The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Airs nationwide beginning Tuesday, February 26 on public television (check local listings)

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is the legendary concert extravaganza that marked the last performance of the original line-up of “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band”: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts. Under the big-top and dressed in outrageous circus garb, The Rolling Stones are joined by an all-star musical cast: Jethro Tull, The Who, Marianne Faithfull, Taj Mahal, Yoko Ono, and the ad-hoc, one-time only supergroup “The Dirty Mac” featuring John Lennon (guitar/vocals), Keith Richards (bass), Eric Clapton (guitar), fresh from his break-up with Cream, and Mitch Mitchell (drums) of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. First broadcast in 2007, the concert is back on public television stations beginning Tuesday, February 26, 2013 (check local listings) and is distributed nationwide by WLIW21 in association with WNET. In the New York metro area, it will air Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. on WLIW21.

With Mick Jagger as the show’s literal ringmaster, the unscripted, unapologetic mayhem yielded timeless musical moments, including the first-ever performance of Stones classic-to-be “You Can’t Always Get What You Want;” John Lennon’s first concert before an audience outside The Beatles; the only existing footage of Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi’s short stint with Jethro Tull; The Who’s standout “A Quick One While He’s Away;” and The Dirty Mac’s rendition of The Beatles’ “Yer Blues.” The public television broadcast includes a 2004 interview with The Who’s Pete Townshend about the historical gathering.

Filmed December 11-12, 1968 and directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the pioneering music video director behind The Beatles’ Let It Be and many of the Rolling Stones’ seminal video clips, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was planned as a BBC special to promote the newly released Beggars Banquet but never aired. In fact, the footage, shot by award-winning cinematographer Tony Richmond (The Kids are Alright, The Man Who Fell to Earth), was lost for many years. Finally, in 1989, it was discovered in a trash bin at The Who’s vault in London. The film has been lovingly restored to preserve this unprecedented, one-of-a-kind event.

Song List:

Song for Jeffery – Jethro Tull

A Quick One While He’s Away – The Who

Ain’t That a Lot of Love – Taj Mahal

Something Better – Marianne Faithfull

Yer Blues – The Dirty Mac (John Lennon, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell)

Whole Lotta Yoko – Yoko Ono & Ivry Gitlis with The Dirty Mac

Jumping Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones

No Expectations – The Rolling Stones

You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones

Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones

Salt of the Earth – The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones: Rock and Roll Circus is an ABKCO Film. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET. John Servidio is executive in charge of production for WLIW21 in association with WNET.

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About WNET

In 2013, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region.

About ABKCO

Founded over 50 years ago by Allen Klein, ABKCO Music & Records is one of the world’s leading independent entertainment companies.  It is home to iconic catalog assets that include compositions and recordings by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway masters by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Clint Eastwood, The Orlons, The Dovells, ? & The Mysterians, The Tymes and Dee Dee Sharp. Soundtrack releases include David Chase’s Not Fade Away, the international blockbuster Fast Five, Our Idiot Brother, Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Wes Anderson’s 2013 Academy Award® nominated Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited and the 2010 Academy Award® nominated Fantastic Mr. Fox, the director’s first animated feature based on Roald Dahl’s book, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Men Who Stare At Goats and the soundtrack to the first season of the hit Showtime® series, Californication. ABKCO is active on many fronts including the release of critically lauded compilations and reissues from its catalog, film and commercial placement of its master recordings and music publishing properties in all media.  ABKCO is at the forefront of new technologies in the entertainment field and is in active development of several multi-platform projects, theatrical productions and innovative educational tools to ensure its catalog is enjoyed by generations of fans for years to come.  ABKCO Films latest release is The Rolling Stones Charlie Is My Darling – Ireland 1965. It has been involved with many successful movies including The Greek Tycoon starring Anthony Quinn and Jacqueline Bisset, La Grande Bouffe winner of the International Critics prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and The Concert for Bangladesh featuring Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr.  Renowned cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s classics El Topo and The Holy Mountain, fully restored and remastered to HD, were shown at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival (Classics section) and at the prestigious 44th New York Film Festival. In 2003 ABKCO won a Grammy for the DVD release of Sam Cooke – Legend and the following year released the DVD of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus to universal acclaim. Films in pre-production include a restoration of the Spaghetti Western Blindman starring Ringo Starr and a biopic on the life of Sam Cooke.  www.abkco.com

The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!

Premieres nationwide beginning Tuesday, February 26 on public television (check local listings)

The Rolling Stones’ first concerts at Madison Square Garden on November 27 & 28, 1969, rank amongst the greatest live rock and roll performances ever. Premiering nationwide beginning Tuesday, February 26 on public television (check local listings), the new performance documentary The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! captures “The Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band in the World” playing on “The World’s Greatest Stage,” over that historic Thanksgiving weekend.

Albert and David Maysles famously documented the Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour in their film Gimme Shelter. ABKCO Films along with Albert Maysles has put together never-before-seen footage that shows the band — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Mick Taylor, and Bill Wyman — at its apogee, wowing New York audiences in their first Madison Square Garden shows.

The film includes newly discovered versions of five previously unreleased Stones performances — “Prodigal Son,” “You Gotta Move,” “Under My Thumb,” “I’m Free,” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” — and extraordinary backstage gems like Keith Richards, Mick Taylor and Jimi Hendrix sharing a musical moment, and Janis Joplin grooving to the Stones’ performance from the side of the stage.

The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! makes its New York metro area premiere on Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. on WLIW21. This broadcast will feature a special appearance by legendary filmmaker Albert Maysles, who will share his first-hand experience of the tour.

The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! is an ABKCO Film. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET. John Servidio is executive in charge of production for WLIW21 in association with WNET.

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About WNET

In 2013, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region.

