1993 statement of programming objectives for public television · the ammal si.atemmt of...
TRANSCRIPT
.CONTINUING TIlE COMMITMENT:
STIMULA TIN G EXem J .ENCE AND VIS ION
IN PUBLIC TELEVISION PROORAMM!NG
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's
1993Statement of ProgI':lmming Objectives
For Public Television
January 1993
Introduction
The ammal SI.atemmt of Programming Obj«tivt!s (SPO) is the COI'ponrlon foc Pubtic B~~s
(CPB) dart to stimulate public teIcYisionto create onh:t:nvl"-g programming that cmcrs a wide range of
i<>socs~ important by the American people. This third ammal SPO 1'CDCWSSCYCDof the eight
objectives stated byCPB in the 1992SPO and replaces the .cu.vn uen(" tbcm.e with a .community"
objective which CDCOIIlpas5CSincrcasiog 00DCCrDabout such i<>socsas bn:akdown in the family, crime and
the drug problem. and pow:rty and bom('~~"
CPB stroogiy cucouragcs the j,v-Incinnof SCYCDof the eight 1992 thcmc5--cducabo health, culture,cbiJdrcn. America's intcmatioaa1 roles, govcnuncut. and hi<itmy-in the ft2hnn~1public teIcYision program
srN.dn1e The Corpocatioa has ~ that p"Ut;I...,mn,g ODthe .Ql.y~...~n1f".nt"tbcm.e has rcacbcd a
IcYclof sv~t am:ngc, based on rcsuhs of a Ic:adasbip suncy and gcuaal public focus group
research. Rather than dc--cmpha.~g this objcctivc altogctba, bowcw:£, CPB wiDconsida it at a
m:aint~:ance IcvcI,wbcrcby ooticc wiDbe taken of programming avec the oat fcw years and, if a need foc
attcmioo is DOted,that theme wiDbe rcucwcd in a sub6cqucnt SPO .
The 1993SPO is titled Continuing the Commitment: StirrrulIItingExx:~ tmd VISionin Public Tdevision
Programming. The opc:nbYc 'WOI'dis stimuUzting,as CPB seeks to spur, prod, and inspire public teIcYision
producers to take a fresh look at the i<>socsthat CPB beJicw:swill continDr'.to grow in public interest.
The eight 1992objectives were ~ped from DCCdsiden~ through COI\.c:nIt:ahQnin 1991 with opinion
leaders., the gcucral public, and the public television community. Rcscarch among the same groups in
1992 undcnoorcd the importa.oc.cof SCYCDof the objectives and provided additional data foc apanding
and dt-.finn--gthem more fully foc the 1993SPO. In aMmnn. responses in the 1992 c:onsnlt:ahnnproa:ss
rcvcaIcd the growing importancc of the comm unity issues.
Stimulatiog ~~ aud VISion in Public B~
CPB's 1990 report to Cod&c~ N«ting the M'usion in II 0uInfirrK EmVonm.mt, dH.iIM a plan by which
public tdcvisioa would improve savice to the public tbroagh 1I2rinna1programmiDg. The plan was
impJcmCDted in a 1991 aJIdract bctwcaa CPB aud the Public ~ Sc:nicc (PHS). The agrecmcm
bc:tM:cu CPB aud PHS calk £01'CPB to I-nri aD 8IIIUIal ~ to dctcnniDc DCCdsrcla1cd to
pugrJu..mn-g themes of iDtcrcst to the public tcIc¥iI;iQa .nm-,... CPB bases the annual SPO 011theneeds ~cnt
In proridiDg these pl"Ogl'JIOfI,mn-gobjcctM:s, CPB reo:'tS,,;~ that public tcJcvisioo's produd cannot be anoutgrowth simply of a litany of prcfcrcuccs dirl"tl'.d by public statioa lII"n~ produa:rs, opinion
leaders, and the gcucral pubtic. Neither can public tdcvisioa's efforts rcspood in a ~inded fashionto a laundry list of DCCdsof the moment..
