UCLA International Studies and a cable television company have teamed up to create a four-part television series that brings a West Coast voice to key issues in global affairs that have emerged since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"World in Focus," which began airing Jan. 10 on Adelphia Communications' Southern California system of 1.2 million cable subscribers and continues until Jan. 31, brings together elected officials, public- and private-sector leaders, journalists and UCLA faculty to explore America's role in the world post-Sept. 11 on such issues as national security, bioterrorism, the international economy and the global role of American entertainment and media.

" 'World in Focus' fills an important niche in public affairs television by bringing a new West Coast perspective to the discussion of America's role in the world post-Sept. 11," said Chancellor Albert Carnesale, an authority on national security who was a panelist on the first program. The shows feature a mix of one-on-one interviews with key news figures, including two congressmen and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, and roundtable discussions on major issues.

While the two remaining programs will air 8 p.m. Jan. 24 ("9/11 and the Global Economy") and Jan. 31 ("Hollywood and the Media Post-9/11"), followed by daily showings for a week, the two programs shown earlier, on Jan. 10 ("Securing America") and Jan. 17 ("The War Against Terrorism"), can be viewed as streaming video at www.isop.ucla.edu. Check the Adelphia schedule or www.isop.ucla.edu for air dates. Broadcast may later expand into Adelphia's national market in 30 states.

Among the panelists to discuss the slowdown of economic activity around the world Jan. 24 will be Vice Provost Geoffrey Garrett of UCLA's International Studies, Anderson Forecast Director Edward Leamer, Law Professor Lynn Stout, Jim Bates of the Los Angeles Times and representatives from the Milken Institute and UC Irvine.