from: Neal Shapiro, President & CEO, WNET.ORG

Today, I got fired.

I should have seen it it coming. After all, I was the one doing the firing.

The truth is, I’ve been wanting to fire myself as host of SundayArts almost since the day I started.

Don’t get me wrong. I am very proud of the program. From the centerpiece performances, to the content we add every Sunday – the news of the week, interviews with key players in the world of visual and performing arts, features about new developments around town, and the curator’s choice that ends every program – it’s a unique contribution to the cultural life of our city.

The only thing I didn’t like was the host. That guy just didn’t cut it for me.

I originally took on the position because covering arts and culture is a vital part of what we do here at WNET.ORG, and I wanted to be personally involved in getting this important new initiative off the ground.

But all along, I also knew I wanted hosts who had real knowledge and passion as well as great insight. I had plenty of enthusiasm – sure – but I wanted people who were a lot smarter than me.

And I found them.

Many of you know Paula Zahn from her years as a television journalist. You may have seen her host other PBS programs, like Retirement Revolution and our Great Performances Carnegie Hall Opening Night from a couple of years back. What you may not know is that she is classically-trained cellist who has worked other nonprofit institutions concerned with music and arts. With her love of music and her journalistic curiosity, she’ll bring something unique as one of the hosts of SundayArts.

new hosts!

If you’re like me, you can’t imagine walking through a special exhibit at the Met without hearing Philippe de Montebello’s voice in your ear. His influence on one of the most treasured museums in the world is incalculable, and when he decided to step down after more than 30 years, he was besieged with offers. We are so honored that he has decided to devote part of his very busy post-Met life to SundayArts.

The first show for our new team will be November 9, and as I step aside, I do so with thanks for all who have joined us so far, and the knowledge that Philippe and Paula will take the program on to new heights.

Also read the New York Times story

Selected press items featuring WNET.org, its programs, projects and services from the period Friday, October 3 through Thursday, October 9.

A group of WNET executives were on hand to ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange yesterday. Neal Shapiro gave remarks about the launch of Worldfocus. The proceedings are available for viewing online here.

“For 10 years, the BBC has largely had to itself the American market for television news that is not United States-centric, thanks to its distribution deal with public television and its cable network BBC America. That changed on Monday with the start of Worldfocus, a half-hour nightly newscast being produced and distributed by the New York public broadcaster WLIW, Channel 21,” writes The New York Times. “The new competition, available in about 85 percent of the country, brings an extensive juggling of the station lineup for “BBC World News” on public television nationwide. In the New York metropolitan area, the half-hour BBC newscast will no longer be seen on WLIW and its sister station, WNET, Channel 13, where it occupied plum evening spots; the program garnered on average some 60,000 viewers per night on WLIW alone. Instead, viewers will find it on the less-viewed New Jersey Network, at 6:30 p.m., Eastern time.” Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge talks to the Daily News and Broadcasting & Cable about the launch of the new newscast, which debuts tonight. The New York Times, New York Post, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram give the program a highlight. Worldfocus is also the subject of a substantive analysis by Voice of America, and Neal Shapiro blogs about it at Inside Thirteen.

“If you’re in the NY area, tune into Channel WLIW21 on Sunday, October 19 at 10pm. Based on the book Leading with Kindness: How Good People Consistently Get Superior Results by Bill Baker & Michael O’Malley, this program provides an inside look at successful organizations and their leaders,” writes Interbiznet. “The program will be re-aired on November 23 10pm on Thirteen/WNET New York.” Marketwatch has the announcement.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution interviewed Alan Alda, host of upcoming PBS program, The Human Spark about his latest book, ‘Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself’. The piece was picked up by Miami Herald and The Palm Beach Post, among other outlets.

New England Film mentions the American Masters future broadcast in this review of the film Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women at a recent screening in Boston.

“Icon Films has been commissioned by National Geographic Channels International (NGCI), Thirteen/WNET New York for PBS’ Nature series and ITV Global Entertainment to produce Dragon Chronicles, a 50-minute documentary exploring whether dragons exist,” reports C21 Media. “Fred Kaufman, exec producer of Thirteen/WNET’s Nature series, added: ‘Dragons would be a tough and wildly expensive film to do so we went with their modern-day cousins, the reptiles that inspired the great fantasy stories of yore.’ ”

Newsday highlights Reel 13 Classic: Giant, and Uppereastside.com gives a nod to Joel Viertel, UES native and producer/writer of Reel 13 Indie: Conventioneers. Conventioneers is also plugged in the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting monthly e-blast, which is sent to 15,000 subscribers including industry insiders, local filmmakers, and New York City residents. Meanwhile, Brooklynite filmmaker Ilya Chaiken and her film Margarita Happy Hour on Reel 13 fly in the Brooklyn Eagle. Newsday also highlights Reel 13 Classic: Wall Street.

