PBS blogs

Band of Skulls and Nicole Atkins Live from SXSW

sxsw — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:03:15 +0000

Music brings people together. Last night, PBS and friends hosted a party at Austin PBS station KLRU that included musical performances from Band of Skulls and Nicole Atkins. 400 South by Southwest attendees gathered at the legendary Austin City Limits studio, while hundreds of others streamed the live show, both online and on the iPhone.

Nicole Atkins kicked off the evening with jazz-infused pop songs. Watch Nicole perform 'Heavy Boots.'

Band of Skulls took to the stage next, their blues-soaked rock and roll delighting fans in the building and online. Watch the English three-piece band play 'Death by Diamonds and Pearls.'

If you weren't able to make the live event (or you just want to relive the magic), we'll have full performance videos, as well as interviews with Nicole and Band of Skulls up on PBS Video in the next few days.

Lauren

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SXSW: JUST TO NAME A FEW…

sxsw — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:57:58 +0000

Do you know what all these people have in common?

Steve James, Director, Hoop Dreams
Kinky Friedman, Singer, Songwriter, Novelist, Humorist, Politician
Michel Gondry, Music Video Director and Screenwriter
Band of Skulls, Performing in Concert this Sunday LIVE on PBS VIDEO
Nicole Atkins, Performing in Concert this Sunday LIVE on PBS VIDEO

These are just some of the people who are part of the stellar line-up of interviews and performances coming to the PBS @ SXSW web site.

Over the next ten days, PBS will be connecting you with legendary filmmakers, interactive visionaries, and a star-studded list of musicians, performers, and artists who are participating in the South by Southwest Music, Film, and Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas.

So take a look at our line-up of interviews and feel free to submit your own questions; we’ll try to get them answered for you! Our list of interviewees is always expanding – you just never know who you will run into here. The video interviews will be added to video.pbs.org/sxsw throughout the festival. So keep checking back for updates!

Eric Freeland, Director, Digital Video, PBS Interactive

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Come to South by Southwest with PBS

sxsw — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:57:22 +0000

Final preparations are underway for what is shaping up to be an awesome experience at South by Southwest (SXSW) this year. The festival starts on Friday, March 12th in Austin, Texas. Keep checking back here for updates.

Over the next two weeks PBS will bring you the inside scoop from the nation’s premier event for music, independent film, and emerging technology. In addition to regular blog posts from SXSW participants, including members of the PBS team, you can also watch video interviews with filmmakers, musicians, and interactive innovators. Plus, screen full-length films and trailers, and enjoy live streaming performances – including The Band of Skulls and Nicole Atkins on Sunday, March 14 @ 10:30PM eastern.

Eric Freeland, Director Digital Video, PBS Interactive

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The Hot Sheet: February 21-27

Amy Baroch — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:03:37 +0000

This week on PBS, we celebrate the courage and bravado of someone we never even had a chance to say goodbye to, and discover the lives of those who said goodbye to the world thousands of years ago.

On February 22^nd, nearly 73 years after her disappearance, American Experience ‘s Amelia Earhart (check local listings) introduces you to the daring female flier who changed the world of aviation forever when she, and her navigator Fred Noonan, took off in 1937 on their fateful journey to fly around the globe.

North America was once home to some of the largest creatures that ever roamed the planet. Thirteen thousand years ago, these beasts suddenly went extinct and no one knows why. On February 23 (check local listings), NOVA explores the possible reasons why between 15 and 35 large animals disappeared in Last Extinction Megabeasts' Sudden Death.

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Faces of America host Henry Louis Gates Jr. Answers Your Questions

Betty Alvarez — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:04:01 +0000

People have been buzzing about “Faces of America,” a four-part series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that uses the tools of genealogy to explore what makes America, since its premiere on February 10. The family histories of 12 high-profile Americans are geographically sprawling and each one is emotionally profound.

Renowned historian and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. hosts the series. He builds upon the success of previous PBS series “African American Lives” and “African American Lives 2”, using tools of genealogy to further explore the American experience.

Professor Gates generously agreed to take your questions about the show and today we have his answers. Read his insights and personal stories about the series. Before the next episode airs (check local listings) catch up on previous episodes online.

I love the show and has inspired me to trace my own and my partners background however, where do you begin? I know the census is one way to go but what other tips can you offer? Mlinda

Ancestry.com is the best place to start. Ancestry has digitized billions of records relating to birth, death, marriage, property taxes, estate papers, etc… Ancestry.com is an indispensable tool to finding your ancestors. In addition, you should seek advice from your local genealogical society, particularly if you live in an urban area.

