TV Worth Blogging
by David Thiel, Program Director for WILL-TV
An insider's view of public television programming and the issues that help determine what and how you watch
Closing Up (The New Yankee Work)shop
Last Friday afternoon brought news that long-running PBS how-to series The New Yankee Workshop has ceased production of new episodes. This announcement wasn't much of a surprise to me; I'd suspected as much ever since the previous season turned out to be all repeats. However, I expect it will be a blow to woodworking fans who've faithfully followed along with Norm Abram for 21 seasons.
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This Just In... PBS Tops News and Documentary Emmys
On the heels of Sunday's big wins for "Little Dorrit" at the Primetime Emmy Awards comes word that PBS carried the night at Monday's News & Documentary Emmys ceremony. Public television took home six statues, more than any other broadcast or cable entity.
The list of winners after the jump!
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Big "Little Dorrit" Emmy Wins
Masterpiece Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton had much to be happy about after "Little Dorrit" hit it big at the Primetime Emmy Awards. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences gave the Charles Dickens drama a total of seven statues including one for Outstanding Miniseries. "Dorrit" screenwriter Andrew Davies and director Dearbhla Walsh were also honored during Sunday's televised event.
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And A Chin Shall Lead Them
The Jay Leno Show begins its history-making run September 14 on NBC. That’s right, without having seen a single episode, I can confidently claim that it will make history. When future pop cultural anthropologists penetrate the Miley-Britney Stratum and begin to excavate our era, they will wisely look at each other and cluck (yes, chickens will rule the future) “This day was the beginning of the end of network television.”
That’s because today is the first time an American commercial television network has turned over five hours of prime-time to a talk show. Big deal, right? Actually, yes.
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Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? I've Got All These Emmys to Deliver!
Public television won 16 Daytime Emmys in last weekend's awards ceremonies conducted by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Sesame Street took home four, not including a special Lifetime Achievement Award for their 40 years of service. The latter was promptly eaten by Cookie Monster, who declared it to "taste even better than Latin Grammy." Kevin Clash ("Elmo") won Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series for the fifth time.
Public television's tally was second only to ABC's 17 awards, and doubled the number won by the other closest competitors, CBS and Nickelodeon. Children's series Between the Lions, WordWorld and From the Top at Carnegie Hall all won top honors, as did This Old House.
Read on for the complete list of public TV winners!
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PBS Gives Critics the Goods at Press Tour
Alright, I'll admit it, I'll take any excuse to get a photo of Doctor Who's David Tennant on the WILL home page. Tennant, the new host for Masterpiece Contemporary when it returns this October, was one of many guests representing PBS at the Television Critics' Association Press Tour in Los Angeles. But the soon-to-be-former Doctor, who will also star in a TV adaptation of his acclaimed stage portrayal of Hamlet next year on Great Performances, wasn't the only news out of L.A.
