Recent KETC News & Happenings

Revisit the Glory Years of St. Louis Soccer in KETC/Channel 9’s
A Time for Champions
June Broadcast Coincides With First World Cup Rematch Between U.S. and England Since Historic American Victory in 1950

May 14, 2010— St. Louis has always been known as a baseball town, but the tale of how it also came to dominate the soccer landscape is told in A Time for Champions, an hour-long KETC/Channel 9 documentary broadcast Wednesday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m. It will be rebroadcast Thursday, June 3 at 8:00 p.m., Friday June 4 at 1:00 a.m. and Monday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. It is a story of not just a sport, but of how underdogs without any expectation of success used determination and spirit to triumph on the world stage.

The broadcast coincides with the 60th anniversary of the United States’ spectacular World Cup win over England on June 29, 1950, considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history. On June 12 of this year, the two countries will meet again at the World Cup in South Africa for the first time since England’s 1950 defeat.

Throughout the 20th century the United States remained an underdog in World Cup soccer. The losing streak ended in 1950 when a U.S. team featuring five St. Louisans on the 11- player roster beat England’s powerhouse team 1-0 in a spectacular, surprise victory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. That win signaled St. Louis’ rise as a soccer hotbed, a view reinforced nine years later when soccer became an intercollegiate sport. Between 1959 and 1973, St. Louis University’s soccer team, comprised almost exclusively of St. Louis players, won 10 of 15 NCAA Division I soccer championships.

A Time for Champions tells soccer’s St. Louis story through archival photos, footage of games and players, and interviews with baseball legend Yogi Berra, NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, U.S. Soccer Federation CEO Dan Flynn, Michigan State coach Joe Baum, former Indiana University Bloomington coach Jerry Yeagley, former CYC leader 90-year-old Monsignor Lewis Meyer, and 1950 World Cup team members Frank Borghi, Harry Keough (both St. Louisans) and Walter Bahr.

To explain how St. Louis came to dominate soccer in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, A Time for Champions explores the influence of the city’s immigrant community in the late 19th century. The sport was popular among European immigrants, particularly those who were urban, working class and Roman Catholic. Parishes embraced soccer, organizing teams and games through the Catholic Youth Council (CYC). Neighborhoods fielded teams, as did sponsoring businesses, and within a generation St. Louis became a town of soccer rivalries. By the 1950s, kids who had been playing against and with each other their entire lives put aside their rivalries and used the cohesion they developed over the years to anchor the World Cup team and SLU’s champion teams. Their aggressive, fast and tough style would set the standard for the way soccer would be played at the national level.

Free Digital Storytelling Classes Offered by KETC/Channel 9’s New NineAcademy
Classes Run Now Through September; No Previous Experience Needed

April 30, 2010—KETC/Channel 9 is offering the community free digital storytelling classes designed to teach participants how to edit video using Apple’s Final Cut Express, a widely available and inexpensive software that runs on Macintosh computers. The course gives community members an opportunity to develop a better understanding of the current media landscape and how they can become more engaged citizens empowered by new media. Participants will learn how to become fluent in the language of the digital age by using video to build a story. Class graduates will then become part of a network of community producers who can be deployed for KETC initiatives that address relevant community issues.

Each class gives approximately 40 hours of instruction plus two hours daily of optional lab time. The classes are held at the station, 3655 Olive St. in Grand Center.

The classes, part of Channel 9’s new NineAcademy education initiative, teach the fundamentals of storytelling and digital video editing using footage shot on small digital handheld cameras such as Flip camcorders. No experience is required. Students are supplied with everything necessary including footage and the use of equipment during class and lab hours. Three instructors remain on hand the entire time to assist and answer questions. Classes are open to anyone age 13 or older. Footage for the courses is associated with KETC’s new multiplatform initiative, Homeland. At the end of the course, students will have produced a video, from 30 seconds to 3 minutes in length, which may appear online in association with Homeland.

“The NineAcademy’s classes will give people a way to tell their stories and to have a voice in important issues that impact our community,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche.

The classes are listed below. Although classes are free, participants must register. For more information and to sign up, contact Lauren Schwarze at (314) 512-9144.

May 10 to May 28
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
optional lab 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

May 18 to June 3
Tuesday, Thursday
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
optional lab 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

July 19 to July 30
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
optional lab 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

August 2 to August 13
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
optional lab 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

August 16 to September 3
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
optional lab 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

June 7 to June 18
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
optional lab 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

June 21 to July 1
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
optional lab 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

July 5 to July 16
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
optional lab 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

August 17 to September 9
Tuesday, Thursday
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
optional lab 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturdays, four consecutive weeks
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Beginning June 5, July 10, August 7, September 4

KETC/Channel 9 Welcomes Chef Lidia Bastianich to Des Peres Schnucks Market
The Host of Lidia’s Table Will Greet Fans and Sign Copies of Her Latest Book

March 4, 2010—Chef Lidia Bastianich, host of the cooking series Lidia’s Italy that is seen on KETC/Channel 9, will be in St. Louis on March 11 to meet fans and autograph copies of her latest book, Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy. The book signing is free and open to the public.

It will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Schnucks Cooks Cooking School in the Des Peres Schnucks market, 12332 Manchester Rd. next to West County Center. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit Channel 9.

While in St. Louis, Bastianich will also meet local chefs in St. Louis’ renowned Italian Hill neighborhood. Her series Lidia’s Italy is broadcast Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. on KETC/Channel 9. It also airs Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on Create (KETC channel 9.4).

“Salute to Martin Duggan” Celebrates Career and Life of Donnybrook’s Founder
All Are Invited to Festive “Roasty” Tribute Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton on January 27

January 19, 2010—Only recently did Martin Duggan wrap up a career that spanned 45 years at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and 23 years as provocateur of KETC’s Donnybrook. To mark this milestone, as well as to honor the man whose lifetime also includes being married 67 years, raising five children, and meeting people from presidents to popes, Channel 9 invites the public to the festive Salute to Martin Duggan, a dinner honoring Duggan, his life and his career. Edward Jones is the evening’s presenting sponsor.

Salute to Martin Duggan, an evening of “roasty” tributes featuring Duggan, his wife, Mae, and the Donnybrook cast, will be held Wednesday, January 27 at The Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. The celebration begins at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails, live music from the DeSmet Jesuit High School Jazz Ensemble and the opportunity to mingle with the Donnybrookers. The dinner menu features Duggan’s favorites: tenderloin of beef, mashed potatoes, salad and cheesecake for dessert.

Afterwards, Donnybrook’s Charlie Brennan, Ray Hartmann, Bill McClellan, Alvin Reid and Wendy Wiese will introduce video segments and in-person tributes from Duggan’s family and friends: daughter Mary Duggan Leahy; Globe-Democrat political editor Jack Flach, businessman Tony Ribaudo, and founder of St. Louis’ St. Patrick’s Day parade Joe McGlynn. Martin and Mae Duggan will have the evening’s last words.

Other sponsors are AT&T, The Boeing Company, Emerson, Juanita Hinshaw, Ameren Corporation, Maxine K. Clark and Robert N. Fox Charitable Foundation, Commerce Bank, The Shirley and Charles Drury Family, Jeffery and Jennifer McDonnell, Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, and Slay and Associates.

“Many people wanted to come to DonnyBLAST, Martin’s final Donnybrook broadcast, but could not get tickets to that sold-out event,” explains KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “Salute to Martin Duggan gives everyone an opportunity to meet him in person, enjoy his company and laugh along with his family and friends as they honor and gently rib this St. Louis icon. This event will not be broadcast; it is truly going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Gearing Up Promotes Excitement for Science and Math
Gearing Up, KETC National Documentary, Reinforces Importance of Math, Engineering, Technology and Science to Our Region

October 28, 2009—Online, on air and in the community, KETC/Channel 9 is leading local and national initiatives to advance student learning in math, engineering, technology and science (METS). Channel 9’s work on METS initiatives, called Science Matters, is building strong networks around regional organizations involved in METS learning. Through KETC, individual groups connect with each other to share resources and expertise, leveraging connections and competencies that ultimately benefit the region.

The primary component of this work is a national, hour-long documentary co-produced by KETC and Story House Productions called Gearing Up, about the 2008 FIRST Robotics Competition. Every year 35,000 high school students across the United States compete in FIRST Robotics, a tournament that challenges teams of teenagers to design and build robots that can execute specific tasks. Gearing Up includes a team from Wentzville’s Timberland and Holt High Schools among four teams featured in the documentary.

The public is invited to a premiere screening for Gearing Up on Monday, November 2 at 6:00 p.m. at the St. Charles Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza in St. Charles. No reservations are needed. The event will include a demonstration by a real, student-built robot.

Gearing Up will be broadcast on Channel 9 on Monday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. and rebroadcast Saturday, November 21 at 3:30 p.m. Nationally it is being broadcast by over 200 PBS stations.

The Gearing Up documentary follows the Wentzville students, plus three additional teams from around the country, as the teenagers strive to overcome technical and personal challenges in order to build a working—and competitive—robot. Gearing Up joins the teams from the moment they attend the competition’s kick-off event, through the 45 days they’re given to construct their robots, and finally on to the regional match-ups where the students discover whether their machines have what it takes to win.

Among the Wentzville residents seen in Gearing Up are team co-captains Eric Brooks and Justin Peabody; fellow students Katelynn Burns, Jessica Duncan, Sam Geerling, Joe Hoening, Kurt Osterhage and Ronnie Rossi; team mentor Mark Geerling from The Boeing Company (father of Sam); Missouri University of Science and Technology mentor Michael Herzberg; and Timberland High School teacher Diane Moran.

Each year more than 1,500 teams participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition. In addition to Wentzville’s Ratchet Rockers, Gearing Up features: Miss Daisy, a seasoned team from Ambler, Pennsylvania; Robodoves, an all-girls rookie team from Baltimore; and Rambotics, a team from a boys’ correctional facility in Watkins, Colorado.

The documentary is funded by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Living St. Louis Special Tells How to Prepare for and Prevent H1N1
Living With the Flu on KETC/Channel 9 Addresses the Issues and Current Status of the H1N1 Flu Virus

October 28, 2009— Community health agencies always work to prepare well in advance of the flu season, but this year, the H1NI flu strain has brought additional challenges and concerns.

KETC/Channel 9 is working to help our community with H1N1/seasonal flu prevention and preparation on a Living St. Louis special called Living With the Flu. It airs Monday, Nov-ember 2 at 7:00 p.m., and will be rebroadcast Saturday, November 7 at 3:30 p.m. The pro-gram is part of Channel 9’s overall effort to connect our region to trusted H1N1/seasonal flu information through on-air programming, online resources and community partnerships.

Ruth Ezell hosts the half-hour program. She will discuss the latest information on the H1N1/seasonal flu with local experts Dave Reddick from Pandemicprep.org; Jan Polizzi from Nurses for Newborns; and Dr. Jeffery Lowell, professor of surgery and pediatrics at Washington University Medical School and a member of the board of STARRS: The St. Louis Area Regional Response System.

Online Channel 9 will continue the discussion in the community and continue to present the most current information from trusted resources at www.ketc.org/livingwiththeflu. The site features tips for avoiding the flu, information about vaccinations and the latest flu news.

Channel 9 President and CEO Jack Galmiche Elected to PBS Board of Directors
Three-Year Term on National Board Begins in October

September 28, 2009—Jack Galmiche, the president and CEO of KETC/Channel 9, the St. Louis public television station, has been elected to the national board of directors of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). His three-year term on the 26-member board begins in October 2009.

“I am honored to become a member of the PBS board and to have a role in increasing and sustaining its service to the American people,” said Galmiche. “Each week PBS reaches 65 million viewers through 356 member stations and consistently ranks number one in public trust. I look forward to serving a larger role in this institution as it continues to innovate in a world of expanding media opportunities. I am very pleased to represent KETC and our region with a national organization that has done so much to strengthen civic life in our country. ”

Galmiche is also treasurer and chair of the finance committee for the board of directors of American Public Television (APT), a provider of programs for the nation’s public television stations, with more than 10,000 hours of available programming. He has contributed his extensive experience in new media and technology to the boards of several industry organizations. He joined KETC in November 2006.

It’s True! Martin Duggan to Announce Farewell on September 3 Donnybrook
After 23 Years, the Venerable Provocateur of Popular Channel 9 Series Will Throw Final Punch

August 27, 2009—After months of rumors and speculation, Martin Duggan, the provocateur and originator of KETC/Channel 9’s wildly popular Donnybrook series, will announce on the September 3 broadcast his intention to leave the program.

“I have had a fantastic run on Donnybrook,” said Duggan. “It’s been a lot of fun telling Ray that he’s wrong every week, and having polite conversations on the issues of the day with Bill, Wendy, Charlie and others. I am not going to stop arguing with the gang—I’m just going to do it from in front of my TV set at home instead of in front of the TV cameras at Channel 9.”

He added, “I am grateful to the management of Channel 9, particularly the retired CEO Mike Hardgrove, for giving our little band of walk-ons the opportunity to do our thing on Donnybrook and gain an audience that exceeded all expectations.”

Viewers who tune in on September 3 at 7:00 p.m. will hear the news directly from Duggan during the broadcast. Along with his announcement, he will give fans the opportunity to attend his final show on Thursday, December 17. Duggan will blast off Donnybrook in style—Channel 9 is planning a special sendoff called DonnyBLAST, which will combine a Donnybrook-style DonnyBash event with festive farewell surprises.

Duggan decided to leave Donnybrook last year, but was persuaded by fellow cast members and KETC management to extend his stay an extra 12 months. “We hope Martin will consider coming back occasionally and share his views as a panelist,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche.

Duggan first proposed Donnybrook to Channel 9 executives in 1986, and it debuted on January 7, 1987, with panelists Ray Hartmann, Bill McClellan, Mark Vittert and the late Rich Koster. Through the years, regular panelists have included Anne Keefe, Charles Brennan, Wendy Wiese and the late Nan Wyatt. Duggan won regional Emmy Awards in 1989 and 1993 for Donnybrook in the discussion/interview program category. He is nominated again this year. The program is the highest rated locally produced show among PBS stations nationwide.

The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer Chooses St. Louis as Spotlight City
Correspondents From Premier PBS News Program Will Explore Local Impact of
Obama’s First 100 Days and Hear From Community at Town Hall Meeting

April 15, 2009—Gwen Ifill, Judy Woodruff, Spencer Michels and Paul Solman of The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer will be in St. Louis beginning this week to gain insights on how President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office have affected the community. Producers of the highly respected news program chose St. Louis as a spotlight city and will discuss issues such as the economy, education and science. The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer airs on KETC/Channel 9 Monday–Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Over the next two weeks, the four correspondents will moderate forums and discussions in key locations in the metropolitan area focusing on these topics. Their observations will be featured in “Spotlight City” segments that will air nationally on the NewsHour on April 27 and 28. The final event will be a town hall meeting that will take place at Channel 9’s studio and will air during the NewsHour on April 29.

A television crew from KETC will accompany the NewsHour team at local events and will produce four 30-minute and one 60-minute follow-up programs that will be broadcast locally. One will air at 7:00 p.m. after each broadcast of the NewsHour from April 27 to May 1.

The upcoming schedule for NewsHour events is as follows:

Friday, April 17 — At Lindenwood University in St. Charles, NewsHour business and economics correspondent Paul Solman will moderate a forum with St. Charles County community leaders about the economic climate before an audience of business people, civic leaders and community members. This will be broadcast locally on Channel 9 on April 27.

Monday, April 20 — At Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Channel 9 senior producer Jim Kirchherr will serve as moderator of the Regional Energy Summit 2009. Immediately following, NewsHour producer and correspondent Spencer Michels will host an economic forum to engage the region’s community leaders on economic issues. Parts of both events will be broadcast locally on Channel 9 on April 30.

Wednesday, April 22 — At the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff will explore the impact of plant science issues on the region and world, and the intersection of science with economics, politics and public policy. Science and business leaders will be on the panel. This will be broadcast locally on Channel 9 on April 28.

Monday, April 27 — The importance of downtown St. Louis on the region’s sustainability and vibrancy will be explored in a forum hosted by NewsHour senior correspondent Gwen Ifill. The location is pending. The audience will include St. Louis business and civic leaders. This will be broadcast locally on Channel 9 on April 29.

Tuesday, April 28 — KETC will host an hour-long community town hall meeting hosted by Gwen Ifill before an audience of 150 representing a cross section of the community. A segment of the town hall meeting will air on The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer on Wednesday, April 29. The entire town hall meeting will be broadcast locally on Channel 9 at 7:00 p.m. on May 1.

All of the NewsHour-related activities recorded by Channel 9 will be compiled in a special that will air in June and be offered to viewers in a DVD set.

PBS President Paula Kerger in St. Louis for Launch of KETC’s
Nine Network for Public Media
Historic Beginning of Innovative Community Interaction Network
Can Be Seen on Online Video Press Release

St. Louis, MO—October 9, 2008—On October 8, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger came to St. Louis to help KETC/Channel 9 launch the new Nine Network for Public Media, an innovative concept to engage a network of trusted community partners focused on strengthening our community.