“An intimate documentary with the soul of an epic, Up the Yangtze on P.O.V. (10 p.m., PBS, check local listings) packs more story, more drama, more strange, deadpan humor, political insight, heartache and human emotion into its 90-minute running time than many major motion pictures,” writes Reading Eagle. “It’s a small, personal film with a grand subject and a reminder of filmmaking’s power to inform, entertain and put us in the shoes of people who are caught up – quite literally – in the rising tide of history.”

Influential political blogger, Valtin, writes about Torturing Democracy.

Neal Shapiro, Stephen Segaller and Jac Venza are among those current and former Thirteen/WNET executives mentioned in the New York Sun in coverage of Carnegie Hall Opening Night 2008 celebration, which was recorded for air on Great Performances. Playbill also notes telecast, as do nearly 100 dailies nationwide, including Newsday, am New York, Washington Post, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, and Denver Post.

Newsday previewed “the big draws on channels 13 and 21” for the fall season, mentioning: American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, Worldfocus, Brava Italia: The Proud Tradition, Leading with Kindness, Betrayed, Great Performances: Carnegie Hall Opening Night, Healthy Minds, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo, David Foster and Friends, and Dance in America. “For the most part, it’s all quiet on the public TV front this fall. There are no huge multipart productions, or (necessarily) can’t-miss draws that’ll make viewers forget about commercial TV. Instead, there’s a bounty of one-offs – many dance- and music-related – that’ll remind said viewers that this remains a vital – and vibrant – alternative.”

USA Today calls American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, “A special no film fan will want to miss.” The Los Angeles Times says it’s “an endless toast rather than a purely journalistic examination.” The New York Times says that an “air of elegy is palpable,” but also that, “in the excitement it generates for movie watching, it’s a triumph.” “Nobody on TV does biography like PBS’ American Masters,” says the Baltimore Sun, “and that goes for the life history of institutions as well as individuals.” “Delicious” says Hollywood Reporter. The Rocky Mountain News calls it “fascinating”and “intriguing.” Christian Science Monitor writes “Hollywood is full of stories, but the history of one of its fabled studios is as absorbing as any film it turns out.” and Catholic News Service raves “The series is extremely well-paced, and gets down to basics within minutes. This is one of the milestones of the always worthy American Masters series.”

Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century becomes the jumping-off point for a column about the future of American education, published in the Evansville Courier & Press.

Newsday previewed the premiere of Going Green Long Island (soon watchable online), with TV critic Verne Gay calling the doc “a sprawling look at a sprawling challenge before Long Islanders – how to reduce your carbon fuel consumption, while saving money and the Island for future generations.”

Franny’s Feet, a Decode Entertainment production in association with Thirteen/WNET, has a new sponsor in the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, notes Cynopsis Kids.

“In an era when publicity potential dictates many programming decisions elsewhere, public television remains wary of celebrity, despite its own well-chronicled lack of money to promote its programs,” writes New York Times in its review of Spain . . . On the Road Again. “Channels 13 and 21 already experienced that phenomenon this summer when the Police donated the final concert of their reunion tour as a fund-raiser. The stations raised $3.1 million before expenses (up from the $2.35 million first reported),” notes the article.

“Coming up is PBS-TV’s six-hour series Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America. Produced by Michael Kantor, it’s partly hosted by Billy Crystal, who just filmed his opening and closing episodes intercut with another fairly funny guy of a few guffaws ago – Groucho Marx,” says the New York Post.

Inside Thirteen Blogger: Neal Shapiro, President

What a night!

For 25 years, when I worked for ABC News and NBC News and attended the annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, I watched with envy as PBS took home the lion’s share.

Last night at the 2008 News & Documentary Emmys, I watched with pride as PBS went home with 10 awards, more than any other network, and more than twice as many as the closest competition… including an Emmy for our own program, The Mysterious Human Heart, in the Outstanding Science, Technology and Nature Programming category.

There were Lifetime Achievement Emmy Awards for Bob Schieffer, the late Tim Russert and Ken Burns. Ken’s history with PBS began in 1982 with a film about The Brooklyn Bridge (which was nominated for an Academy Award) and his body of work includes some of the best documentary films ever made: The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz and most recently The War.

