WNET has partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to develop the Community Stories campaign, which highlights the rich cultural heritage and contributions of ordinary New Yorkers. Each month, a new video will be featured on air and on the Web highlighting individual New Yorkers’ immigrant stories. Learn more about the campaign and check out this month’s spotlight below, featuring Pastor Mullery Jean-Pierre of Beraca Baptist Church.
Pastor Mullery Jean-Pierre of Beraca Baptist Church discusses emigrating from Haiti to the U.S. as a child and his parents’ involvement with the first Haitian church in New York City:
Series Creator and Executive Producer of American Masters, Susan Lacy
The Producers Guild Awards celebrate the year’s finest producing work in motion picture and television. This past Saturday, American Masters was honored as Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television, beating out 30 for 30 from ESPN, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations from the Travel Channel, Deadliest Catch from the Discovery Channel, and Undercover Boss from CBS.
The PGA Awards win follows other honors for the 25th anniversary season of American Masters, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Primetime Nonfiction Series – its eighth win in 11 years! – and two Peabody Awards for A Letter to Elia and LennoNYC .
Congratulations to the American Masters team! Other winners from the PBS family include Masterpiece’s Downton Abbey (with the David L. Wolper Producer of the Year Award in Long-Form Television) and Sesame Street (with the Children’s Programs award).
Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of WNET, Dorothy Pacella, Executive Director of the Friends of THIRTEEN, and members of the Friends of THIRTEEN board joined the Macaulay Honors College in celebration of its 10th anniversary. Macaulay is the flagship honors program of the City University of New York, established in 2001 to attract top college applicants to CUNY with diverse academic and professional opportunities, extraordinary advisors, and a full academic scholarship. Since 2007, WNET has partnered with Macaulay to bring on exceptional students and alumni as volunteers, interns, production assistants, and staffers.
The anniversary event featured students and alumni telling stories of how Macaulay helped them achieve personal “firsts.” “Tonight you are seeing an institution that puts students at the center of everything we do,” said Dean Ann Kirschner. “Macaulay students are an incredibly talented, hard-working, and inspirational group.”
One of the featured student/alumni stories covered a recent highlight of the Macaulay-WNET partnership: a segment for SundayArts called “My First Opera.” Macaulay alumnus Daniel T. Allen, Production Coordinator for MetroFocus, WNET’s local news and culture magazine, presented alongside current student George Kruchinina about the project. During their winter break, six Macaulay freshmen spent weeks backstage as The Metropolitan Opera prepared Nixon in China for its Met debut. The SundayArts segment followed the students as they interacted with and interviewed composer John Adams, director Peter Sellars, Met general manager Peter Gelb and the many other professionals who make opera possible.
Daniel began at WNET as an intern and went on to serve as the first Director of Community Engagement for Friends of THIRTEEN. He helped to develop several local documentaries including local supplements to Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea and The Tenth Inning. Since joining WNET, Dan has been instrumental in establishing and cementing Macaulay’s partnership with the station. Since Dan came on in 2007, Macaulay has provided WNET with dozens of interns and volunteers, contributing hundreds of hours of volunteer service. Five Macaulay Honors College alumni are full-time employees at WNET.
The partnership has been beneficial for both parties, giving Macaulay students real world experience at one of New York’s premiere media, arts, and educational organizations, and offering the station access to a talented pool of passionate young pre-professionals with diverse interests. WNET looks forward to continuing this fruitful partnership for many years to come!
This marks the 8th time that American Masters has won the Emmy for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series in 11 years.
Congratulations to all of our winners!
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
Harry Connick Jr., In Concert On Broadway (Great Performances)
Harry Connick Jr., Music Director
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
American Masters
John Muir In The New World
Garth Neustadter, Music by
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A SPECIAL
Don Pasquale (Great Performances At The Met)
Emmett Loughran, Technical Director
Miguel Armstrong, Camera
Joseph Debonis, Camera
Manny Gutierrez, Camera
Shaun Harkins, Camera
John Kosmaczewski, Camera
Bob Long, Camera
Jay Millard, Camera
Alain Onesto, Camera
David Smith, Camera
Larry Solomon, Camera
Ron Washburn, Camera
Mark Whitman, Camera
Anthony DeFonzo, Video Control
Matty Randazzo, Video Control
Paul Ranieri, Video Control
OUTSTANDING NONFICTION SERIES (Area Award: Possibility of more than one award.)
