Tucson, Arizona – April 22, 2014 – Arizona Public Media (AZPM®) announces the debut of Metro Week, a new regionally focused, news and public affairs program produced and hosted by AZPM’s Andrea Kelly, on Friday, June 6, 2014 on PBS 6 at 8:30 p.m. Each week, this 30-minute program will delve into a key local and/or regional news story from the week followed by a journalists’ roundtable discussion of that and other top stories. Arizona Week will move from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Metro Week will join the Sunday public affairs programming block on PBS 6 at 11 a.m. following Arizona Week at 10:30 a.m. Metro Week will also broadcast on Fridays on WORLD at 11:30 p.m. and on the UA Channel at 11 p.m.
“AZPM regularly evaluates and seeks ways to improve and expand our news coverage.” says Michael Chihak, AZPM’s News Director, “Metro Week is a new opportunity for AZPM to provide stronger and more in-depth news and public affairs.”
AZPM is also developing a new weekly 30-minute series that will showcase three to five character-driven “mini-documentaries.” These four to seven minute ‘mini-docs’ will combine lush, stunning photography; crisp, powerful editing; and sensitive character development to tell the best science, nature, arts and public affairs stories in Arizona. The new series will air Thursday nights with multiple repeats throughout the following week, allowing different audiences to find and regularly tune in. The tentative launch of the news series will be in September.
The AZ Illustrated series will go on a broadcast hiatus effective the first week of June. In the interim AZPM’s award-winning nature and cultural program, The Desert Speaks, will air Monday through Fridays at 6:30 p.m. on PBS 6.
“This is a strategic decision to heighten the quality, depth and focus of news and public affairs for Southern Arizona audiences,” adds Jack Gibson, Director and General Manager of AZPM. “Creating Metro Week provides viewers with a complete block of public affairs programming on Friday nights starting with national coverage at 7 p.m. with PBS NewsHour and Washington Week; regional and local coverage with Metro Week at 8:30 p.m. and state coverage with Arizona Week at 9 p.m. The evolution of our new weekly series will better serve our audiences, help us manage our resources and bolster our news and creative content across television, radio and online platforms.”
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