Here is a list of the PBS 2008 News & Documentary Emmy Awards:

OUTSTANDING COVERAGE OF A BREAKING NEWS STORY IN A NEWS MAGAZINE

The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Political Turmoil : Margaret Warner in Pakistan (Watch Online)
Executive Producer
Linda Winslow
Senior Producer
Michael Mosettig
Producer
Simon Marks
Senior Correspondent
Margaret Warner
Reporter
Dan Sagalyn

OUTSTANDING CONTINUING COVERAGE OF A NEWS STORY – LONG FORM

P.O.V.
Made in L.A.
Executive Producers
Sally Jo Fifer, Simon Kilmurry, Cara Mertes
Producer/Director
Almudena Carracedo
Producer
Robert Bahar

OUTSTANDING INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING – LONG FORM

America at a Crossroads
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Series Executive Producers
Jeff Bieber, Dalton Delan
Series Producer
Leo Eaton
Program Executive Producers
Tom Yellin, Sally Jo Fifer (for ITVS)
Program Director/Producer
Richard Robbins

OUTSTANDING ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAMMING

FRONTLINE
The Undertaking (Watch Online)
Producers
Karen O’Connor, Miri Navasky
Executive Producers
Michael Sullivan, David Fanning

OUTSTANDING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND NATURE PROGRAMMING

The Mysterious Human Heart (Watch Online)
Executive Producer/Producer/Director
David Grubin
Executive Producer, Thirteen/WNET New York
Jared Lipworth
Executive Producers, WETA
Dalton Delan, Jeff Bieber
Producers
Tania Castellanos, Thomas Jennings, David Murdock
Co-Producer
Mica McCarthy

BEST REPORT IN A NEWS MAGAZINE

Bill Moyers Journal
Buying the War (Watch Online)
Executive Producers
Judy Doctoroff O’Neill, Felice Firestone
Senior Producers
Bill Petrick, Sally Roy
Executive Editors
Bill Moyers, Judith Davidson Moyers
Producer
Kathleen Hughes

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Independent Lens
Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
Producer/Director
Robert Levi
Producers
Joshua Blum, George Seminara
Executive Producer
Sally Jo Fifer

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN A CRAFT: RESEARCH

American Experience
The Living Weapon (Watch Online)
Researchers
Rich Remsberg, John Rubin

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN A CRAFT: MUSIC AND SOUND

America at a Crossroads
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sound Editor
Glen Frazier
Re-recording Mixer
Terrance Dwyer
Foley Artist
Monique Reymond
Sound Effects Editors
Sam Londé, Matthew Slivinski
Dialog Editors
David Ball, Vince Tennant

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN A CRAFT: LIGHTING DIRECTION AND SCENIC DESIGN

NOVA
Forgotten Genius (Watch Online)
Lighting Director and Scenic Designers
Gary Henoch, Katha Seidman

AP notes the Creative Arts Emmy Awards won by American Masters and Great Performances.

“No tenor has had quite the impact on the opera world, and the world at large, and this program reminds us why,” extols the Baltimore Sun on Great Performances’ Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias.

An article about Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century by Thirteen/WNET Education VP Ron Thorpe runs in EdWeek. The program is reviewed in the Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, and The Week, which calls it “Show of the Week.” The New York Times and Tribune Media Service/Zap2it reviewed the special. Gannett News Service designated it the “Must See of the Week.”

Shakespeare on the Hudson on WNET and the re-broadcast on WLIW are mentioned by the Wall Street Journal’s theater critic, who writes, “If you’ve never seen my favorite outdoor summer Shakespeare festival in action, these excellent programs (which deserve to be shown nationwide) will give you a taste of what you’ve been missing.” “It has charm, it has humor, and it has dashes of poignancy,” says the Daily News.

“The tale of one of the biggest Hollywood studios started with a dog,” the Washington Post quotes Susan Lacy as saying, in a look at You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story. “The American Masters presentation serves as a springboard for an aggressive slate of new PBS programs in the next few months.” TV Guide and the Denver Post take note as well.

Though the series has been airing on PBS for eight years, apparently dead people still have lots of secrets that need to be uncovered. Thirteen/WNET dug up five new stories of long forgotten mysteries for the Secrets of the Dead series,” writes Real Screen.