The Nine Network for Public Media is an aggregate of trusted community partners mobilized through the power of public media, with the goal of strengthening the community. The actual facility for the Nine Network is being developed inside the KETC building, although the Nine Network itself will reach much farther. Funding for the Nine Network for Public Media comes from the Dana Brown Charitable Trust.

The complete launch for Nine Network can be viewed online in an 8-minute video featuring remarks by and footage of PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger; KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche; KETC Board of Directors Chair Jack Schreiber; board member Randy Schilling; David Deiner, U.S. Bank trust officer for the Dana Brown Charitable Trust; and architects Heather Woffer and Sung Ho. The video also contains views of a model of the Nine Network space.

To view the video press release, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LPVgO5mdyE, or call Terri Gates at (314) 512-9036 for a DVD of the event.

KETC/Channel 9 Wins Prestigious Station Excellence Emmy Award
Jim Kirchherr Also Wins for Story Broadcast on Living St. Louis

St. Louis, MO—October 7, 2008—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, won the prestigious Station Excellence Emmy Award from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), it was announced at ceremonies in St. Louis on Saturday, October 4. KETC senior producer Jim Kirchherr won the station a second Emmy for a story that aired on the series Living St. Louis.

The Station Excellence Emmy was presented to KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. The award recognizes station excellence on and off air, including the quality, breadth and efficacy of events and community involvement. KETC’s submission detailed the station’s many community engagement efforts, such as Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, Ready To Learn and the Community Cinema Series. This marks the first time that KETC was nominated for the Station Excellence Emmy, and the first time it has won.

“We take great pride in being recognized for our contribution to the community,” said Galmiche. “This award is confirmation that we are delivering on our mission to bring St. Louis together as we connect the region to the world and the world to St. Louis.”

Kirchherr won in the Historical/Cultural Program Story/Feature category for his story about Gen. Omar Bradley, a native of Missouri who rose to the highest rank in the Army. Kirchherr’s winning piece was broadcast as part of the station’s twice-weekly magazine series Living St. Louis and can be viewed online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_DSwXobZ9c. This Emmy Award brings to 11 the number won by the series Living St. Louis since its debut in 2004. Living St. Louis airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. on Channel 9.

The Mid-America Chapter of NATAS includes all of Missouri and Arkansas, southern Illinois, and part of Iowa, Louisiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas.

Nancy Burchfield Named Director of Major and Planned Giving at KETC/Channel 9
Public Television Station Also Promotes One and Adds Three Additional Staff to Development Department

St. Louis, MO—September 9, 2008—St. Louis public television station KETC/Channel 9 recently announced the appointment of Nancy Burchfield to the position of director of major and planned giving. At the same time, the station promoted Craig Palmer to the position of director of foundation support, and added to the staff Kathleen Blomberg as corporate accounts manager, Lauren Tucker Huber as corporate support coordinator and Heather Hope as major and planned giving coordinator.

“These appointments of key staff to strategic positions are part of Channel 9’s long-range plan to increase the station’s role as a community resource,” said KETC Vice President of Development Beth Savage. “We are very fortunate to attract and secure five development professionals with such a wealth and range of experience and talent.”

As director of major and planned giving, Burchfield will manage cultivation and stewardship of Channel 9’s Studio Circle Society and Legacy Nine donors. She comes to Channel 9 from the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, where she worked since 2001 in development, most recently for five years as the director of major gifts and planned giving. Previously, she was director of capital giving for Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, director of principal gifts at Washington University in St. Louis, and in similar positions in development at Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and Tufts University. Burchfield is a resident of Webster Groves, Missouri.

Palmer joined Channel 9 in November 2007 as grant writer. His promotion to director of foundation support reflects his success in developing and implementing mission-based proposals, grants, initiatives and partnerships. Before coming to Channel 9, he worked in various communication and marketing positions for engineering and technology firms in St. Louis and Indianapolis. Palmer is a resident of University City, Missouri.

Blomberg brings 12 years’ experience in sales management for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and for Young Innovations-Obtura Spartan, a dental technology firm, to her role as corporate accounts manager for Channel 9. In this position, Blomberg will be responsible for securing underwriting support for KETC’s programming and initiatives. Blomberg is a resident of Eureka, Missouri.

Tucker Huber, Channel 9’s new corporate support coordinator, is responsible for serving as the liaison for client accounts. She has previous experience in public broadcasting at radio station WSUI/KSUI in Iowa City, Iowa. While there, she worked in fundraising, communications, marketing and administration. She has a graduate degree in music from the University of Iowa. She is a now a resident of Washington, Missouri.

Hope’s position as major and planned giving coordinator represents her second stint at Channel 9. She served in a similar role four years ago, before becoming alumni and development assistant at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. At Channel 9, she will work in donor stewardship under the director of major and planned giving. Hope, a former Marine, lives in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

KETC/Channel 9 Receives 2008 Governor’s Humanities Community Heritage Award
Prestigious Award From the Missouri Humanities Council Recognizes KETC’s Campaign, Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II

St. Louis, MO—September 10, 2008—The Missouri Humanities Council announced last week that St. Louis public television station KETC/Channel 9 won the 2008 Governor’s Humanities Community Heritage Award. The prestigious award, which recognizes “a special contribution to a community’s understanding of its heritage,” was given to KETC for the station’s community engagement initiative Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II.

The Governor’s Humanities Awards celebrate the accomplishments of those who have made exceptional contributions to understanding Missouri, its people and its stories. The public submits nominations for the annual awards to the Missouri Humanities Council. KETC’s Your Stories project was nominated for the Community Heritage Award by editor Tom Finkel, managing editor Ellis Conklin and reporter Aimee Levitt of the weekly newspaper the Riverfront Times, for Channel 9’s outstanding contributions to the humanities in Missouri.

The award will be presented at a ceremony on October 22 at the Missouri governor’s mansion in Jefferson City.

“KETC is extremely honored to be chosen for this exceptional award,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “We are grateful to Gov. Blunt and the Missouri Humanities Council for recognizing the work Channel 9 has done to preserve the memories and history of our community.”

Last year, KETC engaged the community on air, online and in person through Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II. It sought to preserve the history of World War II by preserving the memories of local people who lived through those years. The station obtained approximately 1,200 personal stories from veterans and others, including those collected on video, online and through the mail, plus hundreds of artifacts such as photos, books and memorabilia. Everything is now archived at the Missouri Historical Society. KETC staff members traveled to all 29 Missouri and Illinois counties in the viewing area to connect with people around Your Stories. Many of the people interviewed told their stories for the first time; these stories may have been lost had Channel 9 not taken on this work.

Arthur’s Picnic in the Park Moves to Central Field in Forest Park
New Location for Channel 9’s Free Family Festival—
Popular Event Features Food, Fun and Favorite PBS Characters

St. Louis, MO—August 28, 2008—KETC/Channel 9’s popular annual family event, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, returns to Forest Park for its eighth year, but in a new location. The free children’s festival is moving to Central Field, east of the upper Muny parking lot and within sight of the Jewel Box. Arthur’s Picnic in the Park will be held Saturday, September 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The highlight of every Arthur’s Picnic is the chance for children to meet, hug, greet and be photographed with beloved PBS characters. Arthur, Clifford and Mr. McFeely from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood will be on hand to pose for photos with fans. Also attending this year will be Digit from Cyberchase, Walkaround Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street, Maya and Miguel, Curious George, Whyatt from Super WHY! and Ruff Ruffman from FETCH! Parents are advised to bring their own cameras and video equipment.

The new and larger site has plenty of room for many other entertainment options: giant inflatable toys to climb on and explore, hands-on activity tents and stages for performers. When it’s time to take a break, families can visit the wide range of food and beverage vendors on site. Guests are welcome to bring their own lunch and snacks to enjoy in the shade of the picnic area. Parking is free. Arthur’s Picnic in the Park will be open even if it rains.

Primary support for Channel 9’s Arthur’s Picnic in the Park is provided by Citi, Korte, The Little Gym, McCarthy, Delta Dental, Saint Louis Science Center and Sigma-Aldrich. Additional support is provided by Fazio’s Frets & Friends and 62 Sports Group.

KETC/Channel 9 in St. Louis Nominated for Prestigious
Station Excellence Emmy Award
KETC Also Receives Five Other Nominations for Living St. Louis and Donnybrook

St. Louis, MO—August 26, 2008—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned six Emmy Award nominations from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Television Academy, including one for the prestigious Station Excellence Emmy. The nominations were announced simultaneously in St. Louis, Kansas City and Little Rock on Thursday, August 21.

The Station Excellence nomination recognizes station excellence on and off air, including the quality, breadth and efficacy of events and community involvement. KETC’s submission detailed the station’s many community engagement efforts, such as Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, Ready To Learn and the Community Cinema Series.

The complete list of nominations and categories is as follows:
Station Excellence: KETC (Jack Galmiche, president and CEO)
Magazine Program: Living St. Louis (producers Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell, Jim Kirchherr, Patrick Murphy; videographer Scot Page; editor Greg Reinhart; associate producer Kate Shaw)
Historical/Cultural Program Story/Feature:
Living St. Louis: Omar Bradley (Jim Kirchherr, producer)
Living St. Louis: Bank Robbery (Patrick Murphy, producer)
Living St. Louis: Mel Bay (Ruth Ezell, producer)
Discussion/Interview Program: Donnybrook (Martin Duggan, producer)

The Emmy Award winners will be announced on Saturday, October 4.

Janis Ian: Live From Grand Center, a KETC/St. Louis Production, Selected for National Distribution by NETA
One-Woman Concert, Taped at the Historic Sheldon Concert Hall, Will Be Fed in October

St. Louis, MO—August 26, 2008—Janis Ian: Live From Grand Center, a one-woman concert featuring Grammy Award-winning singer/composer Janis Ian (“At Seventeen”) and produced by St. Louis public television station KETC/Channel 9, will be distributed nationally in October by the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA).

The hour-long concert special was taped before a live audience in June at The Sheldon Concert Hall, an acoustically perfect venue built in 1912 and located in the St. Louis arts district Grand Center. The television special, produced by KETC in partnership with Grand Center Inc., combines a retrospective of Ian’s hits with her most recent compositions, interspersed with anecdotes about her life and 40-year career.

In 1965, at the age of 14, Ian recorded her first album. She gained notice in 1967 as a folk singing wunderkind when Leonard Bernstein featured her in his CBS television special Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution, resulting in her then-controversial song “Society’s Child” becoming a national hit that was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Ian’s 1970’s album Between the Lines was nominated for five Grammy awards (winning two) and featured the iconic lament of teen insecurity “At Seventeen.” In Japan her album Aftertones was number one for six months and a disco collaboration with Giorgio Moroder went platinum throughout Europe, Africa and Australia. She received her seventh Grammy nomination for a jazz duet with Mel Torme. Ian released Society’s Child: My Autobiography in July, as well as her 25th CD.

KETC/Channel 9 Earns 2008 IABC St. Louis Bronze Quill Award
Toolkit for Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II Wins Award of Merit

St. Louis, MO—July 2, 2008—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned an Award of Merit in the St. Louis Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) 2008 Bronze Quill Awards, it was announced at a ceremony on May 22.

KETC public relations manager Terri Gates and brand manager Matt Huelskamp won in the category Special Publications for the Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II brochure, or toolkit, which was widely distributed last year to encourage war veterans and others to preserve their World War II memories. The Bronze Quill Awards recognize the best communication efforts in the region and are judged by other IABC chapters around the country.

Gates is a resident of southwest St. Louis County and Huelskamp is a resident of Highland, Illinois.

KETC Announces Winners of Channel 9’s 14th Annual
Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Four Local Children Will Advance to National Competition

St. Louis, MO—May 1, 2008—Ten children received recognition in Channel 9’s 14th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. Entries of the four first-place winners have automatically been entered in the national Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest and will compete with local winners from around the country. National winners will be announced later this summer.

Enchanted castles, deep-sea adventures and even skateboarding penguins appeared in this year’s submissions. The contest was divided by age into four categories, and from each category two winners were selected, one for writing and one for illustrating (only the story winner moves on to the national competition). The high quality of entries in some categories compelled the judges to bestow multiple awards. A panel of 15 judges including librarians, elementary and college teachers, early childhood educators and writers evaluated 577 entries, awarding points for originality, creativity, storytelling and artistic expression.

Each child who entered receives an invitation to a party sponsored by Channel 9 at The Magic House. All winners receive a prize package of writing and art supplies, have their stories posted on KETC’s Web site www.ketc.org/readingrainbow, and appear in promotional spots to be broadcast on Channel 9 this summer.

The winners are:

Kindergarten
Story Award: The Princess and the Cat by Abigail Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL
Honorable Mention: I Have a Dream by Carl Swanson, St. Peters, MO
The Secret Door by Bella Dortch, O’Fallon, MO
Illustrator Award: I Have a Dream by Carl Swanson, St. Peters, MO
The Secret Door by Bella Dortch, O’Fallon, MO
The Noble Prince by Darby Duncan, St. Charles, MO
The Princess and the Cat by Abigail Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL

First Grade
Story Award: The Story of the Turtle and the Snake by Samuel Wallaeger, Kirkwood, MO
Honorable Mention: The Amazing Adventures of Lang and Bin in Xian, China by Patrick M. Blanner, Ellisville, MO
Illustrator Award: The Story of the Turtle and the Snake by Samuel Wallaeger, Kirkwood, MO
The Amazing Adventures of Lang and Bin in Xian, China by Patrick M. Blanner, Ellisville, MO

Second Grade
Story Award: Chicken Bob’s Dream by Jimmy Marshall, Catawissa, MO
Honorable Mention: The Monkey Detective by Levi Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL
Illustrator Award: The Monkey Detective by Levi Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL

Third Grade
Story Award: The Great Adventure of Nerd Man by Wesley Taylor, St. Peters, MO
Honorable Mention: Cora and Mt. Dish-more by Cora DeBoard, Imperial, MO
Illustrator Award: Cora and Mt. Dish-more by Cora DeBoard, Imperial, MO

KETC Invites Current and Former Military Personnel and Families to Share Stories of Deployment
Community Engagement Initiative Around PBS Series Carrier Explores Impact of Military Service

St. Louis, MO—April 30, 2008—The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is a 23-story-tall floating city, powered by two nuclear reactors and complete with an airport, hospital, dentist office, barber shop and 5,000 residents. This piece of America spends six months at sea cruising the oceans of the world as both a friendly and formidable U.S. ambassador.

In 2005, PBS filmmakers accompanied the Nimitz on a mission that included stops in Guam, the Persian Gulf, Hong Kong and Australia to document what life is like for the men and women on board, from the admiral and officers to the fighter pilots, cooks and teenage sailors who are away from home for the first time. Nearly 2,000 hours of video were shot and edited down to the 10-part series Carrier, which is currently airing on KETC/Channel 9.

The unique view of daily life that is revealed on Carrier will fascinate civilian audiences and perhaps stir memories for those who have served in the armed forces. KETC is offering current and former military personnel and their families and friends the opportunity to share their military life stories on the Web site www.ketc.org/carrier. Stories can be typed in directly or told on the phone using a toll-free number. The searchable Web site welcomes submissions from throughout the country and will remain open until March 2009.

“Carrier presents a compelling look at the sacrifices made by American servicemen and women,” says KETC Vice President of Education and Community Engagement Amy Shaw. “This community engagement initiative gives us a window to their experiences and helps our community appreciate their efforts even more.”

Carrier airs on KETC/Channel 9 Sunday–Thursday, April 27–May 1 at 8:00 p.m. It is repeated on those dates at 10:00 p.m.; on Tuesday–Saturday, April 29–May 3 at 2:00 a.m.; on Sunday, May 4, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; and on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. beginning June 18.

Channel 9 Documentary Traces the History of Jewish People in St. Louis
St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans Explores 200 Years of Jewish Pioneers, Experiences and Contributions

St. Louis, MO—March 27, 2008—The history of Jewish people in St. Louis is nearly as old as the history of the city itself. As St. Louis grew to become a major American city, its Jewish citizens were there every step of the way contributing not only skills and cultural diversity, but landmarks and icons that define St. Louis as clearly as the Gateway Arch. KETC/Channel 9 explores the rich history of St. Louis’ Jewish community in the hour-long documentary St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans, broadcast Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. (rebroadcast Sunday, April 13 at 4:00 p.m. and Wednesday, April 23 at 3:00 a.m.).

The first Jewish settler arrived in St. Louis shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. “Jews had never been in a country that had guaranteed them so much freedom to do what and go where they wanted,” says KETC’s Jim Kirchherr, producer of St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans. “Freedom, opportunity and mobility—that’s why as soon as St. Louis became part of America, the Phillipson brothers came here from Philadelphia to open a store.”

It took 30 years before the Jewish community had a “minyan”—or the required 10 adult males necessary to hold the first worship service. That gathering was the start of United Hebrew, the oldest Jewish congregation west of the Mississippi River.

St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans follows the early growth of the German-Jewish community in the 1840s, the growth of Reform Judaism after the Civil War, and the next wave of East European immigrants from the 1880s to 1924.