Programmiog that f"nIpIo.m the topics f'ltflftv..din this dnMnnt"JIItmust build 011what bas been
presented 011public tcIcvisioa in pI'cviousyears.. Themes from the 1991 and 1992SUztemenls have been
f'!DIllln-I and dcvcJopcd further, and the focus of some of tho&c~n;;S has been sharpcucd 01"
~ .A~IIy, in ~,.d;"" of the ~ strides in CXJIIUDuni«ttinn.c;,programming can
utilize the c:maonJiDaJy range of possibiIibcs oIJcn:d by DCWtrJeronolllnn~tV-: tm.~ to develop
the objectives even further. This iDdudcs DCWdistribuboa ~ such as ~'" ~ and
the increased capacity of public broadcasting's DCWpt,.lIitl".which can be used to sene the public in more
ways. Furth.ec, through its outreach fuDcboo-ooc of its programming strcugths-public television can
amtinuc to be part of the Wntinn to many problems that beset CXJIIUDunitics.It can provide a uscfol
public scrvia: by pr-r-n~ gcucnllocal proga.1lOftllllir1gthat addresses topics of coaa:m in bcaJth,...mu-,.hnn.and maD)'other areas.
The Public TeIeromlllunicatioas Act of 1992,which rcauthorizcd CPB eOI'fiscal JCarS 1994-96,provides
fOl"CPB -ro fac:ilit.a1cthe CuDdcvcJopmentof public~~mlllliNl~ in whichprograms oflUghquality ~ .. I'!D'PJL.nt.p and . . -L: -L obtaiDCdfrom dNasc willbe,"'~""'1, aca1IYdy, , IIIDOVabOD,-ua;u arc sources,
made available to public ~mun~tions t"JIIhh.-.c.with strict adbcreucc to objcdivity and ""I,,~ in
aDprogcams 01'sc:rics of programs of a amtrovcn;ial aature.- CPB wants to CIISUICmotinued do5c
mopc:raboa bc:tM:cu CPB and PHS, ~"IIY in rcspc:d to the special activWcs that CPB and the system
will be ondcrtakiDg to aN'nIftmodatc the wishes of Coogrcss regardiog -strict adhcrcucc to objedMty and
h,.1"ft(:Cin aDprograms 01'sc:ricsof programs of a amtrovcn;ial aature. -
As it marked its first 2S JCUS of scnicc to the American people in 1992, the CorponDoa eOI'Public
B~ (CPB) rcac.tn.d its rnmmihnent to ~ the acaboa oflUgh quality, iImovative
programmiDg. This rnmmihnent will remain a major' part of the CorponDoa's efforts in the coming
years, as it sccb to stimulate the acaboa of programming that ~t~, informs, and iDSpirc:s.
In the eight sections of the 1993SIIztemml of Prot?rzmmingObjectiw:s that follow, CPB reiterates and
apands seven of the eight programming themes ~ in the 1992StmemmI and adds another to
eDCOIDpass -mmm DDity"issues.
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Stimu1abDgFYr('""-- aDdVISioain PublicB~
1993Programming Objectives for Public Television
Education: Preparing America for the 21st Century
The sixn:lhnnal ~hnn goD set in 1989cm~ specifially the importaoc:cof a Iitcra1cworkfOl'CC
po6-~~ ~ bowkxtgc aDd skills ~ to mmpr-.tt".in a global eronnmy" More than ever, the
mmpc.t;t.;~ of the aaboD'S e<x)n(WI1ydcpcods on how ~tM its WOI'kas arc. ~~ America's
eoooomle problems, lcadcrs-far more than most Amc:ricms-emphasize the importaoc:c of aweII-educated labor fon:c.. Among 20 ~ the Icadecs rnncikred in a rea:ut suncy, ~hnn was
OO'I'cibrcd the most important.
With its coon1n~ to the oountry's ~hnnal goals kJU-I in the ~~hnn 21XX)objcctm:s, public
teJcvic;ioacan play a majoI- role in hcIpiog the public UDdcrstaod the 1P.b~ among an ~tf".d
wodfOl'CC,mmpd.ib~ aDd the aaboa's l".i'rtI1nmy.It can UDdcrliDcthe importaoc:c of the
amtribubon of local scbooIs to this issue.. Public tcIcvisioo can also bc:Jpbreak down the barriers to
Iitaacy and prcsCDtrole modds and wlucs which show the importaoc:c of improving IiteI'acyin aD cuJtnraI
groups.