“WNET/Thirteen, the PBS station seen in the New York City metropolitan area, will broadcast a live-to-tape performance of the Culture Project’s recent production of George Packer’s Off-Broadway drama Betrayed Oct. 23 at 9 PM ET” writes Playbill.

Long Island Press features WLIW21’s new local production Going Green Long Island, noting, “The hour-long documentary may not change your life, but will likely change your mind about what exactly going green entails—and that is the goal.”

Since I’ve been here at Thirteen, the idea of getting back to nature has taken on a whole new meaning. Monday night this week, it meant hanging out at the Central Park Zoo with our NATURE series producers and funders, and chatting with actress Gretchen Mol next to the sea lions. The event, a celebration of our upcoming NATURE: American Eagle film (airs November 2008), was hosted by Toyota and Thirteen/WNET New York and generously sponsored by the Condé Nast Media Group.

Neal Shapiro and Gretchen Mol

Over cocktails, a group of a hundred patrons and special guests mingled and took in the oasis that is the Zoo, a real jewel within this bustling big city of ours. We gathered for a few photos with our VIPS, including Neil Retting (filmmaker of American Eagle); Fred Kaufman (Executive Producer of Nature); Stephen Segaller (Thirteen’s V.P. of National Production); Shigeru Hayakawa (President & Chief Operating Officer, Toyota Motors North America); Dian D. Ogilvie (Senior V.P. & Secretary, Toyota); Steven Sturm (Group V.P. of Americas Strategic Research & Planning and Corporate Communications, Toyota) and Thomas Hartman (V.P. Corporate Sales, Condé Nast Media Group).

Talked a bit about parenthood and animals with Gretchen, a new mom and an avid NATURE viewer (she told me she finds the series relaxing), then headed to the ceremony. The crowd was wowed at the amazing film footage screened and the behind-the-scenes stories Neal Rettig shared, and we presented our friends at Toyota with a commemorative photo from the film, signed by the filmmaker. Not even a passing shower dampened the festivities, which included a live performance by One eskimO, the band that does the music in NATURE’s Toyota funding spot.

Neal Shapiro, Shigeru Hayakawa and Fred Kaufman
(both photos: Marion Curtis)

My kind of NATURE experience!

See story below, or go to the AM NY site:

May 29 issue, page 16

Thirteen blogger: Neal Shapiro, President

I’m writing on my Blackberry on Sunday night from table 7, one of the two tables we have here at the 51st Annual New York Emmy awards. For some reason, one of our tables is way in front and one is at the back.

There are dozens and dozens of Emmy categories. In some of them, like the category which included “Topless Car Wash”, there is no place for us.

There was a bit of last-second behind-the-scenes drama here involving our excellent production “Setting The Stage.”

To be quite candid, there was some confusion about who might accept the award if we won. At first, we thought Lynn Redgrave would accept because she was the host of the series, but she had a previous commitment, and had emailed me something to read on her behalf.

I wanted the producer Margi Kerns to accept and read Lynn’s statement, but she was at our table in the back of the room.

Just as they began the introduction to our category, two colleagues at my table raced to back of the room to find Margi’s table.

So, what would we do? Who would go up to the podium and accept the award, Margi or me?

There were seconds to go. I was gathering my thoughts, wondering what to do if Margi and I both arrived at the podium at the same time.
Would she talk? Would I? Would the audience pick up on this last-second glitch?

My heart was racing as I heard, “And the winner is…”

The envelope was opened.

And the Emmy went to…”Nuttin’ But Stringz” from the MSG Network.

Oh well, I can thank my family another time.

Meanwhile, at 8:20 pm, back at table seven, we are 0-4.

8:30 pm Yea! We win our first Emmy for “Keeping Kids Healthy.”

9:01 pm Uh oh! It turns out “Setting The Stage” is also nominated as an interview series. Am I supposed to accept this one? Does Lynn Redgrave’s statement apply to this award?

9:02 pm Turns out there’s no reason to panic. The award went to another production.

NY Voices staff at NY Emmys

9:05 pm. Yippee! Loud cheers from table 7 as Thirteen’s “NY Voices” won for Best Magazine Program….our second Emmy of the night!

9:36 pm Wait a second. Lynn Redgrave, from our “Setting The Stage” is nominated in the category of best host.
Now, what did I do with that acceptance speech?

9:37 pm “And the winner is…” The Emmy host fumbles with the envelope. Is my speech on the table? Did I put it in my program?

