Farewell to an Old Friend
British Comedy
The production of the series Last of the Summer Wine came to a conclusion earlier this month. The following is a link to the BBC Comedy page that pays tribute to the series. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2010/07/farewell-to-last-of-the-summer.shtml
We are working with the BBC to bring the final series to North America as quickly as possible.
Remember Nat Park?
On Saturday at 1pm PT, we will re-broadcast the KSPS-produced documentary, Remember When: Nat Park, produced by Tom McArthur and the KSPS staff in 1996. It's about Natatorium Park, Spokane's favorite amusement park playground in the early-mid 20th century. Do you have a memory or thought about Nat Park? Please add your comment below.
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Bill Moyers Journal
Bill Moyers Retirement
On last Friday’s edition of Bill Moyers’ Journal, Mr. Moyers announced that Journal would come to end on April 30th. The news has generated inquiries from viewers both locally and nationally. The following is a letter from Bill Moyers providing additional details related to his decision.
Read more →Frontline
The Quake
Tuesday, March 30th Frontline presents “The Quake.” This one-hour program presents a brutal look at the events following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. The program presents images that some viewers may find disturbing. Mike Hale, columnist for the New York Times, has an excellent review of the program. Here is the link to the article.
Read more →Northwest Profiles Story Update
Challenging Vision
In January Northwest Profiles featured a segment titled “Challenging Vision” the story of Bernard Vinther, a visually impaired machinist. On March 17th Mr. Vinther was involved in a pedestrian-automobile accident in Kennewick, Washington. Mr. Vinther suffered minor injuries but Kaber, his guide dog, did not survive the accident.
From reports of the incident, the loss of Kaber has created a tremendous void within the Vinther family. We extend our best wishes to those involved and hope for a speedy recovery from the physical and psychological trauma that has occurred.
I’ve included a link to the Tri-City Herald’s online story of the incident and a quick link to the Northwest Profiles segment on Mr. Vinther.
Island At War
Masterpiece Theatre
In January of 2005 Masterpiece Theatre presented a five-part mini-series titled “Island at War.” This period drama followed the experiences of three British families living in the German occupied Channel Islands during World War II. You may recall that when the series ended there were many questions left unanswered. There was talk of another season of “Island at War.” Unfortunately, the series did not garner much interest when broadcast in the UK and the passing of writer Stephen Mallatratt in 2004 pretty much assured that the loose ends of the story would be left to the imagination of the viewer.
I’ve included a link to an article presented by The Times that you may find interesting, and perhaps it will provide a sense of closure for “Island at War.”
Independent Lens
Mine / New Orleans
As New Orleans celebrates the success of their professional football team and looks to the future, Independent Lens, public television’s award winning forum for independent filmmakers, presents an intimate look at the emotional bond between humans and their pets set against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history
Read more →Julia Child
French Chef Debut
The French Chef debuted on February 11, 1963 on WGBH in Boston. The series had a successful run of ten years on NET (National Educational Television) making Julia Child the first celebrity in the PBS world.
Read more →Through A Dog's Eyes
Service Animals
The 134th annual Westminister Kennel Club dog show will occur on February 15th and 16th.
Over the years this event has created a programming niche for a cable network, but beyond the carpet, the glare of the lights, the blow dryers, and applause, there are special dogs that captivate our attention and create their own niche in our minds and hearts.
Read more →Academy Award Nominees
P.O.V.
The 82nd annual Academy Awards has selected two PBS documentaries as nominees in the documentary features category. The nominees are “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” and “Food, Inc.” Both documentaries will be featured as part of the P.O.V. series.
Read more →Ken Burns Film
Prohibition
The encore presentation of Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is airing Wednesday evenings at 8:00 PM Pacific / 9:00 PM Mountain on KSPS-TV. The next project that Florentine Films is working on is an indepth look at Prohibition. I’ve included a family photo taken in the 1920’s. The location is presumed to be just north of Seattle. My mother-in-law is the small child resting in the basket. Each time the picture re-surfaces from the family’s photo archive the story behind the family gathering becomes more intriguing. English tea was not the beverage of choice in the boneware cups and the rosy cheeks were not the handiwork of a photographer’s art brush. And the smiles? They are the result of Nettie, the young woman holding the tea cup, a child of the Alberta prairies and in her later year’s my wife’s grandmother, who was held in high regards as a “home brewer.”
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