On another front. with the increased emphasis on improriug ~hnn in American schook. the subject of
f".dnr2hnnitself k:m:nvk aMtfinn,,) cuvaagc. Public tcIcvmon can trca1 this importaD1 topic by
producing regularly ~. compcDiag pl"Ogramsthat awid .~~. while providing infonna1ioo
on topics to bc:Jpboth parcots and studcrtts UDdcrstandcurrent dcYcIopmcuts, trcods, and tcdmoIogics inthis fidd.
To iDcrcasc the uscfuIDc:ssof ,.m.,.,.hr.ou)programmiog. a -vaJuc-addar compoac:at can be iDdodcd to
cncnd ~ct <:nntl":ntinto pradica1 ~hnn21 appJ1r'ttiQns.such as books, videodiscs, and program
guides, with t".D~ rights fOl'~ use. Iiw:ractiYc t~nnIQgy can also be used clIectivc1yto
meet classroom k:m.nds. aDd outreach clIOI'tscan emphasize such topics as literacy and cuJtnraIdiffCI'CDCCS in sdIooIs..
Health: Keeping America Well
Amcricms arc faced cw:zyday with problems rc1atcd to their physical wcII-bc:iDg.'J'bac is a gcuaallack
oJ.uodcrstaDdiDgof the causes aDd risks oJ.disease and of the De~city fOl'using pI'CV'CDtiYcand early
detection measures to CDSUI'CbcaJthfullmDg. Further, the bcahh care system in the United States is
admittt'.dIyamong the finest in the world in many ways, inNnd",& diagnostjcs, surgical procedures,
pharmacent1r:alc;.aDd bospi1aJ.care. E\'CIlso, ODeoJ.the ~bhQg debates in this muntIy is re1atcd to the
rapidlyrisingCO6tsof both health care and health care ~~ B~ poIitkaI~aDdhealth care
Icadc:rsarc imoIvcd in serious ~cioos about health care rcCorm. HDDdrcds oJ.pieces oJ.~d2hon on
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Stimulatiog F'U'P~ aDd Vmoa in Public Brn:atb~, -
the subject have bccD inIroduc.cd in CQO8rcss. Morc Amc:ricms than CVCI'arc ~ocd about their own
pc:rsoaal situatioo rcgardiDg health care costs and coverage, but they arc umriIIiog to ~ the
apI:lnatinm. fO£miog casts, such as advaDccs in m~1 tecImnIogy aDd aging P'V'12hnn PublictcIcvisioa caDprcscD1iIHIcpth infonnatioa about the DP~I issues that hdp gift: the individual amtroI
and ~ fO£his O£ha health aDdbcJp the public wrc&tIewith die public policy impl1cation.<of.
the health care problem.
Also, public tdcvisioo programs caDbe ~ as foroms fO£~miniqg many facets of. bcahh care as it
pcrtaios to iodividuaIs in the mmmuoity seUiog. Soda programs caDemph-r- many problemareas-from caDCCI',AIDS, and svt.ct:l~ abuse to nutriboo and acn:i<;c. ~~:lI1y, through projects
that employ dic:t:llv-ro.learning, public tc1evisioncan prescot programs that hcJp Americans of aD
agcs-dUIdrc:n, adults, scoior ~1IIIdastand DCWapproacbcs to pc:rsoaal health care as 1IICIlas issues
such as bcahh care !':IhnnD,g,trcatmCDt of.prcm.aturc infants, importaucc oi prcna1aI care, and bcaI1h
ha7Mds cxpericnc:cdby minorities.
To use the latest t.e.l.-1-nrnmrnn,.,.hnnc.dcvdopm~h: morc clIcctNeJy. programmiag caDbe produced fO£a
"bcaIth DCtwod" that employs digital aDd<at~Jlitf'.t~lI()logy. In such an approach, public tebisioo. can
iDtrodoce in an uodc:rst.andabI way the aJID~ of.the latest mecfir8JpI~ go and tcdmiqucs to a
widec a~ of both medical pasonnel and laypersoos..
