Downton Abbey: The Movie
This Christmas, the Crawleys are returning home—to MASTERPIECE. The Downton Abbey movie, based on the mega-hit television series that won 15 Primetime Emmys® and earned 69 Emmy® nominations and set viewing records for a PBS drama will air on MASTERPIECE. Repeats on Sunday, January 2, 2022, 9:00-11:00 p.m.
From The GM's Desk
Happy Holidays! I hope this December finds us all proud of a year of accomplishments amid a pandemic and socially disruptive time. WPSU has had a great year in many ways, and it is thanks to all of you! Everyone’s contributions, big and small, in marketing, multimedia, engineering, finance, fundraising, radio, production, community engagement, project management and through volunteer efforts have made 2021 very successful. I am extremely grateful for everyone and to have extra days off this holiday to truly unplug from work and enjoy time with friends and family. I hope you can do the same. :-)
All my best ...
Birthdays
12/15 – Steve Nelson
12/14 – Lori Smeigh
12/20 – Lindsey Fenton & Mickey Klein
12/23 – Tyler Wilkinson
12/24 – Cole Cullen
12/26 – Emily Reddy
12/27 – Jeff Hughes
12/29 – Scott Erdenberger
12/31 – Rick Humber & Jennifer VonGunden
WPSU Radio Highlights
Winter Holidays Around the World With Bill McGlaughlin - Thursday, December 23, 9:00 p.m.
This spirited selection starts in the 12th century with medieval Italian Christmas music from Saint Francis of Assisi’s staging of the nativity; jazz pianist Dave Brubeck’s classical composition, “La Fiesta de la Posada,” evoking a Mexican Christmas celebration; and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols. We will enjoy this time of year in Paris with music from Debussy, and then travel to Polynesia for a traditional hymn, “Anau Oia Ea.” We’ll end with an excerpt from Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” from the original television production.
Holiday Music from WPSU - Friday, December 24, 9:00 a.m.
WPSU’s Kristine Allen hosts an hour of eclectic holiday sounds drawn from classical, jazz, folk, pop, rock and world music.
A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols - Friday, December 24, 10:00 a.m.
It’s the annual live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys, The Choir of King’s College, performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England.
Selected Shorts: Holiday Hurdles with David Sedaris - Friday, December 24, 12:00 p.m.
Humorist David Sedaris invites you to reimagine holiday rituals. Selected Shorts’ late host and founder Isaiah Sheffer is featured as the reader of Tobias Wolff’s “Powder,” in which a pre-Christmas snowstorm provides an adventure for a father and son.
The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special - Friday, December 24, 8:00 p.m.
Celebrate the season with amazing holiday performances from The Tiny Desk Concert series including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Steve Martin, Hanson, The Polyphonic Spree and more! Hosted by NPR Music frenemies Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson.
St. Olaf Christmas Festival - Saturday, December 25, 8:00 p.m.
Join us for one of the nation’s most treasured holiday celebrations. Programming includes sacred choral and instrumental music from many traditions: beloved hymns, classical masterworks, folk songs from around the world, and African-American spirituals
2021 Remembered from The Current - Friday, December 31, 7:00 p.m.
Join “The Current” from Minnesota Public Radio in honoring the life, music, and legacy of artists we lost this year. This hour-long musical tribute is a celebration of all sounds - from indie to influential - and the perfect way for music lovers to unite in paying homage to the artists who have shaped music history. From musicians and producers to industry icons, the playlist will feature legends like Charlie Watts, Don Everly, Nanci Griffith, Bunny Wailer, Biz Markie, and many more.
Toast of the Nation - Friday, December 31, 8:00 p.m.
An NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s, Toast of the Nation is the perfect audio complement for the occasion. It's festive jazz you can party to, all night long. The line-up is almost confirmed and it’s sure to be a good time.
WPSU Television Highlights
Conversations Live “Gambling in Pennsylvania” - Thursday, December 16 at 8:00 pm
Gambling in Pennsylvania continues to expand throughout the state. Online gambling is on the rise, a casino is being planned for State College, and casino gambling is allowed at truck stops and airports. While many argue that revenue from gambling can be beneficial for the state, others point to mental health and other problems associated with it.
20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir - Thursday, December 16 at 9:00 pm
Combining forces with Tony-Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, the Tabernacle Choir celebrates its 20-year Christmas tradition, featuring over 40 internationally acclaimed artists, including Kristin Chenoweth, Hugh Bonneville, Kelli O’Hara, Angela Lansbury, Audra McDonald, John Rhys-Davies, Natalie Cole, and Sesame Street’s The Muppets!
Upstart Crow Christmas Special “Lockdown Christmas 1603” - Saturday, December 18 at 7:30 pm
The righteous Will Shakespeare returns for a festive special. Will and Kate are in lockdown (or ‘Plaguey Lock In’) thanks to the plague of 1603, and bemoaning the fact no one is wearing their ‘Bubonic Plaguey Beaks’ right. It’s a good job Christmas is around the corner.
Thou Shalt Not Kill (Season 3 Premiere) - Sunday, December 19 at 11:00 pm
Valeria Ferro continues to investigate into the sentimental ecosystems struck by the trauma of crime. Still troubled by the mystery surrounding the death of her father, Valeria is forced to question herself deeply. From Walter Presents, in Italian with English subtitles.
