National Memorial Day Concert
On Sunday, May 30 at 8pm (repeating at 9:30pm) the National Memorial Day Concert returns for a special presentation on PBS, hosted by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise with all-star performances and tributes from around the country honoring all of our American heroes. Performances by The Four Tops, Sara Bareilles, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, and more headline the concert.
From The GM's Desk
As the semester for students and faculty ended, we have been and will continue to be busy producing, closing and invoicing projects, installing new transmitters, rolling out summer educational activities, and gearing up for and down from pledge drives. All while maintaining our critical radio and TV broadcast services. Thank you for your contributions in all of these areas. I hope everyone has been able to get outside to enjoy the lovely Spring weather and to take a few minutes to relax and unwind. I encourage everyone to get a COVID vaccine to contribute to your personal and community health. We do not yet know exactly what our return to work will look like so please be patient for a little while longer and speak with your supervisor about any ideas or concerns you may have.
All my best ...
Birthdays
5/21 - Don Bedell
5/27 - Cassie Caldwell
WPSU Radio Highlights
BookMark 5/16 – "The Garden of Angels" by David Hewson
This week— a multigenerational coming-of-age story. This week's book is a first-hand account of Nazi-occupied Venice. Reviewer David Marvin is an insurance agent with the Robert Mannino Insurance Agency in State College. He’s also a volunteer radio host for WPSU.
In Case You Missed It . . .
Take Note: Lydia and Gary Abdullah Tell Their Love Story
Lydia and Gary Abdullah are longtime State College residents who met at Penn State in the early 1970s. They talked with WPSU's Cheraine Stanford about the evolution of their relationship and what’s made their marriage work for more than four decades. Gary was once an on-air host and staffer at WPSX/WPSU.
Pa. Senate Passes Bill To Allow Parents To Decide Whether Their Kids Should Repeat A School Year WPSU’s Min Xian reports on a bill that would allow parents to choose to have their children repeat a grade level because of learning loss due to COVID-19 for the upcoming school year. The decision on whether a student should repeat a year is currently made by schools and teachers.
Taxpayers Foot Huge Bill To Run Pa.'s Full-Time Legislature, But Are Blocked From Many Details
A Spotlight PA report (along with partner The Caucus) on areas of spending by the legislature as part of their ongoing efforts to follow the money and track taxpayer dollars. One aspect … a sliver of the $203 million total the General Assembly spent from 2017 through 2020 just to feed, house, transport, and provide rental offices and other perks for lawmakers and their staffs. That averages to more than $51 million a year. Read it here.
WPSU Television Highlights
American Experience “Billy Graham” - Monday, May 17 at 9:00 pm
Explore the life of one of the best-known and most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. An international celebrity by age 30, he built a media empire, preached to millions worldwide, and had the ear of tycoons, presidents and royalty.
Frontline “The Healthcare Divide” - Tuesday, May 18 at 10:00 pm
An investigation with NPR into growing inequities in American healthcare exposed by COVID-19. How pressure for profit and uneven government support is widening the divide between rich and poor hospitals and endangering care for the most needy.
Life at the Waterhole (Part 1 of 3) - Wednesday, May 19 at 8:00 pm
Meet the first animal visitors to a new manmade waterhole in the African savannah. Using state-of-the-art cameras, scientists watch as warthogs and elephants discover the new oasis. But things become dangerous when leopards and lions close in.
NOVA “Hindenberg: The New Evidence” - Wednesday, May 19 at 9:00 pm
The cause of the infamous Hindenburg crash has baffled experts for more than 80 years. Taking clues from new, never-before-seen amateur footage of the crash, NOVA leads a fresh investigation with eye-opening experiments that point to a final solution of the mystery.
Conversations Live: Legalizing Marijuana - Thursday, May 20 at 8:00 pm
As more and more states across the country start legalizing marijuana for recreational use, questions arise as to whether or not Pennsylvania will follow. We’ll talk to experts on the subject and take viewer calls.