Culture: Presenting the Best of America's Creativity
Program.m..iogfcaturiug the acatiYc arts is a sbowasc fO£open, daDcc:,music, aDd drama that bcIp&
distinguish public tclevision from the mmmczcial DCtworb. It is possible through the ~ of. public
tdevision fO£more people to view and hear a Mozart ~ a VcnIi opcza, aDd a S""'~~ play in
one CYCDingthan have :ltt~ those pcrf()(n1:1ftN"$sinc:cthe worts wac first composed or written..
Aa:onliDg to focus group rcs.can:h, pcrlonnanc:c program.m.iogis also ODeof.the chief rcasoos people
value public tdcvisioo and ~ it sc:ncs an important funt1ion That ~providing the public
with a fresh viewof.the arts in ~ that raogc from the ~ I to the avant-garde, &om the period
piece to the c:.It- :...,..,t:lLdocs DOtrestrict the aom ,...,to ODeset of.9Oiccs01'values. Tn<t~.ad.it opcDS
the stage to a pIctbon of.ideas, themes, customs, and taIcDt that immasc:s viewers in the acatiYc procx:ss,
czpands thcir borizoas, rdIccts the &n;&~1 of.the worid, and fulfills their desire fOl'cmichmCDt. Public
tdevision can build OIlthe arts as a mbcsiYe fOl'CCand present Ijographia of.artists as a way of.m:lkirtgmhure morc readily nndastood.
By offc:ringthe:best in pcrfonnanc:c prcscntatioos, the natiooal ~Lo. wiDambnOC to respond to the
public's desire £0£program.m.iogthat is idcntifi~4 almost solely with public tc1evic>ionand, aa:ording toresearch, "ISwidely and dc:cpIyapprcciaIcd. .
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StimulatiDg E~ and VISion ill Public B~~
Children: Continuing the Commitment to Children and Youth
Public tcJcviWJn'soogoing cnmmihnl".lltto ~JL.nt programmiog fOl"chiJdrcD and youths is
~ In fact, a major reason for' the --wurtcujoycd by public tdcvisioa is its vmbIc success in
olfcriag the Iargcst amOUDtol uwen::ia1 gcoaaIpr"l9"".amiqg fOl"~1!";1'5 fOl"more than 20
years. This programming compL-nu-ntttboth the eduahQn21 and social ~ 01 chiJdrcDand
youog pcopIo-arcas that arc still fertile grouod fOl"public tcIcvisioa to CDCOUI'agCIcamiog ~. to
help ill IIDdczstaDdingdiffC7CIICCSamoag pc:opIc, to provide role models, and to t.c:achvalues. Because 01
public tcIcvisioa's reputaboa as a proWIcr 01~JL.nt chiJdrcD'sprogram.m.ing,CPB was singled out inIt-gj<J:lhooin 1992to implement the proposed Ready to Learn pt~t". DCtvouk.
To m:amt:am its NWIImihnCDt,public tcIcvisioa should produce programs that meet the DCCdsof the
UDdcrscncd a~ of 12-to-17-ycar-olds.. Such programs should be cbdoped with the intent that they
become a regular, daily 01"weekly prCSCDCCin a spr-rifir time period on public ~ so that teen:lgr.rs
and prctccDS will bow wbc:n they can c:xpcd: to W:w such program.m.ing, Public tdcvision should also
~i7r. that aD other categories 01 progr miqg aced. 8("hiLfMnd" compoac:ut
On another IcYcI,cbiIdrc:n'sp£Ogr...mmiqgdocs DOthaYcto target chiJdrcDand JOUIIgpeople specificaDy;
it can be about them and their role in the family. Public television can emphasize topics that higJIligJIt
family-rcla1cd i<;sucsthat deal with cbiIdrc:nin the family rontt".ft.such as breakdown in the family, helping
dWdrcn become rcspoosibIe adults, and coping with childrearing problems. In adtJit'nn to parents, the
target anAUo:nn-,of such progr:ammiqg ~ c:ounscJon;and mimdl!";l'5.Appropriate, acativc outreach
projects sbooId also be cbdoped on such topics.
America's International Roles: Understanding the Interdependent World
The la1c:com.mnnir:ahnnsguru Marshall Me' nh:ln ~I'LI that, as part of the 8g1OOalviIIagc,8nations of
the world arc allied through . common ..m.:I'W" 01informatioo that makes it casicI"fOl"them to interact
and iDfhv.:ntt oac anntht".r. Aax¥&og to Icadcnhip suncy results, many Amcricms fed that the media,
including public tdcvmoa, deYote too much ~t1~hQn to inIematiooaI DCWSand dcwdopmCDts abroad.