About ABKCO

Founded over 50 years ago by Allen Klein, ABKCO Music & Records is one of the world’s leading independent entertainment companies.  It is home to iconic catalog assets that include compositions and recordings by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway masters by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Clint Eastwood, The Orlons, The Dovells, ? & The Mysterians, The Tymes and Dee Dee Sharp. Soundtrack releases include David Chase’s Not Fade Away, the international blockbuster Fast Five, Our Idiot Brother, Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Wes Anderson’s 2013 Academy Award® nominated Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited and the 2010 Academy Award® nominated Fantastic Mr. Fox, the director’s first animated feature based on Roald Dahl’s book, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Men Who Stare At Goats and the soundtrack to the first season of the hit Showtime® series, Californication. ABKCO is active on many fronts including the release of critically lauded compilations and reissues from its catalog, film and commercial placement of its master recordings and music publishing properties in all media.  ABKCO is at the forefront of new technologies in the entertainment field and is in active development of several multi-platform projects, theatrical productions and innovative educational tools to ensure its catalog is enjoyed by generations of fans for years to come.  ABKCO Films latest release is The Rolling Stones Charlie Is My Darling – Ireland 1965. It has been involved with many successful movies including The Greek Tycoon starring Anthony Quinn and Jacqueline Bisset, La Grande Bouffe winner of the International Critics prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and The Concert for Bangladesh featuring Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr.  Renowned cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s classics El Topo and The Holy Mountain, fully restored and remastered to HD, were shown at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival (Classics section) and at the prestigious 44th New York Film Festival. In 2003 ABKCO won a Grammy for the DVD release of Sam Cooke – Legend and the following year released the DVD of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus to universal acclaim. Films in pre-production include a restoration of the Spaghetti Western Blindman starring Ringo Starr and a biopic on the life of Sam Cooke.  www.abkco.com

Treasures of New York: The New York State Capitol airs December 5 at 7pm on WLIW21 and December 10 at 10pm on THIRTEEN

Hosted by Rafael Pi Roman, the film recounts the untimely demise and rebuilding of a landmark that took 32 years, 25 million dollars, 5 architects and 11 state governors to create

Atop a hill, overlooking the Hudson River in Albany, stands the New York State Capitol building, hailed an architectural masterpiece when it was originally completed in 1899. It took 32 years to build the ornate structure, an eclectic mixture of Gothic revival, Romanesque and Moorish influences, but only about an hour for flames to severely damage the so-called “fireproof” seat of state government 12 years later.

Treasures of New York: The New York State Capitol delves into the controversy surrounding the Capitol’s initial construction, theories of the fire’s origins, its re-building, and more recent work to repair its complex of roofs and restore a massive skylight. Originally broadcast by WMHT, this updated production, hosted by Rafael Pi Roman, airs Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. on WLIW21 and Monday, December 10, 2012 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN.

After broadcast, the film will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The Web site offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Using archival images, dramatic reenactments, graphics, and interviews, this hour-long documentary explains that, given New York’s ranking at the start of the Gilded Age as the country’s wealthiest state, its state capitol needed to be unique. “They were making a statement,” Capitol architect James Jamieson relates, “They were really trying to build a monument and testament to the power and energy that was New York State. It was to be a monument of culture and of architecture and of art and of design.”

Architect Thomas Fuller, who submitted the winning design in the state’s competition, promised he would get the job done in four years for four million, but 10 years and 10 million later, only the first two floors had been erected. Following an investigation by New York City architects, Leopold Eidlitz and Henry Hobson Richardson, Fuller was replaced by his two investigators.

Most notable in their design was organizing the structure around a vast central courtyard with three majestic staircases providing light and air deep into the building’s interior. Above the great western staircase, the largest of the three modeled after the grand staircase of the Paris Opera, was a massive skylight.

Besides the Senate and Assembly, the NY State Museum and NY State Library were also housed in the now overcrowded Capitol on that fateful night of March 29, 1911 when a fire broke out in the Assembly Library. Although defective wiring was cited as the cause, others blame legislators who gathered in the library, also known as the “booze room,” that night and may have dropped a lighted match into a wastebasket or onto an alcohol-soaked carpet. But the Capitol was rebuilt, fire codes established, and to this day, work continues conserving historic documents damaged in the fire.

In 2000, yet another overdue project, replacement of the chronic leaking roof, got underway as the entire decorative, ornamental terracotta tile was removed and reproduced in keeping with a national historic landmark. But it was the restoration of the magnificent skylight, removed in the 1960s, that made the most dramatic interior change to the Capitol as daylight once again illuminates the great western staircase.

The New York State Capitol is a production of WLIW21 in association with WMHT, Albany and WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and the operator of NJTV.  “The New York State Capitol” is written, directed & produced by Daniel Swinton and Steve Dunn. Executive producers are Paul Hoagland and Marianne Potter.

Treasures of New York: The New York State Capitol is executive produced by Mary Lockhart.  Diane Masciale is executive producer of the Treasures of New York series and local programming. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.  The series is generously funded by Metropolitan Media Fund. Additional funding for this program is provided by The Bender Family Foundation; AIA, New York State Inc.; Titan Roofing Incorporated; Monaco Restorations Inc.; Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.; New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association; NY Civil Service Employees Association; and TD Bank.

For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

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About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and the operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and, MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region.

Treasures of New York presents Ocean Keeper November 1^st on THIRTEEN and November 10^th on WLIW21

Originally featured at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the film portrays the living legacy of Amagansett Life-Saving Service Station.

Treasures of New York showcases the series’ first Long Island “treasure” about the historic Amagansett Life-Saving Service Station in Ocean Keeper. After premiering at the 2012 Hamptons International Film Festival, the film receives its public television primetime premiere on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. on THIRTEEN and Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 9:30 p.m. on WLIW21.

A blend of archival and contemporary footage, this documentary contains a wealth of historical detail. The Amagansett Life-Saving Station has been a unique centerpiece of Long Island history since it was built in 1902. The film journeys through the station’s extraordinary 100-year-plus history and arrives at its present day incarnation on Atlantic Avenue. Over a period of 44 years, the dedicated men who worked at the station saved thousands of lives. In 1942, four Nazi saboteurs were found by coastguardsman John Cullen during a nightly beach patrol in front of the station. And in 1966, the building was rescued from demolition and purchased for a dollar by Joel Carmichael whose family lived there for the rest of the 20th century.

Told through interviews with Carmichael’s children and Hampton historians Richard Barons and Robert Hefner, the film brings to life the heroic house and its inadvertent role in the ill-fated Nazi plot to blow up power stations.

Designed by architect George Russell Tolman in the style of the Quonochontaug station at Rhode Island, the Amagansett station was the last of 30 life-saving stations built along the South Shore of Long Island.  The South Shore was a major shipping route of commerce at the beginning of the 20th century.  The heavily trafficked waterway had many shipwrecks.  By 1915, the Life-Saving Service Stations collectively saved 186, 000 lives along the U.S. shores and were heralded as one of the greatest institutions of its kind.

From 1915-1944, the U.S. Coast Guard took over the Life-Saving Service Stations.  The Amagansett station was decommissioned in 1944 and left abandoned for 22 years until writer Joel Carmichael bought the property for a dollar in 1966 and moved it to Bluff Road, just blocks away from the beach.  As a family summer residence, the Amagansett house took on a new role as a salon for local artists and intellectuals including writer Dwight Macdonald; artist Costantino “Tino” Nivola; cartoonist Saul Steinberg; art critic Harold Rosenberg; and artist Willem de Kooning.  After Carmichael’s death in 2006, the house was donated back to Amagansett for historical preservation.