The early 20th century opened an era of rabbis who were particularly influential in religious and civic life in St. Louis. Rabbi Howard Kaplansky of United Hebrew calls them “a generation of giants,” such as Rabbi Ferdinand Isserman from Temple Israel and Rabbi Samuel Thurman, who gave the invocation at Harry Truman’s 1949 presidential inauguration. St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans also profiles other Jewish leaders prominent for their civic influence: author and activist Fannie Cook, pioneering advertising executive Al Fleishman, and businessman-philanthropist I.E. Millstone who, at age 101, shares his memories on camera for this project.

The documentary explores the experiences of two frontier Jewish merchants who came to St. Louis in the late 19th century—one from Fort Smith, Arkansas, the other from Leadville, Colorado. Though competitors, they developed two of the city’s most popular department stores: Stix, Baer and Fuller and Famous-Barr. The program also explores issues of discrimination; disagreements on many topics within the Jewish community itself; and the impact of the Holocaust and the founding of Israel on Jewish St. Louisans.

“One of the recurrent themes in the story of Jewish life in St. Louis is how American Jews have been active and assimilated, and how that has played a role in philanthropy and charitable contributions,” says Kirchherr. “When you look at the people whose names are places—names such as Steinberg, Tilles, Greensfelder, Edison, Schoenberg, Aloe and May—you see that this has been a generous community.”

St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans features archival footage and still photos from the collections of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, the Missouri Historical Society, various congregations, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Fuller family, and more. In addition to Millstone and Kaplansky, those interviewed include academic historians Gil Ribak and Sonja Mekel; local historians Burton Boxerman, Don Makovsky and Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman; Robert Cohn, editor-in-chief emeritus of The St. Louis Jewish Light; Barry Rosenberg, executive vice president of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis; and Andrew Walker of the Saint Louis Art Museum. Paul Schankman narrates the documentary.

Because the vastness of Jewish history in St. Louis makes it impossible to detail comprehensively in one program, St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans is part of KETC’s larger community engagement initiative, also called St. Louis Stories: The Jewish Americans. The initiative explores Jewish contributions to St. Louis through community conversations, a speakers bureau and a project to collect personal stories about Jewish life in St. Louis. For more information about KETC’s community engagement initiative, visit the Web site at www.ketc.org/jewishamericans.

KETC/Channel 9 Begins Production on National Documentary Featuring Local Students
National FIRST Robotics Competition Sets the Stage for Five Teams of Students, Including Group From Wentzville’s Timberland and Holt High Schools

St. Louis, MO—February 22, 2008—In January, KETC/Channel 9, the St. Louis public television station, began production of FIRST Robotics Competition: 2008 (working title), a two-hour documentary scheduled for broadcast nationally on PBS in late 2008 or early 2009. KETC received full funding for the project from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It is being shot and edited in high definition.

The program will follow the experiences of five groups of high school students from around the country as they engineer, build and operate robots to compete in regional and national FIRST robotics tournaments. The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition began in 1992 with 28 teams; today it attracts over 37,000 students on 1,500 teams from eight countries in this “varsity sport of the mind.”

For the national documentary, a KETC production team has been following a group of competitors from Wentzville’s Timberland and Holt high schools; they’ve named themselves Ratchet Rockers. Each team is given six weeks to build their robot from a kit of common parts provided by FIRST. The robots will compete in the St. Louis regional contest to be held February 28–March 1 at the St. Charles Family Arena. The St. Louis regionals will host 43 teams from 12 states; the St. Louis area alone is contributing 14 teams from 29 high schools. Winners will move on to the nationals April 17–19 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Not only will the documentary explore the technical challenges faced by the students, but it will show them negotiating obstacles from daily life, including a lack of funds, personal rivalries, immigration requirements, physical ills and family problems. In addition to the Wentzville team, the documentary will profile an all-girls team from Baltimore; a team from Idaho headed by a young man with Muscular Dystrophy; a team from a youth corrections facility in Colorado; and a first generation Chinese student on a team from Seattle who must battle his non-English-speaking parents to let him participate.

“Through our production of FIRST Robotics Competition: 2008, KETC is bringing recognition of our region’s expertise in science and technology to a national audience and at the same time highlighting the Saint Louis Science Center, the competition’s local sponsoring organization, and many community-minded corporate supporters,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “This cooperative effort across so many platforms—educational, cultural, scientific, engineering and technological organizations—demonstrates St. Louis’ continuing role in innovation, and Channel 9’s role in showing the world that innovative spirit.”

Channel 9’s Living St. Louis Celebrates Black History Month
Local Magazine Series Devotes February to Exploring Notable People and Places in St. Louis’ African American Community

St. Louis, MO—January 16, 2008—KETC/Channel 9’s twice-weekly, Emmy Award-winning magazine series Living St. Louis celebrates Black History Month by devoting February to stories about St. Louis’ African American community. The half-hour series, broadcast Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. (and rebroadcast Sundays at 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.), will highlight notable people and places that have had an impact on the African American community, or who were influenced by their time in the area. Below is a rundown of upcoming Black History Month stories.

February 4—Producer: Jim Kirchherr investigates the life of Annie Malone, the self-made millionaire who started the Poro line of beauty products for African American women. Her headquarters became an economic and social center of the Ville neighborhood, which is still the home of the Annie Malone Children’s Home.

February 5—This half-hour special on the life of artist, teacher and activist Katherine Dunham won an award from the National Association of Black Journalists for producer Anne-Marie Berger. Dunham’s dancing and choreography revolutionized modern dance. In the 1960s, she began her long association with East St. Louis and commitment to that community. The program includes her last television interview before her death in 2006.

February 11— Producer: Ruth Ezell profiles Cedric the Entertainer, the Berkeley High School graduate who has gone on to a successful career in films and commercials. The story includes one of his visits home for one of his charity events.

February 12—This half-hour special on Josephine Baker, the entertainer who left St. Louis to become the toast of Paris, includes an interview by producer: Ruth Ezell with Baker’s nephew (and St. Louis resident) Richard Martin Jr. The piece was recognized locally in 2007 for an Excellence in Communication Award from the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists.

February 18—St. Louis University women’s basketball coach Shimmy Gray-Miller’s work goes beyond the basketball court. In this new segment, producer Anne-Marie Berger shows how Gray-Miller and the young women on her team put in hundreds of hours of service in the community.

February 25— In this new segment, Ruth Ezell investigates Webster Groves’ Douglass School, which was once the only high school in St. Louis County for African American students. Decades after the Supreme Court decision ending segregation, the school and its alumni are still remembered each February by the Webster Groves School District.

All Young Author-Artists Are Invited to Enter Channel 9’s 14th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Four Local Winners Will Be Chosen for a Chance at National Honors

St. Louis, MO—January 9, 2008—Children in kindergarten through third grade are invited to submit their own original stories for Channel 9’s 14th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. The popular contest supports children’s reading and communication skills by encouraging them to express their ideas through stories using words and pictures.

In 2007 the contest attracted over 550 entries from the St. Louis area. Entries will be judged by local teachers and librarians; one winner from each of the four grade levels will automatically advance to the national competition. Last year for the first time, one of Channel 9’s winners, second-grader Henry Workman, won first place in the national contest in his grade category.

As part of their prize package, the local writing winners will be featured with their stories on Channel 9, and their stories will be posted on KETC’s Web site. An additional winner from each grade category will also be chosen based on the quality of illustrations that must accompany all stories. Winning drawings will be posted on KETC’s Web site, too, and the illustrators will be awarded art supplies.

Because Channel 9’s goal is to encourage, challenge and reward effort, every child who enters the contest will receive a certificate and an invitation to a party on May 18 at The Magic House children’s museum in Kirkwood.

The contest begins January 21 and all entries must be postmarked no later than March 17. Entry forms are available online at www.ketc.org/readingrainbow; at schools; and by calling Channel 9’s contest coordinator Sydney Meyer at (314) 512-9137.

KETC/Channel 9 Earns Award From
Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists
Ruth Ezell Wins for Josephine Baker Half-Hour Special Broadcast on Living St. Louis

St. Louis, MO—December 31, 2007—KETC/Channel 9 producer Ruth Ezell won an Excellence in Communications award from the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists in November for her Living St. Louis story about Josephine Baker. The half-hour special won in the Television Feature Story category.

In the program, Ezell traces Baker’s career and the impact she had on entertainment and society, beginning with her impoverished childhood in St. Louis, to her explosion as a sensation in Paris music halls, to her spying for the French Resistance during World War II and her adoption of her “Rainbow Tribe” of children. In the special, Ezell interviews Benetta Jules-Rosette, professor of sociology at the University of California at San Diego; Olivia Lahs-Gonzales, director of the Sheldon Art Galleries and curator of the exhibition Josephine Baker: Image and Icon; and Richard Martin Jr., Baker’s nephew and a St. Louis resident.

The Josephine Baker program can be viewed here.

Ezell lives in the Midtown neighborhood.

KETC Will Broadcast Two-Hour, Live, New Year’s Eve Special From Grand Center
A Grand Night in St. Louis Brings the Spontaneity and Energy of
St. Louis’ Biggest New Year’s Party to Television

St. Louis, MO—December 20, 2007—KETC/Channel 9 will ring in 2008 with the biggest New Year’s Eve party in St. Louis! The annual First Night® festival, taking place on the streets and in the theaters, restaurants, stores and churches of the city’s Grand Center arts district, sets the stage for A Grand Night in St. Louis—a live, two-hour television special, broadcast Monday, December 31 from 10:00 p.m. to midnight.

KETC producers Patrick Murphy, Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell and Jim Kirchherr host the program, produced in partnership with Grand Center Inc., and funded in part by the Missouri Film Commission. The broadcast will also be aired by all Missouri public television stations, in Warrenton, Kansas City and Springfield, and be made available to public TV stations nationwide.

“By working in partnership with other organizations that share our goals, we can offer more to our region and engage the community in new ways,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “A Grand Night in St. Louis is a wonderful way to give people who can’t attend in person, the chance to still enjoy this spectacular celebration. No matter where you’re watching A Grand Night in St. Louis, we invite you to greet the new year with this exciting television event.”

A Grand Night in St. Louis will combine performances, interviews and scenes of revelry along Grand Boulevard. Musical segments from the Sheldon Concert Hall will feature two sets with the Oliver Sain Revue—one with vocalist Renee Smith, the other with singer Rollin Johnson. Another segment from the Sheldon will highlight the talents of vibraphone great Jonathan Whiting.

Special stories will give viewers behind-the-scenes access to Grand Center icons the Fox Theatre, Best Steak House, Sculpture Park, the Moto Museum, the Sheldon Chorale and St. Louis University leader Father Lawrence Biondi. In addition, painter Brian Olsen will demonstrate his unique brand of artistry by painting a life-size mural in 12 minutes in the middle of Strauss Park.

“Grand Center is St. Louis’ arts and entertainment district, and we’re going to have a lot of fun bringing the First Night celebration to everyone via television,” promises executive producer Patrick Murphy. “The best party in St. Louis is going to be happening on Channel 9.”

KETC Is Number One Among All 362 PBS Stations in the Country
Most Recent Ratings Show Channel 9 Has the Largest Per Capita Audience

St. Louis—November 6, 2007—KETC/Channel 9 in St. Louis is the most-watched public television station in the country, it was announced in a report issued last week by the A.C. Nielsen company. KETC ranked first in full-day gross rating points (GRPS) among all PBS stations in October, meaning that a higher percentage of viewers in the St. Louis market watched PBS station Channel 9 than did audiences in any other PBS market. KETC’s full-day ratings increased 8.1 percent over last year, and 39 percent in prime time.

A gross rating point is the total number of ratings points in a given period, in this case, during October. A single point represents 11,000 households. KETC had a total of 3,106.9 gross rating points. The cities with the next highest gross rating points were Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. There are 362 PBS stations in the United States. KETC is regularly ranked among the top three PBS stations in the country in both prime-time and full-day ratings.

“At Channel 9, we measure our success by the impact we have on the lives in our community,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “In turn, measuring our audience is an important indication that we are serving the needs of the community. These ratings show that we are successful, and that viewers in St. Louis are eager for and supportive of the quality programs broadcast on Channel 9.”

Channel 9’s 10 top-rated shows during that period were: Antiques Roadshow, Ask This Old House, This Old House, Donnybrook, Nature, Curious George, Living St. Louis, America’s Test Kitchen, Super WHY! and Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Always Cooking!

KETC/Channel 9 Earns Mid-America Emmy Award
Anne-Marie Berger and Scot Page Win for Stray Rescue Story Broadcast on Living St. Louis

St. Louis, MO—October 26, 2007—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned an Emmy Award for its series Living St. Louis from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), it was announced at ceremonies in St. Louis on Saturday, October 20.

Producer Anne-Marie Berger and videographer Scot Page won in the Human Interest-Program Story/Feature category for their account of the animal protection group Stray Rescue. In it, Berger and Page follow Stray Rescue founder Randy Grim through dicey areas of metropolitan St. Louis while he looks for, feeds and rescues dogs without homes. The 11-minute piece can be viewed online here.

This Emmy Award brings to 10 the number won by the series Living St. Louis since its debut in 2004. Living St. Louis airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. on Channel 9.

The Mid-America Chapter of NATAS includes all of Missouri and Arkansas, southern Illinois, and part of Iowa and Louisiana.

Berger and Page are both residents of Maplewood, Missouri.

Channel 9 Producer Wins History Award
Living St. Louis Producer Jim Kirchherr Wins 2007 William Barnaby Faherty, S.J. Award From The Historical Society of St. Louis County

St. Louis, MO—October 12, 2007—KETC/Channel 9 senior producer Jim Kirchherr won the annual William Barnaby Faherty, S.J. Award from The Historical Society of St. Louis County, it was announced recently. The award will be presented on October 18 in a ceremony on the campus of Missouri Baptist University. Presented for lifetime achievement for historical contributions, the Faherty award honors Kirchherr for the many historical documentaries he has created at KETC through the years.

Since joining Channel 9 in 1991, Kirchherr has produced many notable and award-winning documentaries about the history of St. Louis and the surrounding area. Among those are 1994’s St. Louis Chronicles: Ride of a Lifetime, which won an Emmy Award for its nostalgic look back at streetcars; 1995’s Magic Mirrors: American Daguerreotypes, which is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution; 1996’s Knickers & Knotholes: Memories of Sportsman’s Park; the eight-part Emmy Award-winning Decades series profiling St. Louis in the 20th century; 2003’s Emmy-winning Made in U.S.A.: The East St. Louis Story; and 2006’s Emmy-winning Living St. Louis: Butch O’Hare, about the local World War II hero.

The William Barnaby Faherty, S.J. Award is named for the 94-year-old St. Louis author who has written 29 books, including a history of NASA’s Apollo space missions, a history of the Catholic Church in St. Louis, and the novel A Wall for San Sebastian, which was made into a 1968 movie starring Anthony Quinn and Charles Bronson.

Beth Savage Joins KETC/Channel 9 as Vice President of Development
Veteran of Non-Profit Development Brings Expertise in Fundraising, Strategic Planning and Institutional Advancement to St. Louis Public Television Station

St. Louis, MO—August 6, 2007— KETC/Channel 9 announced today the appointment of Beth Savage to the position of vice president of development. She will be responsible for planning and directing all fundraising efforts, including those involving corporations, foundations and individual donors.

Savage comes to KETC from the Saint Louis Science Center where she was director, principal giving. While there she led efforts to raise annual funds through individual and corporate gifts, special events and grants; designed management processes to advance company objectives; and identified strategic opportunities for institutional advancement by fostering collaborative fundraising.

Prior to the Science Center, Savage served as director of institutional advancement at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri; as director of development and alumni affairs at Southern Illinois University School of Law; and as director of development at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. Savage also has previous experience in development at KETC; between 2001 and 2003 as director of development she oversaw all giving efforts, launched two key giving campaigns and raised the funds needed for the station to make the FCC-mandated conversion to digital technology.

“We are very happy to be able to welcome Beth Savage back to Channel 9,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “Her expertise, 14 years of experience in development and knowledge of public broadcasting are all valuable assets. Staff members who have worked with her before, as well as those of us who know her by reputation only, are very excited to have her on our team.”

Savage, a resident of Brentwood, has a law degree from Saint Louis University and is completing her M.B.A at Maryville University.

KETC/Channel 9 Announces the Election of Five New Members of the
Board of Directors
St. Louis’ Public Television Station Welcomes Robert J. Ciapciak, Edward J. Koplar, Ken Kranzberg, Jeffrey M. McDonnell and Teresa H. Vogt

St. Louis, MO—July 17, 2007— KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, announced this month the election of five new members of the board of directors and the election of four board officers. Each director will serve a three-year term beginning July 1. The new directors are:

Robert J. Ciapciak is the head of Marketing Research at Edward Jones. He is chairman of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis as well as a board member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and the St. Louis area chapter of the American Red Cross. He also serves as chair of the Regional Chamber and Growth Association’s committee on the arts.