Those who favor this kind of progrAn1miqg~ that apI:an:lhnntt of America's ~ on foreign
policy arc far mOl'Cuseful as progJam topics than as mvcragc 01 spr-rifir DCWSCVCDts..
Public tcIcvisioa's covaage 01fOl'Cigaaffairs can emphasize the impact of intcmabooal ~ on
American society and the CODSCq1ICIMXS01rcla1cd American adiom on foreign aatioas. Leaders
~ on this topic pointed to the importaDcc of public IIDdczstaDding 01 DCWgIOOal reaIibcs and the
aced fOl"mnlhl:atr-ralsoIuboas in an inc:rcasingIy~dl"nt world.. Public tclcvi<iioacan use the new
technologies of ~tt".njte and mnlripnint distribuboa to provide programs such as multinatiooal town
mec:hn~ produced through comortia including other nat1nrK.
Public tcIcvWoa can provide infOl'lD31ioato give ~~ to such topics as the U.s. cconomyand the
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StimolabDg p~JLont.r.. and VISion in Public ~
~ role 01overseas markets aDd~ aports. It caDdchc into the im~tinns 01 the DeWn:'hnrcali<anin Europe: aud Russia. which an baYeworidwidc rcvcrbc:I'atioa Tbcsc stories will coarinuc
to be part 01 dcYcIopmcats in the global mark~"""" during the DCZtfew years and will cno1inuc to be~ topics fOl'DCWSaDdpublic affairs .- up s and otha fOl'1llDS.Public tdcvisioa, in brief, can
iDcn:asc ~ y 4, to iotcnWioaal iwIcs and cxxaparc bow soc:ie6c:sdeal with sim.iIarproblems.
Government: Exploring Economic Issues
In rcccD1years.,the ecooomy has been a IcadiDgcooccm in the D31ion. With the bt-gjnning 01 a
~tUl ~ it promises to am1inoe as ODC01 the issues that trouble all segments 01 the popularion..Fmthc:r, research shows that 00DCCI1ISabout the fc:dcra1budget ddic:it and govcnunc:ut ~ arc
amoog major issues that public tcJc:visioaaceds to cma man: thoroughly.
Rcscarch focus groups ha\'Cresponded that, while many Amc:ric:aDsare wmried about their own
~~ pcospc:dSand those of the natioa as a whole, thccc is much amfusioa about what bas gooe
wroag aDdwhat mc:asurcs are most ~~ as ways 01 rcstoriDg America's com.pctitftc stn:ugth.
Most Amc:ricaDs~,.;h". that the natioa's economit- problems will not disappear when the current
~ ends. Public tdcvisioo can bdp W:was UDdcrst.aDdthe com.pIcDtyof ~r issues such as
sIn~ producrivity, the importance of higber IcvcJs01 ~I"ftt. m,.",tvv. and the wut1nn:.1economy,
and the iDcrcascd !QgJlifit-2nceof iotcnWioaal trade and dcsc:ribc oourscs of acbon ~ to regain
growth. The public bcJie?cs that Mnr,.~ about the nation's CC()ft('Ifti(-problems is a task public
teJcW;ioo can and sbooJd perform, ODewcIl-suitcd to its strcugths. It can present well-rounded. in-depth
studies of the orononty, without ~riIy advoca1iog ~
History: Presenting Past as Insight to the Future
I'. up Amlftn,gabout historical topics, such as The Civil WGT,bdps to &bowthe rrhhnndwT 01 people to
their times and juu.aposcs issues and events against the CIIITCDtcultural cydc. Such programming also
provides pel~", fOl'undcntanding values, tradiboos, CV'CDts,and people and bdps csUbIish historical
memory fOl'the Amc:ricua people. It lays a f(Vlftli:.tV..fOl'daily living today and in the future, t~
tolaaDc:e and rcspc:d fOl'the many difI'cn:Da:s that WCDtinto buiIdiog this society, and ddiocs the nationin the aJIIt.at 01world history. h. a story-t.cIIa, public tcJcvi.;ioa can provide a base of com.moo
apa ieDcc, it can pass on the values 01soc:ictythrough biogJapby and drama.