Along with Montauk Lighthouse, the Amagansett Life-Saving Service Station is considered one of East Hampton’s most cherished and important maritime buildings.

Ocean Keeper is a Pure Newt Production for WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and the operator of NJTV.  The film is directed by Eileen Olivieri Torpey.  The film is produced by Deborah Carmichael, Isabel Carmichael and Eileen Olivieri Torpey. Deborah Carmichael is the Executive Producer.

Rebecca Fasanello is the associate producer for Treasures of New York.  Diane Masciale is executive producer of the Treasures of New York series and local programming . Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.  The series is generously funded by Metropolitan Media Fund.

For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

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About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and the operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and, MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region.

Treasures of New York chronicles the rebirth of Roosevelt House October 9^th on WLIW21 and October 11^th on THIRTEEN

Hosted by Jon Meacham, the film recounts the transformation of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s historic residence to Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt had many famous homes: Hyde Park, Campobello, Warm Springs, The White House, but few people know the story of their New York City home on East 65^th Street and Park Avenue.  The Roosevelts spent 24 years in their Upper East Side townhouse, where Franklin Roosevelt launched his political career and redefined American presidency.

Treasures of New York explores the significance and revival of Roosevelt House on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 10:30 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. (ET)  on THIRTEEN.

After broadcast, the film will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The Web site offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Hosted by Jon Meacham, the film features Jennifer Raab, President of Hunter College; Curtis Roosevelt, eldest living grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt; James Polshek, architect who oversaw the restoration; and Naomi Stern, a Hunter graduate mentored by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Told through archival images and interviews with those familiar with the building’s past and present, the film brings to life the illustrious saga of the Roosevelt House, where President Roosevelt strategized the nation’s economic recovery from the Great Depression.

The six-floor landmarked twin townhouse was a marital gift from Sara Delano Roosevelt, Franklin’s doting yet domineering mother who lived next door in the same building.  Designed by architect Charles Platt in 1908, the Neo-Georgian building had mirror layouts.  From the vestibule, separate entrances lead to each house: left for Sara and right for the couple.  However, connected entry ways between the houses in the second floor drawing rooms and the fourth floor bedrooms left the couple with little privacy.  Eleanor conceded with Sara’s possessiveness and nurtured Franklin’s rise from New York State Senator in 1910 to President-elect in 1932.

In 1920, Franklin ran as Vice President but the Democratic ticket lost that year.  The following year he was struck with polio while vacationing at Campobello.  He returned to his New York City home to recuperate.  Thankfully, Sara had installed elevators when the house was built that aided the paralyzed Franklin.  During his recovery, Eleanor was instrumental in keeping Franklin in the public eye which helped him regain his political power.  He became Governor of New York in 1928, a post he held until his Presidency.

Major historic events took place at the Roosevelt House just prior to the Roosevelts move to the White House.  As President-elect, Franklin planned the New Deal and broadcast his first radio address by the fireplace.  In the library, he interviewed potential cabinet members and appointed Frances Perkins as the first female cabinet member of the United States.  Perkins championed the Social Security Act that provided government supported benefits for the elderly and poor.

After Sara’s death in 1941, the house was sold to nearby Hunter College, a school for women where the Roosevelts were intimately involved with the student life.

Founded in 1870, Hunter College was a school for teacher training.  Hunter used Roosevelt House as an interfaith center and sorority house for the students whom Eleanor mentored.

In the 1970s through 1980s, the house fell into disrepair, and eventually closed in 1992.   In 2004, Jennifer Raab, President of Hunter College, had a vision to restore Roosevelt House and turn it into a Public Policy Institute to honor the Roosevelts’ legacy.

Architect James Polshek was commissioned to renovate the building.  He removed the walls to unify the space and excavated the backyard to house an auditorium.  After extensive work, Roosevelt House re-opened in the spring of 2010 as the home of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.  The multifunctional facilities may be reconfigured to accommodate parties, meetings, lectures, and a state-of-the-art academic research center.  Perhaps, most importantly, Roosevelt House is a think tank to foster creative dialogue on advancing human rights, much like the activities of the Roosevelts during their pivotal residence there.

Treasures of New York: Roosevelt House is a production of WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and the operator of NJTV.

For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

Treasures of New York: Roosevelt House is executive produced by Mary Lockhart.  Diane Masciale is Executive Producer, local programming of WNET. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.  Major support for this program is provided by Corrine Barsky, Michael and Mary Gellert and Rosalind P. Walter.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.  The series is generously funded by Metropolitan Media Fund.

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About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and the operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

A NEW SEASON OF TEACHING CHANNEL PRESENTS PREMIERES SEPTEMBER 23 and 29, 2012 ON WLIW WORLD AND THIRTEEN

Hosted by Sarah Brown Wessling, the 2010 National Teacher of the Year, the groundbreaking weekly one-hour episodes cover the New Teacher Experience, Bullying, The Common Core State Standards, Digital Literacy, the Arts, and more.

Teaching Channel Presents returns this fall to public television stations with new weekly one-hour episodes addressing critical issues facing educators today.  Launched in 2011, Teaching Channel Presents is an unprecedented series that opens up classroom doors and showcases inspiring teaching across America.

The sophomore season, featuring new videos from Teaching Channel (Tch) online airs weekly beginning on Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 5:00 a.m. (ET) on WLIW WORLD and Saturday, September 29, 2012  at 6:00 a.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN, 9:00 a.m. (ET) on WLIW 21 and 1:00 p.m. (ET) on NJTV (check local listings).  The premiere episode, which was produced in conjunction with the New Teacher Center, looks at the challenges facing new teachers.

Sarah Brown Wessling, the Teacher Laureate at Tch and the 2010 National Teacher of the Year, serves as host.

After broadcast, the segments that comprise each episode – along with ancillary materials – will be available at teachingchannel.org.  In addition, THIRTEEN will issue a monthly newsletter recommending digital resources and in-depth lessons related to each episode via VITAL on PBS LearningMedia.  These will be provided to colleague stations for their local teaching communities.

Since its inaugural season, Teaching Channel Presents has helped introduce Tch’s video platform to a growing number of teachers across the country.  The site now has an online video library that features more than 500 videos – many of which are tagged to the Common Core State Standard.  In August 2012, the website received more than 160,000 unique visitors, and Tch now has more than 55,000 registered users in its online community.

Through observational and character-driven stories, teachers can learn from their peers’ hands-on experience about such topics as how they might tackle tough issues in the classroom, teach students to become good digital citizens, and incorporate arts into their curriculums.

