{"article":{"id":13036,"heading":"LA! help save our wetlands w\/ national effort","author":"sheila laffey\/ jim stewart","created":"2001-11-21 04:35:04","modified":"2005-08-15 00:43:35","last_modified":"Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:43:35","article":"

posted by an IMCista:

Help Save Wetlands with a Phone Call

Dear People Who Care About Wetlands,

PLEASE HELP NOW to get the hour long wetlands film on many more PBS stations!

THIS IS ONE LAST CHANCE to reach millions of folks across the country

about Ballona and other wetlands through a satellite feed available to 200

PBS stations around the country on Nov. 25th. But the stations need to be

asked as soon as possible.

Just a few minutes of your time could result in hundreds of thousands

of viewers in each geographical area seeing this award winning film.

We have found that even one or two calls, faxes, letters or emails

to PBS station(s) in an area can make a difference whether

a station airs the program. And of course this can add up to millions of

additional viewers around the country.

The timing of this national opportunity is quite synchronous.

\"The LA Times\" and other publications reported this past Monday

that \"Marshes Could be lost under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers changes.\"

The article includes a

map which shows the states where over 70% of the wetlands are lost:

California, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Connecticut,

Maryland and Arkansas. If you, family or friends contact stations in any

of those locations be sure to point out the critical status of wetlands in

that area.

Viewers will find out why Ballona Wetlands and other wetlands are so

vitally important.

*********************************

\"THE LAST STAND - THE STRUGGLE FOR BALLONA WETLANDS

(UPDATE:2000) WILL BE UPLINKED VIA SATELLITE FREE TO

200 PBS STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE STATIONS CAN RECORD THE FILM AND THEN PROGRAM

IT AT THEIR CONVENIENCE.

(NOV. 25 IS NOT THE DATE OF A BROADCAST BUT THE OPPORTUNITY

FOR A STATION TO PICK UP THE PROGRAM FOR FUTURE AIRING).

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2100 - 2200\/513 EST

(THE STATIONS KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS)

UPLINKED VIA SATELLITE VIA NETA

WHAT CAN WE DO?

1. PLEASE FORWARD this email on to as many folks as possible.

2. PLEASE Call, email or write to a station in an area where you might

have grown up or ask friends and relatives in different parts of the country,

(especially large urban centers) to do the following:

a. Please contact the Program Director at the PBS station

b. Ask him or her to record the uplink on Nov. 25 because there are

people in that area that want to see the film

c. If the station is airing the film and plans to program it into

their schedule please let me know the date and time. We can then do

publicity. We got several articles in the New England area last year

about local broadcasts there.

3. If you don't know the name of a PBS station or the program director

you can go to www.pbs.org for a list of stations with addresses, phone #s

and email addresses. GO to the upper right of the screen and click on

station finder and then click on \"state.\"

Or if you are not on the Internet, call directory assistance if you know

the name of the station.

If you don't want to do that you can contact me (Sheila Laffey) at the

my email address (echoprod@compuserve.com) and you can ask me to

look up the station's name and program director for you in a particular

geographic area.

Under REASONS heading below you can find some suggestions for what to say

to the stations if you have the time and they show interest in knowing

more.

MORE ON THE SATELLITE FEED

While about 35 PBS stations have aired the film so far there are about

200 stations that have the capability to record this program via satellite

on Nov. 25 and air it at their convenience. This is not only a chance to

expand the number of stations that aired the film but to encourage those

that aired it previously to air it again. (KCET, for example, still has not

aired \"Update:2000\", although it did air the original in 1999.)

The latest contract with Echo Mountain Productions allows for 4 broadcasts

over a three year period so the potential audience is huge, very huge!

(The contract reads that a \"public television release is defined as an

unlimited number of broadcasts or non-commercial cablecasts

within a seven day period.\" It also allows for \"off-air school rights.\")

Some stations last year broadcast it more than once.

I found in calling stations myself that a phone call or two made the

difference in whether a station thought there was interest out there.

REASONS TO AIR THE UPDATED VERSION OF \"THE LAST STAND\"

- It is a spirited film which captures the debate over the environment and

development, representative of so many struggles over natural areas around

the country.

- The U.S. has lost 50% of its wetlands and more than 70% in ten states.

California has lost 91%!.

- This film is informative AND entertaining.

- It is of high quality, having aired on over 30 PBS stations and won ten

awards, including a Cine Golden Eagle and Best Documentary

at several festivals.

(Judges at World-fest Houston said it was a \"must see film.\" The September

issue of the International Documentary Magazine includes a long article

praising the film.)

- Includes Hollywood filmmakers and actors such as Ed Asner as host,

and Martin Sheen, Steven Spielberg and Esai Morales. Sheen is of course,

particularly hot now with the huge success of \"West Wing.\"

- Entertains with music by Joni Mitchell, Kenny Loggins, Joe Walsh

and actors dressed as huge puppets on a 4 day walk for the wetlands.

- Informs about the little known important functions of wetlands and

includes stunning shots of wetlands wildlife and marine life.

Demonstrates the connection between loss of wetland habitat

and diminishing stocks of fish.

- Inspires with examples of citizens saving other threatened natural areas.

- Includes points of views of environmentalists, actors, filmmakers,

development advocates, labor unionists, native Americans and politicians

set against the backdrop of Hollywood. Includes Dr. Joy Zedler, foremost

wetlands scientist and authors Chellis Glendenning and Peter Berg.

We sent out 200 flyers\/cover letters this past week-end to remind the

stations of the uplink so calls, emails or letters this week would be

most timely. Also, due to the anthrax scare we are not sure all stations

are opening their snail mail.

The PBS distributor is sending out a reminder so this is a great

time to contact them since they set their recording schedules early.

SOME RESULTS OF LAST ROUND OF PBS BROADCASTS

During the last round of broadcasts our office and that of our of our

distributor, the Video Project, received calls from viewers from a

range of places such as South Carolina, Utah, New Hampshire, and

Rhode Island. One was from an environmental group that purchased

a dub for showing to its community, one was from a student

doing a project on wetlands, one was from someone who worked for Discover

card concerned they worked for a company involved in the development at the

wetlands ecosystem, one ordered a tape for a friend working to save a

wetland in Ireland!

So the ripple effect can be quite amazing and inspiring!

Thanking you so much in advance for your time and for helping insure that

our \"media makes a difference.\" If you have time please let me know what

stations you or your friends\/family are contacting.



Sheila Laffey

Echo Mountain Productions

(310) 453-4272

\"media that makes a difference\"

website: www.ballona.com

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