BENIN NATIONAL TV DIRECTOR PAYS COURTESY CALL ON PAO

UNCLAS COTONOU 000522 DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD WHARTON, KEMP, CROWE-SANCHEZ, AF/W ASTEWART SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC ECPS OIIP KPAO BN SUBJECT: BENIN NATIONAL TV DIRECTOR PAYS COURTESY CALL ON PAO ¶1. SUMMARY: On October 28, Stephane Todomey, Director of the state-controlled TV station, the Radio and Television Office of Benin (ORTB),paid a courtesy call on PAO Rhonda J. Watson to follow-up on issues raised during a representational luncheon with journalists, hosted by the PAO on September 12. The Director expressed his appreciation for the gesture of goodwill and expressed interest in establishing a partnership between ORTB and VOA and sought Post's assistance in providing programming material to ORTB. END SUMMARY ¶2. Todomey said that he is committed to cooperating fully with the public affairs section to promote U.S. Mission activities and that he will give his colleagues the necessary instructions to have this commitment implemented. He also said that ORTB is now available in some countries by satellite and that by February 2010 the station hopes to increase its technical capability, so that viewers in the United States will have access to ORTB programming. ¶3. Todomey took the opportunity to request that Post procure an English lesson series for re-broadcast and he also suggested that it could be possible for the Mission to have a program on ORTB on a regular basis. The PAO volunteered to think about ways that Post could either develop programming or provide broadcast quality material for rebroadcast. ¶4. Comments: PD representational funds have been meager but used creatively to foster closer cooperation with the media, particularly the national TV station which has been notoriously absent at Mission sponsored events. The impact of the representational luncheon with the Director of the National TV station is tremendous and bodes well for a more positive future partnership. Todomey's wish to cooperate closely with the Public Affairs Section will provide more visibility to the implementation of the Mission's goals, and improve the Mission's relations with the local media community. KNIGHT