Tweets (Some Annotated) from the PBS Annual Meeting:

Several of us here at NPT recently spent four days at the PBS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, where we caught previews of the upcoming season, discussed public broadcasting business and took part in professional development sessions with representatives from PBS, public broadcasting organizations and representatives for public television stations around the nation. A wrap-up of the week seemed like a good idea, until we realized we had been tweeting from our @npt8 account the entire week, and had the wrap-up just about written. So instead of rewriting them, we decided to post them here, and annotate, or rather expand on, the tweets when necessary. There are amazing things coming up in the two years ahead, both nationally, and locally, from public television, and we’re happy to share them with you.

You can choose to read the tweets in the order they appear here, or start at the bottom if you want a chronological rundown of the week.

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We know, Nashville, we’ve tweeted more in 3 days than in months, but hope you’ve enjoyed updates from @PBSAnnualMtg! #pbsam
19 May

“What?!” you say. “There hasn’t been a great doc on The War of 1812, yet?” “Impossible!” We’ve got you covered this October. #pbsam
19 May [24]

[24] When does Ken Burns sleep? “Prohibition,” “The Dust Bowl” AND “The War of 1812” coming in the next two years? Unbelievable.

PBSPressRoom by npt8
History Detectives moves to Tuesdays at 8p starting June 21. More info on PBS summer: http://go.pbs.org/4YmWZ #pbsam
19 May

PBSPressRoom by npt8
Powerful docs from the National Minority Consortia coming to PBS this yr include “DC Met: Life Inside School Reform”, “Mariachi High” #pbsam
19 May

PBSPressRoom
by npt8
“Slavery by Another Name,” based on Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Douglas Blackmon, coming to PBS in 2012. #pbsam
19 May

PBSPressRoom by npt8
Great clip w/ Ron Howard, @RainnWilson, more from “America in Primetime” — an insiders’ view of the TV industry coming in fall 2011. #pbsam
19 May [23]

[23] This could very well be the TV event of the fall. A multi-part series on the history of primetime television, its role, and some of its most memorable shows and characters. Good time to gather around the TV again.

Hang on, folks. The next couple of years are going to be intense. Fall 2012 will deliver Ken Burns’ “The Dust Bowl.” #pbsam
19 May [22]

[22] Burns never fails to deliver. The preview of this, with archival footage and photos, looks intense. We wonder if Woody Guthrie’s “Dust Bowl Ballads” record will have a role in the soundtrack.

Whoa! Coming to American Experience next season: Clinton, Jesse Owens, Custer’s Last Stand and The Amish. Outstanding. #pbsam
19 May

DC Central Kitchen’s Rob Egger says he watched “Freedom Riders” on Mon – wondered why funding for PubBroadcasting ever questioned. #pbsam
19 May [21]

[21] We’re with you on this. “Freedom Riders,” which was broadcast on the night the meeting started, was brought up dozens of times during the week by a variety of speakers as an example of the kind of programming and outreach we should be proud of.

Producer Abigail Disney’s “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” is part of Women and Girls Lead initiative: praythedevilbacktohell.com #pbsam
19 May

Great discussion of Women and Girls Lead: Geena Davis, author Sheryl WuDunn, filmmaker Abigail Disney, Paula Kerger & Pat Harrison #pbsam
19 May

“Women, War & Peace” will premiere in October 2011: pbs.org/wnet/wideangle… #pbsam
19 May

Women and Girls Lead: itvs.org/women-and-girl… #pbsam
19 May

Final morning @PBSAnnualMtg starts off fantastic with a preview of Women and Girls Lead initiative and a Geena Davis keynote! #pbsam
19 May [20]

[20] Geena Davis has been speaking out on women’s issues, and seeking positive roles (not including ‘Earth Girls are Easy,” as she joked) for a majority of her career, which made her the perfect person to kick off this event. And in case you’re wondering, yes, she’s very tall.

joemiller1010 by npt8
Rt @jseiken: Nice review. Free PBS app streams kid vids to iPad cnet.co/iqOVQl via @cnet #pbsam
18 May

PBS
by npt8
.@pogue is killing it at the PBS annual meeting performing iconic songs with Pogue-ified lyrics. #pbsam
18 May [19]

[19] @pogue is David Pogue, New York Times tech columnist and host of PBS’s “Making Stuff.” He delivered an impassioned, and oft-times hilarious keynote, which he finished with some of his reworkings of classic tunes with lyrics about technology.

