the timing of his visits, broadcasting live on the anniversary of
the 9/11 attacks and recording interviews on US-Turkey trade
relations at the annual American-Turkish Council Conference in
Washington DC in June 2005, for example.

6. Co-op Partner: NTV is not only the most watched all-news channel
in Turkey, but it is also the most respected based on its reputation
for responsible journalism and quality production. That quality is
apparent in the segments produced based on material from the TV
Co-op reporting trips. Its programming reaches a sophisticated
audience of decision-makers. Our only complaint about NTV during
this project was that post experienced difficulty in obtaining the
required production report and copies of the segments.

7. Benefits to the Mission: The TV Co-op program contributed to the
Mission goals in two ways: by encouraging responsible journalism, an
essential element in the MPP goal of promoting democratic systems;
and by providing direct access to experts and information for the
production of accurate and fair TV segments on important MPP issues
such as US-Turkey trade and defense relations.

8. Post would like to especially thank U.S.-based PA/OBS Producer
Maryam Jazayeri and PA/OBS/BS Producer George Santulli for their
support with this project. Broadcast quality tapes or DVDs of the
segments will be sent to George Santulli in the Department.

WILSON

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