Royal Flying Doctor Service
Based on remarkable real-life stories, this gripping drama series follows the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service as they navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart-stopping emergencies they attend to across some of the most beautiful and inhospitable places in the Australian outback. The series premieres on Saturday, January 22 at 8pm.
From The GM's Desk
Happy New Year! I hope everyone found some downtime over the holiday break to rest and relax with family and friends. As we begin 2022, we are mid-way through our fiscal year. At this point, WPSU is trending well for production and development revenue, and we are nicely managing our expenses as well. Thank you to everyone whose efforts are making this possible. We are also engaged in many activities in support of our strategic plan initiatives. Please check out the tracking file on the Employee Resources website. Here’s hoping that 2022 is healthy, joyful, and fulfilling.
All my best ...
Birthdays
1/16 – Susie Apfelbaum
WPSU Radio Highlights
Upset Over Proposed House Map, GOP Seeks To Overhaul Redistricting Panel
Faced with a proposed new state House map that would diminish their power, GOP lawmakers are pushing to overhaul the process to sideline the current redistricting panel and put the ultimate power in the hands of the legislature. The proposal is the latest in a series of constitutional amendments being pushed by Pennsylvania Republicans as a way to take issues directly to the public, circumventing the veto power of the governor’s office. The process, however, is a lengthy one. The redistricting overhaul, introduced by Rep. Seth Grove (R., York), would eliminate the five-member Legislative Reapportionment Commission, composed of the top legislative leader from each party in both chambers as well as a nonpartisan chair who is typically selected by the state Supreme Court. Full story here.
Take Note: Entomologist Margarita López-Uribe On The Preservation And Identification Of Bees In Pa. WPSU’s John Weber talks with Penn State professor Dr. Margarita Lopez-Uribe about a recent bee monitoring project with the Penn State Extension Master Gardners and the environmental threats facing bee populations.
New State College Mayor And Council Members Say Their Top Priorities Include Biking Infrastructure And Affordable Housing
WPSU’s Min Xian reported on the priorities for The State College Borough which has a new mayor and three new council members. Listen here.
WPSU Television Highlights
Royal Wedding: A Day to Remember - Monday, January 17 at 8:00 pm
A celebratory program marking the 10th wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. On Friday 29 April 2011, HRH Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton were married in Westminster Abbey, watched by millions around the world. This one-off special revisits key moments from that special day. It features extensive footage and includes reflections from some of those responsible for pulling together the huge event.
Finding Your Roots “Children of Exile” - Tuesday, January 18 at 8:00 pm
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. retraces the ancestral journeys of David Chang and Raul Esparza, whose families fled their homelands, leading them to find lost parts of themselves along the way.
Great Performances “Reopening: The Broadway Revival” - Tuesday, January 18 at 9:00 pm
Pull the curtain back on some of Broadway's most popular shows, revealing how the New York theater industry undertook the monumental process of turning the lights back on after its longest hiatus in history due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Animals with Cameras: A Nature Miniseries - Wednesday, January 19 at 8:00 pm
Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan leads a team using state of the art cameras, offering a fresh look at the lives of some of the animals in our oceans such as sharks, elephant seals, turtles and gannets.
NOVA “Alaskan Dinosaurs” - Wednesday, January 19 at 9:00 pm
Wielding chainsaws to extract fossils frozen into the permafrost and flying drones to map thousands of footprints, intrepid paleontologists discover that dinosaurs thrived in the unlikeliest of places -- the cold and dark of the Arctic Circle.
Royal Flying Doctor Service - Saturdays at 8:00 pm starting January 22
Based on remarkable real-life stories, this gripping drama series follows the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service as they navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart-stopping emergencies they attend to across some of the most beautiful and inhospitable places in the Australian outback.
POV “Not Going Quietly” - Monday, January 24 at 9:00 pm
A rising star in progressive politics and new father, Ady Barkan's life is upended when he is diagnosed with ALS. After a chance encounter with a powerful Senator on an airplane catapults him to fame, Ady and a motley crew of activists ignite a once-in-a-generation movement for universal healthcare, in a journey that transforms his belief in what is possible for the country and for his family.
Industry News
NAB Chief Takes Aim At Social Media Misinformation
Curtis LeGeyt, CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, has pledged to support local news outlets in the fight against misinformation on social media platforms. "Legislators and regulators are grappling with these important questions, which provide an opportunity for broadcasters to shine as the most reliable source for local journalism and to work with Congress and the FCC to enact policies that preserve this vital role," LeGeyt wrote in a blog post. Full story.
D.C. Journalists Recall Capitol Riot Experiences
Television reporters who were at or near the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, say the events of the day are etched into their minds and have shaped the way they report the news. The dissonance between some Republicans' versions of the insurrection and the lived experiences of journalists who were in the building, as well as video footage of lawmakers' reactions at the time, have left some TV reporters feeling gaslit and angry. Full story.
Governmental Relations
FEDERAL
A Continuing Resolution from December 3rd buys Congress time to February 18, 2022 to finalize the FY 2022 funding bills, which are on the back-burner right now while Congress tries to wrap up the Build Back Better budget reconciliation legislation and address the debt limit.
As Congress goes into negotiations over the FY 2022 appropriations bills, public media is in as strong a position as possible with both the House-passed bill and Senate Chair’s mark containing the full funding APTS is seeking for CPB at $565 million, Interconnection at $20 million and Ready To Learn at $30 million in the Senate and $31.776 million in the House. The House bill also provided the full $20 million APTS is seeking to establish a fund to support public broadcasting’s public safety infrastructure funding at FEMA.
However, it is likely that the overall allocation for the final Labor-HHS-Education bill will be lower than the proposed bills, which means the funding levels for our programs and many others in the bill, will possibly be negotiated down somewhat. America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) will keep stations apprised as they learn more.
STATE
In person District meetings were held January 11, 2022 with State Senator Judy Ward (R-30) in Blair County and State Senator Wayne Langerholc (R-35) in Cambria County . Thanks to Board member Sherry DelGrosso who was able to join Carolyn Donaldson, Community Engagement, to show impact and request continued state funding from our elected officials. Both expressed their support of funding, especially in the area of educational programming and enhancements for schools, families and students. A meeting with Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-34) is planned for January 27th at his Centre County office with WPSU Board Chair Greg Petersen, WPSU Supporter Dave Capparella and WPSU Staff.
Judge Pokes Holes In Swiss Cheesemakers’ Legal Arguments
Falls Church, Va. — Gruyere cheese does not have to come from the Gruyere region of Europe to be sold under the gruyere name, a federal judge has ruled. A consortium of Swiss and French cheesemakers from the region around the town of Gruyeres, Switzerland, sued in U.S. District Court in Virginia after the federal Trademark Trials and Appeals Board denied an application for trademark protections.The consortium said gruyere — often a mild, smooth-melting cheese that’s a favorite for fondues — has been made to exacting standards in the region since the early 12th century and cheese made outside the region can’t truly be called gruyere, similar to the argument that champagne can be only be applied to sparking wines from the Champagne region of France. But the U.S. Dairy Export Council and other groups opposed the trademark protection. They said American consumers understand the gruyere name to be generic, applying to cheeses of a certain style regardless of their place of origin. [AP - 1/10/22]
Snow Business
“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” – Carl Reiner
Resources and Tips
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