Edward J. (Ted) Koplar is the owner of VEIL Interactive Technologies; the founder of World Events Productions, Ltd. and Koplar Properties; and the former CEO and president of KPLR television. He serves on the board of advisors to the dean of engineering management at the University of Missouri, Rolla and the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Mississippi Valley, the St. Louis Executive Council of Boy Scouts of America, Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation and the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis.

Ken Kranzberg is the chairman of Kranson Industries (TricorBraun) and of the Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He is vice president of the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Relations Committee and the Missouri Historical Society. He is the past president of the National Association of Containers Distributors and past regional chairman of the ADL National Executive Committee. He is also the founding chairman of A World of Difference board. In addition to KETC, he serves on the boards of Grand Center, Opera Theatre, the National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Dance St. Louis and the Chancellor’s Council at UMSL.

Jeffrey M. McDonnell is the vice president of J&J Management Services. He is a member of the board of directors of the Center for Emerging Technologies.

Teresa H. Vogt is the vice president of communications for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. and a former partner at Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.

The four board members elected to officer positions are: Dan Burkhardt, chair; Jack Schreiber, vice chair; Jacquelyn Dezort, treasurer; and Eugene Mackey III, secretary.

St. Louis Student Wins National Reading Rainbow
Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Second-Grader Henry Workman, Local Winner of KETC Contest, Receives First Place in Nationwide Writing and Drawing Competition

St. Louis, MO—July 3, 2007— KETC/Channel 9 announced today that Henry Workman, a 9-year-old student at Clayton Academy, won first place in the13th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, a nationwide competition for children. Workman won the Grand Prize in the second-grade category for his story “Henry and Grace Go to the Museum.” His story was selected from among 579 entries in KETC/Channel 9’s local contest and was then submitted to the national contest. More than 40,000 children entered from across the country.

“Henry and Grace Go to the Museum” recounts the adventures of a bee named Henry and a moth named Grace on the lam from security guards at the Saint Louis Art Museum. Each time they’re spotted, they cleverly hide by blending into the scenery of famous paintings, such as American Gothic and A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The story and illustrations can be viewed on www.ketc.org. In August, it will be posted to the national Reading Rainbow Web site www.pbskids.org/readingrainbow.

Channel 9 sponsors the contest to inspire a sense of confidence and pride in children, in addition to the national goal of encouraging children to use their imaginations. Two rounds of national judging culminated in a final judging by a distinguished panel that included children’s book publishers, a children’s author, teacher, librarian and university professor. Workman will receive a laptop computer, plus three Reading Rainbow library sets (10 DVDs and books) for his home, his school and his library.

Workman, the son of Necia Workman of South St. Louis, won an Illustrator Award last year in the KETC contest for his story “If I Were a Bee.” He plans to enter next year’s contest.

KETC Launches Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II—
An Expansive Initiative to Collect Regional Stories of World War II
Station Invites St. Louisans to Preserve Memories of WWII Years as Part of Outreach Surrounding Upcoming Broadcast of Ken Burns Documentary The War

St. Louis, MO—June 26, 2007— Much of the history of World War II resides only in the memories of those people who lived through it. With the aging of America’s “greatest generation,” and the loss of over 1,000 World War II veterans each day, the need to discover and preserve individual accounts of life in the military and life on the home front becomes more urgent.

That is why KETC/Channel 9 has begun an extensive outreach project called Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II, to collect the memories of area men and women who either served in the armed forces or saw the effects of the war as civilians. The Your Stories project, which launched on D-Day and runs through Veterans Day (June 6 to November 11), leads up to the September broadcast of The War, a 15 ½-hour epic documentary by renowned filmmaker Ken Burns (The Civil War). With Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II, Channel 9 widens the scope and deepens the impact of the television broadcast.

Channel 9 is soliciting stories not only from people who lived through the war years, but from children, grandchildren and friends who can recall conversations about the war, or who can interview people they know who lived through that time. The station has established an interactive Web site, www.ketc.org/yourstories, where visitors can find more information about the project, read and submit stories, watch videotaped memories, and link to KETC’s YouTube and Facebook channels to upload their own videos and chat with others who are interested in World War II memories.

“KETC is the region’s storyteller, and with this project, we have the opportunity to connect everyone across the metro area around the imperative effort of preserving these stories. As we collect personal tales from World War II, we connect as a community. KETC is in a unique position as a trusted friend to facilitate and nourish these connections to our past, to each other and to future generations,” says KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche.

Most of the written and videotaped personal accounts collected by Your Stories: St. Louis Remembers World War II will be available on Channel 9’s Web site. More than 40 video memories will be made into vignettes that will run on Channel 9. All of the reminiscences collected will become part of the KETC collection at the Missouri Historical Society.

In the weeks leading up to the broadcast of Ken Burns’ The War, Channel 9 will further enhance the local impact of the series with World War II-themed segments on Living St. Louis. Already produced or in production are pieces about the Tuskegee Airmen, World War II re-enactors, Battle of the Bulge veterans, Japanese-American internment camps, the St. Louis ordnance plant and the Pearl Harbor monument.

Three previous Channel 9 productions will be broadcast again: Home Front St. Louis, about life in the area during World War II; Butch O’Hare, a Living St. Louis special about the St. Louis war hero and namesake of Chicago’s airport; and Decades: 1940-1950, War and Peace, which tells how the war transformed St. Louis economically and socially. In the works is a televised honor roll of all military personnel who perished during the war.

Channel 9 is working with students at Cardinal Ritter College Prep and schools around the region to collect stories from people in the community. The station has also established a free speakers bureau; Channel 9 will send a speaker to community organizations, or organizations can come to Channel 9, to see a preview of The War and hear more about Your Stories.

KETC encourages everyone with a World War II story to submit it to the station via: regular mail (Your Stories, KETC, 3655 Olive St., St. Louis, MO 63108); e-mail (yourstories@ketc.org); KETC’s Web site (www.ketc.org/yourstories); Facebook (www.facebook.com); YouTube (www.youtube.com); or by making an appointment to come to KETC to record memories on camera at Channel 9’s studio (allow 1 hour; by appointment only; contact: Kate Shaw, (314) 512-9116 or kshaw@ketc.org).

John Lindsay Joins KETC as Vice President of National/International Productions
Award-Winning Production Executive Brings International Reputation in Factual Television to St. Louis Public TV Station

St. Louis, MO—April 13, 2007— KETC/Channel 9 President and CEO Jack Galmiche announced today the appointment of John Lindsay to the newly created position of vice president of national/international productions. Lindsay will be responsible for developing KETC productions for national and international distribution.

Lindsay comes to KETC, St. Louis’ public television station, from Towers Productions in Chicago, where, since 2004, he was vice president of international productions. While there he established co-production alliances with domestic and international partners in London, France, Germany, Singapore and Japan, and with The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, The Science Channel and National Geographic. He is the executive producer of the PBS documentary The 22nd Century, a science pilot broadcast in January 2007.

Prior to that, Lindsay was the executive vice president of Carlton Productions LLC in Princeton, New Jersey, where he developed and executive produced co-productions for PBS, HBO, Court TV, The History Channel and BBC2, among others.

Lindsay spent 14 years at Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), where he served as senior vice president/director, national/international productions. During his tenure, OPB became one of the first local public television stations to secure production commissions from HBO, TLC, Discovery, CNN and ABC Nightline. He helped OPB break into the international co-production market with companies based in the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Productions under Lindsay’s oversight garnered 33 national/international awards including three national Emmys.

Throughout his career, Lindsay has overseen program development and production management of 191 hours of prime-time programming distributed nationally on PBS, including History Detectives, Life 360, and Triumph of the Nerds, plus episodes of seven Frontlines, one Nova and one American Experience. Over the course of his career he’s received seven national Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, three Japan Prize International Educational Program Contest awards and two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards.

“John Lindsay brings many years of seasoned experience. He is internationally recognized in the world of factual television,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “His extensive career covers both public and commercial production, and we look forward to the alliances he will establish between KETC and partners throughout the world. He is uniquely qualified to tap the enterprising, intellectual and artistic richness that abounds in our community and develop internationally significant stories rooted right here in St. Louis.”

KETC Announces Winners of Channel 9’s 13th Annual Reading Rainbow
Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Four Local Children Will Advance to National Competition

St. Louis, MO — April 11, 2007 — Twelve children received recognition in Channel 9’s 13th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. Entries of the four first-place winners have automatically been entered in the national level of the contest and will compete with local winners from around the country. National winners will be announced later this summer.

The contest was divided by age into four categories, and from each category two winners were selected, one for writing and one for illustrating. Judges were impressed by the unusual variety of topics chosen by the 579 young authors and the level of sophistication demonstrated by the winners. Each child who entered received an invitation to a party sponsored by Channel 9 at The Magic House as well as a certificate signed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton. In addition, the four first-place winners’ stories will be posted on Channel 9’s Web site at http://www.ketc.org/readingrainbow/rrwinners.htm beginning May 7. The winners will also appear in promotional spots to be broadcast on Channel 9 this summer.

The winners are:

Kindergarten
Story Award John William and the New Cat by Katherine Marler, Fayetteville, IL
Honorable Mention The Bear and the Duck by Gregory Beard, Chesterfield, MO
Illustrator Awards John William and the New Cat by Katherine Marler, Fayetteville, IL
The Bear and the Duck by Gregory Beard, Chesterfield, MO

First Grade
Story Award Mackenzie the Wanna Be Fairy by Grace Costello, Webster Groves, MO
Honorable Mentions How to Take Care of Your Body by Adam Hollmann, St. Louis, MO
Max Goes to the Circus by Jamie Schwartz, St. Peters, MO
Illustrator Award Laura’s Secret Garden by Emma E. DeBoard, Imperial, MO

Second Grade
Story Award Henry and Grace Go to the Museum by Henry Workman, St. Louis, MO
Honorable Mention I Love You St. Louis Cardinals by Annie Pierce, Affton, MO
Illustrators Awards Henry and Grace Go to the Museum by Henry Workman, St. Louis, MO
The Ice Storm by Elisa Swanson, St. Peters, MO

Third Grade
Story Award Be Proud of What You Are by Rithikha Rajamohan, St. Louis, MO
Honorarble Mention A Very Special Person by David Hood, St. Charles, MO
Illustrators Award Be Proud of What You Are by Rithikha Rajamohan, St. Louis, MO
Catch That Prairie Dog by Micah Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL

KETC Presents Hour-Long Music Special Live From Grand Center
Station Teams With Grand Center and the Sheldon for Live Performance Special on May 17; Stars Include Kim Massie, Denise Thimes, Billy Peek and More

St. Louis, MO—March 28, 2007—St. Louis public television station KETC/Channel 9 is joining forces with Grand Center, Inc. and the Sheldon Concert Hall to produce an hour-long musical variety special that will be broadcast live from the stage of the Sheldon. The program, Live From Grand Center, will feature a wide variety of local musical talents including Trebor Tichenor and the St. Louis Ragtimers; rhythm and blues guitarist/vocalist Billy Peek and his band; blues singer Kim Massie; jazz singer Denise Thimes; the gospel group Something Special; and The Flying Mules, a bluegrass group.

Live From Grand Center will be broadcast as it happens at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., on Thursday, May 17 beginning at 8:00 p.m. KETC Vice President of Production Patrick Murphy will host the show, which will take place before a live audience.

“Live From Grand Center will underscore the role of Grand Center as the region’s entertainment center,” said host and producer Murphy. “This program will emphasize the rich musical heritage of St. Louis, and the role that music plays in uniting a diverse region.”

In order to rotate so many diverse musical acts on and off the small Sheldon stage while cameras are rolling and viewers at home are watching, the program’s logistics are being tightly orchestrated. Murphy will interview performers briefly between sets to give the stage crew time to arrange the next group’s instruments and microphones.

“As the public media organization connecting arts and culture with our community, KETC is proud to be part of the Grand Center area and excited to celebrate the significant contributions our neighbors make to St. Louis’ musical landscape,” said KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche.

Tickets to Live From Grand Center go on sale April 2 and include an invitation to a pre-show reception at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $75 and $55 and are available through MetroTix at (314) 531-1111 or www.metrotix.com.

KETC/Channel 9 Receives Award From Missouri Head Start Association
KETC Wins 2007 Outstanding Partnership Award for Work With Grace Hill Head Start

St. Louis, MO—March 7, 2007— In February, KETC/Channel 9 won a 2007 Outstanding Partnership Award from the Missouri Head Start Association. The award recognizes KETC for its joint effort with Grace Hill Head Start in St. Louis on the campaign It Only Takes One Step to a Healthy Mind, Body and Soul. The project, headed by KETC Manager of Education Services Dale Berenc, works with Grace Hill’s child-care providers to teach good health habits.

Every month, 120 participating child-care providers attend learning sessions where they learn from mental health workers, fitness specialists, nutritionists, representatives from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, and other speakers. Topics covered include making good food choices, reading nutrition labels and walking to increase their fitness level.

In separate monthly visits to each of the seven Head Start centers, Channel 9 staff provide healthy breakfasts and snacks. They also encourage the women to participate in a second aspect of the project: a walking club. Using pedometers supplied by the station, each participant has a personal goal to increase the number of daily steps she walks.

The overall goal of the entire project is to increase the child-care providers’ awareness of healthy lifestyles so that these positive behaviors will be passed on to the children they teach and to the children’s parents.

Twenty-seven Head Starts in Missouri each submitted multiple nominees for the 2007 Partnership Awards; in addition to KETC, 13 organizations throughout the state received the honor. The awards, according to the Head Start newsletter, salute “deserving partners for exceptional services to Head Start.”

Suzie Heimburger Joins KETC as Director of Corporate Support
Veteran Media Professional Will Develop New Corporate Partnerships

St. Louis, MO—January 16, 2007— KETC/Channel 9 President and CEO Jack Galmiche announced today the appointment of Suzie Heimburger as director of corporate support. Heimburger will be responsible for maintaining existing and developing new corporate partnerships for St. Louis’ public television station. She brings to the station an extensive background in sales, sales management, advertising and community volunteer work.

Heimburger has been associated with KETC in several capacities since 1987, most recently as a member of the board of trustees for Video Nine, KETC’s for-profit video production subsidiary. She also has served the station as an advertising, development and organizational consultant.

In addition to KETC, Heimburger has consulted for several St. Louis companies in corporate identity, media relations, new product development, event planning, advertising, sales management and organizational issues. An active community volunteer focused on children and education, Heimburger also has served as a trustee for the St. Louis Easter Seals Society, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital’s development board and The College School of Webster Groves. She has held leadership positions in parent organizations at Saint Louis Priory School and Villa Duchesne/Oak Hill School.

Prior to forming her consultancy, Heimburger was vice president-sales manager for Interep, a national radio advertising sales and marketing company; and local sales manager for KDNL television in St. Louis.

KETC Documentary About Gateway Arch Is Chosen for National Distribution
Monumental Reflections Will Be Available for Broadcast by American Public Television to More Than 300 Public TV Stations

St. Louis, MO—January 5, 2007—Monumental Reflections, a KETC documentary exploring what the Gateway Arch in St. Louis means to the city and the world, has been accepted for national distribution to public television stations by American Public Television (APT). The half-hour program was shot and edited in high definition.

First broadcast on KETC/Channel 9 in June 2006, Monumental Reflections will be offered by APT as part of their April program selections. Already nearly 100 of more than 300 public television stations in the United States have accepted the St. Louis documentary for broadcast, including in every major media market.

“On the heels of St. Louis receiving international recognition for urban renewal in 2006 from the World Leadership Forum, the broadcast of Monumental Reflections in other markets will demonstrate to the rest of the country this city’s long history of renewal,” says KETC President and CEO Jack Galmiche. “As this program makes clear, the Arch is symbolic of so many things, not the least of which is revitalization and civic pride.”

Adds Patrick Murphy, producer and writer of Monumental Reflections, “There have been a number of programs produced on the Arch, but this is the first one to ask, What does this monument mean and how has that meaning changed over time?”

Monumental Reflections shows the Arch and its place in the landscape from many perspectives. Interviewed are architects, artists, activists, archivists, construction workers, tourists, writers and others who all relate unique opinions of what the Arch means personally, symbolically and historically. Included are Dr. Robert Archibald, president of the Missouri Historical Society; Mark Coir, archive director at the Cranbrook Art Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where Arch architect Eero Saarinen studied; Bob Moore, National Park Service historian; St. Louis architects Gene Mackey and Jamie Cannon; Brent Benjamin, director of the Saint Louis Art Museum; James Gray, principal chief of the Osage Nation; Percy Green, civil rights activist; Bill McClellan, columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Matthias Waschek, director of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.

Channel 9 Is Calling All Young Authors for the 13th Annual National Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest
Four Local Winners Will Be Chosen for a Chance at National Honors

St. Louis, MO—January 5, 2007—Children in kindergarten through third grade are invited to submit their own original stories for Channel 9’s 13th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. The popular contest supports children’s reading and communication skills by encouraging them to express their ideas through stories using words and pictures.

Last year, the contest attracted over 600 entries from the St. Louis area. Entries will be judged by local teachers and librarians; winner from each of the four grade levels will automatically advance to the national competition. As part of their prize package, the writing winners will be videotaped reading their stories for broadcast on Channel 9, and their stories will be posted on KETC’s Web site.

