Nine PBS Magazine | March/April 2022 by Nine PBS

MAR | APR 2022

Stories that move us. Season 2 of Sanditon Serves Up Twists and Turns p. 4

New Arthur Podcast, Video Shorts, and Digital Games p. 6

Locally Produced Animated Series for Kids Debuts p. 8

MAR—APR

Contents MAR–APR 2022 | Volume 13, Number 2

Message from the President

Feature

Happening Now

Beyond Programming

10 Benjamin Franklin

Program Guide

Monday, April 4, 7 pm

A two-part documentary from Ken Burns about the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential figures, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.

Team Member Spotlight Joe Prosperi Director, Digital Strategy At Nine PBS: 3 years What show(s) on Nine PBS are you watching or recommending? Donnybrook, PBS NewsHour, Food Is Love, Pati’s Mexican Table. I listen to the Chew in the Lou podcast, too. Briefly, what is your responsibility at Nine PBS? I make sure that Nine PBS, along with our local productions, like Donnybrook, Living St. Louis, and Chew in the Lou, have robust content and engagement with our community wherever they decide to engage with us. What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work? Reading a good book while sipping a nice cocktail or cup of coffee, unless my kids want to go on an adventure, then that’s what I am doing!

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Nine PBS respects the privacy and confidentiality of our donors and will not sell, give, or exchange any information to any entity. Nine PBS Magazine (ISSN 1086-8828) (USPS 736-890) is published bimonthly by St. Louis Regional Public Media Inc., 3655 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63108-3601. Periodicals class postage paid at St. Louis, MO. Postmaster: Send address changes to Nine PBS Magazine, 3655 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63108-3601. Subscriptions are available by annual membership contribution of $60 or more to Nine PBS. ©2022 St. Louis Regional Public Media Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of Nine PBS Magazine without express written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

MAR–APR 2022 | ninepbs.org

Nine PBS Board of Directors Chair Mark C. Lindgren Vice Chair Cynthia Brinkley Treasurer Mark Krieger Secretary Ashley Kemper Immediate Past Chair David Steward II

Dear Friends, Nine PBS tells authentic stories about our community, including content that reflects the diversity of our region. That’s why we are partnering with the Academy Award-winning team at St. Louis’s Lion Forge Animation to create Drawn In, a video series that follows four kids of color who love comics. I’m thrilled that we prioritize learning for our most vulnerable children and that we are trusted to do this work. Find out more about the upcoming animated series in this issue. In January, we welcomed Aja Williams back to Nine PBS as vice president and chief content officer. I hired Aja as a digital media producer from 2014-2017. She has the right skills, experience, and personality to lead our content creation and distribution efforts during these extraordinary times and to ensure that our local content remains anchored in the priorities of our region. This month, we say goodbye to Russ Hitzemann, vice president and chief individual giving officer, who is retiring. Russ has been with us for 12 years, and he is familiar to many of you as the head of our membership team. Russ treats everyone like family. His dedication and donuts will be missed, although I'm confident he will always be part of our Nine PBS family.

Nine PBS’s influence spans well beyond our region. Our immediate past board chair, David Steward II, was reelected as lay vice chair of America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) Board of Trustees. We’re all thrilled that he will be serving in this leadership role. As a member station of APTS, Nine PBS and Dave play a leading role in keeping public television strong and financially sound. Are you on TikTok? We are! TikTok is a short-form video-sharing app we are using to bring joy and creativity to your phone or digital device. Follow us @ninepbs. Thank you for spending time with Nine PBS, however and wherever you watch. I trust you are finding comfort in British dramas, joy in world-class performing arts, help with your kids’ learning, and inspiration in the stories of trailblazers.

Members Nicole Adewale Donald Aven Kathy Barney Fred Bendaña Lee Broughton David Conner Jill Falk Christopher Gagliano Harvey A. Harris Dennis Hummel Robert Koplar Todd Korte Mark S. LaVigne Brendan Lind Dennis Lower Thomas C. Melzer Pamela Morris-Thornton Mary Nelson Angela Pearson Cynthia Peters James Snowden Chad Stiening James E. Williams, Jr. Emeritus Dan Burkhardt Maxine Clark Pepe Finn Juanita Hinshaw Janet M. Holloway Ken Kranzberg Kim Olson Jack Schreiber Patrick Sly Dr. Donald Suggs Milton P. Wilkins, Jr. Executive Team Amy Shaw, President and CEO Angela Carr, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer Russ Hitzemann, Vice President and Chief Individual Giving Officer Matt Huelskamp, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Denise Kahle, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Amy Shaw President and CEO

Chrys Marlow, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Kate Midgett, Vice President and Chief Organizational Excellence Officer Aja J. Williams, Vice President and Chief Content Officer

MAR–APR 2022 | ninepbs.org

FAEPAT R IU LRE

A Healthy Dose of

Fresh Sea Air

Sanditon, with its passionate and devoted fan base, is filled with delights as well as pointed social commentary.