The apIosioa of many forms of czprcssioo in Amc:ricua cu.Iturc mirrors to a great atcnt the
atraOI'dinary di~~, of the natioa's people. rt'1'It-rtit,gthe ridmcs& 01 the backgrounds of the many
groups rcprcscnted in the popuIaboo. That dnusity inacasingIy ioaxporates the idea of
"mdosioa8-wbich c:mbna:s the streams 01 wu~Iity, fam..ily,nhnicity, regional idcDtity, and tradition as
rcprc:scutabvc 01the whole culture that has built the stroag Amaica 01 today.
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Stim~ p-~~ and VJSioa in Public B~~
With rllll'lncinn8as a ~ fadOI' widaiD a historic t b~ public tcIcvisioD caD aa:c:u1 many cuItoral
themes that rcpn:scDt these myriad wiccs of America. It is capable of providing the emphasis that unites
Amcricam, although the aatioa's people come from diffcrcut cdmic aud cuhural backgrounds.
PkU51Ammn-gcaDbcIp y;.,_a UDdcrstaDdthe cultural &fk.c.ua:s that make up the 00UDtryaDdhigbl1gJtt
the cIem~t" of di~..4, in serious, dramaric, aDdother W3IJ'L
Community: Providing a Sense of Participation
National polls aDd a rc:ccnt Icadcrship survey itL-ntifiMthree priority issues that wen: not rcOcctcd in the
1992CPB StatemenJ of Prognzmming Objedivt:s: Family breakdown, crime and the drug problem, and
poverty and hom..~c }I~ are a daily rr-min(ler of the scriomDcss of these issues.;DCWSreports
dcsaibc the tragic cztrcmcs of ~, dMJrcc, aucJty, starvatioa, and death to which they lead.
While these issues rcprese:ot a wide range of problems in society today, they c:zcmplifyproblems that
affect-aDd inwI?e-thc whole commUDity. SnInhnrK to tbcsc problems require the unified efforts of
iDdividuaIsas weDas catirc ~t":I'Ik of the commUDity,rcpRSCDtcdby group6as dM:rsc as lawcuforccmCllt, social ~> ~, the church, and schools.
Public television can provide c:ztc:usM;in-depth informatioo OIleach of these problem. areas and prcscn1
ways by which individuaJs and agr--nn- can deal with the causes of and possible soIotioos to each. By
placing these issues in a aJDtcD:which gives them meaning, public ~ caDprovide informJlhnnJlI
programming that draws 00 day-to-day deYcJopmcutsand shows the YicwcI"bow to cope with the
problems and hclp6 bring about c:oast:nJdivcdul1W"~Public tcIcvisioDcaDCOV'amulticultura1 topics byczploring rebhnnc:hip;. amoog communities, gettiDgbe)'oad stc.rcotypes to bcIp ~ ~m-. bow
radically American society is dt:ll~ and what will be ~ to deal with those dul1~ 1'hac are
possibilities, as wen. {ocoutreach efforts through such u.lSA/l;~ as the Public TeIevmoa Outreach
ADiaDce(PTOA).
Conclusion
Tbac ~ DOqucstioa that public tdcvisioa ~ a valuable n:soun:c {occummnnntir,g ideas, CVCDts,and
cultural deYcJopmcuts to the American public. The eight objc:ctivcsstaled Irzc are but the br-gjnnn-gof
the process of cbcJopiDg compcDing. informatiYc, aDdthought-provoking programming that dcIwcsinto a
raugc of issues aud topics of Iastiag intcn:st and vaIuc.. 'These objc:ctivcsare the Iv-ginnn-g of a process to
stimulate public teIevmoa to seck out the informahnn, to dc:wdopthe saipts, and to acatc the
productioos that wiDsene to ~t inform, enl1gbtt":l'l,and CDtc:rtainthe American people.
More than 25 years ago, the Camcgic C.ommkaoa, said that public tdcvisioo rmdudes aD that is of
human intcrc:st aud importaDa:. 8 These objc:ctivcsare IDcaDtto s6malatc programming that lives up tothat definition.
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