Dr. Gates, Your genealogy series have been an inspiration to me to search my African-American Burton family history. I have been so successful that I have found and engaged with family that didn't know I existed. It has been a wonderful journey. One of the things I have learned through your series- that you may have to physically go to court houses etc. to look up information stored. How many ours on average did it take to do just one of the famous americans genealogy? How many researchers? Brenda

We used at least 2 genealogists for each guest. All of our research was directed by Johni Cerny who is based in Provo, Utah – but in addition, we also engaged the services of genealogists who could do research in the country of our guests’ origins - Such as in Syria for Queen Noor; Turkey for Dr. Oz; China for Yo Yo Ma; Japan for Kristi Yamaguchi; Jamaica for Elizabeth Alexander and Malcolm Gladwell, etc….

This sort of on the ground research is indispensable because a lot of records still have not been digitized. In my own case, for example, Johni Cerni was able to find my ancestors back to my third great grandparents in my mother’s line, but another genealogist, Jane Ailes was able to find my fourth great grand parents on this line by pursuing research in the Hardy County Courthouse in West Virginia. It turns out that this fourth great grand father, John Redman, served in the Continental Army! And because of this discovery, my brother and I have been inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution.

A point of interest for me is that of identity, namely how do we claim our own identity in the face of historical and societal influence and if what we believe about our history is changed, how does that change us? Jean-Francois

The Temple at Delphi in ancient Greece has as its motto the phrase, “Know Thyself”. This means that the struggle to understand and embrace one’s identity is as old as western civilization itself. There are no easy answers to questions of one’s identity – or more properly speaking – one’s multiple identities because we all have more than one. For example, being an African American is only one of the ways that I define myself. I have learned by producing my PBS series on genealogy and genetics that we can adapt the motto of the Temple of Delphi to: “Know Thy Past, Know Thy Self.”

What got you interested in researching your own family history? Gregory

My interest in genealogy started the day my grandfather, Edward St. Lawrence Gates, was buried in June 1960. On that day, my father showed my brother and me a scrap book that my grandfather had compiled and which contained the obituary of his grandmother, Jane Gates, who was a slave. Jane Gates was born in 1819 and died on January 6, 1888. The obituary said that she was “an estimable colored woman.” The last thing I did before I went to bed that night was to look up the word “estimable” and the next day I bought a composition book and interviewed my parents about their ancestors. I had been hooked on genealogy ever since.

I'm just hoping that, as you turn to pre-20th century history, the stories you tell of the various ancestries in other lands will be equally as complex as our own American Story. For we are not the only Melting Pot. Much "stirring of the pot" also transpired before our ancestors ever arrived at our ports or border crossings. I'm guessing you will use the DNA research to introduce that idea? Gordon

The goal of Faces of America is to chart the history of my guests families on both sides of the ocean, as it were. We are able to do this in greater detail in some cases than in others. For example, the story of Mike Nichols’ German and Russian ancestors is quite compelling, as is the story of the ancestors of Louise Erdrich in Germany; Elizabeth Alexander and Malcolm Gladwell in Jamaica; Stephen Colbert in Ireland; and Yo Yo Ma in China.

While the focus of the program was definitely the movement of their ancestors to America, the entire series was inspired by my 5th grade ancient history teacher in Piedmont, West Virginia. I wanted to do a series where I could explore a person’s ancestors through the ancient European, Asian and African civilizations. I hope that we do a sequel to Faces of America where we will be able to achieve that goal more fully as a tribute to my teacher, Mr. James McHenry.

My question to you is: Did you have as much freedom in researching these particular Individual's backgrounds as much as you did with the African American Lives series? Because this first part didn't reveal as much of the backgrounds of these individuals as the “African American Lives” series did. Was their more limitations and restrictions in airing their personal backgrounds? I'm asking this because the first airing of this series left me wondering. Curtis

No, no limitations. It is exactly the same as “African American Lives.” We were under no restrictions with our guests. We pursued all research exactly as we did with “African American Lives.”

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Your PBS Video Contest

Amy Baroch — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:04:12 +0000

We here at PBS are constantly trying new things to engage you, the audience, with public broadcasting. After all, public broadcasting is YOURS and we want to keep it that way with programming and content that you want to dive into and experience for yourself. With this in mind, we’ve just launched an exciting video contest where we are asking you to tell us what you think is most innovative and cool about YOUR PBS. Check out our contest video here:

Here on Engage, we’ve highlighted some of the most innovative social media experiments that our PBS Producers and Member Stations have been up to. We’ve also invited you to join us for live chats, to check out fun blog features, and share your points of view. Who have you chatted with live? What questions did you ask one of our talented personalities? How many hours of online video have you watched on our new video player? When did you become a fan of us on Facebook or start following us on Twitter? We want to know! Show us what you love but what others may not know about how innovative PBS is. Send us your a fun,one-of-a-kind, and irreverent video to tell us how you have made PBS YOUR PBS.