The upcoming second season of Sanditon has new storylines, new characters, and returning faces (both good and devious). Mark your calendars, set your reminders, and let the countdown begin for the premiere on Sunday, March 20, 8 pm. An all-new season of Sanditon on Masterpiece brings joy back to our TV screens. The season picks up the action nine months after the end of Season 1, when some hearts were left broken, some were soaring, and the town’s future was not so clear. But time tends to heal most wounds. The town of Sanditon is growing in popularity as new faces arrive on the scene to join our beloved seaside community.

Nine PBS Magazine | MAR–APR 2022

After a tearful departure at the end of Season 1, Charlotte Heywood finds her way back to the beautiful seaside resort. Despite her heartache, her life moves forward, and she catches the attention of not one, but two new suitors in town. And Charlotte has not arrived in town alone; she is accompanied by her spirited younger sister Alison, who is starry-eyed and on the hunt for her own love story. Meanwhile, Georgiana Lambe, on the cusp of turning 21, is as driven as ever to forge her own identity. Independent, outspoken, and rebellious as always, she finds herself once again up to mischief in the name of love. But will it be worth it?

Sanditon’s grand visionary Tom Parker is doing all that he can to rebuild the town after the events of last season. But between unforeseen issues and the secrets and lies of the dysfunctional Denhams, his task is no easy one— perhaps even an impossible one. To top it off, the Army arrives to make their new base in Sanditon, bringing new potential romances, friendships, and challenges for the residents we know and love. The series is based on English novelist Jane Austen’s unfinished novel. She was chronically ill with a mysterious disease in early 1817, when she began writing it. Screenwriter Andrew Davies picks up Austen’s plot and takes it in a glorious and satisfying direction. Catch up on the entire

first season with a Sunday marathon on March 20, 11 am–7 pm.

The Men of Sanditon Here’s your first look at the men who are about to shake things up in Season 2. From a courageous red coat to an artist and worldly explorer, they’ll leave you guessing where romantic alliances may lead! New male characters include Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Industry), a wealthy man who is cerebral and antisocial to the point of reclusiveness. The flamboyant artist Charles Lockhart (Alexander Vlahos, Versailles) may be worldly, but is also enigmatic. Colonel Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones, Grace) is the selfassured leader of the war regiment taking up residence in town. His underlings, Captain Declan Fraser (Frank Blake, Normal People) and Captain William Carter (Maxim Ays, Still So Awkward), both strike up a connection with Charlotte’s younger sister, Alison Heywood.

Watch Season

2 live or on demand on the PBS Video App after each episode is broadcast.

All eight episodes of Season

1 are available on PBS Passport, where Nine PBS members can

unlock an on-demand library of more than 1,500 episodes of PBS favorites. Explore

pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece

for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and backstage insight into Sanditon, including podcasts.

The handsome men of Sanditon, left to right: Captain Carter, Colonel Lennox, and Captain Fraser.

Independent-minded young women, Charlotte Heywood (left) and Georgiana Lambe (right). MAR–APR 2022 | ninepbs.org

HAPPENING NOW

Arthur Launches New Content for Next Generation of Kids

Arthur concluded its 25th and final television season in February, but new content will continue rolling out in 2022 and beyond, including a podcast, video shorts that tackle timely and compelling topics, and digital games. The 25 seasons of Arthur (250-plus episodes) will continue to be available on PBS KIDS.

Since its inception, Arthur has tackled many important, timely topics, giving parents and families tools to talk about current events, including the importance of handwashing and wearing a mask, talking about racism, and encouraging everyone to participate in elections.

Arthur is the longest-running kids’ animated series on television and is known for teaching kindness, empathy, and inclusion through everyday adventures and many groundbreaking moments.

Marc Brown, the author of the "Arthur Adventure" book series, which has sold more than 65 million copies in the U.S. alone, released a book in January called "Believe in Yourself: What We Learned from Arthur.”

Create Cooking Challenge America’s Public Television Stations is again sponsoring the Create Cooking Challenge. This year, the challenge is focused on family food traditions passed through generations. You are invited to submit video recipes that reflect your family’s heritage, favorite traditional dishes, or regional cuisine The Create Cooking Challenge: My Family’s Recipe launches on Tuesday, March 8, and closes Tuesday, April 5.

Details and official rules are at CreateTV.com/challenge.

Nine PBS Magazine | MAR–APR 2022

HAPPENING NOW

All Creatures Great and Small Renewed The hit series has been renewed for a third and fourth season. As Season 3 returns, the show rejoins the beloved Skeldale House family in the spring of 1939 as the prospect of another World War looms large over the Dales. Change is afoot for all the Darrowby residents, especially James and Helen, who are embarking on the next chapter of their lives as the wider world around them heads toward a period of great uncertainty. All Creatures Great and Small will return to shoot on location in Yorkshire in the spring of 2022 with the acclaimed ensemble cast. Watch

Seasons 1 and 2 on Nine PBS Passport Learn more at ninepbs.org/passport.

