Nature: American Horses
American horses are icons. Mustang. Appaloosa. Morgan. Quarter Horse. Follow the history of the uniquely American horse breeds that helped shape our nation and meet the people who are continuing in the long tradition of caring for them. Airs Wednesday, February 23 at 8:00 pm
From The GM's Desk
The groundhog may have seen his shadow, forecasting 6 more weeks of winter, but the snow and ice have not stopped us from having a great 2022 thus far. Our teams have been busy keeping us on-air, producing meaningful client projects, reporting on local news, completing our external audit, cleaning out old transmitter equipment, and, we just held a very successful Connoisseur's Dinner, to name just a few recent accomplishments. Thank you to everyone for continuing to contribute in meaningful ways to everything we do.
All my best ...
Birthdays
2/23 Jeff Luck
2/26 Chris Kugler
WPSU Radio Highlights
Witness: Black History Month - Friday, February 18, 7:00 p.m.
A special hour-long edition of Witness History from the BBC World Service, bringing together some incredible interviews looking at the African-American experience. Told by people who were there, we hear stories that are fascinating, harrowing, and inspiring. Segments include: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study, American new pioneer Dorothy Butler Gilliam, Nelson Mandela in Detroit, Nasa's pioneering black women, The "Godfather of Gospel Music" and what the Confederate flag represents in America's battle over race.
Selected Shorts: Celebrating Toni Morrison - Friday, February 25, 7:00 p.m.
Guest host Tayari Jones (New York Times bestselling author, most recently of the novel An American Marriage) helps us to celebrate Morrison, the American master who died in 2019. Morrison’s novels, including Beloved, Jazz and Song of Solomon, have become an indelible part of the American canon. Her fierce, poetic visions earned her the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was also an editor, advocate, teacher, and mother.
In Case You Missed It . . .
Democracy Works: How National Parties Are Breaking State Politics Jenna Spinelle hosts a conversation with Jake Grumbach, assistant professor of political science at the University of Washington. In his forthcoming book, "Laboratories Against Democracy," Grumbach argues that as Congress has become more gridlocked, national partisan and activist groups have shifted their sights to the state level, nationalizing state politics in the process and transforming state governments into the engines of American policymaking in areas from health care to climate change. He also traces how national groups are using state governmental authority to suppress the vote, gerrymander districts, and erode the very foundations of democracy itself.
Take Note: Prof. Lee Ann Banaszak On Creating Principles To Guide Gov. Tom Wolf In Redistricting WPSU’s Min Xian talks with Dr. Lee Ann Banaszak, head of the Department of Political Science at Penn State and a member of the Pennsylvania Redistricting Advisory Council in 2021. Banaszak has been an advocate for redistricting reform. Banaszak is the head of the Department of Political Science at Penn State and professor of political science and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies.
WPSU Television Highlights
Death in Paradise (Season 4 Premiere) - Saturday, February 19 at 9:00 pm
Now settled on the sun-baked island of Saint Marie, Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman has come to terms with his painful split from his wife and finally resolved to confess his feelings for his beautiful Detective Sergeant, Camille Bordey. But when he discovers she may be leaving the island for good, Humphrey has an impossible choice to make - will he follow his heart or let Camille’s career take priority?
All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece “The Perfect Christmas” - Sunday, February 20 at 9:00 pm
In the season 2 finale, James and Helen question their future together in the run up to Christmas Day, while things look grave for one of Darrowby's most beloved animals.
Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America Reframed Special - Tuesday, February 22 at 9:00 pm
Explore and celebrate the life of a fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist and the injustices in America that made her work essential.
Nature "American Horses” - Wednesday, February 23 at 8:00 pm
American horses are icons. Mustang. Appaloosa. Morgan. Quarter Horse. Follow the history of the uniquely American horse breeds that helped shape our nation and meet the people who are continuing in the long tradition of caring for them.
NOVA “Augmented” - Wednesday, February 23 at 9:00 pm
An inventor of bionic limbs teams up with an injured climber and a leading surgeon to test a new amputation technique that allows prosthetic limbs to move and feel like the real thing.
Conversations Live! “Healthy Aging” - Thursday, February 24 at 8:00 pm
With one in every seven Americans now over the age of 65, it’s no wonder adult development and aging is a rapidly expanding field of study. What’s normal aging? What’s not? And what control do we have over our own aging process? On our next episode of Conversations Live we’ll talk with experts who will discuss healthy aging.