The YOUR PBS Video Contest is your chance to think outside the box, show off what you love about PBS, and maybe even win a trip to Austin, TX and have your winning creation end up on PBS! So get started – the contest deadline is April 18th, 2010.

While you are brainstorming and creating your winning video, keep up with the contest on Twitter using the #pbsvideocontest hashtag and follow us at @PBS.

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The Hot Sheet: February 14-20

Amy Baroch — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:10:39 +0000

Home means different things to different people. It can be a far off place that you long for, a comforting sanctuary, or a place you run away from. Home can also be a sentimental feeling, an uplifting hope, or a heartache. This week on PBS, we take you on journeys home, in every sense of the word.

What would you do if you had to leave your home, your family, and your pets in the face of imminent disaster? The Independent Lens films “Mine/Home” presents stories of race, class, and compassion in America (check local listings.) “Mine”, tells the compelling story of animals left behind during Hurricane Katrina and the determination victims had to reunite with their beloved pets. “Home” takes viewers back to the filmmaker’s childhood home in New Orleans before and after Katrina. Watch a preview here:

When a handsome suitor invites the imaginative Catherine Morland to spend time at his family’s home estate, Catherine has no idea what mysteries she will uncover. Masterpiece Classic’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, airing on Sunday night, is a fun, albeit dark, parody of gothic fiction. Check local listings.

Home pride is hardly ever as strong in American hearts as it is when our best athletes compete at the highest level during the Olympic Games. This year, the winter Olympics take place in Vancouver, British Columbia and MediaShift will be there. The last Winter Games took place in Torino, Italy in 2006 – before the ubiquity of social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. This time around, MediaShift Associate editor Craig Silverman and photo essayist Kris Krug are on the ground in their native Canada reporting on how traditional and new media are interacting in Vancouver during the Winter Games. Join Craig and Kris as they go Inside the Social Media Strategy of the Winter Olympic Games and report on how fans of the games can support their home country from, well, home.

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Digital Nation Correspondent Doug Rushkoff Answers Your Questions

Betty Alvarez — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:09:18 +0000

Digital Nation, FRONTLINE’s exploration of what it means to be human in a digital world, premiered last week on air and online. We invited best-selling author and FRONTLINE correspondent Doug Rushkoff to take your questions about the project. He agreed, and you all came through with some great questions about living in, or just visiting, a “digital nation.” See his answers to six of your questions below.

I work in a higher ed environment. I also agree that college students are over estimating their capability in multitasking, especially in the classroom. I also have been suspecting that the reason for their urge to multitask is not because it's part of being digital native, but because they are incapable of sustaining or cultivating their interest or attention for any length of time... But when in Rome... Should we "tailor" our teaching to accommodate their capability? The Army does. Mei

Well, the army tailors itself to its soldiers' needs right up until about the time the fighting starts....

I don't think teaching is always about entertaining or accommodating. As an "adjunct" teacher who gets evaluated by students each semester, I know that I can teach in certain ways to make those evaluations better; or I can teach in ways that make students appreciate the class more five years later. The better education isn't appreciated as much in the moment.

I think digital technologies are great for teaching digital technology - and great for teaching certain visual, non-linear, and certainly non-literate courses. Literacy is no longer everything. It is a particular perspective, relevant to a particular form of media. It has its own embedded biases.

So I don't think so much in terms of accommodating the students' preferences as accommodating the subject's qualities.

I work in a history museum. We have just opened a major new exhibition that includes a great deal of media, computer interactive, and other elements designed to communicate our educational content to the digital age audience. It is hoped in our museum profession that, as the virtual world becomes more and more prevalent, people will seek the "real" as more valued, so artifact-based exhibitions will gain prestige and audience in that environment as people seek ways to remain grounded in reality. What is your view on the notion that people will be drawn to the “real?” Joe

Yes, well, Timothy Leary talked a lot about this in the 80's. It was his belief that as people spent more time in cyberspace, they would come to see the physical realm and the body as sacred. And we saw this in the early cyber era (I wrote about it in a book called ScreenAgers), where the emergence of digital technology was accompanied by the emergence of extreme sports, piercing and tattooing, snowboarding, and other highly physicalized activity.

I do believe there will be an increased appreciation for the real world and real world objects, particularly as the environment and economy continue to decline.

But yes - museums are an opportunity for renewed engagement with 3d reality, which is why the current trend towards video screens and projections throughout the museum concern me. People can watch videos at home. Museum science has always been about creating unique perspectives in physical space, and I would hate for museum organizers to lose this sensibility.