The first 10 episodes are as follows (check local airdates):

Episode 1

The New Teacher Experience: Follow two teachers in Los Angeles, CA for an intimate look at what the experience is really like.  Many beginning teachers in America are given keys to their classroom and left to sink or swim in isolation, but, with the support of mentors, these teachers persevere through the trials and tribulations of their first year of teaching.  Produced in conjunction with the New Teacher Center, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on successful new teacher induction.

Episode 2

Bullying at School: A look at three innovative approaches to tackling the serious issue of bullying. Visit three schools where parents, teachers and students are implementing bullying prevention programs that are making a big difference in students’ lives.

Episode 3

Digital Literacy in the Classroom: Students learn how to become proactive digital citizens.  From understanding safe behavior online to learning how to find reliable sources to seeing how online activity leaves a lasting identity trail – - these lessons are designed to develop critical thinking skills.

Episode 4

The Common Core State Standards: Watch teachers break new ground putting the Common Core Standards into practice in Math and English Language Arts. The emphasis of these lessons is on deeper thinking, analyzing, and problem solving to better prepare students for success in college and future careers.

Episode 5

Arts Essentials: Take a look at how teachers are designing arts programs that promote critical thinking and problem solving skills. Visit several classrooms where art, music, dance and drama are used to teach math and writing – along with helping students develop social skills and self-confidence.

Episode 6

Technology and Science: Visit classrooms across America where hands on lessons capture students’ interest and imagination. See biology, physics and chemistry in action and learn about some innovative ways teachers are using technology in the classroom.

Episode 7

Social Studies Essentials: Watch students engage in rigorous lessons about socio-economics, community and history. We’ll start in first grade and finish up in high school with some extraordinary teachers who provide their students with unforgettable experiences in order to learn complex concepts.

Episode 8

Middle School: See how middle school students in America are being prepared for high school. Follow along as students read a fairy tale to learn the concepts of plot and theme. Find out why passing notes is encouraged in a sixth grade class. Learn how some teachers are motivating young learners by tapping into their interests.

Episode 9

Inquiry-based Teaching: A look inside New York’s Urban Academy Laboratory High School where two teachers lead student driven, student centered classes. Watch animated discussions unfold when students are challenged to analyze difficult texts and there are no right or wrong answers.

Episode 10

Connecting the Arts to Academics: Take a look at how schools are incorporating the arts into their curriculum. See a wide range of lessons from first grade to high school where students learn about math, science, discipline, leadership and foreign languages through the arts.

Teaching Channel Presents is presented by WLIW21 in association with WNET, parent company of WLIW21, THIRTEEN and the operator of NJTV.  For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

Major support for Teaching Channel Presents is provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Download the production bio pdf.

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About Teaching Channel
Teaching Channel revolutionizes how teachers learn, connect, and inspire each other and their communities to improve instruction and student outcomes in America’s K–12 classrooms. A nonprofit organization, Tch engages teachers across the country to reinvent and revolutionize professional learning through video content and online innovation. For more information, visit Tch on the web at www.TeachingChannel.org, and on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.

About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and the operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

WNET Joins Forces with NYC Media to Present Treasures of New York: City Parks, premiering September 5^th on WLIW21 and September 9^th on THIRTEEN

The film explores the founding and history of New York’s beloved public parks with Adrian Benepe, New York City Parks Commissioner; Mayor Ed Koch; Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President; and Candice Bergen.

In conjunction with NYC Media, the official network of the City of New York, Treasures of New York takes an intimate look at the planning and design of five iconic parks in New York City and shares their rarely-told history. City Parks premieres Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Sunday, September 9, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET)  on THIRTEEN.

The film features Mayor Ed Koch; Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President; Candice Bergen and other leading members from the Parks Conservancies.  Also featured is Adrian Benepe, New York City Parks Commissioner, who will become Senior Vice President of City Park Development at The Trust for Public Land in September 2012.

After broadcast, the film will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Using archival footage and expert interviews, the film brings to life the history of the five representative parks of each borough which include Bronx’s Pelham Bay Park, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Manhattan’s Central Park, Queen’s Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and Staten Island’s Greenbelt. Both engineering marvels and distinctive natural oasis in an urban setting, these public green spaces have transformed the City’s landscape and enriched New Yorkers from all walks of life.

During the Industrial Revolution, New York City began to develop one of the most diverse and dynamic park systems in the country. In Central Park, a swamp was converted into an ice skating rink. In Prospect Park, water was pumped from a well deep below its land to form a lake. Such engineering feats drew spectators during the building of Prospect Park. Through time, Central Park suffered great negligence brought on by the Depression while other parks were radically reimagined and repurposed for a different future. In spite of their sometimes rocky past, five major parks in the five boroughs exemplify the City’s unique natural heritage.

Under Parks Commissioner Robert Moses’ reign from 1930s through 1960s, nearly every park in the City was renovated. Expanding on the vision of Calvert Vaux and Frederick Olmsted, the original landscape architects of Central Park and Prospect Park, Moses created a man-made Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park and turned a landfill into Flushing Meadows Corona Park, complete with world-class athletic facilities and museums. Flushing Meadows even once housed the United Nations. However, when Moses had plans to construct a highway system across Staten Island’s woodlands, his efforts were thwarted by citizens who fought to preserve the pristine wilderness, which later became the Greenbelt. This accidental paradise stretches 32 miles through more than 2,800 acres of public and private land in central Staten Island.

Today, New York City’s parks welcome tens of millions of visitors each year. Central Park alone estimates 40 million annual visits a year.

From forests to concert stages and wetlands to swimming pools, the City’s parks are a national and global model for cutting-edge design and civic pride. They feature creative re-use of landfills, wildlife preservation, sports and entertainment. Not only do the parks make wildlife universally accessible in a big city, they contain historical structures and outdoor sculptures that maintain New York’s cultural and aesthetic legacy. Perhaps most importantly, City parks reflect democratic values; an open space embracing everyone to come explore nature and enjoy life.

Treasures of New York: City Parks is a production of NYC Media for NYC Life’s Blueprint and WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV.

For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.

The Executive Producer for City Parks is Diane Petzke. The episode was produced by Dean Irwin and Andrew Guidone and written by Dean Irwin. Treasures of New York’s Executive Producer is Diane Masciale. Associate Producer is Ally Gimbel. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.

