[1] The first general secretary, Alan Forrest, believed that the funding for the new organisation came from the American government, and was intended to provide a less radical alternative to the International Federation of Actors (FIA) and International Federation of Musicians (FIM).
These allegations were never proven, but influenced the perception of the organisation among many trade unionists, and it did not attract affiliations from any unions which held membership of the FIA or FIM.
[2][3] ISETU was initially based in Brussels, but later moved its headquarters to London, and then on to Vienna, and finally Geneva.
In 1984, it affiliated to the International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET) and became known as the International Secretariat for Arts, Mass Media and Entertainment Trade Unions (ISETU-FIET), but retained a high level of autonomy.
Relationships with FISTAV were particularly strong, and in 1993, the two secretariats merged, forming what became known as the Media and Entertainment International.