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<FONT FACE="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>From the beginning, British Film Institute publications have provided a valuable resource for cultural, media and film studies in this part of the world as well as in the UK and the US. Colleagues may therefore be interested, and concerned, to learn that, as part of the first phase of a radical restructuring and rebranding program, BFI senior management has indicated its intention to dispose of its award-winning list of publications to an external partner. Management has given assurances that it will respect its current contractual obligations, and will protect the identity and remit of the list in any arrangement with another publisher. However, it has taken the decision without consulting either its stakeholders or BFI authors, and does not acknowledge the profound effects that closing BFI Publishing will have not only on the Institute’s identity, reputation and cultural remit, but also on the international film and television education community. <BR>
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A blog has been set up to provide a discussion forum for and information about the BFI's plans. To access, please type in the following address on your browser's address header: <a href="http://www.BFIwatch.blogspot.com/">http://www.BFIwatch.blogspot.com/</a> <BR>
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Those affected by these issues, or simply concerned about the lack of consultation can also write to BFI Director Amanda Nevill (amanda.nevill@bfi.org.uk) and the Chair of the BFI Board of Governors Anthony Minghella (brenda.whitehead@bfi.org.uk). Matters are moving ahead very fast, so the sooner your opinions are voiced the better. <BR>
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James Donald<BR>
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences<BR>
Professor of Film Studies<BR>
University of New South Wales<BR>
Sydney NSW 2052<BR>
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Telephone: +61 (2) 93854858<BR>
Mobile: 0433 126 445<BR>
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