FROST/NIXON: The Original Watergate Interviews

Monday, August 3 at 8 p.m.
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For the 35th anniversary of former U.S. President Richard Nixon’s resignation, WLIW21 brings an historic media event back to public television: FROST/NIXON: The Original Watergate Interviews. Beginning in March 1977 for four weeks, over 28 grueling hours, British journalist Sir David Frost questioned Nixon on everything from Vietnam to China, from abuse of power to the final days, to create one of the great media events of the 20th century. The most tense and gripping sessions were on Watergate, with two entire days devoted to the subject. Never before, and never afterward, would Nixon confront the issue of Watergate in a forum where he had no knowledge of the questions and no right to see the edited program before it was broadcast.

FROST/NIXON: The Original Watergate Interviews is the entire May 4, 1977 broadcast, from Frost’s opening question — “Do you feel that you ever obstructed justice or were part of a conspiracy to obstruct justice?” — to Nixon’s last public remarks on the scandal. A picture emerges of a White House under siege, of burglars and hush money, of Nixon close to tears, having to sacrifice his closest aides — culminating in the unprecedented sight of a U.S. president apologizing to his people.

WLIW21’s special 35th anniversary broadcast features a new introduction by Frost plus a new interview conducted by Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge, where Frost discusses the historical impact of the Nixon interview and shares his reactions to their famous encounter. Preview videos and more.

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Brava Italia: The Beautiful Life

Exclusive Premiere Thursday, August 6 at 9:30 p.m.
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Credit: WLIW21

Celebrating Italy’s exquisite creativity in all its diverse expressions, the second program in WLIW21’s Brava Italia series salutes the profound cultural legacy of the Italian people with an in–depth exploration of what it means to be Italian. Since Roman times, Italians have been recognized as architects of remarkable style and ingenuity. They built roads, bridges, fortresses, magnificent churches, and Romanesque cathedrals that also showcase the work of extraordinary artists, including Michelangelo, Rafael, Titian, Il Perugino, and Caravaggio. A revered and respected world civilization, Italy provides a link to the past: from the daring spirit of early explorers like Amerigo Vespucci and Christopher Columbus to well–known ports of embarkation like Genoa — where the sea has long influenced economic fortunes — and to fashionable seaside Italian resort towns like Portofino (pictured).

Experience Italy’s renowned cities from the streets and the sky as Brava Italia: The Beautiful Life highlights the special qualities of each: Milan and Rome for their industry and high fashion, Venice for romance, and Florence for illustrious art. The birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, Italy’s cuisine is at the heart of its traditional culture. Meals recall a time when food was pure, carefully produced and enjoyed slowly with good local wine in communion with family and friends. This is the quintessential part of Italian living. The ability to tell a good tale has shaped Italian culture as well. From the shipping town of Bari, Padre Gerardo Cioffari tells the fantastic tale of San Nicola, or Saint Nicholas – better known as Santa Claus – becoming a Christmas icon in the 11th century. Actor Paul Sorvino narrates.
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Donate now for the Brava Italia 3-DVD set!

Visions® of the Sea

Exclusive Premiere Saturday, August 8 at 6:30 p.m.
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Credit: Al Giddings Images, Inc.

For the first time, WLIW21’s acclaimed Visions® series brings you below the earth’s surface for stunning HD perspectives of the world. Dive deep into the wild and whirling adventure of ocean life to discover creatures you couldn’t meet any other way as WLIW21 turns your television into the ultimate aquarium. From the watery flights of manta rays, the nimble acrobatics of humpback whales, the camouflage techniques of both prey and predator, and the stunning colors of massive coral reefs, Visions® of the Sea showcases the diversity of everyday deep sea life.

Footage shot by legendary underwater cinematographer Al Giddings (The Abyss, Titanic), using innovative cameras, lighting and optical systems, allows access like never before. Meet creatures that are familiar, exotic and sublime against a soundtrack as varied as the underwater species on display. You’ll hear salsa beats, ragtime piano, classical music, and tribal percussion as you follow the activities of tiny arthropods, red crabs, sea cucumbers, and jellyfish (pictured) — unchanged from their earliest incarnation to the present. Witness living fossils, including the nautilus, the octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and sea snail, as Visions® of the Sea explores the relationships, odd couplings and secret lives of the ocean’s wildly unique inhabitants.
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Woodstock Remembered

Exclusive Premiere Wednesday, August 12 at 8 p.m.
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Credit: Courtesy NBD Television

WLIW21 celebrates the 40th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock festival — the pinnacle of hippie counterculture and, arguably, the greatest popular music event ever — with a new three-hour special. Billed as “3 Days of Peace & Music” at Max Yasgur’s 600–acre farm in Bethel, NY, Woodstock began August 15, 1969 and lasted until the morning of August 18 with performances by some of the era’s biggest and best musicians, including Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sly & the Family Stone, Ravi Shankar, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The festival spawned an Oscar®–winning documentary, a No. 1 soundtrack, a song by Joni Mitchell, countless books, tributes, and other music festivals.

WLIW21 looks back at this music milestone through new interviews with people who attended the landmark event: fans like Colleen Plimpton, who was famously photographed by Newsweek exiting the festival covered in mud with her boyfriend, Woodstock Revisited author Susan Reynolds, and Louis Salvatore Denaro, a 7–year–old with his parents on the way to a Catskills weekend retreat suddenly surrounded by hippies and chaos! These memories and notable concert performances from Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Levon Helm (The Band), Santana, Grateful Dead, The Who, Jimi Hendrix (pictured) and others, capture the spirit of Woodstock at 40. Tune in for limited edition memorabilia and surprise guests!

Donate now for the Experience Rock in New York Package!

Extreme Animals

Series Premieres Thursdays at 9 p.m. beginning August 27
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Credit: © Simon Wagen 2002

Voyaging to the most hostile environments on earth, intrepid explorer Steve Leonard braves the elements — and the animals — to uncover the most incredible examples of endurance in the natural world. The thrilling three–part series begins with “The Big Chill/The Heat is On.” Traveling to the Arctic, Steve investigates the extremes of cold climates by huddling with king penguins (pictured) in 125 mph winds and diving into minus–2 degrees Celsius water for a swim with the blubbery bearded seal. For contrast, Steve encounters elephants in the scorching heat of the Namib Desert, then firewalks on 800 degrees Celsius glowing embers to demonstrate how Sahara ants survive the scorching midday sand temperatures. Future episodes reveal more incredible feats as Steve dives with wild tiger sharks in Africa and survives a bite on his leg. In the finale, Steve enters a nightmare cave in Texas where the floor heaves with millions of cockroaches and the ceiling glitters with the eyes of 10 million bats — an oxygen mask his only defense. Then, to discover which animal has the best head for heights, Steve hurls himself from a Himalayan peak in a paraglider to soar with griffin vultures. Extreme Animals is the ultimate armchair experience of life on the edge with an adventurer who’s not afraid to go there.
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