A Year of Revealing and Insightful Conversation Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox NOVEMBER 2008 Sometimes, when weLeslie Island -Wilcox,County, Presidentmoving later to & in -CEO What does our analog reduc- blog of our head engineer and ers say we’re on “HawaiianAloha Kakouclude Hawaii Island and Kauai. tion and switch-off mean to Vice-President of Content time,” we mean that we’re tak- (They’re served by translator you? Quite possibly, not much. Delivery, Steve Komori, at ing our sweet time. stations and not transmitters, This change has no conse- www.pbshawaii.org and post But not when it comes to and therefore not covered quences for the great majority questions and comments. Or the digital transition. This time, under the federal mandate.) of PBS Hawaii viewers. we invite you to phone PBS “Hawaiian time” means that Digital signals carry better That’s because most Hawaii Hawaii’s viewer services spe- we’re moving faster than most picture, better sound, more TV viewers no longer receive cialist, Christina Kanemoto, at of the nation. data, and down the line, will programs through analog 973-1187 in Honolulu. And Hawaii’s full-power broad- enable television to be truly broadcast signals. In fact, it’s keep watching PBS Hawaii for casters (including PBS Hawaii) interactive. estimated that 90% or more new developments. plan to beat the national PBS Hawaii has been broad- of viewers statewide are cable We’re pleased to work with deadline of February 17 — by casting in digital (in addition or satellite TV subscribers and our viewers in making the weeks. to our legacy analog) since therefore are not affected. “Hawaiian time” date on Janu- January 15 is the date to September 2006. With the However, if you use an old ary 15, putting Hawaii near the remember in Hawaii. On that digital technology, we’re able TV set with “rabbit ears” or an head of the nation rather than day, the federal government is to “multi-cast.” We broadcast old roof antenna to capture lagging behind on this federally giving the go-ahead for Hawaii a PBS Kids channel as well as our over-the-air broadcast required change. broadcasters to switch over to our main programming in both signals with an old antenna, digital-only transmission. digital and in high-definition you’ll need to take action to PBS Hawaii will start a television. continue to receive our free, phased digital transition, even- Late this month, on Novem- quality programs. tually leaving behind analog ber 25, in preparation for the Find out more, in straight- Mahalo, technology, which was ground- analog shut-off, PBS Hawaii will forward language, by going to breaking in its time. We’ll start reduce our analog power by 50 www.dtv.gov. Jan. 15 on Oahu and in Maui per cent in the Honolulu vicinity. Or read the “Digital Dialog” What’s Your Favorite PBS Hawaii Program? “[email protected] Invite You to Share Favorites with the PBS Hawaii Community “Believe it or not, my favorite is “I enjoy cooking and I love “I have always been a fan of “I like Long Story Short with Clifford, The Big Red Dog. The good food, that’s why I have art, specifically theatre, having Leslie Wilcox because it gives show reminds me of the book I to say I watch Martin Yan’s been the Chairman of Honolulu me the opportunity to meet used to read when I was young. Yan Can Cook and Martin Yan’s Academy of Arts for six years. the people I’ve always wanted Now, I am a mom of seven and Chinatowns. It’s not just fun To me, Masterpiece Mystery! is to meet. Leslie brings out the we all have such a good time and entertaining to watch, but a wonderful program that pro- real personalities behind the watching Clifford. With PBS I have learned a lot from the motes good values and superb successes of the guests, mak- Kids, I am sure about the qual- show. Martin Yan has made me performances. Personally, I ing it easier for viewers to learn ity and safety of the programs. more creative and experimental have learned how to become from their experiences and best The shows are clean, educa- every time I cook. My family a gentleman because of that practices. Leslie has such good tional and are very instrumental now enjoys dinner time over show. That is why I recommend people skills, I just can’t imag- in bonding with my kids.” good food.” it to my sons as well.” ine the show without her.” Debbie Monmaney Craig Washofsky Sam Cooke Anne Kuroda Professional Mom Group Vice President, Senior Vice President, Businesswoman Servco Home and Appliance Morgan Stanley One Year of Revealing and Insightful Conversation Long ith text Story messaging Short and emailwith playing Leslie such Wilcox a big role in |how tuesday we communicate, nights, do you 7:30pm sometimes think good W conversation is hard to come by? You will always have access to a “good talk” Tuesday nights on PBS Hawaii. As wraps up its first year, we thought it was a good time to have viewers’ most frequently asked questions answered by the program host and interviewer, Leslie Wilcox. Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox LW: been suggested by our viewers. Well, I’m not looking for The premise of the program is soundbites. I settle in and want to reveal the person behind the to get to know the person public persona. So generally across from me. I’m not out to the guests have made a name “lead the witness.” My role is for themselves. You think you to draw out the guests and let Leslie Wilcox chats with local know them. But do you really? them tell their stories in their fashion icon Mamo Howell We look for a record of achieve- own way. It takes longer but it’s ment, a compelling personal often far more revealing. FAQ: the key parts for you. story, a history of interesting Is there a long or short FAQ: choices, engaging conversa- Which guest’s story sur- story behind the program’s FAQ: name? There’s been such a wide tion, and the willingness to be prised you the most? range of people interviewed on responsive and candid. We’re LW: LW: The show named itself. Long Story Short. How do you also interested in getting to Without a doubt, the big- All we at PBS Hawaii had to and your producer go about know people from all islands, gest surprise came from uku- do was listen to people telling selecting the guests? with a range of ages, life experi- lele teacher Roy Sakuma. I’d stories. When someone says ence and viewpoints. researched him — talked with LW: Show producer Wendy some of his friends and knew “long story short” in conversa- FAQ: tion, they’re about to take an Suite maintains a long and How is the show different what he’d said in other inter- involved storyline and pull out growing list of people who’ve from a news interview? views and in his own biography. Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox | tuesday nights, 7:30pm FAQ: FAQ: What were some of the awe of Sevey so they could do Tell us about some of most memorable moments on the job flawlessly — in tribute the PBS Hawaii staff members the set of Long Story Short? to him, the standards he set who work behind the scenes on and the story he shared pub- Long Story Short. LW: Minnijean Brown Trickey licly for the first time about his LW: (pictured below right), one of reasons for leaving television The technical crew went nine African-American teenag- news. through a learning curve on this ers (the civil rights movement’s show. Through our partnership FAQ: “Little Rock 9”) who integrated You’ve interviewed people with Sony Hawaii, this was the a previously all-white Arkansas you knew before and people first Hawaii show to be shot, high school in 1957, recalled you met for the first time. Does edited and broadcast in high- plainly that her heart broke as that distinction make a differ- definition. HD, dense with data, she was “surrounded by hate.” ence? Her story so affected our col- LW: He had never said openly what lege production students that Oddly enough, I may do a he said on Long Story Short. He they clapped at the end of the better job with people I don’t disclosed that he grew up in a taping, stood in line to shake know very well. I’m a curious home with serious untreated her hand, and hugged her. person and like to learn. A mental illness. He explained the couple of times, with newsmak- ways in which his childhood In Washington State to talk with ers I’d covered for many years was full of puzzlement and pain. retired news anchor Bob Sevey, as a journalist, I didn’t ask a Later, Roy (pictured above) we worked on location with an question because I already said that he hadn’t planned to “ex-pat” production crew of knew the answer. Of course, I reveal what he did. He told me former Hawaii residents. They kicked myself later. I didn’t seem to be caught off told me they overcame their guard. But believe me, I was. Long Story Short with Leslie Wilcox | tuesday nights, 7:30pm NOVEMBER GUESTS has done a fine job editing the This month, Leslie Wilcox sits down show.