Puerto Rico
WIPR-TV produces an average of more than 1,600 hours of local programming a year. This includes public affairs, culture, sports, music, talk, and food shows, as well as the island’s only 24/7 news channel, Noticias 24/7—all in Spanish. The station also holds workshops for parents, caregivers, and teachers to guide them in working as a team to use public television as a powerful educational tool. This outreach includes a focus on economically challenged families. Local programs are broadcast with closed captions for the deaf community and with video descriptions for the blind community.
WMTJ-TV (Sistema TV), licensed to the Ana G. Mendez University System, produces a large volume of local content. Si a la Cultura covers local arts, theater, museums, and culture. A series of weekly documentaries, Geoambiente (Geo Environment) and Aventura Cientifica (Scientific Adventures), analyzes environmental topics and explores natural resources. Each day Sistema TV Informa reports on and analyzes major community issues regarding education, health, economics, the environment, technology, and public policy. Jugando Pelota Dura (Playing Hard Ball), a weekly one-hour program that analyzes the different political views on major issues, aired a one-hour special on high school dropouts. In addition, Sistema TV convened 10 agencies and organizations that offer services to dropout students to participate in two 30-minute live television programs that were later rebroadcast. The station also produced and aired six PSAs to make viewers aware of different agencies and alternatives that can help families deal with the dropout crisis. A one-hour show produced by Sistema TV and the Puerto Rico Health Department provided advice and information in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or any emergency that may affect public health. In alliance with the health department, the station also produced, promoted and aired a campaign about the importance of vaccination that included seven vignettes produced with varied age talents to appeal to children, youngsters, adults, and elderly people.