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About NYC Media
Part of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, NYC Media is the official TV, radio and online network of the City of New York, informing, educating and entertaining New Yorkers about the City’s diverse people and neighborhoods, government, services, attractions and activities. NYC Media oversees several television channels, a radio station and other online assets. NYC life – Channel 25 on most systems and Channel 22 on Cablevision – explores arts and culture, entertainment and lifestyle, and history and education, and features the people and places that make our City unique.  Visit nyc.gov/media to learn more.

About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York’s flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

THIRTEEN AIRS TREASURES OF NEW YORK: LINCOLN CENTER WITH PATTI LuPONE THURSDAY, JULY 14

Broadway icon Patti LuPone provides an architectural and historical tour capturing the transformation of New York City’s famed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in a new documentary

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is equated with music, opera, theater, jazz, dance, and has been a recurring iconic image used in Hollywood films past and present. On Thursday, July 14^th at 8pm ET (check local listings) on THIRTEEN, and again on Thursday, July 28^th at 7pm ET (check local listings) on WLIW21, Patti LuPone, a Broadway icon and a graduate of the Drama Division of The Juilliard School, takes viewers on an architectural and historical tour of this famed New York City landmark, showcasing the newly transformed campus that welcomes visitors and performers every day of the year.

Treasures of New York: Lincoln Center with Patti LuPone is a presentation of WLIW21 for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. For more than 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and arts programming to the New York community.

After nearly five decades of artistic excellence and service to its community, the nation and the world, Lincoln Center embarked upon a major transformation initiative to fully modernize its concert halls and public spaces, renew its 16-acre urban campus, and reinforce its vitality for decades to come.

To illustrate this architectural transformation, Lincoln Center for the  Performing Arts granted the filmmakers access to archival footage rarely seen in public. Vintage footage of Leonard Bernstein, Risë Stevens, a leading lady of the Metropolitan Opera at the time the complex was built, along with early architectural renderings, showcase the  massive undertaking to conceive and execute the building of the Lincoln Center campus.

Throughout the film, LuPone introduces the viewer to key figures who were instrumental in the transformation of Lincoln Center, including Elizabeth Diller, principal, Diller, Scofidio and Renfro architectural firm; David Rockwell, architect; and Billie Tsien and Tod Williams, architects for the new David Rubenstein Atrium.

Other prominent New Yorkers associated with the project featured in the film include Thomas Mellins, historian and independent curator; Paul Goldberger, Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic for The New York Times and now architecture critic for The  New Yorker magazine; Wu Han and David Finckel, co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society; Jacqueline Davis, executive director of the New York  Public Library  for the Performing Arts Peter Gelb, general manager for the Metropolitan Opera; Katherine Farley, chair of Lincoln Center’s board and Reynold Levy, Lincoln Center’s president.

Producer/Writer is Sally Garner. Executive producer is Marc Rosenwasser. Associate Producer/Editor is Channtal Fleischfresser. Editor is Kerry Soloway. Narrated by Patti LuPone. For WLIW: General Manager is John Servidio.  A WLIW production in association with WNET.

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About WNET New York Public Media

WNET is a pioneering provider of television and web content.  The parent of THIRTEEN, WLIW21 and Creative News Group, WNET brings such acclaimed broadcast series and websites as Tavis Smiley, Need To Know, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack,  Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps and Cyberchase to national and international audiences. Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects. In all that it does, WNET pursues a single, overarching goal — to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America and the world. For more information, visit www.wnet.org.

About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA)

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of some 5,000 programs and events annually, LCPA’s offerings include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, Tully Scope Festival, White Light Festival, and Live From Lincoln Center. In addition, LCPA is leading a series of major capital projects on behalf of the resident organizations across the campus.

Lincoln Center is a 16-acre campus housing 12 prestigious cultural organizations including LCPA. The other 11 are the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and the School of American Ballet.

Treasures of New York: Hearst Tower Premieres March 7 on WLIW21 and March 8 on THIRTEEN

Paula Zahn hosts this behind-the-scenes look inside Hearst’s innovative headquarters with Hearst CEO Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Architect Lord Norman Foster and Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles, among others

In its latest production, Treasures of New York goes on a private tour inside Hearst’s world headquarters to explore New York City’s first completed “green” office building, a recent iconic addition to the City’s famed skyline. The 46-story high-rise is usually closed to the public but not to public television viewers. Hosted and narrated by Emmy Award-winning journalist Paula Zahn (NYC-Arts), Treasures of New York: Hearst Tower premieres Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 8 p.m. on THIRTEEN.  After broadcast, the program will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny.  The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Hearst Tower redefined the modern skyscraper and pioneered a sustainable architectural vision for the 21^st century. Timed with Hearst Corporation’s 125^th anniversary, the film also highlights Hearst’s history and growth into one of the America’s largest diversified media and information companies.

In addition to revealing Hearst Tower’s engineering marvel, WNET gets exclusive access inside all of the Tower’s state-of-the-art spaces, including its digital photo studio, 165-seat theater, Cafe57, health club and the renowned Good Housekeeping Research Institute. WNET gains insight about the Tower from Hearst Corporation CEO Frank A. Bennack, Jr., who talks in detail about the company and how executives green lighted construction of the Tower just weeks after 9/11; Hearst Director & Architecture Committee Chair Gilbert C. Maurer; Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles and mentor to competing designers on Lifetime’s Project Runway, who gives a glimpse into the making of the fashion magazine; Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster; Architecture Critic for The New Yorker, Paul Goldberger; and former Chairman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, Jennifer Raab, among others.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures. The series is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV. For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

“Hearst Tower truly stands out in New York’s cityscape and skyscraper history,” says Diane Masciale, Series Executive Producer. “Treasures gives viewers a fresh take at the city’s signature skyscrapers and their historical significance. Hearst Tower represents a continuum of preserving New York’s past while at the same time leading the architectural community into the future.”

Standing in Midtown Manhattan on the corner of Eighth Avenue and 57^th Street (to be renamed Hearst Place for the week of March 5 to mark Hearst’s anniversary), the glass-and-steel high-rise soars from the original six-story landmark structure built in 1928, designed by Joseph Urban. William Randolph Hearst always envisioned the building as a skyscraper, but construction of a tower was halted by the Depression and World Wars.

Development began right after 9/11 and Hearst Tower opened in 2006 with an innovative diagrid (diagonal grid) formed by interlocking triangles as a contemporary response and completion to the existing art deco base. The sturdy diagrid design allowed it to be the first New York City skyscraper without vertical beams. Designed by Foster, the Tower balances modernity and tradition, while looking to the future by adhering to environmental ethics. It was the first New York City office building to receive the coveted Gold rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Some of the key environmental-friendly elements include the faceted façade frame, which uses 20 percent less steel than a traditional skyscraper, low emission glass that keeps out solar radiation and sensored lighting that automatically adjusts based on the amount of natural light. Innovations like this allow Hearst Tower to use 26 percent less energy than a standard office building. Rainwater collected on the roof is used to water plants and power Icefall, a three-story sculpted water feature in the building’s atrium.