An additional winner from each grade category will also be chosen based on the quality of illustrations that must accompany all stories. Winning drawings will be posted on KETC’s Web site, too, and the illustrators will be awarded art supplies.

Because Channel 9’s goal is to encourage, challenge and reward effort, every child who enters the contest will receive a certificate and an invitation to a party on May 20 at The Magic House children’s museum in Kirkwood.

The contest begins January 29 and all entries must be postmarked no later than March 12. Entry forms are available online at www.ketc.org/readingrainbow; at local libraries and schools; and by calling Channel 9’s contest coordinator Sydney Meyer at (314) 512-9137. The contest is supported by the National PBS Reading Rainbow series and Educate Media Resources, with major funding provided by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation.

KETC Teams With Missouri History Museum to Present Community Cinema Series
Monthly Films, Selected From Public TV Series Independent Lens, Include Post-Screening Discussion; Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes Kicks Off the Film Series on January 25

St. Louis, MO—January 5, 2007— KETC/Channel 9, in partnership with the Missouri History Museum, is screening five topical, thought-provoking films from the acclaimed PBS television series Independent Lens as part of a monthly series called Community Cinema Series. Each film will be followed by a panel discussion among local experts. The screenings, which are offered free of charge, will take place at the History Museum’s Lee Auditorium, located at Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue in Forest Park. The films themselves will be broadcast at later dates as part of Independent Lens on Channel 9.

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes begins the series on Thursday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m. The hour-long film is a personal and heartfelt documentary that explores gender roles in hip-hop and rap music through the lens of filmmaker Byron Hurt, a former college quarterback-turned-activist. In this “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” Hurt tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture by talking with rappers, moguls and fans. The film, which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and is hosted by Terrence Howard, features revealing interviews with rappers, including Mos Def, Fat Joe, Chuck D, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes, and hip-hop moguls Russell Simmons and Chris Lighty, along with commentary from Michael Eric Dyson, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Kevin Powell and Sarah Jones and interviews with young women at Spelman College, a historically black college and one of the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions.

Panelists who will lead a discussion after the program include: Montague Simmons, National Hip Hop Political Convention (St. Louis affiliate) and MK Stallings, Urban Artist’s Alliance for Child Development. Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes will air on Channel 9 Sunday, February 25 at midnight. For a full list of films in the Community Cinema Series, please visit www.ketc.org/teach/communitycinema.asp.

KETC/Channel 9 Earns Six Mid-America Emmy Awards
Living St. Louis Wins Five Emmys;
In Five-State Region, Only Three Stations Win More Than KETC

St. Louis — November 1, 2006 — KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned six Emmy Awards from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), it was announced at ceremonies in St. Louis on Saturday, October 28.

The magazine series Living St. Louis won a total of five awards, including outstanding achievement in magazine programs for the production team of producers Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell, Jim Kirchherr and Patrick Murphy, videographer Scot Page and editor Greg Reinhart. Other Living St. Louis wins came from individual stories:

• “Happy Apples,” about a local company’s process to make candied apples and produced by Jim Kirchherr, won in the Business/Consumer category;
• “Special Skaters,” about two special-needs figure skaters and produced by Ruth Ezell, won in the Human Interest-Program Story/Feature category;
• “Butch O’Hare,” a half-hour Living St. Louis special produced by Jim Kirchherr about the World War II pilot from St. Louis who is the namesake of O’Hare Field, won in the Documentary-Historical category; and
• “Robot Tournament,” about a high-school robot-making competition and produced by Jim Kirchherr, won in the Public/Current/Community Affairs-Program/Special category.

East Village Opera Company, an hour-long concert special produced in high-definition, won an Emmy for editor Bill Nahlik in the Editor-Program/Program Feature category.

The Mid-America Chapter of NATAS includes all of Missouri and Arkansas, southern Illinois, and part of Iowa and Louisiana. With its six Emmys, KETC tied for the fourth-highest number of wins with WDAF, the Fox affiliate in Kansas City. Only St. Louis commercial stations KSDK (NBC), KMOV (CBS) and KTVI (Fox) won more awards.

John (Jack) Galmiche III Named President and CEO of KETC/Channel 9
Native St. Louisan Brings Experience at Statewide Network and in New Media Technology

St. Louis—September 28, 2006—The board of trustees of the St. Louis Regional Educational and Public Television Commission announced this week the selection of John (Jack) Galmiche III to be the new president and CEO of KETC/Channel 9. Galmiche will take the helm of the station in November.

“Over the past year, the board has executed an exhaustive national search and interview process to identify top candidates, and Jack Galmiche proved clearly to be the best person to lead Channel 9,” said Board of Trustees Chair Juanita Hinshaw. “His experience at one of the most progressive public television stations in the country, as well as his varied background in broadcasting, management, new technology, marketing and business development, all contribute to Jack’s incredibly well-rounded portfolio of skills.”

Galmiche, who was born in St. Louis and is a graduate of St. Louis University, returns to his hometown from Portland, Oregon, where he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), a statewide network of public television and radio stations with an annual budget of over $25 million. It is among the top five producers of programs for public television and is the most-watched PBS station in the country. While there Galmiche successfully initiated an organization-wide plan to reverse consecutive years of operating losses and dramatically increased revenue from national television productions. During his time at OPB, he was responsible for departments including education, engineering, finance, marketing, online, and television and radio programming and production. He also serves on several public broadcasting boards and committees. He is the current board chair of the Northwest News Network, member of the board and executive committee of the Integrated Media Association and several working groups at PBS.

Throughout his career, Galmiche has been a leader in the innovation and development of cutting-edge media technology, such as high-definition radio and television, video on demand, on demand video streaming, and interactive educational television. As president and CEO of Broadcast Interactive Group, Inc., of Portland, he advised television and high technology companies, including Turner Entertainment, Koplar Interactive and PBS, in strategy and business case development for new digital content. As president and CEO of Interactive Systems, Inc., of Beaverton, Oregon, he oversaw industry-first television and technology products for clients in the U.S. and overseas, including for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Galmiche also has an extensive background in sports management and marketing, having been the president of the Portland Breakers USFL Football Club, director of marketing for the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, and executive vice president and general manager of the St. Louis Stars Soccer Club, where he was the youngest chief executive of a professional sports franchise at the time. He played professional and collegiate soccer, and was inducted into the St. Louis University Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Preschoolers Love Lori Holton Nash
KETC’s New Daytime TV Host Boosts Ratings Across Station’s
Entire Kids’ Show Lineup

St. Louis — September 6, 2006 — Lori Holton Nash, the host of KETC/Channel 9’s new PBS Kids programming block, is a hit. The 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday group of programs that features “Miss Lori” in breaks between shows has proven to be a hit with viewers since its debut on September 4.

Ratings in that that time period had been averaging below 1. Since the PBS Kids block started, ratings are now hovering around 3. The success of Miss Lori has also improved ratings of the surrounding programs.

“KETC is not a ratings-driven television station,” said Channel 9 Vice President of Programming Patricia Kistler, “but we do take these higher numbers as an indication that we’re serving more children with high-quality, educational programming.”

Channel 9 revised its entire lineup of children’s programming with the advent of the PBS Kids block, which is comprised of the new series Curious George (3 rating), Clifford the Big Red Dog (4.1), Dragon Tales (3.3) and It’s a Big Big World (2.9). Each rating point represents 11,000 households as reported by Trac Media’s overnight evaluations from September 6.

KETC broadcasts 19 different children’s programs during weekday time slots. All programs are designed to provide the highest quality programming and learning environment for children to stimulate their curiosity, encourage interaction and foster their imagination.

St. Louis — September 6, 2006 — In August, KETC/Channel 9 launched It Only Takes One Step to a Healthy Mind, Body and Soul, a 10-month education project focusing on child care providers who are affiliated with Grace Hill Head Start in St. Louis. The focus of the project is to provide the caregivers with tools to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Every month, the 120 participating child care providers attend learning sessions where they listen to mental health workers, fitness specialists, nutritionists and other speakers. Topics covered include making good food choices, reading nutrition labels and walking to increase their fitness level.

In separate monthly visits to each of the 11 Head Start centers, Channel 9 staff provide healthy breakfasts and snacks. They also encourage the women to participate in a second aspect of the project: a walking club. Using pedometers supplied by the station, each participant has a personal goal to increase the number of daily steps she walks.

The overall goal of the entire project is to increase the child care providers’ awareness of healthy lifestyles so that these positive behaviors will be passed on to the children they teach and to the children’s parents.

It Only Takes One Step to a Healthy Mind, Body and Soul is funded by two grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and the National Center for Outreach.

St. Louis — September 6, 2006 — Freda Josephine McDonald was born in St. Louis 100 years ago. As Josephine Baker, she found international fame in the 1920s as an envelope-pushing singer, dancer and actress; later, she parlayed her notoriety to benefit humanitarian and civil rights causes. In October, KETC/Channel 9 will celebrate Baker’s centennial by devoting an entire episode of Living St. Louis to her. The 30-minute documentary, produced by Ruth Ezell, will air Monday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 8 at 4:30 p.m. [Editors: Josephine Baker photos are available. Call (314) 512-9036.]

Ezell traces Baker’s career and the impact she had on entertainment and society, beginning with her impoverished childhood in St. Louis, to her explosion as a sensation in Paris music halls, to her spying for the French Resistance during World War II and her adoption of her “Rainbow Tribe” of children from a variety of ethnicities. “In researching Ms. Baker’s life, I discovered as many layers as there were peels on her now iconic banana skirt,” says Ezell.

The documentary includes still photos, clips from Baker’s recordings (notably “J’ai Deux Amours,” her signature song), and clips from Baker’s films Zou Zou (1934) and Princess Tam Tam (1935).

To obtain different perspectives of Baker’s life and achievements, Ezell interviews Benetta Jules-Rosette, professor of sociology at the University of California at San Diego; Olivia Lahs-Gonzales, director of the Sheldon Art Galleries and curator of the exhibition Josephine Baker: Image and Icon; and Richard Martin Jr., Baker’s nephew and a St. Louis resident.

St. Louis — September 1, 2006 — KETC/Channel 9 announced this week that it received a $75,000 grant from The Fetzer Institute to help fund a three-year project to engage St. Louis’ Bosnian community. The project is called the St. Louis Campaign for Love and Forgiveness.

KETC was one of six PBS stations nationwide selected to receive a Campaign for Love and Forgiveness grant from Michigan-based Fetzer Institute, a private foundation dedicated to fostering awareness of the power of love and forgiveness through research, education and service programs. KETC will use the grant’s funds to explore the concepts of love and forgiveness with segments of the Bosnian community. St. Louis has the largest Bosnian population outside of Europe. KETC hopes to open discussions within the estimated 50,000-member community by focusing on a shared love of heritage and culture, particularly through food, music, art and dance.

The three-year project will begin with an initial kickoff event, to be followed by a series of dialogues reaching more segments of the community. The project will be supported by Channel 9’s broadcast of three PBS documentaries—one per year—about love and forgiving. Joining KETC in implementing the St. Louis Campaign for Love and Forgiveness are partner organizations FOCUS St. Louis; Aria, a cultural group of young Bosnian professionals; the International Institute of St. Louis; the University of Missouri, St. Louis Public Policy Research Center; and the Southside Bosnian Services Collaborative.

St. Louis — August 25— One of Greater St. Louis’ most exciting children’s events, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, returns to Forest Park for its sixth year on September 30. KETC/Channel 9’s free family festival, packed with favorite PBS characters and fun things to do, will be held Saturday, September 30 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the golf driving range in Forest Park, located at Cricket Drive and Lindell Boulevard.

As in previous years, the highlight of the afternoon is the chance for young “celebrity watchers” to meet beloved PBS characters. Arthur, Clifford and Mr. McFeely from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood will be on hand to pose for photos with fans. Also attending this year will be Digit from Cyberchase, Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, and Maya and Miguel. Parents are advised to bring their own cameras or video equipment.

The five-acre site will be lined with many other entertainment options: giant inflatable toys, hands-on activity tents and stages for performers. When it’s time to take a break, families can visit the wide range of food and beverage vendors on site. Guests are welcome to bring their own lunch and snacks to enjoy in the shade of the picnic area. Parking is free. In the event of rain, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park will not be cancelled.

Primary support for Channel 9’s Arthur’s Picnic in the Park is provided by CitiGroup, The Little Gym, McCarthy, Delta Dental and Sigma-Aldrich. Additional support is provided by Fazio’s Frets &

July 19, 2006—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned two Awards of Excellence in the 18th annual APEX Awards for Publication Excellence competition. APEX is a national competition that this year drew 4,756 entries. Awards are based on design, content and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence.

KETC Guide editor Terri Gates, art director Matt Huelskamp and assistant editor Madalyn Painter won in the Magazines & Journals-Print category. KETC Guide is a bimonthly magazine that provides program listings, behind-the-scenes stories and station news to Channel 9’s members. The magazine, which has been a benefit of Channel 9 membership since the station’s beginnings in 1954, won APEX awards in 2000, 2001 and 2005; it has also won national PBS awards, Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists awards and a local Addy award.

Gates also won an APEX award in the Media Kit & News Release Writing category for the press kit launching the series House Calls With Dr. Valerie Walker.

“KETC is known for quality and excellence in the programming we broadcast, and this award demonstrates that quality and excellence are evident in every aspect of our organization,” said KETC Senior Vice President, COO & CFO Richard Skalski. “We are very proud of the winning work done by our communications staff.”

About KETC

KETC is one of the most-watched PBS-member television stations in the country. It provides the people of our region with educationally and culturally stimulating programs enhanced by community outreach and related services, including four digital channels: PBS HD, KETC Kids, analog Channel 9 and Create. Since its inception in 1954, the station has been providing quality and innovation in televsion programming, from thought-provoking national series and specials to locally produced programs distributed regionally and nationwide. Channel 9 continuously strives to maintain its rich legacy of serving the community through the broadcast of award-winning children's and educational programming; the broadcast of Emmy-winning series Living St. Louis and Donnybrook, now celebrating its 20th season; and extensive outreach activites. Program guides and more station information are available at www.ketc.org.

DENVER, CO -- PBS is this year's recipient of the ECS Corporate Award, which recognizes sustained commitment to and substantial investment in improving public education. The award will be given by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) on July 12, in Minneapolis, Minnesota as part of the ECS 2006 National Forum on Education Policy.

PBS and local PBS stations across the country are leading providers of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offer a broad array of other educational services. PBS reaches nearly 90 million people each week through its award-winning on-air and online content.

PBS President and CEO Paula A. Kerger said, "PBS and our local stations across the country are honored by this award from the Education Commission of the States, especially because it recognizes our array of formal education efforts and outreach initiatives, which are at the very core of public broadcasting's mission. On behalf of the millions of educators, parents, children and others who have benefited from these educational services, we want to thank ECS for this extraordinary recognition."

Among the services that helped PBS win the ECS Corporate Award:

· PBS TeacherSource (www.pbs.org/teachersource) helps preK-12 educators learn effective ways to incorporate media and technology in the classroom through nearly 4,000 free lesson plans, interactive activities, homeschooling guidance and other resources -- all correlated to national and state curriculum standards.

· Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, PBS TeacherLine (www.pbs.org/teacherline) provides high-quality professional teacher development through more than 90 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics, science, curriculum and instruction, and technology integration.

· Coming later this year is the new, comprehensive PBS Teachers site. This online destination will provide expanded resources for preK-12 educators, including searchable multimedia, blogs, extended personalization and expanded opportunities for teacher professional development.

PBS was chosen the No. 1 television and video resource for classroom programming in the country for the fourth year in a row in 2006, according to a survey conducted by Grunwald Associates. PBS extends the reach of its programming by distributing video products to schools, libraries and educational institutions throughout the United States and Canada.

Since 1969, PBS has consistently delivered award-winning programming to America's public television stations. From the ground-breaking drama and history of Masterpiece Theatre and Ken Burns' The Civil War, to the probing science of NOVA and such acclaimed children's programming as Sesame Street and Cyberchase, PBS continues to provide viewers with an unparalleled source of informative, enlightening and entertaining television and Internet programming and content services.

The ECS National Forum is the premier event for state policymakers and education leaders to share ideas and discuss problems and solutions to the most pressing education issues. This year's Forum features over 40 sessions on a variety of education topics: math and science education, the First Amendment and intelligent design, high school reform, national curriculum, educational technology, disaster preparedness, adult education, college financial aid and turning around low-performing schools. To see the detailed agenda for the National Forum on Education Policy, see www.ecs.org/NF2006 or call (303) 299-3600.

May 2, 2006 – Eight area children were chosen as winners of the 12th Annual Channel 9 Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. The contest was divided by age into four categories, and from each category two winners were selected, one for writing and one for illustrating. In addition, four children also received honorable mentions.

Friends, animals, pets, siblings and imaginative adventures turned out to be popular topics for the 523 young authors. Each child who entered received an invitation to a party sponsored by Channel 9 at The Magic House. The four first-place writers’ stories are posted on Channel 9’s Web site at www.ketc.org, as well as selections from the top illustrators. The winners will also appear in promotional spots to be broadcast on Channel 9 this summer.

