U.S. entries in INPUT festival selected

U.S. public TV’s 17 entries in the annual INPUT international public television screening showcase have been selected, including five Independent Lens and three P.O.V. docs, plus programs from Masterpiece, American Experience, Frontline and History Detectives, according to Amy Shumaker of the national secretariat at South Carolina ETV. Here’s the list. The global selection of programs to be screened at the festival in May will be selected next month from among national entries. INPUT 2010 will be held May 8-12 in Budapest, Hungary. INPUT rules require that entries be split equally among three categories—documentary, drama and other. Thirteen of the 17 entries were PBS-distributed shows. Others were repped by APT and NETA.

FCC will help Haiti, as are pubcasting stations

The Federal Communications Commission will assist Haiti to provide a "continuity of service" for communications in the aftermath of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake, Broadcasting & Cable reports. Chair Julius Genachowski made the announcement after hearing from Conatel, the Haitian communications agency, that its headquarters had been destroyed and several staffers killed or injured. Genachowski also said U.S. communications companies are looking to help out as well. "Many companies have made significant offers of help, and urgent efforts are under way to coordinate and deliver assistance," he added. Meanwhile, pubstations are also stepping up. Among projects: KQED in San Francisco has a list of links to aid agencies, as does Oregon Public Broadcasting. WFUV, from Fordham University in New York City, has posted a Strike A Chord: Haiti campaign with links to information and opportunities to donate. And today is the last day listeners may contribute through WTMD at Towson University in Towson, Md., its Haiti fundraising drive wraps up at 8 p.m.