As Foster’s first skyscraper in the United States, he views the construction as a statement about New York’s resilience and optimism after the collapse of the World Trade Center.

“We’re proud to be part of New York City’s stunning skyline and this documentary allows us to share Hearst Tower with not only WNET’s audience but with national viewers online as well,” Bennack said, “It is an honor to be included among Treasures of New York’s growing library of New York cultural icons. Every building has its own story and this is ours.”

Hearst Corporation dates back to March 4, 1887, when founder William Randolph Hearst took ownership of the San Francisco Examiner and gradually transformed American journalism in both content and operations. Under his leadership, the company acquired a chain of newspapers and modernized newspaper publishing by introducing color printing, comic syndication and a wire service. In the early 1900s, Hearst’s success with newspapers expanded into a burgeoning magazine venture that now includes titles such as Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Good Housekeeping—more than 300 titles in total around the world. Today, Hearst’s portfolio is diversified into more than 200 businesses in the areas of magazine, newspaper and business publishing, cable networks, television and radio broadcasting, internet businesses, television production, newspaper features distribution, business information and real estate—all headquartered at the world-famous Hearst Tower.

Treasures of New York: Hearst Tower is airing as part of WNET stations’ membership drive. Major support for the program is provided by Hearst Communications Inc., Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and the Metropolitan Media Fund. The film is a production of WLIW21 in association with WNET and Hearst Corporation.  Executive Producer is Diane Masciale. Assistant Producer is Rebecca Fasanello. Researcher is Elizabeth Muentes. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

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About WNET

New York’s WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 37 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union; hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, History and ESPN; significant holdings in the automotive, electronic, medical/pharmaceutical and financial information industries; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate.

Treasures of New York tours MTA masterpieces in Art Underground,

premiering June 27^th on WLIW21 and July 5^th on THIRTEEN

The film explores 25 years of the MTA Arts for Transit program with artists including Faith Ringgold, Tom Otterness, Milton Glaser, Bill Brand, Andrea Dezsö, and Elizabeth Murray

Every day, five million people travel through New York City’s subway and commuter rail stations managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). As the passengers navigate the network of trains and tunnels, they have the opportunity to experience one of the world’s foremost public art collections. From Roy Lichtenstein’s Times Square Mural (42^nd St) and Sol LeWitt’s Whirls and Twirls (Columbus Circle) to Jean Shin’s Celadon Remnants (LIRR Broadway Station) and Ellen Harvey’s The Home of the Stars (Yankee Stadium), each site-specific artwork adheres to the individual station’s architectural legacy while capturing the dynamics of the destination.

Treasures of New York goes behind-the-scenes to explore the genesis and realization of MTA Arts for Transit program, a captivating chapter in the city’s history.

Hosted by Paula Zahn, Art Underground premieres Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. (ET)  on THIRTEEN. After broadcast, the film will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Although the New York City subway had originally been conceived as a great public work, by the 1970s, neglect and decay had transformed it into a shadow of its former self. In an effort to reclaim the rundown public transportation system in the 1980s, the MTA launched a capital campaign to rehabilitate the entire network.  The massive effort unprecedentedly designated a percentage of its funds for public art in the stations.

Since 1985, the MTA Arts for Transit program has commissioned hundreds of artists to contribute to the renewal of New York’s historic mass transit system. Over the course of 25 years, the groundbreaking program has amassed an enviable collection from both established and emerging artists. Most pieces are in mosaic, bronze, steel and glass – echoing the station’s traditional building materials. The resulting body of work redefines the interactivity of urban spaces and elevates the role of public art for its intended communities.

For the first time on film, Treasures speaks to current and past Directors of MTA Arts for Transit, Sandra Bloodworth and Wendy Feuer, respectively, to examine the competitive artist selection process involving arts professionals, community representatives, engineers and architects. It is important to the MTA to allow the themes and content open for artistic interpretation. Often times, elements of nature and local history serve as inspiration. The film reveals the arduous task of translating artworks in unique urban environments, ranging from sculptural to translucent.

Art Underground features permanent subway masterpieces including Milton Glaser’s geometric porcelain panels (Astor Place), Faith Ringgold’s mosaic mural, Flying Home Harlem Heroes and Heroines (125^th St), Tom Otterness’s whimsical bronze characters (14^th St), and Bill Brand’s spectacular subway tunnel zoetrope, which was recently restored (Manhattan-bound B or Q train from DeKalb).

Viewers will witness Jason Middlebrook’s monumental flowering plants mosaic (Ave U) from start to finish. This collaboration, with mosaicist Stephen Miotto, references native plants growing in the crevices of the city’s concrete jungle. The project’s materials are imported from Italy and assembled with centuries-old craftsmanship.

A special highlight of the documentary takes a look at the processes involved in creating Xin Song’s layered glass collage (Bay Parkway) and Andrea Dezsö’s laser-cut stainless steel panels (62^nd St – New Utrecht Ave), both recently installed.

Treasures of New York: Art Underground is a production of THIRTEEN for WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV.  For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

The film is produced and edited by Kevin Alexander.  The program’s Executive Producers are David Horn and Diane Masciale. Associate Producer is Ally Gimbel. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.

Major support for Treasures of New York: Art Underground is provided by Rosalind P. Walter, The Paul & Irma Milstein Foundation, Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown, Jody and John Arnhold, The Lemberg Foundation, The Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

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About WNET
New York’s WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

Treasures of New York celebrates Pratt Institute, excelling in 125 years of educating art and design innovators, premiering June 13^th on WLIW21 and June 14^th on THIRTEEN

Capturing the college’s milestone through its legacy and contributions to the world of art and design, the film creates a visual timeline of one of Brooklyn’s most-prized institutions.

Located in the heart of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute is recognized worldwide as an influential institution of art and design that has impacted the lives of millions since its founding. In the past decade, the college has grown to become a pillar of Brooklyn’s cultural renaissance and a vital asset to its surrounding communities. Boasting an impressive roster of graduates and faculty such as Eva Hesse, Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Mapplethorpe, Sylvia Plachy, Annabelle Seldorf, Peter Shelton, Robert Wilson, and Carlos Zapata, among many others, Pratt has indelibly touched many people’s lives through its legacy of artistic endeavors and commercial designs.