American Masters
Susan Lacy, Executive Producer
Stanley Buchthal, Executive Producer
Michael Cohl, Executive Producer
Prudence Glass, Series Producer
Julie Sacks, Supervising Producer
Michael Epstein, Producer
Jessica Levin, Producer
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (Great Performances)
WNET has announced the launch of THIRTEEN Arts, the first mobile app from New York’s public media provider available for both iPhone and Android.
THIRTEEN Arts offers New Yorkers and tourists on the-go access to the city’s rich cultural offerings, with a curated guide to the city’s top arts events, ranging from the performance arts to the fine arts.
WNET’s on-air content will play a major role in the THIRTEEN Arts’ Staff Picks section, which features video clips from the station’s award-winning local arts series SundayArts. The app will eventually integrate content from WNET’s newest site MetroFocus, among other relevant programs.
Working in partnership with the Alliance for the Arts, THIRTEEN Arts will tap into the organization’s database to build on the app’s Venue List feature, a comprehensive list of arts organizations, institutions and venues in the New York City area, and the Event Calendar section, which gives users a preview of the top shows for the coming weeks.
Additionally, an interactive map that uses geolocation helps users choose from events and venues based on their location.
This year, WNET has racked up 11 Primetime Emmy nominations, in addition to receiving two of the five nominations in the Outstanding Nature Programming category from the News & Documentary Emmys.
Congratulations and good luck to all of our nominees!
2011 Primetime Emmy Nominations:
Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming
American Masters • Troubadours: Carole King / James Taylor & The Rise Of The Singer-Songwriter • PBS • A Starcon LLC production in association with Thirteen’s American Masters for WNET.org
-Nicola Marsh, Director of Photography
-Arlene Nelson, Director of Photography
Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Special
Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (Great Performances) • PBS • Ellen M. Krass Productions and Thirteen in association with WNET.org
-Lonny Price, Directed by
Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming
American Masters • A Letter To Elia/Reflecting On Kazan • PBS • A Production of Sikelia Productions with Far Hills Pictures in association with Thirteen’s American Masters for WNET.org
-Martin Scorsese, Directed by
-Kent Jones, Directed by
Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming
American Masters • LENNONYC • PBS • Co-production of Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right Productions, Dakota Group, Ltd and Thirteen’s American Masters in association with WNET.org for PBS
-Ed Barteski, Editor
-Deborah Peretz, Editor
Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)
American Masters • John Muir In The New World • PBS • Global Village Media and Thirteen’s American Masters in association with WNET.org
-Garth Neustadter, Music by
Outstanding Music Direction
Harry Connick Jr., In Concert On Broadway (Great Performances) • PBS • Produced by Cinemusica and FogoLabs Corp for Conn-X Productions, Inc. in association with Thirteen for WNET.org
-Harry Connick Jr., Music Director
Hitman Returns: David Foster and Friends (Great Performances) • PBS • A Production of Warner Bros. Records and Thirteen for WNET
-David Foster, Music Director
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
American Masters • PBS • Co-production of Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right Productions, Dakota Group, Ltd and Thirteen’s American Masters in association with WNET.org for PBS
-Susan Lacy, Executive Producer
-Stanley Buchthal, Executive Producer
-Michael Cohl, Executive Producer
-Prudence Glass, Series Producer
-Julie Sacks, Supervising Producer
-Michael Epstein, Producer
-Jessica Levin, Producer
Outstanding Sound Editing For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multi-Camera)
American Masters • Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides • PBS • Produced by Thirteen’s American Masters for WNET
-Deborah Wallach, Sound Editor
Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming
American Masters • LENNONYC • PBS • Co-production of Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right Productions, Dakota Group, Ltd and Thirteen’s American Masters in association with WNET.org for PBS
-Ed Campbell, Re-Recording Mixer
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
-Don Pasquale (Great Performances At The Met) • PBS • A Metropolitan Opera production in association with PBS and WNET.org
Gov. Christie, WNET President Neil Shapiro, and host Steve Adubato (Photo: Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)
Earlier today, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced his recommendation that WNET be selected to provide programming and services to New Jersey Network (NJN). Upon approval by the legislature, WNETwill provide programming and services under a five-year agreement.