The winners are:

KINDERGARTEN
Story Award The Best Treasure by Levi Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL.
Honorable Mention for Story Dinosaur Rumble by Luke Ritter, Ste. Genevieve, MO
Illustrator Award The Little Duckling, by Jordan Marie Avila, Arnold, MO
Honorable Mention for Illustrator The Changing Car by Whitney Weber, Florissant, MO

FIRST GRADE
Story Award An Adventure by Elisa Swanson, St. Peters, MO
Illustrators Award If I Were a Bee by Henry Workman, St. Louis, MO

SECOND GRADE
Story Award The Singing Champion by Olivia Y. Long, Frontenac, MO
Honorable Mention for Story Harry’s Home by Lydia Braun, Collinsville, IL
Honorable Mention for Story Hairballs Away by Micah Pinkley, Edwardsville, IL
Illustrators Award The Risk of Love by Zoelle Goff, Ballwin, MO

THIRD GRADE
Story Award Finding the Anticonible! by Rachel Dankner, St. Louis, MO
Illustrators Award Indigo’s Escape by Jessica Greer, Dardenne Prairie, MO

World-Renowned Soprano Christine Brewer on Channel 9’s Living St. Louis
Entire Half-Hour Program Devoted to the Opera Star From Southern Illinois

May 2, 2006—Southern Illinois native and world-famous opera star Christine Brewer is profiled on a special Living St. Louis episode to be broadcast on KETC/Channel 9 Monday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. Producer Ruth Ezell devotes the entire half-hour program to Brewer, exploring her life from birth through her extraordinary career.

Brewer, who has sung in every major opera house with stars including Placido Domingo and under the batons of conductors such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Masur and James Levine, still makes her home in Lebanon, Illinois. She was born in tiny Grand Tower, Illinois, and started off her adult life as a teacher. (Her husband is retiring this year as an eighth-grade history and geography teacher in Freeburg, Illinois.) In an interview, Brewer talks about her mother, who sang gospel, and her own career beginnings in the chorus of Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

Ezell follows Brewer to her February performance of Mozart’s Requiem with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and to ceremonies where she was presented with a St. Louis Arts Award. At Marissa (Illinois) Elementary School, where she used to teach, cameras show Brewer taking over the reins of a class to give an impromptu math lesson. She demonstrates that even world-renowned opera stars need to know basic math skills to accurately change currency while traveling from country to country.

“Christine Brewer is the antithesis of the stereotypical diva,” says Ezell. “She’s a hometown girl who made good—as good as it gets.”

The broadcast of Living St. Louis is supported by AT&T and Delta Dental.

April 26, 2006—After more than 40 years as the centerpiece of St. Louis, the Gateway Arch has become more than an icon of the city. KETC/Channel 9 explores what the Arch means and how the meaning has evolved over time in the half-hour documentary Monumental Reflections, which premieres Monday, June 5 at 8:00 p.m. (Repeats Tuesday, June 13 at 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, June 15 at 10:30 p.m.)

Framing the city with its simplicity, the Gateway Arch long ago became the symbol of the city. KETC producer Patrick Murphy takes a thoughtful approach in this documentary as he re-examines how the Arch has influenced our identity. He comments, “There have been a number of programs done about the Arch, but what I haven’t seen done is to ask the question: What does this monument mean? What was it supposed to mean and how has the meaning changed?”

Monumental Reflections shows the Arch from various perspectives, both visually and socially. Viewers will see the Arch from Cahokia at sunrise, and as it reflects in the glass buildings downtown. Murphy traveled to Michigan to gain insight on Arch designer Eero Saarinen, and to Oklahoma to talk with the chief of the Osage Indians about the Arch as a gateway West. Other people interviewed include a civil rights activist, construction workers who helped build the Arch, artists, architects and historians. Each interviewee shares a unique perspective of this seemingly simple structure.

“There really is a variety of different ways that we can interpret this world-class monument that’s sitting right in our front yard,” says Murphy. “The simplicity of the design allows people who experience it today, and a thousand years from now, to assign their own meaning to it.”

For viewers who don’t want to wait for the broadcast premiere of Monumental Reflections, there will be a public preview screening of the documentary at the Missouri Historical Society, Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park, on May 25 at 7:00 p.m. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion.

April 21, 2006 — KETC/Channel 9 announced this week that it received a grant for $14,330 from the Monsanto Fund to create and implement workshops to train early childhood educators in science literacy. Working in partnership with Urban League Head Start, KETC’s education department will base the workshops on the station’s early childhood services’ “view-read-do” instruction model and the PBS children’s science series It’s a Big Big World. KETC will provide educators, parents and caregivers with ongoing training and resources so that they can use the series’ curriculum to engage high-risk and high-need children in understanding and appreciating science and the role it plays in the world.

“Thanks to the Monsanto Fund, we are now able to begin an education process that will reach and benefit hundreds of children in metropolitan St. Louis,” said KETC Vice President of Education Services Amy Shaw. “With the combined resources of Urban League Head Start and KETC, we will be able to foster science literacy and joy of scientific discovery in young children.”

March 8, 2006 — KETC/Channel 9 explores the condition of health care in Missouri in Remaking Missouri Medicine, a four-part series broadcast in April. The first two half-hour episodes air Friday, April 7 at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; the following week, on April 14, the series concludes with the final two episodes at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (The series repeats Sundays, April 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 4:30 p.m.)

Each half-hour program focuses on a different challenge facing those dealing with medical issues. Through interviews with real patients, doctors, hospital personnel and other health care professionals, Remaking Missouri Medicine explores advances being made to improve the quality of patient care. The program travels throughout the state to include best-practice examples from rural and urban locations.

Program one looks at how advances in information technology help manage chronic diseases. For example, Electronic Medical Records reduce paperwork in busy doctor offices, and home monitors keep patients comfortable in familiar surroundings while making sure doctors and nurses have instant access to patients’ vital signs. The second program shows two progressive facilities for seniors who need assistance: an adult day care center in South St. Louis and a newly redesigned nursing home in Kansas City.

The third half-hour focuses on improving patient care in hospitals with visits to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and 40-bed Sac-Osage Hospital in Osceola. The final program explores how to provide access to health care for everyone. A partial solution in St. Louis city involves clinics; elsewhere, a group of Washington University medical students are part of a pilot program to teach kids in low-income neighborhoods how to stay healthy.

Remaking Missouri Medicine will be broadcast on all Missouri public television stations and is a prequel to Remaking American Medicine, a national PBS documentary coming this fall. The local series and a companion education campaign are both funded by a grant from Primaris, a non-profit health care consulting firm focused on improving the quality of health care in Missouri. The four Remaking Missouri Medicine episodes will be streamed on www.ketc.org beginning after the April broadcast; information and resources on quality health care will also be available online at that time.

February 20, 2006 — The East Village Opera Company, an innovative band from New York City that fuses rock with classic opera arias, will debut their first television special, produced by KETC/Channel 9, in March. East Village Opera Company will be broadcast on Channel 9 on Saturday, March 11 at 8:00 p.m. [Editors: wide variety of electronic photos available upon request.]

The hour-long concert special was videotaped over two evenings in February before a live audience in Channel 9’s studio. The production used six digital cameras to capture the immediacy of the performance, as well as the energy and passion of the musicians and singers. Audience members were instantly captivated by the power of the experience. “I was blown away by their performance and am eagerly awaiting the airing of the special,” said one spectator. “I have instantly become a huge fan of the band.”

By reinventing classic opera arias and turning them into rock anthems, The East Village Opera Company defies categorization. Co-founded by multi-instrumentalist and arranger Peter Kiesewalter and lead vocalist Tyley Ross, the duo launched the idea of reinterpreting classical music’s greatest arias by combining the musicianship of a powerhouse rock band and a string quartet. The 11-member group, comprised of hip, funky performers playing violins, electric guitars, keyboards, bass and drums, belts out a repertoire that includes Mozart, Puccini, Verdi and Bizet.

“I don’t take these tunes lightly,” Kiesewalter told the Boston Herald. “I really try to maintain the integrity of the aria and present it in its entirety and try to imagine how it might be done these days if the composer were alive.”

The performers appearing in East Village Opera Company are Peter Kiesewalter, composer, keyboards; Tyley Ross, vocalist; AnnMarie Milazzo, female vocalist; Ben Butler, guitar; Thad DeBrock , guitar; Richard Hammond, bass; Jeff Lipstein, drums; Pauline Kim, first violin; Hiroko Taguchi, second violin; Entela Barci, viola; and Christine Kim, cello.

KETC/Channel 9 Offers Seniors Help With New Medicare Plan

Medicare: Choose or Lose Explains the Choices Involved ni Medicare Prt D's Prescription Drug Plan

February 20, 2006--Seniors and their families who have questions about the new Medicare prescription drug benefit can find answers by watching Medicare: Choose or Lose, an hour-long KETC/Channel 9 special broadcast Thursday, March 2 at 9:00 p.m. To ensure maximum accessibility, it will be repeated Saturday, March 4 at 2:00 a.m.; Tuesday, March 14 at 9:00 p.m. and Thursday, March 16 at 2:00 a.m.

Medicare: Choose or Lose, hosted by Patrick Murphy, will present easy-to-follow assistance to anyone trying to figure out the pros and cons of Medicare Part D (also known as Medicare Rx). Although the plan started on January 1, 2006, the first enrollment deadline is May 15; until that date, people who are already enrolled in one type of coverage may still change to a different type.

Medicare: Choose or Lose will answer the most frequently asked questions about Medicare Part D and talk to pharmacists, health care providers, insurance representatives and others who know the most about how the plan will affect seniors in different circumstances. The hour-long program will discuss problems with Medicare Rx, who benefits from the plan, why it was created, what choices seniors had before Medicare Rx took effect, how to choose a coverage plan, what questions to ask before choosing, and what happens if you're not enrolled by the deadline.

The only way to register for Medicare Part D is online, and Medicare: Choose or Lose will demonstrate how that works as a representative from the Mideast Area Agency on Aging sits down next to Ruth Ezell at a computer to walk her through the process.

For more information about Medicare Part D., viewers can visit Channel 9's Web site at www.ketc.org/productions/medicare.asp.

Medicare: Choose or Lose is directed by Anne-Marie Berger, with individual segments produced by Channel 9's Living St. Louis team members Jim Kirchherr, Anne-Marie Berger and Ruth Ezell.

Once Again, Study Finds PBS Programming an Excellent Use of Tax Dollars

Alexandria, Va., February 13, 2006 - For the third consecutive year, a Roper Public Affairs & Media poll shows Americans consider PBS the nation's most trusted institution among nationally known organizations. The non-partisan, international research company released the comprehensive results from its national opinion survey, which was conducted to gauge the attitudes of Americans towards PBS and other major national institutions, including courts of law and commercial broadcast television networks.

According to the study's 1,000 randomly selected participants from across the country, Americans also believe PBS provides the second best use of tax dollars, following only military defense. The public ranks PBS programming the most important, compared with commercial and cable television, and considers PBS news and public affairs series the most trustworthy. These findings are consistent with the two previous nationwide studies.

"Once again, this comprehensive survey shows that Americans highly value PBS and respect it as a servant of the public trust," said Roper Senior Vice President Ed Bergstein. "It appears that with all the recent expressions of cynicism that have been directed towards much of the media, PBS has remained above the fray."

"This is the third year that Roper has conducted this annual national survey, and again the American people have said that PBS is an important national resource," said Wayne Godwin, Interim CEO of PBS. "The public's trust in the value of PBS is our greatest asset. We are grateful for their support and will continue to do all we can to earn it each and every day."

Angela Pearson Joins KETC/Channel 9 Staff as Director of Planned Giving

Financial and Estate-Planning Expert Offers KETC Supporters Advice and Options for Leaving a Legacy

February 14, 2006--KETC/Channel 9 recently announced the appointment of Angela Pearson to the staff as director of planned giving. Pearson will be responsible for identifying and advising donors who are interested in including KETC in their estate plans.

Pearson, a resident of Florissant, comes to KETC from U.S. Bank Private Client Group, where she served as vice president of the charitable services group. While there she advised not-for-profit organizations on managing financial assets, and developing and expanding their planned giving programs. She also oversaw the daily administration of a variety of charitable trusts and private foundations. In a volunteer role, she served two years on KETC's Legacy 9 planned giving committee, as well as on the planned giving committees of Ronald McDonald House and Ranken Technical College.

Previsouly, Pearson worked as a paralegal specializing in estate planning and probate in the law offices of Stephen G. Bell.

Pearson has an M.B.A. from Fontbonne University and earned credentials as a Certified Trust Financial Advisor (CTFA) from the Institute of Certified Bankers. She is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the St. Louis Planned Giving Council and the National Committee on Planned Giving.

"Angela's skill, knowledge and planned giving experience represent a tremendous asset both to Channel 9 and to our members," said Senior Vice President, COO and CFO Richard Skalski. "Her expertise is a great resource for donors and will help the station continue to serve our community for many generations to come."

Channel 9 Reprises First Donnybrook Episode to Celebrate Show's 20th Season

February Broadcast Kicks Off a Year of Commemorations

January 24, 2006—The animated cartoon that begins each show looks the same, but viewers who tune in a special Donnybrook broadcast on February 2 will definitely notice some changes. Provocateur Martin Duggan's face is fuller, Ray Hartmann's hair is longer and wavy, Mark Vittert and Bill McClellan show no signs of gray, and the set looks like a cross between a Wild West saloon and a techno dance club.

What is going on?

The normal Thursday night episode of Donnybrook on February 2 at 7:00 p.m. will be followed at 7:30 p.m. by the broadcast of the very first Donnybrook, which originally aired on January 7, 1987. (Donnybrook...Your Turn will be preempted on February 2.) This special Donnybrook first-episode reprise kicks off a year-long celebration commemorating the popular series' 20th season, and leads up to Donnybrook's 20th anniversary in January 2007. Initial celebration plans include a DonnyBash live broadcast from The Sheldon Concert Hall on April 6, with additional DonnyBash later in the year. Details will be announced as they become available.

The first Donnybrook episode features Duggan and regular panelists Hartmann, Vittert, McClellan and Rick Koster. They spend about eight minutes dicussing whether the football Cardinals will get a new stadium in St. Louis or possibly move to Phoenix. Duggan also provokes the Donnybrook crew to discuss whether an employer has the right to ban smoking; whether dick Gephardt or Patrick Buchanan can be considered serious presidential candidates; whether St. Louis can support two dialy newspapers; and whether public money should be used to rehabilitate the Admiral excursion boat. At one point Duggan explains, "For the benefit of our viewwers, there are no rules on this program, but I'll make some up as we go along." Later in the discussion about the White House, Koster cracks, "Hartmann is Buchanan without a sense of humor."

Regarding Donnybrook's tenure as the highest-rated local public television series in the country, Duggan says today that he never anticipated that the show would be on the air for 20 years. "We enjoyed the rapport and being a good team," he says. "A woman in church congratulated me the other day for Donnybrook being 'informative and entertaining,' and that's what we strive to be."

The current Donnybrook cast is comprised of Duggan, Hartmann, McClellan, Charlie Brennan and Wendy Wiese. Donnybrook is locally supported by Eagle Bank. Donnybrook...Your Turn is locally supported by Sorkins Directories.

Channel 9's Living St. Louis Devotes Entire Show to Scott Air Force Base Musicians

Three Scott A.F.B. Musical Groups Are Featured in Half-Hour Special

January 20, 2006--Although it's famous for flying and military logistics, Scott Air Force Base is also home to an impressive group of musicians. They are the focus of an upcoming episode of KETC/Channel 9's magazine series Living St. Louis, which airs Monday-Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The half-hour Scott Air Force Base program will be broadcast January 30 at 7:00 p.m. and rebroadcast February 5 at 4:30 p.m.

Since September, producer Ruth Ezell has been following the musical men and women of Scott A.F.B. as they've given concerts throughout Missouri and Illinois. Three groups at Scott represent various musical styles: the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America plays everything from military anthems to classical pieces; Starlifter concentrates on pop music; and Shades of Blue is a jazz ensemble. The half-hour program includes interviews with captain and conductor Don Shofield, as well as with current and former band members.

"These service members carry out a mission that's crucial to boosting morale and spreading goodwill," said producer Ezell. "Their profesiionalism and love of what they do has shown consistently through the months I've followed them. This special shows why military music groups will always be relevant during war and peace."

Young Writers Gear Up for the Channel 9 12th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest

Eight Winners Will Be Chosen; All Entrants Will Be Invited to Prize Party at Magic House

January 5, 2006—Children in kindergarten through third grade are invited to submit their own original stories for the Channel 9 12th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. The popular contest not only helps strengthen children's reading skills, but also encourages them to express their ideas through stories using words and pictures.

Last year, the contest attracted over 600 entries from the St. Louis area. Entries will be judged by local teachers and librarians in April. Each child who enters the contest will be invited to a party sponsored by Channel 9 on May 7 at the Magic House children's museum in Kirkwood.

