Western Reserve Public Media President’s Report Summer 2009 Western Reserve Public Media announces launch of two new digital broadcast services Western Reserve Public Media announces the launch of two new digital broadcast services, Fusion and MHz Worldview. The channels went on the air at midnight on June 13, 2009, to coincide with the national analog shut-off and to herald the beginning of the all-digital broadcast environment. A service of Western Reserve Public Media Fusion focuses on arts, culture, public affairs and week. It is well-known for sustaining an excellent The Western Reserve Public regional productions. Fusion debuts with Classic relationship with local independent producers and Media President’s Report is Arts Showcase programming airing around the is the premier television outlet for their work. clock until Saturday, Aug. 1, when the new locally published three times a year for programmed schedule begins. The variety service “Western Reserve Public Media has long the Northeastern Educational will feature regionally produced programming positioned itself as a broadcast service offering Television of Ohio, Inc. Board from both Western Reserve Public Media and alternative TV programming — from commercial of Directors, major funders of independent producers; arts and performance television stations as well as from other public the station and other readers programming acquired from PBS, American television stations,” said Trina Cutter, president interested in the organization’s Public Television, Minority Consortia and other and CEO. “Our two new channels present unique, activities. sources but not carried on the organization’s engaging program content for northeast Ohioans. primary channel; Ohio Statehouse floor activities coverage from Ohio Government channel and “For the past 10 years we have been intensely 1 Programming and Local other public affairs programs; and more than 10 focused on the technical logistics of converting Productions recently acquired British comedies and other BBC two broadcast transmitters to digital,” Cutter 7 Educational Services Worldwide programs not carried on Western continued. “It is refreshing and reinvigorating to Reserve PBS. finally be shifting all of our focus to services for our 9 Outreach & Special community.” Events MHz Worldview is an independent, noncommercial service presenting fresh, relevant The new broadcast services range from the 12 Marketing & Development English-language international content including local to the global. Station programmer Don news, documentaries, cultural programming, Freeman explained, “We want to be a showcase 13 IT/Engineering dramas, films, music and sports. Known for its for northeast Ohio’s best local and regional “programming for globally minded people,” productions, a home for creative voices and a 14 Staff News, Training and MHz Worldview presents programs from around place to find out not only what is happening in the Conferences the world, representing public broadcasting world, but what the rest of the world says about it services such as Asian News International, when it’s happening.” 15 Northeastern Educational Beijing TV, Bolivision (Bolivia), Deutsche Welle Television of Ohio, Inc., (Germany), euroNews, France 24, Israel Western Reserve Public Media continues to work Board News Broadcasting Authority, NHK World TV (Japan), with area cable and satellite TV providers to add Nigerian Television Authority, RT (formerly Russia these new channels to their lineups. If your service Today), South African Broadcasting Corp. News is not currently carrying the new Western Reserve International, Taiwan Macroview TV, TV Polonia Public Media digital channels, please contact your and many others. provider to request them. Western Reserve PBS, the organization’s high- Broadcast schedules and other information are definition broadcast service, will continue to air as available online at www.WesternReservePBS.org Western Reserve the primary channel. Western Reserve PBS offers or by calling 1-800-554-4549. Public Media a wide range of programs on subjects including 1750 Campus Center Drive science and nature; drama, art and music; how-tos, travel and adventure; history and biography; and P.O. Box 5191 news and public affairs. Additionally, the station Kent, OH 44240-5191 airs over 60 hours of children’s programming each 1-800-554-4549 WesternReservePBS.org 1 of some of the materials we have gathered through various shoots. • An important aspect of our production is the creation of an archival collection around the park. On Jan. 25, April 26 and May 17, Western Reserve Public Media hosted history collection events at Happy Days Lodge in Peninsula. The public was invited to share Western Reserve Public Media prepares for Sept. 27 premiere memories, home movies, photos and of Cuyahoga Valley National Park documentary memorabilia. Oral history interviews were videotaped for use in the documentary. Get a sneak peek of documentary footage at WesternReservePBS.org. • Work has begun on the design of the project Web site. Working Western Reserve Public Media’s production with TRIAD Communications, we team is in the field almost daily now are building a site that will house working on our documentary Generations: video on demand; podcasts; video Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This first- footage shot but not used in the time, one-hour documentary will capture the program; full oral histories; and story of Ohio’s only national park through the educational materials. We will voices of people from all walks of life — park also use social networking tools visitors, park personnel, historians, business that will allow people to upload and government leaders, environmentalists, their own videos and artwork and educators, artists and many others. The communicate with other fans of the documentary will look at all dimensions of park. the park, including its natural features (flora, fauna, habitats and geological features) Companion teacher guide and its social history (from Native American Accompanying the documentary will be settlements through the post-industrial an interdisciplinary teacher guide for era). It will also tell the story of the park’s middle school classrooms. The theme establishment in 1974, its evolution into the park it is today and the hopes for its future. of the guide is “preserve and protect,” and it will have lessons in mathematics, The documentary will premiere on Sunday, language arts, science, social studies and Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. in conjunction with PBS’s art. There will also be a board game, national release of The National Parks: a virtual tour and podcasts created America’s Best Idea, a film series by for the project. In fall 2009, Western renowned documentary fimmaker Ken Burns. Reserve Educational Services will present professional development workshops to Duilio Mariola, executive producer and help educators integrate the multimedia director of Generations, reports that much is materials into their lesson plans. happening on the production front: Serving on the teacher team are project • The Goodyear blimp has contributed three “flyovers” so we can get aerial leader Ria Mastromatteo, education content producer with Western Reserve footage of the park. Two of the three (Top) Aerial view of CVNP, courtesy Public Media; Cathy Adler, language flyovers have already taken place; the of the Goodyear Blimp. (Bottom) Executive arts teacher, Brown Middle School, third is scheduled for later this summer. Producer/Director Duilio Mariola and Ravenna; Amy Franks, visual art teacher, • A sneak peek of documentary footage is Associate Producer Barb Wallen take a ride available at www.WesternReservePBS. Bath Elementary; Darren Saylor, science in the blimp with Western Reserve Public org. The preview compiles a cross section Media’s new high-definition camera. teacher, North Olmsted Middle School; Melanie Stuthhard, social studies teacher, Revere Middle School; and Arrye Rosser, interpretive and education specialist, Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Funding for this project has been provided by The Cleveland Foundation, The Herbert W. Hoover Foundation, National Park Service, PPG Industries Foundation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, FirstEnergy Foundation, The Bokom Foundation, The S. Livingston Mather Charitable Trust, Elizabeth Sieberling, widow of John Friends of CVNP gather to share memories North Eastern Ohio Education Association Sieberling, with their son, David. and memorabilia. (NEOEA) and The Harry K. Fox and Emma R. Fox Charitable Foundation. Programming and Local Productions Documentary on Stark County celebrates bicentennial; premieres in July As Stark County celebrates its bicentennial To tell the region’s story, Stark Contrast: A in 2009, Western Reserve Public Media History of Stark County looks at the land itself, takes a look at its past, present and future Stark County’s early settlers and communities, in Stark Contrast: A History of Stark industrial development and educational and County. The new 60-minute documentary, cultural institutions. It also follows two groups of which premieres on Monday, July 13, at 10 residents, representing the county’s older and p.m. on Western Reserve PBS, traces the younger generations. All of their stories are county’s story from its geological roots to interspersed with expert interviews, narration and centuries, set up shop and would eventually the people and enterprises that thrive there video footage to bring the history of Stark County employ thousands of people. today. Encore broadcasts