Despite polls that showed Michael Bloomberg with a double-digit lead in New York City’s mayoral election, the incumbent squeaked by Comptroller William Thompson to win a third term as mayor Tuesday night. With 100% of New York City precincts reporting, Bloomberg edged out Thompson, the Democratic challenger, by 51 percent to 46 percent. Bloomberg becomes the fourth mayor of New York City to serve at least three terms.

What do you think of Mayor Bloomberg’s victory? Are three terms too much? Please post your comments below.

This Thursday at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN, New York Governor David Paterson will appear in a special town hall meeting to answer questions from New Yorkers about the economic climate in the state.

Got a question for the governor? Submit your question to Gov. Paterson in our comments section below — it may be asked in Thursday’s town-hall meeting.

Submission deadline: Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m.

The second season of the Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series Craft in America , a filmed journey of the history, artists and techniques of the nation’s rich craft culture, continues the excursion into the diverse and ever-evolving world of American craft. Season two premiere on THIRTEEN on Wednesday, October 7 at 8 pm with “Origins” and “Process.” Inside THIRTEEN spoke with Carol Sauvion, the creator and co-executive producer of Craft in America, and a potter in her own right.

Q. Many of the crafts that you explore – pottery, beadworking, blacksmithing – are rooted in hundreds of years of American history. What are some ways that these craft traditions are passed down from generation to generation?

As potter Mark Hewitt says in the “Origins” episode of the new Craft in America series, the best way to pass craft traditions down is through family. He is referring to Jugtown Pottery on Seagrove, North Carolina, where Travis Owens, a fourth generation potter receives information from his father. Through working with his parents and being surrounded with early North Carolina pots, Travis will learn methods of making pots and firing the kiln that are the product of generations of experimentation and knowledge.

This method of passing down information exists in many craft practices, from bead working to quilt making to woodworking.

Q. You do you own craft, in a way, by creating the “Craft in America” series; but is there a craft you’ve come across during your production work that you wished you could do?

After producing two seasons of Craft in America, I know that filmmaking is definitely a craft and I have enjoyed learning it. Filmmaking reminds me of craft production because several people – the producer, director, director of photography, assistant cameraman, sound recordist, gaffer, grip, and editor - collaborate on a film, each bringing skills and artistry to the project. The collaboration and dedication to the final product are reminiscent of the processes craft workshops have used for thousands of years.

I have made pottery since 1969, when I learned to throw on the wheel and fell in love with clay. However, producing the Craft in America series has brought me into the studios of many artists working in the other craft mediums of wood, glass, metal and fiber. I have felt a strong attraction to weaving after visiting the studio of Jim Bassler, who is featured in the “Origins” episode. Jim pares weaving down to its most simple form. I would love to learn discontinuous weave, the technique he is now using, which, as he says, only requires two sticks and thread. It is quite different from the complicated, and I think, difficult process of setting up a loom. If I could learn to weave, I would also want to learn wedge weave, anther technique Jim uses that allows for diagonal weaving. Jim learned this technique from studying Navajo rugs.

Q. We live in an age where most of the everyday objects around us are produced quickly and cheaply. Do you think that the traditional ways of handmade crafting are in danger of dying out?

“Kiowa Princess Beaded Shoes” by Teri Greeves

The first and most important reason is the universal urge to create that seems stronger than ever in this time of political and financial uncertainty. People, and especially young people, are turning to handwork for emotional and economic reasons.

Making something by hand gives one a sense of accomplishment and individuality that buying something does not. As Scott, the violin maker in the “Process” episode says, it is amazing to start with a piece of wood and end up with a violin.

In this time of disconnection with the sources of the objects we use, it is wonderful to make something by hand and incorporate that personal expression into our lives.

Q. So what inspires people in this day and age to pursue a career in craft? Is there a particularly inspiring story from your series that comes to mind?

There are several factors that inspire people to pursue a career in the crafts. A person who decides to work with their hands has the satisfaction of being able to express their creativity in a life that offers independence. In the “Process” episode of the new Craft in America series, Miguel Gomez Ibanez at the North Bennet Street School says it is quite different to finish a workday having made something as opposed to finishing the day having returned any number of phone calls.

Craft objects, the physical manifestations of the artist’s creativity, stand as a positive force that enriches the lives of the people who acquire them. If the objects are functional, the owners interact with them in a way that changes and humanizes their lives. The sense of touch is important to both the maker and the user of these objects. Touch is the one of our seven senses that is all but missing from contemporary experience.