Among the programs that the network, which will be re-named NJTV, will air include:
A newly launched summertime edition of a news program in July—NJ Today—at the same frequency (4 broadcasts per day) and same airtimes as NJNcurrently runs. In the fall a new version of NJ Today will premiere, with a focus on in-depth interviews, similar to the PBS NewsHour.
Popular PBS programs and never before seen shows like Charlie Rose.
An expanded daily uninterrupted children’s block of programs (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
The New Jersey legislature is given 15 days from today to vote on Governor Christie’s recommendation. If approved,WNET will begin providing programming and services toNJN effective July 1.
Inside Thirteen recently spoke with Bruce Marcus, executive producer of Vine Talk, and Josh Nathan, WNET’s Vice President of Business Development, to discuss how the unique show came to fruition (pardon the pun).
Hosted by Stanley Tucci, Vine Talk features wine experts Ray Isle, Stepahanie Caraway, and Emilie Perrier. Each episode hosts wine tastings with a new and diverse panel of celebrity guests, from chefs (Lidia Bastianich, Stephen Raichlen, and many others) to actors (including Patricia Clarkson and John Lithgow), and beyond.
Inside Thirteen: What was the inspiration behind Vine Talk?
Bruce Marcus: The inspiration really came about by noticing a real void of television programs related to wine that were comforting and welcoming to people. At the same time, knowing that for years, producers have said they were going to try and deal with that and they just never did – there was always the same type of show with wine experts prancing through the fields of France. Those are beautiful shows, I’ve produced them, but very few people watch and they certainly don’t sustain themselves over time. This is an adult entertainment show with a focus on wine – it’s not a wine show.
I think the show can seriously have an impact on wine drinking habits in the United States, and it should. Wine drinking is becoming more and more popular. It has a long way to catch up with many countries in the world, and there’s no reason people should be nervous about wine, just because there is a history around it and an academic side.
Stanley Tucci
Ray Isle, Steve Buscemi, Stephanie Carraway, Emily Bergl, Stanley Tucci, and Chef Joe Bastianich
Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane
Aidan Quinn, Chef Amanda Freitag, Emilie Perrier, Ray Isle, Nanette Lepore, Stanley Tucci
Ray Isle and Stanley Tucci
IT: How are celebrity guests selected for the show?
BM: There are a number of us working together – we work very closely with Stanley Tucci’s production company, OLIVE Productions. We get a certain number of guests that are known to Stanley, but in general we are looking for a wide range of interesting people. They don’t have to be Hollywood celebrities. We’ve had a good share of musicians, we’ve had a poet, writers – we just want a good group that we think will make a good mix at the tasting table.
IT: What is the process for selecting which wines will be featured?
BM: We’re doing everything we can to make it a very credible process. First, our production staff selected the wine regions for the purpose of attracting a large audience. Over 80% of the wine purchased in the States actually comes from U.S. vineyards, so we wanted a large percent of the shows to be out of the U.S. wine regions. After that, we gave certain parameters to the wine associations and asked them to find 25-35 wines within their regions that fit our parameters. For example, one of the parameters was, for the most part we needed wines that were available in stores – we did not want to go out in front of millions of viewers and have 10 bottles available across the country, because we know it’s going to drive people to want to get these. We also wanted a good price spread. The associations were then invited to a selection event in October where we put together independent wine panels that tasted the wines and picked their six favorites of each group of 25 or 30. Our sommeliers did participate, but it was mostly outside people – retailers, distributors, wine-knowledgeable people, and they picked the six for each show.
IT: Can you talk about working with WNET and what the experience has been like using the Tisch/WNET Studios?
