Dear Friends,
As AZPM begins the second month of a new fiscal year and with its first pledge drive of the year, I am grateful to the community of supporters who contributed to AZPM’s end-of-fiscal year campaign. Although the campaign fell somewhat short of goal, a handful of generous donors stepped up to largely close the gap and enable us to start the new fiscal year with a realistic, albeit tight, operating budget.
It’s important to understand that the programs acquired on your behalf from PBS and NPR are 100% community-funded, and that AZPM’s operating budget is separate from the capital campaign which is designed to offset the construction cost for AZPM’s much-needed new facility. We recently began an on-air campaign asking supporters to double their annual giving for the next three years, contributing what they normally do for operations and then making a second gift in the same amount to help wrap up the facility construction project with no debt. If you are in a financial position to participate, I hope you will join me by doing so to ensure the future of public media in Southern Arizona.
In these uncertain times, access to reliable, coherent, and objective news, high-quality entertainment, exceptional children’s programs, and educational resources is critical to our quality of life here in Southern Arizona.
New episodes of ARIZONA ILLUSTRATED air Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on PBS 6.
To help Arizonans become better informed about news from around the state, AZPM has established a statewide newscast in partnership with its sister public radio stations in Arizona. Tune to NPR 89.1 weekdays at 2 p.m. to catch up on the latest news, politics, and events from across the state, with contributions from KJZZ in Phoenix, KNAU in Flagstaff, KAWC in Yuma, and AZPM’s NPR 89.1 here in Tucson. Weekly episodes of The Buzz and daily local newscasts keep you further informed, while the AZPM News Daily podcast makes the compilation of AZPM’s local news coverage available any time – whenever and wherever you want it.
On the national level, the PBS News Hour continues to be your go-to source for coverage of the Democratic National Convention, live from Chicago. Watch on PBS 6 or stream it live Monday, August 19 through Thursday, August 22 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the PBS App.
MASTERPIECE Wolf Hall, starring Mark Rylance, returns to AZPM Passport August 1.
The PBS 6 Fall pledge campaign kicks off Saturday, August 24 with A Farewell to Doc Martin at 7 p.m., followed by Sherlock on MASTERPIECE: The Abominable Bride at 8 p.m.. Sunday, August 25 offers a marathon of Miss Scarlet and the Duke, with all six episodes of Season 4 starting at 11 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. Immerse yourself in Broadway musicals on Monday, August 26 starting at 8 p.m. with The Four Phantoms in Concert, a Broadway extravaganza featuring four artists who performed the title role of Phantom of the Opera. The concert showcases the legendary work of the composers and artists who made Broadway an American art form. Complete your Broadway binge with Great Performances: Rogers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary at 9:30 p.m.
If Broadway isn't your thing, check out REVIVAL69: The Concert that Rocked the World on Tuesday, August 27 at 8 p.m. This remarkable, behind-the-scenes story relates how a little-known but life-altering music festival came together against all odds. The festival featured rock legends like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, and The Doors, but it wasn’t until the 11th-hour arrival of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band that the seminal event ignited – and triggered Lennon’s decision to leave The Beatles forever. At 10 p.m., Above Us Only Sky reveals the depth of creative collaboration between John Lennon and Yoko Ono on John’s Imagine album and examines how the couple’s art, activism, politics, and music are intrinsically entwined.
Attention, all pet and animal companion lovers! Two special encore presentations from the PBS award-winning science series NOVA are coming to PBS 6 on Wednesday, August 14 – Dog Tales and Cat Tales. Dogs have been our companions for thousands of years. But why? Do they really love us, or are they just in it for the food? Find out at 9 p.m. as scientists test wolf intelligence, decode canine DNA, and peer into dogs' brains to find out what domestication really means. Then at 10 p.m., explore the history of domestic cats. Worshiped as gods, condemned as demons, and spun into a stunning array of breeds, cats have long fascinated humans. But did we ever really domesticate them? And what can science tell us about our most mysterious companions? It’s going to be an amazing two hours of all things dogs and cats, so I hope you’ll have the chance to tune in or stream.
Classical 90.5 hosts Andy Bade and James Reel in front of the 1000s of compact discs that will soon be digitized.
Finally, if you have long listened to Classical 90.5 on 89.7 FM, we recently applied to, and expect to receive permission from, the FCC to change the frequency from 89.7 FM to 90.9 FM to mitigate projected interference from an operator moving to the same frequency. Recent storm damage destroyed the 89.7 FM antenna and part of the transmission tower. Thanks to support from Pima County, a new antenna will be mounted on the community tower at Tumamoc Hill, restoring classical music service to listeners who have been without since the storm. The new frequency promises to improve both the sonic quality and signal reception for listeners unable to receive 90.5 FM.
You are the public in public media, and the reason what we do is so rewarding. Thank you for watching, for listening, and for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Jack Gibson
Chief Executive Officer
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.