In Performance at the White House “Spirit of the Season” - Tuesday, December 21 at 8:00 pm
In Performance at The White House was created to showcase the rich fabric of American culture in the setting of the nation's most famous home. Since 1978, the program has embraced virtually every genre of American performance art. This episode will feature artists performing songs depicting the Spirit of the Season, along with the First Lady’s holiday decorations.
Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza - Thursday, December 23 at 8:00 pm
A world-famous hotel that epitomises the best of everything performs its annual transformation into a magical festive paradise in this enchanting piece of seasonal escapism. At the Plaza on New York’s Fifth Avenue, where suites cost up to $40,000 a night, staff are tasked with fulfilling every whim of their guests. Watch as they prepare a Christmas feast for up to 500, turn rooms into magical yuletide havens and await the arrival of Father Christmas himself.
Downton Abbey - The Movie - Saturday, December 25 at 7:00 pm
This Christmas, the Crawleys are returning home—to MASTERPIECE. The Downton Abbey movie, based on the mega-hit television series that won 15 Primetime Emmys® and earned 69 Emmy® nominations and set viewing records for a PBS drama will air on MASTERPIECE. Repeats on Sunday, January 2, 2022, 9:00-11:00 p.m.
Science-U at Home (A WPSU Original Production) - Sunday, December 26 at 7:00 pm
SCIENCE-U AT HOME is a fast paced half hour of live action and animation showing fun ways parents and caregivers can bring the wonder of science home to kids. Shot on-location at the Penn State Science-U summer science camps, the program will excite children about doing science activities and gives grownups the confidence to make it happen.
United in Song: Celebrating the American Dream - Friday, December 31 at 9:00 pm
Ring in the New Year with PBS and an all-star concert performed on location at Philadelphia’s historic Independence Hall. Hosted by Chita Rivera with performances by David Archuleta, Paulo Szot, Lea Salonga, Deborah Cox, Judy Collins, members of The Washington Ballet, and more.
Great Performances at the Met “New Year’s Eve Gala” - Friday, December 31 at 10:30 pm
Celebrate the new year with Met stars Angel Blue, Pretty Yende, Javier Camarena and Matthew Polenzani performing arias, duets and ensembles and more from the Parktheater in Augsburg, Germany.
Industry News
Yamiche Alcindor To Leave ‘Newshour’ For NBC News, Will Retain ‘Washington Week’ Role
Yamiche Alcindor, the award-winning White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, was hired as a Washington correspondent for NBC News.Alcindor starts the job in March, according to a Tuesday staff memo from NBC News Washington bureau chief Ken Strickland. In the memo, Strickland said Alcindor will cover “the Biden administration, the impact of federal policies on communities across the country, and issues at the intersection of race, culture and politics.” Alcindor has appeared on MSNBC since 2013 and has been a political contributor to NBC News and MSNBC since 2016, appearing on programs including Meet the Pressand Morning Joe. Alcindor, who joined NewsHour in 2018, will give up her role with the public television program but will remain moderator for the Friday-night political roundtable Washington Week, a role she took on this year.
NewsHour Productions Takes Over Management Of ‘Washington Week’
NewsHour Productions has taken over operations of Washington Week, a move that further consolidates PBS’ national news programs under one roof. NewsHour Productions is a subsidiary of WETA in Washington, D.C. Washington Week, the Friday political roundtable program premiered in 1967 on WETA and became a staple on PBS in 1970. NewsHour EP Sara Just announced the Washington Week decision during a CPB board meeting Wednesday. “Our CEO at WETA, Sharon Rockefeller, is doing all this in recognition of the opportunities to maximize resources,” Just said.
Jessica Rosenworcel to lead the FCC
On 12/7, the Senate voted 68 to 31 to confirm Jessica Rosenworcel’s re-appointment to the Federal Communications Commission, putting her in place to be the first permanent chair of the agency under President Biden. Rosenworcel will also be the first female chair in the 86-year history of the FCC. The vote officially confirmed Rosenworcel’s reappointment as FCC commissioner, but with Senate approval in place, it makes her formal ascension to chair all but certain. In a speech announcing the floor vote, Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Rosenworcel “a remarkable, highly experienced and historic nominee.” “It’s the honor of my lifetime to lead the FCC and serve as the first permanent female Chair,” said Rosenworcel in a tweet after the vote. “There’s work to do to make sure modern communications reach everyone, everywhere. Now let’s get to it.”
Perhaps I Can Rephrase This . . .
ROME – A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily publicly apologized to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. In a Facebook post and subsequent comments Friday, the diocese of Noto insisted that Bishop Antonio Stagliano didn’t mean to dash the dreams of the youngsters two weeks before Christmas. The diocesan communications director, the Rev. Alessandro Paolino, said Stagliano was trying to underline the true meaning of Christmas and the story of St. Nicholas, a bishop who gave gifts to the poor and was persecuted by a Roman emperor. Italian news reports quoted Stagliano as saying during a recent religious festival that Santa doesn’t exist and that his red costume was created by the Coca-Cola company for publicity. “First of all, on behalf of the bishop, I express my sorrow for this declaration which has created disappointment in the little ones, and want to specify that Monsignor Stagliano‘s intentions were quite different,” Paolino wrote on the diocesan Facebook page. But, if the public comments section of the Noto page were any indication, the Sicilian parents weren’t having any of it. “You are the demonstration that, when it comes to families, children and family education, you don’t understand a thing,” a commenter, identified as Mary Avola, wrote. [AP - 12/10/21]
Untangled
”I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” — Maya Angelou
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