For Downton Abbey Fans The eagerly anticipated theatrical release of Downton Abbey: A New Era has been delayed until May 20. Downton Abbey, the series, debuted in 2011 on PBS. It was the most-watched drama in PBS history. Members can watch or rewatch all six seasons of Downton Abbey through Nine PBS Passport. In the meantime, check out Mary Berry's Country House Secrets on Nine PBS, March 31, 8 pm, and April 3, 1 pm. Mary visits Highclere Castle, in Hampshire, England, the real-life setting for Downton Abbey, home to the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.

In Memoriam Boyd Williams Fellows, the station’s general manager from 1961-1964, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2021, in Vero Beach, FL. He was 93. Fellows went on to create KDNL-TV, now ABC St. Louis.

From the Archives Chouteau's Journal: In His Own Words examines Auguste Chouteau's 14-page, handwritten account of St. Louis’s founding on February 14, 1764. Chouteau is known as a raconteur and the founding father of St. Louis. His journal is a rare eyewitness account about the activities surrounding the founding of the city; very few cities in the world have a first-person account of its founding. His well-told tale was written 40 years after events transpired when Chouteau was one of St. Louis’s leading citizens. The journal now resides in a climate-controlled vault located at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis Mercantile Library. This 2014 special includes accounts of fellow traveler Pierre Laclede, who was on the same trip with Chouteau from New Orleans to St. Louis, looking for a place to setup a business; the area was rich in lead mining, farming, and fur trade. It was a time and place in U.S. history unlike any other, prerevolution, when Spain and Britain claimed rights to the land west and east of the Mississippi, respectively. Stream Chouteau's Journal: In His Own Words

on ninepbs.org/specials.

MAR–APR 2022 | ninepbs.org

B E YO N D P R O G R A M M I N G

Locally Produced Animated Series for Kids

COMING

in A pril

The Drawn In kid crew (main characters).

Nine PBS is partnering with Lion Forge Animation, the Academy Award-winning creators of Hair Love, and Makefully Studios to create diverse content that emulates authentic experiences for underrepresented audiences, made by creators of color. Episodes will be available on multiple platforms to prioritize literacy learning. Drawn In is an integrated media experience designed for kids aged 6-8 to respond to educational disparities for low-income families and communities of color. This pilot initiative aims to deliver video vignettes, games, comics, and

Nine PBS Magazine | MAR–APR 2022

community resources that build a rich, connected, and highly engaging story for kids to strengthen their literacy skills and reading comprehension. Drawn In is an epic adventure story in a bustling Midwest city following four BIPOC kids who unabashedly love comics. Across the video vignettes, comics, and games, viewers follow along and aid the kid crew as they work through an epic mission to prove their passion for comics. Look out for Drawn In on air and online in April 2022! Supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Regional Arts Commission-St. Louis, with Community Engagement Programs support by the Steward Family Foundation.

B E YO N D P R O G R A M M I N G

Be My Neighbor Day On December 14, 2021, Nine PBS celebrated Be My Neighbor Day in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions by sharing Caring Neighbor Kits with 400 kids at the Wohl Recreation Center, Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, and Harris-Stowe State University Impact Education Center. The kits included school supplies, Daniel Tiger activities, at-home learning resources, and thankyou cards for kids to use to share their appreciation for our hard-working teachers. Left to right: Gina Watkins, Nine PBS; Dana Moorhead, director, Wohl Recreation Center; Ayanna Thompson, recreation specialist; and Paula Vickers, Nine PBS, provided a neighborly welcome on Be My Neighbor Day. Supported by Fred Rogers Productions.

Highlights from 2021 Nine PBS’s Community Impact Team had another great year. With six new team members, we have been able to expand our early education and workforce development initiatives. Read the full reports at ninepbs.org/reports. All data as of December 2021.

ENGAGED

250+

educators and 110 families, impacting more than 5,400 kids

LAUNCHED THE RAYMOND H. WITTCOFF FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH

established 3 COMMUNITY HUBS, made 300+ CONNECTIONS, and forged 57 NEW RELATIONSHIPS

ADAPTED TEACHING IN ROOM 9 for the changing learning landscape, which has AIRED 1,700 EPISODES and have been VIEWED 2.8M TIMES since the show’s launch Contributed by Lizzy Petersen, Grants Manager, Nine PBS

PRODUCED

workforce stories that aired 2,100 TIMES and were viewed 2.1M TIMES on air

GREW THE MEMBERSHIP of the Regional Youth Employment Coalition by

47 %

HOSTED 350 YOUNG PEOPLE virtually at the Level Up Youth Conference—a 30% INCREASE from the previous in-person conference

MAR–APR 2022 | ninepbs.org

MARCH

CHANNELS

over the air

SPECTRUM digital cable

9.1

709

9.2

710

9.3

185

9.4

184

MARCH PROGRAM LISTINGS

For updates, visit ninepbs.org/schedule STREAM LIVE Nine PBS programming is available live at ninepbs.org/live and on YouTube TV with subscription.

Weekdays

Dish Network and DirecTV carry only Nine PBS on channel 8596 and 0009 (HD on 887). U-verse carries only Nine PBS on channel 9 or 1009 (HD).

LISTINGS KEY (9) Nine PBS production

MON

TUE