Treasures of New York goes inside the prestigious college to discover its vibrant Brooklyn history through the eyes of the two men who “built” it; industrialist Charles Pratt, who founded the school in 1887, and Dr. Thomas F. Schutte, who has been articulating Pratt’s vision since he became the school’s President in 1993. One of the defining moments in the film shows how Schutte spearheaded the revitalization of Pratt’s nearby neighborhoods, particularly on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn.

Hosted by former Pratt student and celebrated writer Pete Hamill, Treasures of New York: Pratt Institute premieres Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. (ET)  on THIRTEEN. After broadcast, the program will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

Pratt’s mission is to educate creative professionals to become responsible contributors to society. Testament to their ideal is found through a vast array of pop culture touchstones ranging from William Van Alen’s Chrysler Building and William Boyer’s Ford Motor Thunderbird to iconic  logos designed by Paul Rand for IBM and Tim O’Brien for The Hunger Games.

The film explores Pratt’s architectural and cultural impact with the following interviewees:  Mike Pratt, Chairman of the Board, Pratt Institute; Dr. Thomas F. Schutte, President, Pratt Institute; Paola Antonelli, Curator of Architecture and Design, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); Margaret Russell, Editor in Chief, Architectural Digest; Francis Morrone, Architectural historian; and Rob Walsh, Commissioner of Small Businesses in New York.

A highlight of the film comes from artist and Pratt alumna, Mickalene Thomas, whose work along with other Pratt alumni is in the collections of Brooklyn Museum and MoMA. She shares personal insight from the perspectives of having been both a student and a professor at Pratt, and how she’s inspired by Pratt’s rich history of artistic talent.

The documentary also traces the school’s stunning rise from the economic setback of the 1980s and visits its award-winning campus in Clinton Hill, where creativity abounds.

As an arts and commerce epicenter, Pratt sets the institutional standard. The school ranks among the top design schools in the world by BusinessWeek and its interior design, industrial design, and architecture programs are consistently ranked among the top 10 nationwide. Additionally, Pratt’s campus is named one of the 10 college campuses with the best architecture by Architectural Digest.

When the college opened its doors, Charles Pratt wanted to give artisans an opportunity to learn their trade and make a living from it. That basic principle of applied science was considered a revolutionary philosophy. Now, it’s a popular curriculum for many institutions.

In 1896, Pratt made local history with opening the Pratt Library, which was Brooklyn’s first free public library.

From its inception through the 21^st century, Pratt has counted among its faculty those whose works became the lexicon of industrial design. Eva Zeisel’s Museum Dinnerware, Morison S. Cousins’ Promax Compact Hairdryer, and Karim Rashid’s reusable Bobble Water Bottle are all part of the archive of the Museum of Modern Art. Pratt also helped develop such versatile artistic sensibilities that included Pamela Colman Smith’s The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck and Jeremy Scott’s avant-garde fashion.

As art and commerce continue to merge, Pratt Institute’s evolving educational environment will confront these challenges to prepare the artists, designers, and scholars of tomorrow.

Pratt Institute is a production of Treasures of New York produced by WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV. The series Executive Producer is Diane Masciale. Producer is Stacey Reiss. Associate Producer is Rebecca Fasanello. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.

For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

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About WNET
New York’s WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About Pratt Institute
Globally recognized for its distinguished academic reputation, Pratt Institute is one of the world’s most prestigious independent colleges. Founded in 1887, Pratt offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 4,700 students from around the world in architecture, art and design, information and library science, and liberal arts and sciences. Pratt’s programs are consistently ranked among the best in the country, and its faculty and alumni include the most renowned artists, designers, and scholars in their fields who collectively have produced some of the most innovative and iconic works of our time. Pratt’s inspirational campus in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and in Manhattan on West 14^th Street places it in one of the world’s cultural epicenters and provide its students with unparalleled training facilities. Pratt is currently in the midst of a 16-month celebration of its rich 125-year history of creativity. For more information on Pratt’s 125^th Anniversary, visit www.pratt.edu/125 .

Treasures of New York with The Real Deal profiles Architect Costas Kondylis in Building Stories, premiering May 2^nd on WLIW21 and May 6^th on THIRTEEN

Featuring Donald Trump, Larry Silverstein, Karrie Jacobs, Richard Meier and Kenneth Frampton, the film details the life and work of the city’s most prolific architect.

In collaboration with The Real Deal, Treasures of New York reveals the private life and the creative process of Costas Kondylis, an architect who has arguably done more to directly influence the city’s skyline than any other person currently active in New York—business tycoons, major developers and mayors included.  Having designed a record number of 86 towers in New York, he once said, “If you don’t have new buildings, a city dies.”

Building Stories traces architectural development in New York City over the last 40 years through the eyes of Kondylis.  Building Stories is produced by Amir Korangy, directed by Toni Comas, and written by Stuart Elliott of The Real Deal magazine.  Together, they spent more than a year with Kondylis to explore his design philosophy and technical expertise.  They also interviewed the preeminent figures of New York City real estate, including development moguls Donald Trump, Larry Silverstein, and Aby Rosen; architecture critics and historians Karrie Jacobs, James Gardner, Francis Morrone, and Kenneth Frampton; and Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier.

Treasures of New York: Building Stories premieres Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN.   Raphael Pi Roman serves as host.  After broadcast, the program will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny.  The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New York’s greatest institutions.

With unprecedented access, Treasures goes inside the world of New York City’s most prolific architect.  The film follows Kondylis’ career and shows the battle between artistic expression and the bottom line, and gives a critical examination of what it takes to design a building and gain its approval in the high-powered world of New York City real estate.  Among Kondylis’ sleek modernist designs is the Trump World Tower.  Soaring 866 feet, it was the tallest residential tower in the world when it was built in 2001.

Building Stories is a presentation of Treasures of New York produced by WLIW21 in association with WNET.  The series Executive Producer is Diane Masciale.  Producer is Ally Gimbel.  Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting its points of interest, distinguished establishments and notable figures.  The series is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV.

For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

Major support for Treasures of New York: Building Stories is provided by Town Residential, Robyn and Andrew Heiberger, The Real Deal, and the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family.

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About WNET
New York’s WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About The Real Deal

The Real Deal is a must-read news source for real estate news for investors, developers and the industry. The publication delivers up-to-the-minute reports on all facets of the real estate industry in a monthly magazine and daily blog. Since its founding in April 2003, The Real Deal has covered all the important stories, big or small, that matter to real estate professionals.

Treasures of New York: The New-York Historical Society follows the historic transformation of New York’s first museum, premieres December 15, 2011 on THIRTEEN

Hosted by Jon Meacham, the film features interviews with Louise Mirrer, President and CEO of the New-York Historical Society, architect Ray Dovell, and artist Fred Wilson, among others.