PBS by npt8
RT @PBSPressRoom: Brian Greene’s The Fabric of the Cosmos from @novapbs to air Nov 2. More info: http://ow.ly/4Xxcf #pbsam
18 May [18]

[18] Thinking about these kinds of things can sometimes make your head hurt (like this blog post is probably doing by now) but it’s endlessly fascinating.

Us, too! & “you can take our mattresses” @phmcgowan: @PBS @npt8 had “buses are a-comin’, oh yes…” stuck in my head for the past two days.
18 May [17]

[17] This had nothing to do with the Annual Meeting, but it came through, and I just had to retweet it. @phmcgowan is referencing a song that Freedom Riders used to sing in Parchman Prison in Mississippi. Check out this clip of Rip Patton on Oprah.

PBS by npt8
Congrats! RT @pbspressroom: Rebecca Eaton, exec producer of @masterpiecepbs, honored with 2011 PBS “Be more” Award #pbsam
18 May

From Current.org, NPT, Next Door Neighbors and “The Rules of Engagement” current.org/outreach/outre…
18 May[16]

[16] This article in the newspaper of public broadcasting was the perfect complement to our leading a professional development panel discussion titled “What is Authentic Engagement?” NPT pres Beth Curley, VP Kevin Crane, producer Will Pedigo and production assistant Soraya Salam led this session with a focus on our “Next Door Neighbors” project.

Have you checked out Chuck Vanderchuck and Noah Comprende @pbskids GO? Great, fun stuff! pbskids.org/go/allshows/?c… #pbsam
18 May [15]

[15] These are online-only shows and games and they are a blast. I think adults wanting to learn to speak Spanish could also benefit from Noah Comprende. And Chuck Vanderchuck is a dream from parents wanting to introduce their kids to music.

Oh my! The @pbskids Super Why! kids are getting a dog this season! Woofster!
18 May [14]

[14] Apparently, this came about as a result of polling fans of the show, who unanimously thought the Super Readers needed a dog. We agree!

Just announced @PBSAnnualMtg “Curious George: The Movie” will broadcast premiere on PBS on Thanksgiving. Thank you! #pbsam
18 May [13]

[13] This is the one with Will Ferrell and music by Jack Johnson. It’ll be paired with “Curious George: Follow that Monkey.”

Said @PBSAnnualMtg: “Dinosaur Train” … Dinosaurs and trains … The reese’s peanut butter cup of kid’s programming. #pbsam
18 May [12]

[12] The quote of the conference.

amywoo by npt8
This morning, I fell in love with Dinosaur Train. For real. Watch it with your kids. Or borrow a kid so you can watch. So good. #PBSam
18 May [11]

[11] I felt the same way as Amy on this, and immediately thought of all the little kids I know and wondered if they’re watching Dinosaur Train. I made some calls.

Pbskids.org is the #1 online kids destination for streaming video. #pbsam
18 May [10]

[10] This brought cheers from the audience. This videos, with their education content, are truly the best kids videos on the web.

PBS by npt8
Infographic: Ten Facts About PBS KIDS: http://to.pbs.org/kWCQXU (pls. RT) @pbskids @pbsparents
18 May [10]

PBS by npt8
The first session of today’s PBS annual meeting focuses on Sid the Science Kid and Wilson & Ditch. Lots of fun coming this year! #pbsam
18 May

Discussing arts & public broadcasting @PBSAnnualMtg. What can we do, #Nashville, to better serve your arts needs? @NashvilleArts & others.
17 May [9]

[9] This Fall will bring the PBS Fall Arts Festival, nine consecutive Fridays of national arts programming. We’ll be adding our own local arts content, likely via our Arts Break interstitials, but will also be looking to beef up our online commitment to local arts.