BM: We are very fortunate that the timing worked out and perhaps the ideal location for us in New York City was becoming available unbeknownst to us, right at a great crossroads of American culture at Lincoln Center. It wasn’t the exact physical makeup that we had initially envisioned, but that’s never the case, and we ended up with what we believe is a very effective use of both the upstairs and the downstairs – we like to call it our upstairs cellar, and then the studio audience is down on the first level. We couldn’t have asked for a better public television partner. It’s been great working with the WNET and WLIW team, and everyone has been incredibly supportive.
IT: What is your favorite wine?
BM: They keep changing, every few months! I’m very much into wines from Chile – Chile is not featured in our first season of shows – I got outvoted!
Josh Nathan
Inside Thirteen: What first interested you in Vine Talk?
Josh Nathan: The show grabbed my attention – there’s nothing else on television like this. It’s an opportunity to have fun and educate at the same time. I think wine is something that needs to be made accessible to people, and I think Public Television’s mission is to make complicated subjects accessible.
Having Stanley Tucci host was an interesting and positive aspect of the show design; rather than having a chef or a wine sommelier be the host of the show, instead you have someone who everybody knows, is very likeable and delightful on the air, and who has an interest in and knowledge of wine. He’s not lecturing, he’s discovering with the audience, and I thought that was just a terrific approach.
IT: To what degree has WNET been involved in the creative process for this show, if at all?
JN: We got involved as soon as Bruce brought the program to us. He had a format and a layout for how the show was going to work, and we reviewed it, got engaged in refining that format with him and Joe Lacarro, the director. After the pilot was shot, we got very involved in deciding how to improve the structure of the show. Neil Shapiro (WNET’s president and CEO), Stephen Segaller (WNET’s VP of Content), and our team watched it, put notes together, and then I sat down with the Vine Talk team and one of the sommeliers, and we restructured the show based on that pilot learning experience. Bruce came up with the concept and the format, but all of our hands were in taking it to the next spot. The folks at APT screened it as well. It was a very positive and efficient collaboration, pre-pilot and post-pilot.
IT: What has the experience been like having the show film at the new Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center?
JN: I thought it was genius! They originally were going to shoot in another space, and I suggested that they look at Lincoln Center and think about the upstairs and the downstairs. I didn’t really know what their requirements were in terms of layout. They went over and spent some time in the studio and looked at the space and they came back to me and said they wanted to use the studio because it offered a way to separate the audience from the performance, which they thought would enhance the show. Now the studio audience can be talking and laughing and enjoying themselves while they watch the taping, without everyone having to be quiet while the show is going on. It also gives the guests, Stanley Tucci, and Ray Isle an intimate space to work. The way they transformed the studio was brilliant, and that’s what’s so cool about the Lincoln Center studio – it’s a gem of a space, and I think this show really shows the potential for how much you can do in that space. It was a pleasant surprise.
IT: What is your favorite wine?
JN: I have a few – it depends on what I’m eating, and the weather. In the summertime, it can be any number of white wines. On a really hot summer day as part of a cocktail hour, I’ll serve a rosé. There’s an Italian wine, Dolcetto d’Alba, a wonderful red wine from Italy, that, whenever I see it on a wine list at a restaurant, it’s always terrific. For white wine, there’s a Picpoul grape from France that’s fantastic – great with fish, chicken, crackers and cheese.
A fun tip: host a Vine Talk party – screen the show with friends and have your own wine tastings at home!
*In New York, the series’ broadcasts on THIRTEEN and WLIW21 are sponsored by Fairway Market and Fairway Wines and Spirits.
The Peabody Awards are the most prestigious of all broadcasting awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in electronic media, including radio, television and cable. The ceremony for this year’s winners will take place on May 23rd.
Congratulations to all of our award recipients!
Watch videos from the winning programs here: Read More …
It’s official! As reported in The New York Times blog Media Decoder, local news is coming to WNET this spring with MetroFocus, a new Web venture with the potential to expand to television specials or a monthly or weekly show in the fall (appearing on both THIRTEEN and WLIW21), with a daily version expected to follow.
TheMetroFocus team will be led by Laura van Straaten, the project’s editor-in-chief and executive producer. WNET’s president and CEO Neal Shapiro feels the show marks a new step for the station. “One of the futures of public television is making local connections,” he said. “We’ve done a great job of being a national producer; we can do a much better job of being a local producer.”