On November 11, 2011, the New-York Historical Society will “reinvent” history when it unveils a $70 million dollar transformation complete with state-of-the-art installations to connect visitors to history in more ways than ever before imagined.  The 207-year-old museum will join the renaissance of cultural institutions that have recently completed full-on renovations.  Treasures of New York goes behind-the-scenes for an inside look at the days leading up to the grand reopening to reveal the dramatic renovation of its landmark building on Central Park West.  Viewers are invited for a tour of the museum’s latest additions including the original ceiling of Keith Haring’s Pop Shop in SoHo and to watch the New-York Historical’s staff collect “history in the making” ephemera from the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

Hosted and narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, Treasures of New York: The New-York Historical Society premieres Thursday, December 15 at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN, Monday, December 19 at 10 p.m. on NJTV (check local listings), and Tuesday, December 20 at 10:30 p.m. on WLIW21. The film details the history and mission of one of the nation’s foremost research libraries and the transformation of New York’s first museum.

After broadcast, the program will be available to national audiences at the series companion website, thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny.  In addition to past episodes, the site features exclusive interviews with key personalities behind the vision of New York’s leading cultural institutions.

Treasures of New York explores New York’s cultural heritage by spotlighting the City’s distinguished institutions.  The series is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV.  For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

“Everything old is new again at the New-York Historical Society.  After seeing this Treasures episode, viewers will want to visit the museum,” says John Servidio, General Manager of WLIW21.  “With fresh ways to make history come alive, the Museum is a real treat for New Yorkers of all ages.”

The New-York Historical contains an astounding collection of historical artifacts and art pertaining to American history, collected since its founding in 1804.  Their art holdings comprise more than 1.6 million works including all 435 of John James Audubon’s extant preparatory watercolors for Birds of America.  Their library contains three million books and a wide range of documents and photographs.  The film interviews leaders from the New-York Historical Society, including Louise Mirrer, President and CEO, Jean W. Ashton, Executive Vice President and Director of the Library Division, and Linda S. Ferber, Vice President and Senior Art Historian, and Roger Hertog, Chairman. The program also follows conservators as they repair, digitize, and prepare the New-York Historical Society’s works for the reopening.

Highlights include the Keith Haring ceiling, the Lansing Notebooks, a collection of notes taken by John Lansing Jr. during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and a specially-restored masterpiece, Louis Lang’s Return of the 69^th Regiment, which will serve as the centerpiece of the new exhibit Making American Taste: Narrative Art for a New Democracy.

When the New-York Historical Society reopens, it will debut the DiMenna Children’s History Museum and the Barbara K. Lipman Children’s History Library, which will “make history matter” and fun for the young generation.  The new facilities will be devoted to teaching New York history through interactive and engaging stories and artifacts of children to show kids that they are part of history.

Major support for Treasures of New York: The New-York Historical Society is provided by Bernard and Irene Schwartz, Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and the Metropolitan Media Fund.  The film is a WLIW21 production in association with WNET.  Executive Producer is Marc Rosenwasser.  Producer is Megan Thompson.  Host and narrator is Jon Meacham.  Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.

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About WNET New York Public Media

WNET is America’s flagship public media outlet, bringing quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week.  The parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET produces such acclaimed  PBS series as Great Performances, American Masters, Nature, Need to Know, Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online.  Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Noah Comprende and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home.  WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through SundayArts, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.

About New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, the Historical Society has a mission to explore the richly layered political, cultural, and social history of New York City and State and the nation, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history. The Historical Society is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; the 2009 exhibition Lincoln and New York; Nueva York, opening in 2010. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world’s greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.

Presented by Morley Safer, Treasures of New York: Park Avenue Armory, premieres October 27, 2011 on WLIW21 and THIRTEEN

Featuring Rebecca Robertson, Philip Glass, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, and Samuel White, the film celebrates the history and the rebirth of one of New York’s cultural gems.

The Park Avenue Armory has reinvented itself into a visionary multimedia arts institution renowned worldwide. From the sublime installation of Ryoji Ikeda to the epic productions of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Armory transcends both artists’ and audiences’ experiences and expectations. For the first time on film, WNET takes public television viewers inside this American landmark to discover its storied past and revolutionary future.

Treasures of New York: Park Avenue Armory premieres Thursday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN, and Sunday, October 30 at 8 p.m. (ET) on NJTV (check local listings).THIRTEEN will continue its Thursday night of arts programming with a new SundayArts primetime special.

The series companion web site, thirteen.org/treasures, will be launched in conjunction with the broadcast. Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Morley Safer (60 Minutes) serves as presenter. Featured interviewees include Rebecca Robertson, President and CEO of the Park Avenue Armory; Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, Pritzker Prize-winning design architects, Samuel White, architect and great grandson of Stanford White, one of the original designers; and Philip Glass, whose music will be celebrated at the Armory’s Tune-In Festival 2012.

This is the second installment of WNET’s Treasures of New York series about the City’s premier cultural establishments. After broadcast, the half-hour film will be available to national audiences for a limited time at watch.thirteen.org.

Treasures of New York: Park Avenue Armory is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York’s public television stations and operator of NJTV. For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local documentaries and other programs for the New York community.

“Anyone who has visited the Park Avenue Armory knows how grand and spectacular the space is. But not many know its history and renewed vision,” says John Servidio, General Manager of WLIW21. “Treasures of New York once again profiles a hidden jewel in our great city and shares the secrets behind its magic.”

The Park Avenue Armory was built by the New York State’s prestigious Seventh Regiment of the National Guard. Members included New York’s most prominent Gilded Age families such as the Roosevelts and the Vanderbilts. The Armory is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar makeover.

Treasures examines the painstaking restoration of two of the 18 period rooms as well as a look at the celebrated 19th-century rooms designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Stanford White.

The documentary showcases the Armory’s recent exhibitions including the critically acclaimed the transfinite by Ryoji Ikeda, the outsized reimagining of Leonardo’s Last Supper by Peter Greenaway, and rehearsals of one of the artist-in-residence, Shen Wei Dance Arts. The program goes behind the scenes at the performances of the Royal Shakespeare Company and treats viewers to time-lapse footage of the building and deconstructing of a full-scale Shakespearean theater inside the 50,000 square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall.

Major support for Treasures of New York: Park Avenue Armory is provided by The Thompson Family Foundation, Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and the Metropolitan Media Fund. The film is a WLIW21 production in association with WNET. Executive Producers are Diane Masciale and Marc Rosenwasser. Presenter is Morley Safer. Executive-in-Charge of Production is John Servidio.