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Inside PBS Blog

Insights into PBS programming and personalities

The Hot Sheet: July 5-12

As human civilization has evolved, so have its weapons - from arrowheads carved from stone, to nuclear missiles and biowarfare. This week PBS provides insight into the art, history, and effects of weaponry throughout the ages.

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Local PBS Video Goes National

PBS station WHYY caught up with Tom Hanks on the red carpet at the Philadelphia premiere of “Angels and Demons.” Unless you live in the Philly area, you probably missed the interview, which aired on the station’s local film show, Flicks.  Soon, though, you’ll be able to see high quality local productions like this one from across the nation, thanks to the local/national aggregation power of the PBS Video portal.more

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Ask Acclaimed Neurologist and Author Oliver Sacks

Music has a profound effect on the human brain. Dr. Oliver Sacks, an acclaimed neurologist and author, has witnessed the therapeutic effects of music first-hand in his treatment of patients with a range of debilitating medical conditions. His findings are featured in tonight’s episode of NOVA, called “Musical Minds,” which asks: What can music tell us about our minds? And what can our minds tell us about music?more

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The Hot Sheet: June 29 - July 6

Freedom is a common concept, but the application of freedom is anything but simple. PBS explores the nuances of freedom this week with stories of song, success and struggle.more

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The Mosque in Morgantown’s Asra Nomani Answers Your Questions

The final film in the America at a Crossroads series was a documentary called “The Mosque in Morgantown.” In the series finale, viewers followed Asra Nomani as she took her skills as a seasoned journalist and applied them to a personal advocacy campaign for gender equality in her local mosque. The campaign begins in Morgantown, West Virginia, but expands across the country as Nomani’s activism gains momentum.

We invited Nomani to take your questions last week as the film aired on PBS stations across the country. In some cases I have edited or condensed questions for clarity. Here are her responses:more

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P.O.V.: Independent Documentaries Deliver Personal Stories from Across the Globe

I’ve never been lucky enough to hit the film festival circuit, so I’ve always been grateful to  P.O.V., now in its 22nd year, for showcasing some of the best documentaries being made today. 

The series’ new season, which begins Tuesday, June 23 (check local listings), explores everything from the power of beliefs - both spiritual and political - to the life-changing force of music, in films that are gripping, timely and inspirational. And the recently redesigned P.O.V. website caters to the film lover, with hours of video, intimate filmmaker interviews and features from all 22 seasons of the documentary series.more

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Ask FRONTLINE/World producer Charlotte Buchen

Social entrepreneurs are changing the face of business all over the world. In the latest episode of FRONTLINE/World, producer Charlotte Buchen takes us to Cairo, Egypt to meet captivating young entrepreneurs who are changing their communities through innovation and hard work. Buchen is our guest in this week’s “Ask…” series and she’s very excited to hear your responses and questions.

In “Egypt: Middle East, Inc.” Buchen follows three students who compete in a contest to identify innovative business thinkers in the region. The contest is hosted by InJaz, a non-profit group created to help address the staggering unemployment rates in the Middle East, and the winners receive business and leadership training to advance their entrepreneurial goals.more

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The Hot Sheet: June 22-29

PBS always encourages you to “be more,” and this week, we explore who we’ve become, highlighting the science of humanity itself both in our broadcasts and on the Web.more

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Filmmaker Mark Lewis Answers Your Questions

Last week, local PBS stations aired two very interesting films: one about the bond between chickens and humans, and another about ferrets – or, more specifically, Ohio's annual Ferret Buckeye Bash. Filmmaker Mark Lewis is the man behind these idiosyncratic films, titled “The Natural History of the Chicken” and “Ferrets: The Pursuit of Excellence,” respectively.  Not surprisingly, both films provoked a strong audience response; here are his answers to the questions submitted by viewers like you.  more

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Where are They Now - Levar Burton

Welcome to the first in our “Where are they now?” series, where we catch you up on the lives and careers of PBS personalities from days of yore .

First up: Levar Burton, creator, executive producer and host of that classic children’s program, Reading Rainbow. The show introduced Burton, already a well-known actor from his acclaimed performance in the award-winning television series Roots, to a whole new generation of television viewers.  By the time production stopped in 2005, the series had won a Peabody award and 26 Emmy awards. (Old episodes of Reading Rainbow still air on some stations, and the series website remains popular.)more

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