One winner will be chosen from each of the four grade levels. As part of the prize package, the winning authors will be videotaped reading their stories for broadcast on Channel 9. their stories will also be posted on KETC's Web site. An additional winner from each category will also be chosen based on the quality of illustrations that must accompany all stories. Winning illustrations will be posted on KETC's Web site, too.

The contest begins January 30. All entries must be postmarked no later than March 17. Entry forms are available at Bradburn's Parent Teacher Stores; online; at local libraries and schools; and by calling Channel 9's contest coordinator Sydney Meyer at (314) 512-9137.

Local Boy Wins National Cyberchase Online Contest

Jared Edwards of Florissant Used Online Clues to Solve Mystery

December 22, 2005—Cyberchase fan Jared Edwards of Florissant used his detective skills to solve an online mystery and win a first-place prize in the third-annual Cyberchase Online Contest. Edwards, age 6 1/2 and a student at Commons Lane elementary School in the Ferguson-Florissant district, will receive a collection of Cyberchase prizes from Flying Minds. The math-mystery cartoon can be seen daily on KETC/Channel 9 at 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. beginning January 2). A list of the top 11 winners can be found at Cyberchase Online, pbskidsgo.org/cyberchase.

"We're happy that a Channel 9 viewer successfully used his math skills to follow the clues to become a winner," said KETC Senior vice President, COO and CFO Richard Skalski. "We're proud to offer Cyberchase to young viewers throughout Greater St. Louis."

By determining that the wily character Baskerville was Hacker's accomplice in stealing the key to the Castleblanca power station in an online mystery, Edwards became one of ten first-prize winners in the contest. There was also one grand-prize winner, Claudio Duarte of Newark, New Jersey, and 350 second prize winners.

"Jared started watching Cyberchase when he was four," said Jared's mother, Sue Bradford Edwards. "It definitely has helped with his math skills; he works ahead of his class. Cyberchase explains math concepts well and makes my job a lot easier."

Since its premiere in 2002, Cyberchase has used humor, action and mystery to show kids that math can be fun and that everyone can be good at it. The award-winning series for kids ages 7-11featurs a team of curious characters who outwit and outsmart the ultimate bad guy--Hacker (Christopher Lloyd)--as he tries to take over Cyberspace. "Cyberchase is an excellent tool for shaping a child's interest in mathematics and problem solving," said Amy Shaw, KETC vice president for education services.

KETC/Channel 9 Special Explores Local Education Issues

Crisis in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap Looks at Efforts to Ensure Access to a Quality Education Across Greater St. Louis

November 7, 2005—The difference in test scores between white and non-white students in metropolitan St. Louis will be the focus of Crisis in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap, a half-hour program produced by KETC/Channel 9. The special will air Thursday, November 10 at 8:30 p.m.

Crisis in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap is the result of KETC's partnership with FOCUS St. Louis and education leaders from throughout the community to identify issues that create opportunities for all children, from preschool to college, to have equal access to a quality education. KETC's Ruth Ezell will host a panel discussion featuring Creg E. Williams, Ed.D., superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools; Madye Henson, education committee chair for the St. Louis Black Leadership Roundtable; and John Oldani, executive director of Cooperating School Districts. The group will talk about the Black Leadership Roundtable's five-year effort to close the achievement gap, and the progress being made by St. Louis Public Schools and all the public school districts in the area.

The program will also feature a visit to Beaumont High School to meet a young woman whose talent and commitment to education has put her in a select leadership training group designed to help improve student performance and close the achievement gap.

Crisis in Education: Closing the Achievement Gap is produced by Jennifer Roller for KETC.

KETC/Channel 9 Earns Three Emmy Awards

Channel 9's Living St. Louis and St. Louis Walk of Fame Volume II Are Big Winners

Nov. 2, 2005—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis' public television station, earned three Emmy Awards from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Television Academy, it was announced at ceremonies in St. Louis on Saturday, October 29.

The magazine series Living St. Louis, which won two Emmys last year in its first season, again won two awards. The program's executive producer Patrick Murphy won in the Program Feature Cultural/Historical category for his piece on Principia College. Producer Margie Newman won in the Program Feature Arts/Performing Arts category for her profile of Italy-based St. Louis gospel singer Sybil Smoot.

St. Louis Walk of Fame Volume II won in the Special category. The hour-long documentary looks at the stories of people whose names are on University City's Walk of Fame, and features segments produced by Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell, Jim Kirchherr, Patrick Murphy and Margie Newman.

"I'm proud that this small but dedicated staff of producers can tell the stories of the region so well. It's gratifying that the Academy recognizes our efforts," said Vice President of Production Patrick Murphy.

Kay Porter Joins KETC/Channel 9 Staff in New Development Position

Proposals and Grants Specialist Will Help Coordinate Station's Fundraising and Community Service Efforts

November 2, 2005—KETC/Channel 9 recently announced the appointment of Kay Porter to the newly created position of Proposals and Grants Specialist. She will be responsible for further developing KETC's community service initiatives.

"The station's mission is to make Greater St. Louis a better place to live and work," said KETC's Executive Vice President of Development and Community Partnerships Dean Orton. "Our media resources enable us to engage more than 700,000 area residents each day, placing us in a unique position to generate effective partnerships with community leaders and organizations. The wealth of experience and knowledge Kay Porter brings to Channel 9 will certainly help us succeed in creating partnerships that will benefit the St. Louis region."

Porter has built a career in St. Louis in Communications, marketing, strategic planning, publications and fundraising. She comes to KETC from the Saint Louis Art Museum, where she worked for 16 years in public relations, community relations, communications, marketing and special projects. While there, she served as the museum's spokesperson, managed the quarterly membership magazine, promoted the museum nationally and internationally and served as a liaison to community partners, in addition to many other accomplishments.

Porter is also currently a member of Webster University's adjunct faculty as an educator in the school's graduate arts management program. Previously, Porter has worked as the director of public relations at Maryville University and in public relations at Washington University's Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology.

Porter, a Brentwood resident, has a B.A. in English and French from the University of North Alabama-Florence, and an M.A. in art education from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Press Club Names KETC and KWMU its Media Honorees of the Year

Stations to be the toast of the town Nov. 1 at annual Press Club scholarship dinner and roast

Oct. 6, 2005—The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis has named KETC-TV and KWMU-FM, our region’s two nationally affiliated public broadcasting stations, as the 2005 Media Honorees of the Year for their outstanding contributions to communications excellence.

Juanita Hinshaw, chair of the board of trustees of KETC/Channel 9, and Patricia Wente, director and general manager of 90.7 KWMU-FM, will accept the awards on behalf of their stations during the Press Club’s 17th annual scholarship dinner and roast Nov. 1 at the Sheraton Westport Chalet.

The event, themed “Let’s Go Public!” begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by the 6:30 p.m. dinner and roast. Wendy Wiese, co-host of KTRS’ morning drive show, will serve as the master of ceremonies.

Proceeds will fund Press Club journalism/communications scholarships, internships and professional development programs, as well as help preserve the media archives in the downtown St. Louis Public Library.

“In keeping with our longstanding tradition, it will be a night for giving well-deserved recognition mixed with good-natured fun,” said Linda Mantle, editor of the St. Louis Jewish Light and chairperson of the event.

The cost is $125 per person. To make reservations or for information on sponsorship tables, call Glenda Partlow, the Press Club’s executive director, at (314) 241-6397.

Previous award recipients—both individual and corporate — are the late Joseph Pulitzer Jr., the late Alfred Fleishman, the late Robert F. Hyland, Bob Broeg, the late Bob Burnes, Mary Kimbrough, Julius Hunter, Bob Costas, Karen Foss, Martin Duggan, Ray Hartmann, Bill McClellan, Charles Brennan, Wendy Wiese, Bill Wilkerson, Charlene Sherman Bry, Karen Carroll, Dick Ford, the late Greg Freeman, Mike Bush, Bernie Miklasz and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Hinshaw said, “Channel 9 has been providing quality public TV programs since l954, and this significant honor from the Press Club is a truly splendid recognition of everything we’ve accomplished over the past 50 years. We are enormously grateful to the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis for including KETC in their roster of top-notch media. We’re proud to be a member of this exclusive group.”

Hinshaw added that KETC/Channel 9, the local affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service, is one of the most-watched public television stations in the country and is known for its educationally and culturally stimulating programs.

Over the last half-century, St. Louisans have grown up with Channel 9, from watching programs like “Sesame Street” as children through “NOVA,” “Masterpiece Theater” and the Emmy Award-winning “Living St. Louis” as adults. The station provides quality programming at every age through its original local, regional and national broadcasts and thought-provoking television prime-time specials.

The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, originally known as The Catfish Club, is a professional, social and charitable organization of people who make, cover and influence the news. It is an “umbrella” organization for communications professionals who work in print and electronic media, public relations and advertising.

The annual Media Honorees of the Year event, which recognizes an outstanding individual or organization for contributions to our region’s communications field, is the club’s main fundraiser.

KETC/Channel 9 Wins Three PBS Development Awards

October 10, 2005—KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned three PBS Development Awards at the 2005 Development Conference held this year in San Diego. All public television stations are eligible for the awards, which celebrate success, innovation and best practices in 11 categories.

The winners are:

• Channel 9’s food-tasting evening KETC Presents L’Ecole Culinaire’s Taste of the Originals won in the Special Fundraising Events category.
• The station’s multifaceted, year-long 50th anniversary celebration won in the Cultivation and Stewardship category.
• KETC’s new planned giving program received an honorable mention in the Planned Giving category

“This record number of wins is a credit to our dedicated staff, volunteers and community supporters,” said KETC Executive Vice President Dean Orton. “Each award signifies a team effort across many departments throughout the station to realize new fundraising paradigms to ensure Channel 9’s financial health.”

KETC/Channel 9 Earns Eight Emmy Nominations

September 23, 2005 — KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned eight Emmy Award nominations from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Television Academy, it was announced in St. Louis on Thursday, September 22.

Garnering the most nominations for the station was Living St. Louis, a magazine series that debuted in January 2004. Living St. Louis earned six nominations in four categories: public affairs, program feature cultural/historical, program feature art/performing arts and magazine program. Two KETC specials were also nominated: Because of Your: 50 Years of Channel 9 and St. Louis Walk of Fame.

The complete list of nominations and categories is as follows:
Magazine Program: Living St. Louis (producers Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell, Jim Kirchherr, Patrick Murphy)
Special: Because of You: 50 Years of Channel 9 (producer Patrick Murphy, editor Brian Holder) and St. Louis Walk of Fame (producers Anne-Marie Berger, Ruth Ezell, Jim Kirchherr, Patrick Murphy, Margie Newman)
Program Feature Public Affairs: Living St. Louis: Warehouse (producer Jim Kirchherr)
Program Feature Cultural/Historical: Living St. Louis: Principia (producer Patrick Murphy) and
Living St. Louis: David Francis in Russia (producer Jim Kirchherr)
Program Feature - Arts/Performing Arts: Living St. Louis: Johnnie Johnson (producer Anne-Marie Berger) and Living St. Louis: Sybil Smoot (producer Margie Newman)

“We are very excited by this recognition,” said KETC Vice President of Production Patrick Murphy. “They say it’s an honor to be nominated, and they’re right. We put our heart and soul into the television we create, and it’s satisfying that our peers recognize the success of our efforts.”

The Emmy Award winners will be announced on Saturday, October 29.

KETC/Channel 9 Announces Resignation of James Baum, CEO and President

September 20, 2005 --The KETC Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of CEO and President James Baum. He will remain in a consultative role, to Board of Trustees Chair Juanita Hinshaw, during the transition.

Baum joined KETC in 2002 and has since helped KETC excel in the areas of local programming and education, specifically in producing the award winning “Living St. Louis” and in developing the station’s involvement in the digital classroom.

The KETC board of trustees will convene a nationwide search for a new president to continue to achieve results against the station’s goal of improving the viewer experience. The trustees will consider executive candidates with and without public broadcasting experience to ensure that the most innovative, community focused leaders are identified to lead KETC as it seeks to meet specific goals:
• Increase awareness of KETC as an important education resource to the St. Louis metropolitan region
• Reduce reliance on on-air fund drives
• Encourage viewers to become members
• Diversify the funding base for the station

The station was recently recognized as the second-most-watched public television station in the country – outperforming most other major U.S. broadcast markets.

“The board of trustees is grateful for James’ accomplishments,” said Hinshaw. “We have incredible confidence in the senior staff of KETC and I personally look forward to working with them to bring an ever-improving education and entertainment product to the St. Louis community.”

While a search is conducted, KETC will be led by Hinshaw, recently retired as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Graybar who serves as chair of the KETC Board of Trustees; Jacquelyn Dezort, board treasurer; and John McClure, former board chair. Both Dezort and McClure become co-vice chairs of KETC during the interim. Richard Skalski, KETC’s senior vice president and chief financial officer, will manage day-to-day operations for the station.

KETC/Channel 9 President Chosen for National Board

KETC President and CEO James Baum Joins Executive Committee of National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA)

August 24, 2005 — James Baum, president and CEO of KETC/Channel 9, the St. Louis public television station, was selected to serve a two-year term as an executive committee member of the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) board of directors for fiscal year 2006. The announcement was made at the board’s recent meeting in Richmond, Virginia.

NETA is a professional association based in Columbia, South Carolina. It serves public television licensees and educational entities in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by providing quality programming, educational resources, professional development, management support and national representation.

“I am delighted and proud to be serving on the board of this excellent public broadcasting institution,” said Baum. “Channel 9 has broadcast many fine NETA programs over the years, such as Ciao Italia and the upcoming series The Piano Guy. NETA also served as the national distributor of KETC’s own Breaking Bread With Father Dominic. I look forward to continuing the tradition of quality programming from NETA.”

John Hesse, general manager of HoustonPBS, was elected board chair. John King, president/CEO of Vermont Public Television was elected vice chair/chair elect. Peter Frid, CEO/general manager of New Hampshire Public Television, will serve as treasurer and Julie Andersen, executive director of South Dakota Public Broadcasting, will serve as secretary. The other executive committee member is Tom Axtell, general manager of KLVX/Las Vegas.

KETC/Channel 9 Names Kent Samul Production Manager

Veteran Broadcaster Brings National Experience as Producer and Director to Station

August 24, 2005 — KETC/Channel 9 recently announced the appointment of St. Louis television veteran Kent Samul to the position of production manager. He is responsible for all production activities and operations for KETC, as well as for the station’s VideoNine television production service.

For over 25 years, Samul, a resident of Ballwin, has built a career as an award-winning television producer and director working for Laclede Communications, LK Communications, Anheuser-Busch Sports Marketing/Bud Sports and his own company, Samulcast, Inc. He has specialized in producing/directing live music and sports events for organizations including the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Rams, the St. Louis Blues, the Kansas City Royals, ESPN, Turner Sports Network, the LPGA/PGA, HBO Productions, Fox Sports, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and KSDK. For Channel 9, he has directed the nationally syndicated series Breaking Bread With Father Dominic and the special Cowboys and Kids.

“We are lucky to get someone of Kent’s caliber to join Channel 9’s production department,” said Vice President of Engineering and Operations Chrys Marlow. “His level of expertise and professionalism benefits the entire station and our VideoNine clients.”

Samul has a B.A. in mass communication and psychology from the University of Houston.

Arthur’s Picnic in the Park Returns to Forest Park on October 1

Channel 9’s Free Family Event Features Favorite PBS Characters, Entertainment,
Food and Fun

August 22 — One of Greater St. Louis’ most exciting children’s events, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park, returns to Forest Park for its fifth year on October 1. KETC/Channel 9’s free family festival, packed with favorite PBS characters and fun things to do, will be held Saturday, October 1 from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the golf driving range in Forest Park, located at Cricket Drive and Lindell Boulevard.

As in previous years, Arthur, Clifford, Mr. McFeely from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and other beloved PBS characters will be on hand to pose for photos with fans. Parents are advised to bring their own cameras or video equipment to capture these special, one-on-one moments.

More than a dozen family-friendly entertainments will be available. Kids can literally throw themselves on giant inflatable mazes and slides, then sit with their parents to watch performers and musicians on stage, or listen as a book is read to them. Kids can exercise their creativity at hands-on activity tents, where they can make and send a postcard to Arthur’s friend Buster, create a passport book for autographs, or help build a real dog house with Bob the Builder.

When it’s time to take a break, families can visit the wide range of food and beverage vendors on site—of course, guests are welcome to bring their own lunch and snacks to enjoy in the shade of the picnic area. Nutrition-conscious moms and dads can purchase picnic lunches at the Happy Healthy Monster Market. Funnel cakes, PBS character cookies by Batter Up! Cookies and Fitz’s Root Beer will be available too.

Parking is free. In the event of rain, Arthur’s Picnic in the Park will not be cancelled.

Channel 9’s Arthur’s Picnic in the Park is supported by Korte, CitiGroup, Lord & Taylor, The Little Gym, McCarthy, Sigma-Aldrich, Farmers Insurance Group, FasTracKids, Borders, Fazio’s Frets and Friends, Batter Up! Cookies, Mid-America Coffee Service, L’Ecole Culinaire and Fitz’s Root Beer.