Independent Lens|PBS by npt8
Half the Sky is coming to IL on #PBS! Big news this morning: http://to.pbs.org/HTSonPBS #halfthesky
17 May [8]

[8] This is a big deal. The documentary “Half The Sky” is based on New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s widely acclaimed book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. More in the link in the Tweet and when we get to Thursday and the Women and Girl;s Lead initiative, which WuDunn attended.

“Last Call” author Daniel Okrent talking “prohibition” w/ Novick @PBSAnnualMtg #pbsam This doc series, premiere 10/2, is going to be great.
17 May [7]

[7] I need to buy this book.

Getting at sneak peek @PBSAnnualMtg of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s “Prohibition.” Tea being served, of course. #pbsam
17 May [6]

[6] I don’t remember what we had for lunch this day, but the ballroom was done up right. Lights low, jazz trio performing, and centerpieces on the tables designed of martini glasses, flasks, and empty wine bottles. I immediately checked under my seat to see if there an envelope indicating I had won the centerpiece. No dice. Anyway, the preview for this Burns and Novick doc, coming this Fall, looks amazing. The clip we saw was also slightly hilarious, in its discussion of things like the increase in attendance at Synagogues and Catholic Churches, which were allowed to use wine, and how the Yale club, given a year to prepare for Prohibition, stockpiled 14 years worth of alcohol. Prohibition lasted thirteen.

Survivor winner Yul Kwon will host “America Revealed.” #willbeawesome #pbsam
17 May [5]

[5]Me, personally, I’ve never watched this show, but a lot of people do, and this guy seems extremely cool and the show looks great. Hence the #willbeawesome part.

Was just wondering yesterday who should be on American Masters. Well, how bout Woody Allen, Bill T. Jones & Johnny Carson for starters?
17 May [4]

[4] We asked our Facebook fans this question a day before the announcement, and had some informal discussions in the office, too. Somebody said Woody Allen. Really. By the way, have you ever watched the Best of the Carson DVDs? They are fantastic.

“Memphis” musical will come to Great Performances 2011-12 season! #pbsam
17 May

Yes! American Masters “Pearl Jam Twenty” will be part of @pbs Fall Arts Festival #pbsam
17 May [3]

[3] This is pretty exciting news, since it’s rare for American Masters to profile anyone still alive, or younger than 70, but with Jeff Bridges in April, and now Pearl Jam, they seem to be on to acknowledging some contemporary American Masters. Either that, or I’m getting old. Here’s a teaser.

PBS by npt8
RT @PBSPressRoom: @masterpiecepbs Downton Abbey returns in January. Sherlock returns in May. #pbsam
17 May

“Being Elmo” doc will come to @IndependentLens 2011-12 season. #pbsam
17 May [2]

[2] We tried our best to get this film about Elmo creator and muppeteer Kevin Clash to the Nashville Film Festival this year, without luck. What gives, “Being Elmo” people? But we’re happy it’s coming to NPT.

@nashfilmfest’s 2010 doc audience winner “Racing Dreams” to come to @povdocs 2011 season
17 May

PBS by npt8
PBS prez Paula Kerger’s Opening Remarks at PBS Annual Meeting 2011 #pbsam: pbs.org/about/leadersh… via @PBS
17 May

We’re @pbsannualmtg in Orlando. [1]
17 May

[1] The PBS Annual Meeting, formerly called PBS Showcase, takes place every year in a different location. It’s a chance for public television representations from stations around the country to gather with PBS representatives and and other public media personnel to preview upcoming programming and initiatives, share development and communication practices and generally discuss all things public television.