In December, 2008 we submitted a Population Solution video to ABC News for inclusion on the network’s website and television special, Earth 2100, about the potential catastrophe this century from the “perfect storm of population growth, resource depletion and climate change.” The network invited the public to submit videos visualizing possible solutions. ABC refused to post the video on the Earth 2100 web site or include any portion in their special, which airs June 2, 2009. This e-mail exchange with the network indicates, in my view, that ABC is simply afraid to seriously address the fact that we could do something about overpopulation if we chose to: #1 I’m curious. It’s been a month since I submitted my “population solution” video and yet not one solution video has been added to the two solution videos that were on the Earth2100.tv website a month ago. Is the web team way behind, have plans changed, or…???? Happy New Year! Dave #2 We wanted to thank you for your submission to the Earth 2100 website. We sincerely enjoyed your video, however we are unable to post it on the website due to the third party material, music and interviews that you included. You can find the agreement details at the bottom of the ‘Upload Video’ page at http://earth2100.tv/upload_video. The website is definitely up and running, and the airdate of the Earth 2100 broadcast will be posted on the site in the coming months. We’d be thrilled for your continued participation, and if you’re interested in submitting an new video we’d like to see what you come up with. Be sure to keep the solutions guidelines and suggestions in mind. They’re posted at http://earth2100.tv/solutions: If you have any further questions or would like to run any ideas past us, please feel free to email: Joanna.L.Weiner.-ND@abc.com Thank you! Sincerely, #3 All the material was shot by me. I shot the interviews and I have signed, written releases for the interviews, and I have specific authorization from the interviewees to include them in this PSA and provide it to ABC News for possible web and broadcast use. The music was created especially for this PSA by one of our volunteers. The weather forecast voice was one of our volunteers. The graphics were created specifically for this by one of our volunteers. So I don’t see the problem. Perhaps you just needed this to be clarified. We read the rules and followed them to the letter. I can assure you I did not submit any material for which I do not have the rights. So, I hope you will reconsider. Please let me know. We all worked hard on this specifically to submit for your project. Dave #4 I passed your video to our ABC News Standards and Practices group, and unfortunately, we are unable to post your documentary on our site, as it is against ABC News policy to incorporate or engage in issue advocacy on our websites or in our broadcasts. Our Earth 2100 website is geared towards viewer videos in which people imagine their future world and offer their personal accounts. Thank you, |
