My career started in journalism as a producer, shooter, and editor. The thrill of capturing the true complexities of a story and being able to share it through television was exhilarating.
After more than 36 years working in media at commercial television news stations and public broadcasting stations, the driving force of my passion remains storytelling - more specifically, hyperlocal storytelling – the kind of storytelling our viewers came to love in programs like WEDU’s Emmy® Award winning A Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins.
We expanded our commitment to hyperlocal storytelling a little more than a year ago, when I returned to WEDU PBS as the new CEO. In these times when viewers are staying closer to home and exploring their home towns even more, local stories are more important than ever. I am thrilled to announce that WEDU has a collection of premieres to offer viewers this month.
WEDU will premiere our first digital docuseries, Greater Sarasota, online at wedu.org/greater on October 8th, as well as a special on-air presentation of the series at 8 p.m. that evening.
They say that big things often come in small packages. The Greater series will pinpoint local stories that have a big impact in the community. While our series begins in Sarasota, WEDU plans to expand the project to more communities in our viewing area. Be on the lookout for Greater Clearwater, Greater Lakeland, Greater Ybor City, and more! A special thanks to our partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, with generous funds from the Muriel O’Neil Fund, as their support brought this project to life.
The Greater series also joins a collection of hyperlocal programs this month, including the launch of WEDU’s new Public Square virtual town hall series, which begins on October 29th at 10 p.m. with Speaking Grief. On October 30th at 9 p.m., Florida This Week will present an hour-long 2020 election special exploring the issues that our local communities face as we head to the polls.
During these times of uncertainty, I am proud to say that WEDU continues to consistently leverage our unique ability to tell your stories through our original local series, town halls, and documentaries. All of this is made possible with our members’ and donors’ ongoing support. Thank you for turning to WEDU PBS for your oasis, your classroom, and a window to your local community!