The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang - Live on Copacabana Beach - Saturday, February 26 at 9:00 pm
On February 18th, 2006, The Rolling Stones performed in Rio de Janeiro for an audience of 1.5 million people in one of the biggest free concerts in Rock and Roll history. This fully restored and re-mastered concert from their “A Bigger Bang” world tour now includes four previously unreleased tracks: “Tumbling Dice,” “Oh No, Not You Again,” “This Place Is Empty” and “Sympathy For The Devil.”
Industry News
Stuck in KUOW Purgatory: Seattle Mazda Drivers Can’t Change The Radio Dial
KUOW/Seattle is aware of an apparent issue between it’s signal and some Mazda infotainment systems, causing radios to reboot when they connect to KUOW’s 94.9 FM signal. The station has been in contact with Xperi, the company who owns the technology behind HD Radio, and have given them complete access to their transmitters to investigate what is causing this issue. Stuck Mazda drivers will have to wait a while for a fix. Mazda USA has not responded to requests for comment, but service managers at various dealerships said a replacement part could be available in a few weeks.
It still isn’t clear why specifically KUOW’s signal is affecting some specific Mazda cars. One theory points to the recent rollout of 5G technology for smartphones. A few weeks ago cellphone companies switched to a 5G signal. But many cars are still only equipped with 3G and glitch when faced with the newer 5G. Some car companies put out advisories to customers last year ahead of the switch that an issue like this could arise. But the 5G theory still doesn’t answer why only some Mazdas are only affected.
For now KUOW will have a captive Mazda audience. Scott Smith in Seattle returned to his car after grocery shopping recently one night and found the car’s “infotainment system” going wacky. “Luckily, I am an NPR listener, so that’s fine,” Smith said.
Governmental Relations
FEDERAL
On Tuesday, February 8th, the House passed a three-week funding measure that extends government funding, including funding for public media, at FY 2021 levels through March 11, 2022. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure next week to avert a government shutdown on February 18, 2022, when the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires.
Appropriators in the House and the Senate announced they had reached an agreement on a broad framework for defense and non-defense topline levels for the FY 2022 funding package. Negotiations on the final funding levels for all programs seem now to be underway.
As a reminder, public media remains in as strong a position as possible with both the House-passed bill and Senate Chair’s mark containing the full funding we are seeking for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (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 we are seeking to establish a fund to support public broadcasting’s public safety infrastructure funding at FEMA.
However, the negotiated levels of defense and non-defense funding may reduce the overall allocation for the final Labor-HHS-Education bill — and perhaps the funding levels for public broadcasting.
It is important we do all that we can to ensure these funding levels make it into the final package. As a reminder, WPSU receives funding from CPB.
If you haven’t already done so, please help WPSU advocate for federal funding by joining the grassroots organization Protect My Public Media. Click HERE to add your voice in support and thanks!
STATE
Governor Tom Wolf presented his final budget proposal on Tuesday, Feb. 8th. It includes line-item funding of $1.5 million for Pennsylvania’s 7 public media stations. This is the first time Governor Wolf has included funding in his proposal that next goes to the 4 caucuses (House Democrats, House Republicans, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans) for consideration. Our Harrisburg lobbyists, Cozen O’Connor cautioned the budget discussion just began and will be meted out throughout the next 4 months before final passage hopefully by the end of the fiscal year June 30, 2022. In a joint statement, PA PBS said, “PA PBS appreciates the Governor’s support of public television, further recognizing our commitment to provide educational content to the residents of the Commonwealth. As in prior years, we will advocate the merits of our cause with members of the legislature, and request support.”
Love Is Strange
Zoos across the U.S. are breaking into the Valentine's Day gift market, offering swarms of opportunities to name cockroaches after loved ones — or, maybe, an ex. The Bronx Zoo's Name a Roach program, now in its 11th year, offers an unusual way to show your undying love. For $15, you can name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after your special someone. The money benefits the Wildlife Conservation Society, a nonprofit organization, the zoo's website says. It's a gift designed to last. After all, "roaches are forever," the site reminds us. You'll get a certificate to memorialize the gift. For some, like Susie, described on the zoo's site as a "satisfied roach namer and lover of romance," naming a roach has become a Valentine's Day tradition. "Roses and chocolates come and go, but roaches last an eternity," Susie says, "just like our love!” [NPR - 2/12/22]
Presidential Business
”Being president is like running a cemetery: you’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.” - President Bill Clinton
Resources and Tips
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