Atlantic Crossing on Masterpiece (Season Finale) - Sunday, May 23 at 9:00 pm
With the war almost over, the president's health takes a bad turn. Olav tries to keep Norway out of the clutches of the Soviets. He also faces rocky relations with Martha.
Midsomer Murders (Season 18 Premiere) - Thursday, May 27 at 8:00 pm
When wealthy landowner Gregory Lancaster's body goes missing on the night of his death, a sinister web of secrets and lies is exposed in the village of Little Malton. DCI John Barnaby, DS Charlie Nelson and new Forensic Pathologist Dr. Kam Karimore are drawn into a macabre world of body-snatching as they seek to identify the villain.
National Memorial Day Concert 2021 - Sunday, May 30 at 8:00 pm (repeats at 9:30 pm)
Tune in to the 32nd annual broadcast of America's national night of remembrance, honoring the military service of all our men and women in uniform, their families, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Professor T (Season 3 Premiere) - Sunday, May 30 at 11:00 pm
He’s back! The inimitable, eccentric criminology professor returns as Season 3 of Professor T premieres on WPSU-TV.
Governmental Relations
FEDERAL NEWS
Last week, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) formally requested $300 million for a Public Telecommunications Infrastructure Modernization Program (PTIMP) within the U.S. Department of Commerce to help address much needed updates and maintenance of local public broadcasting stations and infrastructure. This request aligns with the 2017 study commissioned by CPB which identified $300 million in unmet local public broadcasting infrastructure needs.
As the Administration and Congress are figuring out how to move forward on a large infrastructure package, APTS is continuing to highlight the importance of reinvesting in public media infrastructure in any comprehensive package moving forward.
Protect My Public Media is also preparing to mobilize advocates represented by Members of the House and Senate Commerce Committees and Democratic leadership in support of public media’s infrastructure request. More details about this mobilization will be released soon.
Industry News
Latest Round Of NEA Grants Includes Dozens In Pubmedia
Dozens of public broadcasters received a portion of the $88 million in grants announced by the National Endowment for the Arts last week. The grants were the second round awarded by the agency in fiscal year 2021. “As the country and the arts sector begin to imagine returning to a post-pandemic world, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to announce funding that will help arts organizations reengage fully with partners and audiences,” said NEA Acting Chairman Ann Eilers in a press release. “While the arts, whether through books, movies, or online performances and programs, have been a sustaining force for many throughout the pandemic, the chance to gather with one another and share arts experiences is its own necessity and pleasure.”
Some of the grants include:
KCRW, Santa Monica, Calif. — $45,000 for its Independent Producer Project, which helps artists create storytelling projects for broadcast.
Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, Minn. — $15,000 for its project Spotlighting Diversity in American Classical Music, which aims to increase the number of classical recordings by artists of color available to radio listeners.
StoryCorps, Brooklyn, N.Y. — $75,000 for production and distribution of StoryCorps radio segments.
WHYY, Philadelphia — $50,000 for its WHYY Media Labs training program.
CPB Has ‘No Immediate Plans’ To Recruit New Ombudsman
CPB has “no immediate plans” to hire a new ombudsman, the organization said in a statement Tuesday. CPB’s last ombudsman, Jan Schaffer, posted her final column April 19; her three-year term ended April 30. CPB told Current that its need for an ombudsman “has declined in recent years, in large measure because PBS and NPR have strengthened their independent oversight of transparency and journalistic standards in their programming.” When CPB created positions for two ombudsmen in 2005, NPR’s first ombudsman had already been in the job since 2000. PBS added one after CPB later in 2005. Those roles have since been redefined as public editor positions, now filled by Kelly McBride for NPR and Ricardo Sandoval-Palos for PBS.
Oregonian Derrick Mosley, a man with a dream, decided to rob a gun store. He armed himself with the best weapon he owned, his baseball bat. Of course, the store owner had a rather stronger weapon within reach, so Derrick was lucky the guy merely held him at gunpoint until the cops came instead of shooting him. [KATU-TV/Portland]
Quotables
"Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence." - Hal Borland
Resources and Tips
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