Letter: Keeping tabs on a disappearing world

Sir: On 23 September you reported on the International Festival of Ethnographic Film in Manchester, and wondered whether Granada's support of this event would survive 'the new cost-conscious regime' in the company.

We are extremely proud of our involvement with Manchester University's Centre for Visual Anthropology, and of our long association with the Royal Anthropological Institute, and these connections underpin Disappearing World which we have made for ITV for 25 years.

There will be another three Disappearing Worlds in 1993 which will play at their usual time of 10.40pm after the News at Ten. What happens to Disappearing World from 1994 onwards is, like everything else on ITV, in the hands of the new Central Scheduler - but you can be absolutely certain that we will be offering an annual series to the network for 1994 and onwards.

As to the future of the festival, I think other cities in the UK would be proud to host this event and we will go to it with our films wherever it is. But you would search a long time before finding another ITV company with the level of support and commitment Granada has for ethnographic film.

Yours faithfully,

ROD CAIRD

Head of Features and Documentaries

Granada Television

Manchester