Additionally, artists making craft objects are a part of the continuum that started with the first humans who learned to use tools to make things to improve their daily lives. This continuum, which is present in the pots, quilts, glass vessels, jewelry, ironwork, furniture, books and clothing being produced by craft artists today, is a vital part of who we are as a culture. In addition, the traditions of ornamentation and embellishment that accompanied the earliest crafts also exist today in objects that may not have a functional purpose but are created to inspire or satisfy emotional needs.

Eudorah Moore, who was instrumental in presenting the crafts in California in the last decades of the 20th century, commissioned a book entitled Craftsman’s Lifestyle: The Gentle Revolution. The last thing I’d like to mention is the importance of the lifestyle that accompanies a career in the crafts. Independence and an environment filled with beauty are essential elements of the craft artist’s world. The relationships a craft artist has with friends and family are the cornerstones of a community that thrives on creativity and independence. That means a lot nowadays.

“Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music” explores the life and career of one of the most recognizable names in the history of Latin music, the percussionist and bandleader Tito Puente. Inside THIRTEEN spoke with producer and director George Rivera about his documentary. “Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music” airs on THIRTEEN Thursday, September 24 at 8 pm and Friday, September 25 at 1:30 am.

Q: Did you know Tito Puente personally? How did you get involved in doing this film?

Tito was an acquaintance, though I did not know him well, and he was familiar with my work as a producer and director. Over a period of time, others had asked to do a biographic film and he always refused. Eventually, through a mutual friend, he let it be known that he would do one with me.

Q: So what was Tito Puente like off the stage? What kind of access did you have to him?

For Tito, being off-stage was very much an extension of being on-stage.
He was lots of fun and at the same time a real leader. He was a member of the community, who cared very much about his family and where he came from. He was an ordinary guy: He didn’t project “star” or was a prima donna, and he didn’t expect or ask people to treat him like one. He was very cooperative. We had complete access. Tito made himself available before, after and during performances.

Q: Tito Puente and his music is beloved all over the world – was there a lot of pressure in how you approached the film?

I don’t think there was any pressure except what was self-imposed to get the story right and give the music the respect that it deserved.

Q: Tito Puente passed away in 2000 while you were making the film; what challenges did you face as you finished the film without him?

Originally, we had planned to travel with him to Europe later that year and to record much more footage. We had no idea that the interview that we did with him in San Juan and the performance recorded that evening would be his last. When Tito died a few weeks later, we had to think quickly and change the scope of the project. Fortunately, so many celebrities who knew and admired Tito, as well as his family members, were willing to step up and be interviewed. In the wake of his loss, everyone felt such a tribute was important, and we were able to get the documentary done fairly quickly.

Jon Rubin of WNET.ORG speaks at Brooklyn Borough Hall, accompanied by Digit from Cyberchase,
Karen Boykin-Towns, president of the NAACP Brooklyn Branch, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

As New York City students get in their last licks of summer, the annual NAACP “Back to School/Stay in School” (BTS/SIS) event yesterday at Brooklyn Borough Hall hopefully made the end of vacation a little sweeter as 2,000 free backpacks filled with essential school supplies were distributed to disadvantaged students.

This year the NAACP Brooklyn Branch forged a partnership with WNET.ORG as a media sponsor and with Friends of Thirteen to help fill the backpacks with supplies from THIRTEEN’s children’s programs. But the idea for this partnership was not born in a board room, nor at a fundraiser, nor even as a conversation between professionals.

It was Memorial Day weekend when Karen Boykin-Towns, president of the NAACP Brooklyn Branch, began preparing this year’s “BTS/SIS” event. She had been thinking of companies to ask for donations. It was her daughter who had the idea: “Mom, why don’t you ask Thirteen? They have a lot of kids’ shows.”

Karen’s first call was to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who then connected Dorothy Pacella, Executive Director of Friends of Thirteen, with Karen.

From there it was a team effort. THIRTEEN’s education department donated Cyberchase pencils and other back-to-school goodies from Martha Speaks and Sid the Science Kid. Digit, one of the stars from Cyberchase, and Jon Rubin, director, state and local education services for WNET.ORG, were at the event to help celebrate the new school year and encourage kids to stay in school.

Finally, happy 100th anniversary to the NAACP. THIRTEEN looks forward to future collaborations that will advance the committment of both organizations to improving access to educational opportunities for children and adults of all backgrounds.

Watch Jon Rubin’s comments at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

This afternoon, the Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor, a native of the Bronx, becomes the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the high court. “This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it’s a wonderful day for America,” said President Obama at the White House.

For more news and analysis of Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination and confirmation, please visit Supreme Court Watch at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer for in-depth coverage.

Inside Thirteen blogger:
Neal Shapiro, President and CEO

John Kiermaier, who was President and CEO of WNET during its early years, passed away last week.