KETC/Channel 9 Promotes Five Members of Leadership Team

Senior Executives Recognized for Success of Station With Promotions

August 10, 2005 — KETC/Channel 9 announced today the promotion of five of the station’s senior executives: Dean Orton, Richard Skalski, Patricia Kistler, Chrys Marlow and Patrick Murphy. [Editors: High-res photo available via e-mail. Call (314) 512-9036.]

“These are the leaders of public television in St. Louis,” said KETC President and CEO James Baum. “The direction and experience they bring to the station have reinforced Channel 9’s position as a community asset. We are among the top three most-watched PBS stations in the country, we are recognized for our award-win-ning local programming, and we are in the vanguard of technical achievement. The continuing success of this organization is directly related to this leadership team, and these promotions recognize their achievements.”

Executive Vice President Dean Orton joined KETC in 2002 as senior vice president of development and community partnerships. Orton is responsible for directing development and outreach operations including managing all fundraising activities and assisting in the development of strategic community partnerships. Previously, Orton served as interim president and chief executive officer for WLVT, the PBS station in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dick Skalski was promoted from vice president and chief financial officer of KETC. He is responsible for KETC's fiscal and administrative affairs, including preparation of annual operating budgets, financial statements and forecasts, and human resource management. He is a licensed CPA and a member of the Missouri Society of CPAs (MSCPA). He has an MBA in finance from Suffolk University in Boston.

Vice President of Programming Patricia Kistler was previously chief program executive. She has more than 30 years of television industry experience, including 26 years with KETC, and has received PBS’ Golden Grid Award for innovation and achievement in programming. She is responsible for creating and distributing KETC's broadcast schedule, overseeing programming for suitability and compliance with FCC regulations, and planning membership drives. She is a member of the Public Television Programmers’ Association (PTPA) and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).

Vice President of Engineering and Operations Chrys Marlow, previously director of engineering and operations, oversees all technology at the station, including the engineering, production, operations and IT departments. Since joining KETC in 1985, Marlow has held a number of positions, including maintenance engineer and senior editor. His background includes over 30 years in television.

Vice President of Production Patrick Murphy, formerly executive producer, is responsible for the development, content and presentation of programs produced by the station. He is the executive producer and co-creator of the multi-award-winning KETC series Living St. Louis.

KETC Is Among Top Three Most-Watched PBS Stations in the Country

Most Recent Ratings Show Channel 9 Outperforms Major Markets Including New York, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles

July 15, 2005—Of the 58 metered markets, KETC/Channel 9 ranked in the top three among all PBS stations in both prime and full-day gross rating points in a report issued in July by the A.C. Nielsen company. KETC’s ratings increased 1.5 percent in prime and 8 percent in full-day over last year. A gross rating point is the total number of ratings points in a given period, in this case, during May. A single point represents 11,000 households. KETC is regularly ranked among the top five PBS stations in the country.

The top five PBS stations during June were:
 
FULL DAY PRIME TIME
Portland Portland
Phoenix Minneapolis
St. Louis St. Louis
Dallas Phoenix
Minneapolis San Diego
 
KETC had a total of 3,051 gross ratings points for June. In comparison to other major cities, Boston had 1,411; Miami reached 1,318; and Louisville had 688. Channel 9’s 10 top-rated shows during that period were: Antiques Roadshow, Donnybrook, Donnybrook…Your Turn, This Old House, Nova, Under St. Louis, Secrets of the Dead, Jacques Pepin: Fast Food My Way, Ask This Old House and American Masters: Cary Grant: A Class Apart.

“Channel 9’s consistently good performance reflects the success of our program scheduling and the fact that viewers in this community are eager for and supportive of quality programming,” said KETC Chief Program Executive Patricia Kistler.

KETC/Channel 9 Wins Two APEX Awards

Station’s KETC Guide Magazine and Web Site Are Honored for Communications Excellence in National Competition

July 11--KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned two Awards of Excellence in the 17th annual APEX Awards for Publication Excellence competition. APEX is a national competition that this year drew nearly 5,000 entries. Awards are based on design, content and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence. KETC Guide editor Terri Gates, assistant editor Madalyn Painter and art director Jennifer Snyder won in the Magazines & Journals-Printed category. KETC Guide is a bimonthly magazine that provides program listings, behind-the-scenes stories and station news to Channel 9’s 40,000 members. The magazine, which has been a benefit of Channel 9 membership since the station’s beginnings in 1954, won APEX awards in 2000 and 2001; it has also won national PBS awards, Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists awards and a local Addy award.

Painter also won for her work on Channel 9’s Web site, www.ketc.org, in the Web Sites category. The Web site, which was redesigned last year, offers links to program schedules, community events, educational services and other station information. The site gets approximately 40,000 unique visitors per month. The most visited part of the site is the community events calendar. The TV schedule, kids’ sections and Living St. Louis video archive are also very popular.

“KETC is truly a multimedia organization, and these awards show that every diverse communication endeavor we undertake reflects the same high quality,” said KETC President and CEO James Baum. “Whether it’s through broadcast television, video, the Internet, or publications, the citizens of this region can count on Channel 9 for content that educates, engages and inspires. We are very proud of the excellent work done by our communications staff.”

KETC Receives Grant From Norman J. Stupp Foundation-Commerce Bank Trustee

Grant Will Fund KETC’s Ready To Learn Early Childhood Services

July 8--KETC/Channel 9 announced this week that it received a grant from the Norman J. Stupp Foundation-Commerce Bank Trustee to help fund KETC’s ongoing early childhood education initiatives. Each year Channel 9’s education team teaches over 5,000 parents, caregivers and educators in metropolitan St. Louis how to help children develop key reading skills.

The grant will be used to purchase books and educational materials that will be given free of charge to workshop participants. The research-based methodology used in the trainings teaches adults to view segments of Channel 9’s free educational programming with children, then turn the TV set off to do a hands-on activity and read a book related to the program’s theme. These workshops help adults use television wisely, develop children’s learning skills and prepare children to read. A 2003 impact study conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., under contract with PBS, demonstrated the efficacy of these workshops: Six months after attending a workshop, 57 percent of parents were still reading to their children at least once a day, and 42 percent were regularly implementing the View-Read-Do learning model with children.

“The Norman J. Stupp Foundation and Commerce Bank as trustee are committed to supporting organizations like KETC that are both key cultural institutions as well as unique regional assets,” said Commerce Bank Assistant Vice President, Charitable Contributions Joelle Nicole Taylor. “These organizations help to strengthen the St. Louis region. Furthermore, we realize that the future of our region is directly tied to the future of our youth. By supporting KETC’s education programs, the foundation is able to help disadvantaged youth overcome barriers to success and realize their potential.”

“We are enormously grateful for this opportunity,” said KETC Vice President of Education Services Amy Shaw. “Through partnerships like this one with civic-minded companies, KETC is able to expand the educational reach of our programming and make our community a smarter place to live now and in the future.”

KETC/Channel 9 Promotes Amy Shaw

KETC/Channel 9 Promotes Amy Shaw to Vice President of Education Services
Promotion Reflects Station’s Ongoing Priority to Create Educational Opportunities for Learners of All Ages

June 20— KETC/Channel 9 announced today the promotion of Amy Shaw to vice president of education services. [Editors: High-res photo available via e-mail. Call (314) 512-9036.]

Shaw, a resident of St. Louis’ Benton Park neighborhood, was previously the director of education services. She will continue to oversee KETC’s extensive educational outreach efforts geared toward educators and learners of all ages.

“Amy’s promotion recognizes the importance we here at Channel 9 place on education,” said KETC President and Chief Executive Officer James Baum. “Part of our mission is to serve the community by using quality television as an educational tool. Amy has revitalized and extended the reach of our educational services. Under her leadership, we have developed many new programs and initiatives, reinforcing KETC’s position as a vital element in the St. Louis area’s educational landscape.”

An education leader in the PBS system, Shaw has strategically expanded KETC’s education services to fully engage educators and students in the use of digital media and to increase awareness of the power of public television beyond the traditional broadcast. Since coming to KETC in 2003, Shaw has led the station in groundbreaking projects focusing on early literacy and school readiness, teacher training, foster care and the state of education in the St. Louis region.

She currently serves on numerous committees and boards of local and national education and media organizations including the National Educational Telecommunications Association CIC Board and the education committee for the Mid-America chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Shaw came to KETC from WSIU-TV in Carbondale, Illinois. Shaw was the co-founder of the ChalkWaves consortium, an educational media partnership of public television stations. Shaw holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing and Public Relations from Bradley University, Peoria, IL; and a master's degree in Telecommunications from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

KETC/Channel 9 Receives Three Telly Awards

In Addition to Two Bronze, Station Wins Coveted Silver Award for Documentary Made in USA: The East St. Louis Story

June 20— KETC/Channel 9, St. Louis’ public television station, earned two bronze Telly finalist statuettes and one silver Telly winner statuette in the 26th annual Telly Awards competition. The bronze Tellys went to Channel 9’s Living St. Louis program and the silver went to the historical documentary Made in USA: The East St. Louis Story.

Channel 9 cameraman Scot Page received a bronze award in the videography category for his work on the Living St. Louis piece “Warehouse Photographer.” Producer Anne-Marie Berger also received bronze, in the interview category, for her conversation on Living St. Louis with former U.S. senator from Missouri Jean Carnahan. Senior producer Jim Kirchherr won silver in the documentary category for Made in USA: The East St. Louis Story, about the always troubled history of the Illinois town. The documentary previously won a regional Emmy Award.

The Tellys honor programs, videos and commercials that have not been broadcast nationally; entrants are judged against a standard of excellence and not against other submissions. The Telly Awards organization received over 10,000 entries from all 50 states and several foreign countries.

“We are very proud of the excellent work done by our fine production staff,” said KETC President and CEO James Baum. “Channel 9 is committed to being the region’s storyteller, and these awards recognize that the programs we produce by, for and about our community are of the highest quality nationally.”

Adds executive producer Patrick Murphy, “We get so much positive feedback from the community on how our stories present St. Louis as a growing, vital, interesting place to live. These awards reaffirm for us that we’re on the right track. There are so many more stories. We've only scratched the surface.”

Fifth-Grade Students Raise Money for KETC

 Fifth-Grade Students From Parkway District Raise Money for KETC
Students From Oak Brook Elementary Donate Funds to Be Used for Books for Kids in Need

June 20--Children who love watching Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and other educationally entertaining programming on public TV often ask their parents to send KETC/Channel 9 the dimes and quarters they’ve saved from their allowances. Recently, though, KETC staff were astonished to open an envelope from a group of schoolchildren to find a check for $301.01!

The money was raised during a class project by teacher Janice Shayne’s fifth-grade gifted students at Oak Brook Elementary School in the Parkway district. As part of a unit on economics, the students formed their own company to sell beaded bookmarks and wallets made out of duct tape. The items sold so well that the students were able to repay their lenders (a.k.a., moms and dads) with interest. After deducting the costs for materials, the 10 students discovered they had made a substantial profit.

They researched several non-profit institutions, presented reports and voted to donate to Channel 9, the one “we felt was most worthy of our profits.” They not only sent a check, but a red duct tape wallet, a bookmark, a class photo and a letter explaining the project. The letter added, “We hope this helps you as you provide quality programming for our community.”

After checking with the class, Channel 9 earmarked the money to go to the station’s education department, which will use the funds to buy new books for children who often do not have books of their own. Free books are distributed all year long through hundreds of literacy workshops KETC conducts that teach families how to extend the educational impact of Channel 9’s children’s programs. Since 1994, the station has distributed more than 50,000 free books.

“Thanks to the generosity of the students at Oak Brook Elementary, more than 100 children will receive their first book, and we will be able to help them discover the love of reading,” said KETC Manager of Education Services Dale Berenc. Adds KETC President and CEO James Baum, “The hard work and selflessness of Mrs. Shayne’s class is inspirational. They remind all of us here of the importance of our mission and of the positive impact Channel 9 has on the community.”

KETC/Channel 9 Explores Challenges Teens Face as They Leave Foster Care

May 20--Navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood is challenging for even the most mature and privileged youth. But for young people raised in foster care, making the transition to independent living is considerably more difficult.

On May 31, during National Foster Care Awareness Month, KETC/Channel 9 begins a three-prong initiative to draw attention to the problems faced by teenagers who “graduate” from foster care. The elements are:

Aging Out (a 90-minute documentary broadcast May 31 at 8:30 p.m. and repeated June 2 at 1:30 a.m.) chronicles the daunting obstacles that three foster care “veterans” encounter when they are discharged. The three young people, David Griffin, Risa Bejarano and Daniella Anderson, represent about 20,000 teens in foster care who “age out” every year, typically at age 18. After years, if not a lifetime, of being supervised by government foster care agencies, these young people are suddenly forced to fend for themselves, often with no stable home, meager resources and little preparation to survive on their own.

No Sweet Home: Aging Out of Foster Care (broadcast May 31 at 8:00 p.m. and repeated June 2 at 1:00 a.m.), a half-hour KETC special hosted by Ruth Ezell, profiles two local young people who are struggling with the transition to living independently. The program also includes a studio discussion with Judge Thomas Frawley, former chief judge of the Family Court in St. Louis; Harry Harrell of the Evangelical Children’s Home; and Donna Bernsen of the Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division.

At 2:00 p.m. on May 31, the day these two programs air, Channel 9 will host a community discussion at the station for people who are involved or interested in foster care issues. Parts of both programs will be screened, and Daniella Anderson, one of the young women from Aging Out, will address the gathering. Members of the public who are interested in attending may contact KETC Vice President of Education Services Amy Shaw at (314) 512-9041 or ashaw@ketc.org for more information.

To continue the momentum of the project and increase awareness of the problem, KETC will also provide lawmakers with resource packets and DVDs of the programs. The project is funded locally by Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, Transitions-St. Louis System of Care and BJC Behavioral Health. For more information about how individuals and groups can help improve the lives of foster children in transition, visit www.ketc.org. 

KETC Recieves Major Grant From Primaris

May 12--KETC/Channel 9 announced this week that it received a major grant from Primaris, a non-profit health care consulting firm that serves as Missouri's Medical Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). The grant will be combined with one from Crosskeys Media, a national television production team. The monies will fund a $245,000 initiative: the production of four, half-hour documentaries about health care issues in Missouri, as well as the accompanying promotion and education/outreach campaigns.

The four local documentaries will be designed to dovetail with the four episodes of Remaking American Medicine, a national public television serives (produced by Crosskeys Media: that tells the stories of individuals and institutions struggling to address the significant problems that now plague America's health care system. KETC's four companion programs will be broadcast adjacent to the national program on all of Missouri's public television stations: KETC/St. Louis, KCPT/Kansas City, KOZK/Springfield and KMOS/Warrensburg. "These two grants will enable us to participate in this nationwide initiative; together we can make a difference," says Amy Shaw, local project manager for Remaking American Medicine and KETC's vice president of education services. "As the national series explores the fundamental way health care is delivered in this country, we will work to inspire patients and the medical community statewide to join the qualtiy-care movement. We are very grateful to Primaris for their commitment to this important endeavor and to Crosskeys Media for helping KETC mount this production."

"There is no question that the American health care system offers some of the best and most sophisticated care in the world, but there is also no question that we can improve the quality of that care," says Richard A. Royer, chief executive officer for Primaris. "This innovative television series is one of the many strategies our company is using to transform health care quality."

Production of KETC's Remaking American Medicine local documentaries will begin this summer. The television programs will debut in 2006.

New Series: House Calls With Dr. Valerie Walker

Solid information on every health topic from heart disease to aging gracefully will be presented on House Calls With Dr. Valerie Walker, a new, weekly television series that debuts this summer. Produced by KETC/CHannel 9, the program will air on the station Sundays at 4:00 p.m. beginning June 26.

Each half-hour episode of House Calls With Dr. Valerie Walker will begin with a segment produced on location that introduces that week's health topic--such as type-2 diabetes or joint replacement--and interviews patients dealing successfully with it. Then, back in the studio, the program's vivacious host and resident authority Dr. Valerie Walker will talk with doctors and experts who specialize in that week's medical problem. Each show will end with simple tips viewers can use to prevent illness and promote health.

"I'm more of a prevention kind of doctor--we get it before it gets you," says Walker. "Prevention is still the best treatment."

"We want to give people information they can use to improve their own health without sounding boring or preachy," adds House Calls producer Margie Newman. The key to that goal is Walker herself, a family practice physician with a Central West End office and 6,000-patient roster. Walker's enthusiasm, warmth, humor, ebullient nature and skill at translating medical terminology into terms everyone can understand will ensure that information is clear and that the program is easy to watch.

"The key concept of this program is empowerment, that is, how you can take control of your own health," says Newman. "The fact is that many of today's most serious diseases are preventable. We'd like House Calls to become an important part of people's healthy lifestyles." Already being planned are ways for viewers to interact with the show through special events, such as monthly walks led by Walker, hesef a fitness enthusiast.

The production of House Calls With Dr. Valerie Walker is funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health.