2022 starts with two much-anticipated series premiere this month on MASTERPIECE! On January 2 at 8pm, David Tennant stars as Phileas Fogg in an all-new eight-part adaptation of "Around the World in 80 Days." On January 9, it's the much-awaited second season of the new "All Creatures Great and Small," starring Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Callum Woodhouse, Anna Madeley and Rachel Shenton.
Birthdays
1/1 - Anne Danahy
1/3 - Zach Martinson
1/14 - James Espy
WPSU Radio Highlights
In Case You Missed It . . .
Democracy Works: What Does It Take To Sustain Democracy?
Michael Berkman, Chris Beem, and series host Jenna Spinelle talk with Robert Talisse of Vanderbilt University, about his latest book, Sustaining Democracy: What We Owe to the Other Side.
Take Note: Chris Fowler On Gerrymandering And The Nuance Of Creating Fair Maps Hear about how political boundary lines affect fairness, gerrymandering and election results. The guest is Chris Fowler, a Penn State professor, researcher and the director of the Peter R. Gould center for geography, education and outreach. He's also a member of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's redistricting Advisory Council.
WPSU Television Highlights
Great Performances “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2020” - Saturday, January 1 at 8pm
Ring in the new year in Austria at the Musikverein with the Vienna Philharmonic and host Hugh Bonneville in this annual concert of waltzes by Strauss and more under the baton of guest conductor Daniel Barenboim.
Around the World in 80 Days on Masterpiece (Series Premiere) - Sundays at 8pm starting January 2
Around the World in 80 Days is a thrilling, new adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic adventure novel. David Tennant (Good Omens, Doctor Who) stars as literature’s greatest explorer, Phileas Fogg. He is joined on his incredible journey by French actor Ibrahim Koma (OSS 117, Wùlu) as Jean Passepartout, Fogg’s irrepressible valet, and German actress Leonie Benesch (The Crown, Babylon Berlin) as Abigail “Fix” Fortescue, a determined and headstrong journalist.
Finding Your Roots “Hidden in the Genes” (Season 8 Premiere) - Tuesday, January 4 at 8pm
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps Rebecca Hall and Lee Daniels solve family mysteries through DNA detective work, illuminating both history and their own identities.
Preserving Democracy: Pursuing a More Perfect Union - Thursday, January 6 at 9pm
Follow the pursuit of democracy from the Revolutionary War through recurring cycles of civil rights progress and backlash, the 2021 Capitol riot and beyond. Explore the impact of voter rights and a civics curriculum on engaged and informed citizens.
All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece (Season 2 Premiere) - Sunday, January 9 at 9pm
All Creatures Great and Small returns for an all-new season of heartfelt moments, friendship, and mischief! Transport yourself back to the Yorkshire Dales once again with James, Siegfried Farnon, Tristan Farnon, Helen Alderson, Mrs. Hall, and more. After the events of the Season 1 finale, will James and Helen find their way together? Will James decide to call the Dales home? And can Siegfried and Tristan manage to work together without complete and utter disaster? More laughs, more love, and more animals (and yes, more Tricki Woo) await in Season 2!
Vienna Blood (Season 2 Premiere) - Sunday, January 9, 10pm
1900s Vienna is a hotbed of philosophy, science and art, where a clash of cultures and ideas collide. Dr. Max Liebermann is a student of Sigmund Freud, and together with Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt, they investigate a series of unusual murders. Max’s extraordinary skills of perception and Oskar’s determination lead them to solve some of Vienna’s most mysterious and deadly cases.
Elizabeth and Philip: Love and Duty - Monday, January 10 at 9pm
As Her Majesty The Queen mourns the loss of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, this compelling documentary revisits remarkable events from their long and loving marriage and explores its significance to a nation.
American Masters “Ailey” - Tuesday, January 11 at 9 pm
Discover the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey whose dances center on the Black American experience with grace, strength and beauty. Featuring previously unheard audio interviews with Ailey, interviews with those close to him and an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today.
NOVA “Butterfly Blueprints” - Wednesday, January 12 at 9pm
NOVA investigates the hidden scientific secrets of butterflies that reveal them as smarter and more resilient than we ever imagined, and explores how they're inspiring cutting-edge technical innovations.
Bancroft (Series 2 Premiere) - Saturday, January 15, 10pm
On the surface Elizabeth Bancroft is a model DCI: trusted, adored, and respected by her colleagues but what secrets lie beneath this veneer? With contrasting female detectives at its heart, this fast-paced thriller explores whether you can ever escape your past.
Industry News
NPR Names Leila Fadel To Fourth Host Of Morning Edition
Leila Fadel has been named as the the fourth host of NPR’s “Morning Edition. "We are delighted to have Leila join the Morning Edition team, she has had an exceptional career to date, covering some of the biggest stories of our time on both the national and international stage," Sarah Gilbert, NPR's VP for News Programming said in a release. “Leila’s experience and range as a journalist and host made her the natural choice for this role, which she will take up from February of 2022, based in DC.” Fadel is currently a national correspondent for NPR based in Los Angeles, covering race and identity. Previously, she was NPR's international correspondent based in Cairo. Fadel joins Steve Inskeep, A. Martinez, and Rachel Martin on the bi-coastal production. She succeeds Noel King, who joined Vox Media as co-host of the “Today, Explained” podcast earlier this month.
Broadcasters Ask Court to Block Disclosure Mandate
Several prominent U.S. broadcast associations are asking a federal court to block an FCC order that mandates disclosures for foreign government-sponsored programming. The request was filed Wednesday by the National Association of Broadcasters, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. They previously filed a lawsuit with the court challenging the FCC order. They’ve argued that the commission lacks the authority to “impose the investigatory requirements mandated by the order,” lacked justification for the rules and failed to address problems with undisclosed foreign governmental programming on cable systems and the Internet, “which is where the issue primarily exists.” They call the action unnecessary and overly burdensome, and in violation of the Communications Act, the Administrative Procedure Act and the First Amendment. The FCC adopted amended foreign-sponsorship identification rules in April to target situations where a station broadcasts material sponsored by a foreign governmental entity. The new rules require disclosure of leased programming sponsored by foreign governmental entities.
Hey Buddy - Interested in buying a bridge?
AKRON, Ohio — A 58-foot-long pedestrian bridge stolen from an Ohio city last month has been found and a man is facing charges, police said.Akron police said investigators acting on tips and other information Friday afternoon found the missing span partially disassembled on property in Sharon Township in neighboring Medina County. A man has been arrested and charged with felony theft, police said. The Akron bridge, described as a Lego-like structure, once crossed a river in Akron’s Middlebury Run Park near Goodyear’s world headquarters. It was taken down in 2003-04 as part of a wetland restoration project and was stored on park property with plans for it to be reused for a Battered Women’s shelter project. Police discovered on Nov. 3 that someone had removed the treated deck boards of the 10-foot-wide (3-meter-wide), 6-foot-tall (2-meter-tall) structure. On Nov. 11, they found that the metal frame had been taken. [AP - 12/20/21]
Quoteables
“Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to.” —Bill Vaughan
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