John — or “Jack” as he was known to his friends — was at the helm of the station in a much different era, but he confronted many of the same challenges we face today — developing innovative new programming, raising funds in a competitive environment, and working against the odds to promote a genuine alternative to all the other media outlets out there.

John worked to build this public broadcaster in its formative years. Those were adventurous times in television — especially in the fledgling enterprise of public television. John helped show that television could be a force for education, culture, and thoughtful discussion of the affairs of the day — characteristics that continue to identify WNET’s contributions to this day.

History notes that John worked against tremendous odds to bring WNET through its birth pains and set it on the road to become media institution recognized worldwide for quality and integrity. In the years since John’s tenure here ended, all the wonderful programs that WNET has produced and aired owe a little bit of their life to John. If we continue to be pioneers — and we are — it’s because we have pioneer stock in our blood. We inherited it from intrepid souls like John.

John’s spirit lives on in our work. His dedication to WNET back then has given us all the opportunity to pursue our venerable media mission today.

Like John, I came here from network television. And certainly I am discovering some of the same kinds challenges and rewards that John encountered when he made the leap into that new, mission-driven phase of his career. I’m proud to be carrying on his legacy.

The staff and volunteers here — a few of whom surely remember John personally — extend our sympathies to John’s family.

John’s obituary was published in the New York Times yesterday.

Sir David Frost’s legendary 1977 interview with President Nixon is a landmark in television history — never before, and never again, would Nixon confront the issue of Watergate so directly, revealingly, and emotionally.

THIRTEEN and WLIW21 are proud to bring this historic media event back to public television for the 35th anniversary of former Nixon’s resignation in August 1974. And we have a special treat for you: all-new footage of David Frost, discussing the impact of his classic interview and sharing, for the first time ever, his personal reactions to this famous moment.

Watch this preview, and use the tools above to share it with your friends.

by Neal Shapiro
President & CEO, WNET.ORG

The world said goodbye to two inspiring men this past weekend. Walter Cronkite and Frank McCourt both passed away after long and storied lives full of tremendous accomplishments.

Both of these men made lasting impressions on me.

Walter Cronkite’s evening newscasts were a part of my childhood, and I’m sure they helped fuel my desire to become a journalist. And like most Americans, I was always impressed by his calm and reassuring presence. He never preached and never wanted to be the star of the show. For him, the news the most important thing was the news.

Walter Cronkite’s words brought information and clarity. Frank McCourt’s words had the power to move one to tears. I’ll always remember being so affected by Angela’s Ashes, the literary masterpiece for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The details were so striking and vivid that the images stay with me to this day. Chances are you’ve read the book and know just what I mean.

These two remarkable men had a lot in common. Both were both legends in their fields. Both brought people together with the power of their words. Both connected with popular values and earned the respect of people from all walks of life And, both, I’ll add, were great friends to public television.

Walter was an incredible friend to WNET over the years. He served on the Board of Trustees and was Honorary Chairman of our historic capital campaign back in the 1990s. He produced and host documentaries that we presented to public television viewers nationwide, and, of course, for nearly a quarter of a century, he was the host of our New Year’s Eve concert from Vienna.

For his part, Frank was a true believer in the educational power of public television. In addition to being a great author, he was a lifelong teacher. And we were honored to have him appear as a special guest at our inaugural Celebration of Teaching and Learning back in 2006.

We’ve posted a special tribute to Walter Cronkite here.

And you can watch an interview we did with Frank McCourt here.

We were honored to have these two great men as our friends and colleagues, and we join America in honoring their lives and achievements.

Angelina Ballerina™ The Next Steps will twirl onto screens across the country this September! Animated in stunning CGI, the series will feature all new music- and dance-filled adventures starring Angelina Ballerina, the little mouseling with big dreams.

Inspired by the best-selling children’s book series by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig, Angelina Ballerina™ The Next Steps follows the now 8-year-old Angelina as she embarks on the next stage in her life at a new performing arts school, Camembert Academy. Angelina makes new friends and explores all kinds of dance, music, and performance, including ballet, modern, tap, jazz, ballroom, opera, and hip hop, as well as ethnic dances from around the world.

Each episode also includes Camembert’s Shining Stars, a live-action interstitial featuring talented young performers who demonstrate their love of music and dance.

The series introduces kids to the joys of movement, artistic expression, musicality, imagination and coordination. A team of accredited dance instructors and music education specialists helped develop the show’s arts education curriculum. Creative consultants from American Ballet Theatre helped choreograph the dance movements animated on the program, ensuring that they are age-appropriate for the characters.

Angelina Ballerina™ The Next Steps will air daily on THIRTEEN, supported by a local outreach campaign, and weekly via PBS KIDS nationwide starting September 2009. Click here to see a preview of Angelina’s brand new CG animated world!

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