Neal at NY Emmys

9:38 “…Lynn Redgrave”. Thunderous applause as I reach inside my inside jacket pocket–phew!–make my way to the podium, and calmly read Lynn’s gracious note, thanking the Thirteen and the Academy–just like I planned it!

We are very proud of all our nominees. The long list includes the producers and hosts for “New York Voices”, “What’s Up in Finance”, “Setting the Stage”, “Keeping Kids Healthy”, and our on-air promos. Check out the complete list below. They are all winners in my book.

Thirteen/WNET’s 2008 New York Emmy Award Nominations

ARTS: News
Goodnight Alice. July 20, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Bob Morris, Producer.

ARTS: Program Feature/Segment
Thirteen Setting the Stage: Killin’ Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis. April 6, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Margi Kerns, Executive Producer; Marta Rangel Gibbons, Senior Producer/Writer; Edward Goldberg, Editor; Martha Griffin, Line Producer.

What Makes it Great? December 15, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Bob Morris, Producer.

HISTORICAL/CULTURAL: News
The 1977 Blackout: Thirty Years Later. July 13, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Jim Epstein, Producer.

EDUCATION
What’s Up in Finance? April 1, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Jill Peters, Executive Producer; Naomi Edelson, Arash Hoda, Producers; Edward Goldberg, Editor.

ENVIRONMENT
Green Buildings. November 17, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Suzanne Glickstein, Producer.

Greenpoint v. Exxon Mobil. May 11, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Suzanne Glickstein, Producer.

HEALTH/SCIENCE: Program Feature/Segment
Keeping Kids Healthy—Glycogen Storage Disease: An Endless Vigil. October 15, 2005. (Thirteen/WNET). Susan Berger Sabreen, Rich Sabreen, Executive Producers; A. Thomas Tebbens, Executive in Charge of Production; Rob Sweren, Producer; Dr. Winnie King, Host; Heidi Schlatter, Editor; Gary Bramnick, Resources Producer.

HEALTH/SCIENCE: Program/Special
Keeping Kids Healthy—Friedreich’s Ataxia: Living Life “Pretty Well”. August 31, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Susan Berger Sabreen, Rich Sabreen, Executive Producers; A. Thomas Tebbens, Executive in Charge of Production; Tami Yaeger, Producer; Dr. Winnie King, Host; Heidi Schlatter, Editor; Daniel McCarthy, Unit Manager; Gary Bramnick, Resources Producer.

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
The Battle for Brooklyn. October 26, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Jim Epstein, Producer.

SOCIETAL CONCERNS: Program/Special
Clearing the Air. September 15, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Bob Morris, Julie Leonard, Producers.

INTERVIEW/DISCUSSION
New York Voices. September 11, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Rafael Pi Roman, Host.

Thirteen Setting the Stage: Interview with David Rockwell, “Spectacle”. April 6, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Margi Kerns, Executive Producer/Director; Jed Parker, Co-Director/Editor; Marta Rangel Gibbons, Senior Producer/Writer; Martha Griffin, Line Producer.

MAGAZINE PROGRAM
New York Voices. September 11, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). John DeNatale, Executive Producer.

COMMUNITY/PUBLIC SERVICE (PSAs): Single Spot, Campaign
RMA Friday Night K2 Promo. February 15, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Felicia van Os, Project Creative Director; Mara Posner, Senior Producer; George Motz, Director of Photography; Margi Kerns, Thirteen Creative Director.

PROMOTION: Program Promo – Sports, Image-Station
Thirteen HD: You Can’t Turn Away! May 25, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Margi Kerns, Executive Producer/Director; David Chomowicz, Project Creative Director; Jed Parker, Editor; Joshua E. Cohen, Line Producer.

ON-CAMERA TALENT: Program Host/Moderator
Lynn Redgrave. April 6, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Thirteen Setting the Stage.

Rafael Pi Roman. September 11, 2006. (Thirteen/WNET). Composite.

DIRECTOR: Post Production
Margi Kerns and Jed Parker. April 6, 2007. (Thirteen/WNET). Thirteen Setting the Stage – Ballet Hispanico/Rockwell.

Thirteen blogger: Hugh Siegel, Communications

There was something primal about the press we’ve been seeing the past week or so. Something feral. The scent of wildlife is in the air–mixed with newsprint, electronic and otherwise.

All the excitement over Great Performances: Peter & the Wolf certainly rustled the leaves of the media forest. The Academy Award-winning animated interpretation of Prokofiev’s classic fantasy had the critics on the prowl for suitable accolades.

