LOCAL CONTENT SERVICES REPORT – 2011
In 1962, Edward R. Murrow introduced THIRTEEN to New York City. From a seat on a small, simple set, Murrow promised viewers that the station would be all about the “lure of learning”. Nearly 50 years later, THIRTEEN has been serving the New York/tri-state community with quality, educational programming, events and educational services that enlighten, inspire, teach and entertain. Together, THIRTEEN and WLIW21/Long Island connect our community of viewers, citizens, and educators to the best that American public media has to offer.
FIRST QUARTER 2011
EVENTS/EDUCATION
The 6th Annual Celebration of Teaching & Learning (March 18-19) Created as a way to connect educators in the tri-state area with WNET and public television, this year’s Celebration was a great success, with sessions featuring Jon Meacham, Alison Stewart, Leymah Gbowee (the centerpiece of the upcoming WOMEN, WAR and PEACE), Sesame Workshop president Gary Knell (who served as an able "front man" for Elmo), Dr. Mehmet Oz (who appeared in our series Faces of America ), Chris Morgan (international bear expert and star of several Nature programs), David Pogue (NOVA's "Making Things"), Freedom Riders (from the new American Experience program), and a whole series of workshops on our programs and services, including VITAL, Mission U.S. , Cyberchase , Get the Math , Road Trip Nation, and others.
Celebration 2011 was WNET’s most successful by every measure. More than 10,200 educators attended –most from the tri-state area and a few from around the country-- a new record. In addition, between 600 and 800 people logged on to the web casts of the six plenary sessions -- the first time we've employed technology in this way.
PROGRAMMING
WLIW21 produced NY Fight Clubs to accompany Frederic Wiseman's documentary Boxing Gym . The 30-minute documentary recaptured a slice of New York that has long since passed, a story that is more about social history than sports. Small boxing clubs once dotted the city. These small arenas featured battles between fighters from different neighborhoods and, often, of different ethnicities. Nearly 37,000 viewers tuned into the program.
LOCAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
In the spring, WLIW21 began refurbishing its’ building & grounds on Long Island. Improvements include a new steel roof and exterior skin, all new interiors, closed circuit security system, new parking lot, landscaping and perimeter fencing. Additionally, the core and shell for an insert studio was installed, as was a new Community Room to be used for local meetings. Later in the summer, WLIW21 incorporated an emergency back-up generator in to the site; all of which help us better serve the Long Island community.
SECOND QUARTER 2011
ONLINE PROJECTS
The marquee project of the newly established Interactive Engagement Group is MetroFocus , a multi-platform magazine covering news, culture and life in the NYC region. MetroFocus launched in early summer 2011 first as a website ( www.thirteen.org/MetroFocus ), out of which will evolve a regular half-hour television broadcast on WNET Channel 13 and WLIW Channel 21. A MetroFocus mobile application will launch in early 2012.
With a public media sensibility and commitment of purpose, MetroFocus has filled the gaps left by both the local news shows on commercial TV and by many of NYC’s niche local websites. To bring the biggest media market in the country the quality of local content it deserves, the building blocks of MetroFocus are comprised of a diverse team of web editors and strategic content alliances with other media, nonprofits and both major and community institutions in the New York region. These partners include: insideschools.org, New York Council on the Humanities, Urban Omnibus, Center for New York City Affairs, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Voices of NY (consortium of ethnic media), The City of New York, The State of New York, The Capitol Report with Susan Arbetter (produced by WMHT/Albany); Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and others.
Just after its launch, the Occupy Wall Street movement began. MetroFocus gained press exposure when one of its reporters was held in the first wave of mass arrests at Zucatti Park. He was the first reporter to be arrested at the site. Charges were subsequently dismissed. MetroFocus continues to build, and has garnered over 500,000 page views with 327,000 unique visits.
PROGRAMMING
Sunday Arts —WNET’s local arts program—was honored as Paula Zahn and Philippe de Montebello, the programs hosts, both won New York Emmy Awards for “Best Host of an Arts Program”. Each week the program is seen by 25,533 viewers on Thirteen and WLIW.
Pulling Back the Curtain: The Making of Cirque du Soleil Zarkana WLIW21 took viewers behind the scenes as producers and artists prepared for the latest Cirque du Soleil production in New York. The program provided an inside look at how these elaborate, wildly popular productions come together. The show was hosted and narrated by WLIW personality Laura Savini. Airing on Thirteen and WLIW, the program was watched by 236,062 viewers.
Though it is little known, The American Academy in Berlin is perhaps one of Richard Holbrooke's greatest accomplishments and was the focus of the film Holbrooke's Inspiration: The American Academy in Berlin. Created in the mid-1990's, as the last American troops left Berlin, the American Academy is a place where American and German scholars and policymakers swap ideas and where governments sometimes have sensitive off-the- record-talks. The program was hosted and narrated by Jon Meacham. With airings on Thirteen and WLIW, Holbrooke’s Inspiration was watched by 136,115 viewers.
