Monday, April 21, 2008

Spring Auction Day 1

Station personnel are buzzing around making sure things are in place for today's Day 1 of the 2008 Rhode Island PBS Spring Auction.

I can see it on our auction director's face - even after the many weeks (OK, it's actually been months) of long hours and hard work, Jeff Hartley has about him an exhilaration that's simply contagious. The quality of the auction items, the quantity and dollar amount of early online bids, and the purpose for which he and so many others have been working - has all come together and is ready to roll.

And what a way to roll! By 5:30 tonight, after the office staff has gone home, the quiet station will begin filling with the raucous laughter and friendly greetings of dozens of volunteers of all ages - many of whom have worked the auction together for years. Good food, great companions, and the excitement and tension of a live broadcast all contribute to a buoyant, carnival-like atmosphere. And with the dynamic personalities of the dedicated volunteers, guest auctioneers, and staff, you can always count on a few surprises. Hartley's Law: It is much easier to get serious work accomplished when the workers are happy. : )

If you take a moment to browse the latest schedule of items, you'll find that there really is something for everyone. Moreover, there's something to fit everyone's budget. (We understand how tight money is - for us, it's always tight; we operate all year long pinching the copper Lincolns and stretching the Washingtons!) By providing auction items of wide ranging value, many more people who'd love to support Rhode Island PBS can do so. Just bid to win.

Find what fits, at the Rhode Island PBS Spring Auction. Day 1 of the televised auction begins tonight at 7.

Monday, April 14, 2008

More Than Just TV

A little weekend project.

Actually, the photos in the video represent more than a year of "out of the box" community activities - many free for members - hosted by Rhode Island PBS.

See what your membership supports? And you thought it was just excellent programming...

Hats off to our partners in the video: Providence Children's Museum, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Warwick Mall, Museum of Natural History & Planetarium, Edaville USA, Mystic Aquarium, Providence Bruins and Dunkin' Donuts Center, Feinstein IMAX Theatre, Bank of America Skating Center, Squantum Association, RI Broadcasters Association, Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence Renaissance Hotel, and RI Community Food Bank.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Bush's War

From the horror of 9/11 to the invasion of Iraq; the truth about WMD to the rise of an insurgency; the scandal of Abu Ghraib to the strategy of the surge—for six years, FRONTLINE has revealed the defining stories of the war on terror in meticulous detail, and the political dramas that played out at the highest levels of power and influence.

Now, on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion, the full saga unfolds in the two-part FRONTLINE special Bush's War, airing on Rhode Island PBS on Thursdays, April 3, from 9 to 11:30 P.M. and April 10, from 9 to 11 P.M. ET.

Drawing on one of the richest archives in broadcast journalism — more than 40 FRONTLINE reports on the war on terror - combined with fresh reporting and new interviews, Bush's War will be the definitive documentary analysis of one of the most challenging periods in our nation's history.

Watch the clip (but ignore the publicized dates). Watch the documentary. Share your comments.