“There’s no denying the imagination, dark beauty and sheer artistry of Suzie Templeton’s stop-motion animation, or the modern-day touches and twists that make this old tale seem new,” –Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“As much charm as most recent animated movies boast–clever in-jokes for adults, frenetic pacing, star-powered voice casts, it’s refreshing to watch a film in which all that is stripped away, letting animation and story take the fore. Peter & The Wolf does just that,” –TV Guide

“scores a true coup for family viewing,” — Chicago Daily Herald

Thanks to Nature, the real jungle would tangle with that darkest of metaphorical jungles–politics–at least in the eyes of critic Ellen Gray. Writing in the Philadelphia Daily News, Gray found Nature’s What Females Want and Males Will Do to be a primer on the confessional soap opera that American politics can often be:

“A man stands in front of a podium, expressing regret, somewhat vaguely, for letting down his family and his constituents.

By his side, a woman, often dressed in pale blue, looks on with a pained expression. Who knows what she’s thinking?

Like the rest of us, she’s only human. Maybe she’ll forgive him, maybe she won’t.

Maybe she’ll run for president.

If she were a Gelada baboon, however, chances are that big lug would never have sex again. Instead, he’d spend his declining years doing the baboon equivalent of housework and caring for another male’s offspring. Assuming she and the other females didn’t just chase him off a cliff.

That, at least, is the message I’m tempted to take from Nature’s What Females Want and Males Will Do, a two-part presentation of PBS’ Nature premiering Sunday (4/6/08) that suggests females are often in charge when it comes to sex.”

In addition to teaching us about political animals, as Ms. Gray postulates, the program also has a lot of worthwhile information about real ones.

Of course it was another Nature program that caused the loudest buzz this week. Nature’s acclaimed documentary The Silence of the Bees, a look into the decline of the world’s honeybee population, was awarded a George Foster Peabody Award, the most prestigious honor in the world of television.

Wild stuff, man.

-H.S.

Thirteen blogger: Hugh Siegel, Communications

Some people think the news just happens. We press operatives know better.

Without us, events would get reported, sure. But would news get made?

Look at the piece PBS Renews Arts Support in Broadcasting and Cable today. “In its battle for federal funding,” B&C’s Marisa Guthrie writes, “PBS has clung to its educational mission and stressed a renewed commitment to arts coverage, which gets increasingly short shrift not only on television but in the pages of newspapers.”

Sound familiar? That’s a little tune we’ve been humming like a parakeet with OCD. We applaud our friends at B&C for joining in the sing-along.

What’s worth noting is that this article is actually a reiteration of the story WNET New York to Launch SundayArts, which B&C ran on Friday, ahead of the launch of Thirteen’s new arts and culture showcase, SundayArts. The subhead of Friday’s article became the headline of today’s. You journalism students out there might call this digging up the buried lead. For the real story here is not that Thirteen debuted an exciting new series this past weekend – it’s that New York’s flagship public television station is working hard to keep the arts alive in America.

Publicity – like art – is all about process, of course. So we can’t help but feel a flush of creative pride in reading The Christian Science Monitor’s review of Peter and the Wolf. “The value added by viewing this film in the Great Performances umbrella series of PBS (March 26, 8 p.m.) is getting to observe the effort the behind the creative process during an additional half hour of interviews with the filmmakers. We learn just how painstaking the work really was: An entire day’s work of moving puppets in front of a camera added up to no more than a second-and-a-half of final screen time. The assembled team worked on the film for more than five years. Once the viewer understands just how hard this format is to create, it seems a worthy fit for the serious and elegant classical music it brings to life.” As for the conclusion – “This is no simple cartoon short. It is as much a work of art as the music itself.” – we couldn’t have written it better ourselves (though we certainly might have tried).

For some people, it’s true, the greatest of all arts takes place not on the concert stage, but in a diamond of dirt and sod. The wonder of your publicity team is that we are as at home in our box seats as we are sliding into third. So when the press writes about an MLB star’s appearance on Cyberchase, we credit our signals to the mound. “Ever wonder what pitch John Maine decides to throw first? Why does it seem sometimes a fielder never has to move for a ball? What criteria does David Wright use to evaluate how well he’s hitting?,” asks Gannet New Service’s John Delcos. “Maine will attempt to answer those questions and explain the pluses and minuses behind the statistics on the math mystery cartoon, Cyberchase, on PBS Kids Go, April 7, the day prior to the final Opening Day at Shea Stadium.”

May all our pitches be so artfully caught.

-H.S.