How and when was ITVS created?
The Independent Television Service (ITVS) formed out of a decade-long struggle by independent media artists and community activists to ensure diverse voices on public television. In 1988, Congress passed legislation directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to negotiate with a national coalition of independent producer groups to establish ITVS. In 1991, ITVS opened its doors, distributing approximately $6 million annually to independent producers. The challenge was to be a catalyst for change, a way for independent producers to participate in and define the cultural dialogue of public television.
