Engage Blog

Part II: 2003-2008

In part one of the PBS Through the Ages series we looked at the PBS.org homepage from 1996-2000. A lot had changed on the Internet in that short amount of time, but as the Internet has evolved, so has PBS. Let’s now take a look at the next wave of changes to the page, with a particular emphasis on its evolving interactivity. more

Part 1: 1996-2000

Just a few short weeks ago we introduced you to an all-new PBS.org homepage. With “top ten lists” and blogs featured front and center, this redesign was a big step forward for PBS, and for the Engage social media team, as we work to bring you a more dynamic and user-friendly experience site-wide.

And we’re not done yet! But before we announce some upcoming changes, let’s take a quick look back at the history of user interaction on PBS.org.

In the 1990s the Internet was still very young. No one had thought of web 2.0 (web 1.0 was still a shiny new toy), and no one was text messaging, watching high definition video on their computer screens, or Twittering. During the online bubble of the late 90s, PBS.org went through redesigns almost every year since technology was changing so rapidly.  Let’s take a look. more

In his career as a historian and journalist, Michael Wood has explored a number of vast topics, from the life and times of Shakespeare to the origins of civilization. So he was more prepared than most to explore the vastness of India, the world’s largest democracy and a rising economic giant, for his latest television series, The Story of India. The series premieres today, January 5th; check local listings. more

In the midst of rapidly changing technology and an equally changing society, Congress passed legislation that created an institution to harness the power of television and radio for the purpose of enriching lives.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law on November 7, 1967. In addition to providing support for broadcast stations and producers making educational programming, the act created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. When signing the act into law, President Johnson said, "The Corporation will assist stations and producers who aim for the best in broadcasting good music, in broadcasting exciting plays, and in broadcasting reports on the whole fascinating range of human activity. It will try to prove that what educates can also be exciting." more

As executive producer of Live from Lincoln Center, John Goberman is one of our more creative assets here at PBS. 
Before setting up the broadcasts for Lincoln Center over 30 years ago, John Goberman was a cello player at The Metropolitan Opera and worked for the New York City Opera. He’s earned Live from Lincoln Center 12 Emmy Awards and 53 Emmy nominations.  The program has also won two George Foster Peabody Awards, two Grammy Awards, three Monitor Awards, a Television Critics Award, and many other honors.
We asked him to answer a few questions for us before the Live from Lincoln Center special on New Year’s Eve, featuring a gala concert by the New York Philharmonic.  Check your local listings for airtimes. more

When I was growing up, my family always watched The Nutcracker on Christmas and West Side Story on New Year’s Eve (on PBS, of course!). The music and the dancing in the two vastly different performances was familiar, magical and suited the season. Being introduced to dance and theater at a young age instilled a life-long love of both art forms.

Now, of course, I work at PBS, and am happy to find that its offerings in each genre go well beyond the two classics I enjoyed as a kid (though I was pleased to see that The Nutcracker is part of our December lineup). Here are a few highlights: more

Flickr: Idle Type

I am a photography nerd.  Like many amateur photographers, I marvel at the work of the masters.  I knew the PBS archives would have a host of American Masters programming about some of the big names: Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon, Alfred Stieglitz.  Looking beyond American Masters, I discovered an expansive list of photography-related sites that I think will appeal to novices and aficianados alike. more

Here on Engage, we get a lot of viewer feedback about quilting and craft shows on PBS, so we thought we’d highlight some of our favorite craft-related features from the PBS archives.  The holiday season is the perfect time to make crafts to give as gifts or to decorate your home. more

Joan Nathan (of PBS’ Jewish Cooking with Joan Nathan) is renowned for her Jewish cooking expertise, and her Hanukkah recipes are no exception. Proving that Hanukkah treats don’t have to be just plain potato latkes and jelly-filled doughnuts, Nathan offers up some interesting twists on the traditional, as well as recipes that suit the season.

Try her Hungarian cheese latkes, apricot rugelach cookies or artichoke, orange, coriander and mint compote for a festive wintertime meal.

If you stick to the traditional food for Hanukkah, food blogger Kristen Taylor offers the “wrong” way to make potato latkes  – and notes that several real-life Jewish grandmothers have taken issue with her grating skills. [Kristen Taylor is a former PBS employee and current staffer at the Knight Foundation.] more

Focal Point, a new Web project from international affairs documentary series Wide Angle, launched on December 17th, as a showcase for short character- driven international news stories from independent producers.

The series kicks off with  “Saudi Arabia: From Jihad to Rehab,” a short from Canadian journalist Nancy Durham   The eight minute piece explores a rehabilitation center that uses art therapy and religious re-education to reform jihad militants, and a slideshow features some of the art created by program participants. more