If verbal communication is key to success in any society --my question is, how do we teach verbal communication skills to young adults in such a digital age? Do we accept becoming a more muted society like those in virtual rooms/offices? Lara

We don't know that verbal communication is the key to success to any society. We know that it has been the key to success in many societies. Sometimes it is verbal, sometimes it is written, sometimes it is more visual - depending on the society.

We have just gone through 500 years of McLuhan's "Guttenberg Galaxy," where printed books were the main, really the only stores of knowledge. They were the way to influence people in a literate society.

And, to some extent, we maintained verbal abilities through this era. The British Prime Minister can still talk his way out of a tight spot in Parliament and Steve Jobs can explain the virtues of an iPad. Given that all jobs won't require verbal communication, such skills will become the province of specialists, I suspect. And those who can speak well will be admired like actors in a Shakespeare play.

With the Livestream Livepack technology now available, do you think that this technology, as it progresses, will change news as we know it? Gregg

It already changed the news industry. Print did it, of course, changing the role of the town crier who used to deliver the news. Radio did it, TV did it, cableTV did it, and the internet did it. Cell phones and cell phone video did it. The Sony portapack did it in the 70's.

The Livestream Livepack, which is basically a super-portable high quality video kit that transmits on 3g cellular networks, will help news from the field look less like cell phone podcasts. So it's another step in decentralized news gathering. I don't know how much of a gamechanger it is in itself, but it's a nice package.

What will be the consequences of creating a world for ourselves that's farther and farther away from our natural roots? Do you think we are creating a world that's changing faster than we can adapt to it? Chip

Civilization is, itself, the process of moving away from our original circumstances. Caves to huts to language to farming....all of this takes us "away" from the natural. The consequences are more choice, but also more abstraction. Abstraction gave us the ability to develop the law. But it also distanced us from the emotions that used to decide how someone who wronged us might be punished.

Civilization made physically powerful people less important - no longer did being able to beat others up mean success. There were even some very big and powerful slaves. In the "natural" world, those big, strong people would be in charge.

Sometimes, civilization's strides seem more profound or shocking than others. Gunpowder was a biggie, text, TV...and now, of course, the net. Is it changing too fast for us? For some of us, for sure. I'm experiencing some of the downside - feeling like certain things I've learned are obsolete, and that my nervous system is a bit too exposed to devices and institutions that may not have my best interests at heart.

So it's hard.

Am I a dinosaur for being resistant to technology, like the Kindle? Michelle (via Facebook)

No, you are a person with the ability to make choices. Dinosaurs are the ones who have no choice in the matter.

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Ask Faces of America host Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Betty Alvarez — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:14:31 +0000

America has been called the land of opportunity, the land of immigrants, and the great melting pot. Whatever you call it, it is home to rich family histories that weave national origins, religions, and cultures together. This week, PBS stations will begin airing a special series called “Faces of America” that delves into just a dozen of those rich histories. (check local listings)

Renowned historian and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. hosts the highly-anticipated series. He builds upon the success of previous PBS series “African American Lives” and “African American Lives 2”, using tools of genealogy to explore what makes America. You will probably recognize many of the guests whose family origins Gates traces, such as comedian Stephen Colbert, actress Eva Longoria and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. Their stories, and nine famous faces, highlight the diverse yet shared American experiences.

We are delighted that Gates is back on PBS and that he is our guest here on Inside PBS. Gates will take your questions about the “Faces of America” this week. Leave your questions in the comments section below or via Twitter (@PBS) or via our Facebook fan page and we’ll post his answers next week.

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Ask Digital Nation correspondent Douglas Rushkoff

Betty Alvarez — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:40:20 +0000

Best-selling author Doug Rushkoff is no stranger to FRONTLINE, having written and co-directed two past FRONTLINE documentaries: The Merchants of Cool and The Persuaders. This week, he explores what it means to be human in a digital world in FRONTLINE’s open source documentary project Digital Nation. (check local listings)

Rushkoff has been writing about technology for 20 years and brings extensive experience in media theory to his role as correspondent for Digital Nation. His first book, Cyberia, explored the culture of hackers, cyberpunks, and rave-goers. Since then he published nine other best-selling books on new media and popular culture. Doug also has a comic book, titled “Testament”, out on DC Comics and has taught at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.

To coincide with the broadcast premier of Digital Nation, we asked Doug to take your questions. He agreed and we’re excited to see your reactions to the film. Just leave a question for Doug here or via Twitter (@PBS) and we’ll choose five for him to answer. Then check back next week when we post his answers.

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