One small, but very enterprising TV association in Lima, Peru aims to be inclusive and provide true coverage to an entire country... all with a little help from some friends.

The H is silent. That’s how I usually explain how my name is pronounced.  I thought it would no longer be an issue in Peru, but it turns out it’s an even bigger problem here! Locals pronounce the H with a guttural sound making my name sound German. Oh well. So are the challenges of having an unusual first name.

I’ve been in Peru two weeks now, slowly learning my way around, and simply amazed at the kind of work my partner organization is doing. It’s a bit confusing, but here´s an explanation of what we are setting out to do.

TV Cultura is a PBS-like production house, specializing in news, documentaries and public affairs programs. They´re not completely non-profit which complicates things a bit, but their focus is to serve as an alternative to the mainstream TV stations. Just last week they celebrated their 24th anniversary, and I’m looking forward to celebrating #25 which will coincide with the end of my Fellowship year with them.

TV Cultura is the nucleus of an organization, or network of about 50 independently-owned stations throughout Peru called Asociación Nacional de Canales Locales de Televisión Red TV. The idea behind this 14 year-old network is to provide access and coverage to the entire country.  As members, the stations commit to providing content, and agree to air other’s programming on their airwaves.  It’s a lofty goal which provides exposure and coverage from areas rarely seen on local TV.  According to TV Cultura’s president, Carlos Cárdenas, local stations mostly ignore anything that’s outside of Lima, focusing mainly on stories about crimes and murders.

TV Cultura produces a national newscast called “Enlace Nacional,” airing stories from as many of the stations in the network as possible, therefore truly covering all of Peru. But trying to incorporate such different regions and cultures existing within the same country presents huge challenges. During our initial meeting with News Director Juan José Beteta,  Producer Luis Ramos, Red TV’s GM Adolfo Montoya, and producer Sandra Yépez, they explained some of the problems they face.  One of them is language (there are multiple variations of the indigenous Quechua language!).  For example, in one region the word casimente is acceptable, referring  to something ‘almost being.’ I had never heard that version of the word casi (almost), and it doesn’t officially exist as part of the Spanish language, but you can see how airing a story with such regionalisms presents a problem!