Tom Butler

Chair, Subcommittee on General Government, Oregon State Legislature

I am an Oregon film producer who has created a considerable amount of programming about the State of Oregon - a little of it for OPB - as well as national and international programming which has received such honors as a Grammy and a Cannes Golden Lion. My work has been nominated for an Emmy.

My most recent projects are a water quality video made with kids (through the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services) and "Evolution of a City", a digital 750 image permanent installation of historical photographs on display in Portland's refurbished city hall.

I believe that Oregon Public Broadcasting needs the help of the legislature and the public to redefine its mission and responsibilities which have, unfortunately, gone astray.

Imagine the public airways filled with many different programs as excellent as, for example, "Oregon Field Guide" often is - from the serious to the amusing, presented with all the creativity that the talented Oregon production community has to offer.

And imagine these programs were not occasional or token, but seen regularly in prime time, an integral part of every broadcast day.

Oregon has the experienced artists and production companies to create these programs, but these producers are neither respected nor hired.

While some if us have had work shown on OPB from time to time, many, if not all of us regard OPB's attitude toward us and our programming ideas as an unpleasant joke that has gone on for as long as we can remember, but which we are tired of laughing at.

One joke used to be:

Q: What's the difference between OPB and the IRS? A: The IRS returns your phone calls.

Now OPB is more sophisticated and has a little public relations program going with local producers, taking them out to lunch and inviting them to see documentary films with staff. They even give out a bit of development money from time to time, to give the sense that they are engaged with us.

So now the joke goes:

Q: What's the difference between OPB and the IRS. A: OPB provides better crab salads.

As Oregon's better governmental institutions aspire to move more and more toward accountability and the presentation of a human face to the people of the state, OPB becomes more elitist and disengaged.

Don't be fooled by the lunches or the occasional hiring of a tiny few - OPB wishes to hold the local production industry at bay, then continue on their national and international jaunts to engage in expensive co-productions on programs whose content could originate and be shown anywhere. (Some of this type of programming is valuable, but Oregon producers should always be in the equation.)

I encourage you to create legislation that takes a fresh look at public broadcasting's responsibilities toward both the public and the many talented program creators who live and work right here - and to look beyond the very seductive "success" of many of these productions in bringing income to OPB's coffers. OPB's responsibility is much greater than to simply perpetuate itself.

Sincerely,

Jim Blashfield

PS: Q: How many OPB executive producers does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Three. One to hold the ladder and two to see if it can be screwed in in Boston.