Treasures of New York: Lincoln Center chronicled the creation of New York City’s beloved Lincoln Center. The 30-minute documentary included rare archival films made to promote the original building project 50 years ago and then took viewers on a tour of the recently completed architectural renovations. Treasures of New York: Lincoln Center was hosted and narrated by actress Patti Lupone, a Juilliard graduate. The program was seen by 144,856 viewers on Thirteen and WLIW.
The Brooklyn Knights , an unlikely group of Brooklyn hipsters who revere both Hayden and Hendrix were the subject of a popular 30-minute documentary produced by WLIW21. The program aired to local acclaim and garnered tremendous positive press, with the New York Daily News exclaiming. “If this documentary doesn’t make you feel good, you need to watch it again…” Airings on both Thirteen and WLIW The Knights garnered 161,468 viewers
THIRD QUARTER 2011
PROGRAMMING
Different is the New Normal tracked the journey of a 17-year-old from Illinois who has struggled with uncontrollable tics caused by Tourette Syndrome – and others’ intolerance and misperceptions about it – throughout his life. Thirteen held a premiere screening of the film at its Lincoln Center Studios and partnered with the local chapter of the Tourette’s Syndrome Association. Members of the New York chapter came to the screening and 131,043 watched it when it aired on Thirteen and WLIW
ONLINE/EDUCATION
VITAL (Video in Teaching and Learning) WNET’s primary instructional digital media portal continues to grow, with content added this fall from American Masters and Great Performances , as well as STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) resources supported by a grant from NASA. VITAL is an essential free service to teachers throughout New York State, who can used public television content in their classrooms to help enhance their teaching efforts.
EVENTS
Bryant Park Fall Festival WNET supports this week-long free arts festival, held at Bryant Park each year. The Fall Festival is designed to celebrate the diverse arts and culture community in the five boroughs and performances by musicians, dancers, story-tellers and others are showcased onstage in the park. WNET provides airtime to promote the Festival. This year, approximately 9,000 people attended this free event.
FOURTH QUARTER 2011
ONLINE
THIRTEEN Arts A free mobile application designed for iPhone and Android smart phones, Thirteen Arts was created with support from MasterCard and in partnership with NYC ARTS. Thirteen Arts allows users to explore a comprehensive guide to arts and culture events and venues throughout the New York area. The app features staff picks, an interactive map, video previews from SundayArts, and a detailed calendar. ThirteenArts was created in-house, and will continue to increase the capacity for mobile development in the coming months. Learn more and download the app at http://www.thirteen.org/mobile.
PROGRAMMING
Treasures of NY: The New-York Historical Society : The third in a growing series of documentaries on iconic landmarks in NY, featuring the restoration, history and re-opening of the New York Historical Society. Scheduled several times on Thirteen and WLIW, the program delivered 245,674 gross viewers.
That’s Classic! The WQXR Classical Comedy Finals : In partnership with public radio station WNYC, this program featured a classical music comedy contest where eight contestants competed at the legendary NY comedy club, Caroline’s on Broadway. Nearly 30,000 average viewers tuned into the program.
America’s Competitive Challenges, Lincoln Center Dialogues : The third in a series of half-hour discussions with host Tom Brokaw and some of the titans of Wall Street at the David Rubenstein Atrium in Lincoln Center. The guests were Peter Orszag, Vice Chairman Global Banking, Citigroup and Ruth Porat, Executive Vice Chairman and CFO of Morgan Stanley. Airing on both Thirteen and WLIW, the program was viewed by 81,300 people.
At The Paley Center : in partnership with the Paley Center for Media in New York , a series of conversations featuring Pat Mitchell, President and CEO of the Paley Center for Media were taped to broadcast on Thirteen and WLIW21. Glenn Close and Marlo Thomas were interviewed in the first two installments and averaged nearly 25,000 viewers.
EDUCATION
American Graduate WNET’s Education Department received a grant to serve as both national “Education Manager” and a “Community Hub” site for CPB’s 20+ station initiative on drop-out prevention. Local New York projects include an American Graduate Day NYC (Fall 2012)—a high-profile day of programming to be produced in collaboration with community partners designed to engage the community on the topic.
Ready to Learn Transmedia Demonstration Station Grant WNET Education Department received a grant to engage local community based organizations working in the field of early childhood education by delivering a range of digital technology resources grounded in public broadcasting’s children’s programming. Partners include The After-School Corporation, New York City Housing Authority, Head Start and New York City Department of Education.
MEDIA
Crain’s New York Business magazine released the rankings for New York City’s Largest Cultural Institutions, naming Thirteen (WNET New York and WLIW21) at Number Eight. Among the Top Ten organizations listed are the Metropolitan Opera Association, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the New York Public Library.