Follow the money. It’s one of the basic rules of investigative journalism, a catchphrase used throughout the Academy Award-winning film, All the President’s Men. The phrase also summarizes the methodology of a Montana journalist as he explores the proliferation of anonymous corporate contributions into American politics. Filmmaker Kimberly Reed in turn followed the story for six years while producing Dark Money, a political thriller with a touch of the Watergate movie’s intrigue, premiering on Nashville Public Television and PBS Monday, Oct. 1, on the POV independent documentary series.
Reed and Dark Money are the focus of NPT’s initial Another Perspective podcast. The podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on Sept. 12, 2018, following a free screening of Dark Money at the First Amendment Center on the Vanderbilt University campus. NPT’s Jessica Turk and the Nashville Film Festival’s Robin Robinson talked with Reed, who also answered questions from the audience.
Nashville Film Festival’s Robin Robin, NPT’s Jessica Turk and DARK MONEY filmmaker Kimberly Reed at the Another Perspective podcast recording, Sept. 12, 2018.
Dark Money was part of the May 2018 film festival, where Turk and Robinson each introduced a screening and follow-up discussion of the film.
“I saw that there was this huge community that loves documentary films and I enjoyed the conversations I was having not only with the filmmakers, but the people who were attending the film,” Turk said. “It made me feel like this was something we needed to explore. NPT had talked about having a digital first property and podcast seemed to lend itself to it.”
A grant from Our America: Documentary and Dialogue made NPT’s Another Perspective possible. “Our America focuses on communities within the Midwest, South and rural areas,” according to Erika Howard, POV’s senior director of Station Marketing and Audience Engagement. The project aims to create spaces for bipartisan discussion in the divisive climate borne out of the 2016 presidential election.
“I’ve seen that for quite some time that podcasting has a way of really engaging people who love documentary film,” Howard said. “It also helps to engage with audiences that are consuming content in different ways. There’s a lot that’s happening in the digital space, on your mobile, your laptop that I think those audiences would love to hear more about public media and should hear more. Maybe the only place they’re going to get it is through the podcast.”
NPT’s Another Perspective audience was not only riveted by Dark Money, but also motivated to act in their own communities. “We had a good turnout, we had a really engaged audience,” Robinson said. “I like a crowd that kind of talks back to the screen, I liked hearing the moans and reactions, the mutters and the gasps.”
Posted in Another Perspective by .
First, if you haven’t yet voted for your favorite novel in The Great American Read campaign, do it right now by clicking this link (we’ll wait…). Now that you’ve taken care of that, here are some NPT and A Word on Words tie-ins to the national program that you’ll want to mark on your calendar.
On TV
Episodes of The Great American Read continue weekly on NPT through Oct. 23. Upcoming shows cover literature’s “Villains & Monsters” (Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.) and “Other Worlds” (Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.) and other themes. In addition to that series, we’re showing two companion programs that explore literary traditions. What Makes a Great Book, airing Thursday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m., delves into character, plot and style. This episode includes excerpts from NPT’s A Word on Words interviews with authors John Boyne, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Mohsin Hamid, as well as with poet Billy Collins.
Authors and Their Hometowns, airing Thursday, Sept. 27, at 9:30 p.m., visits the hometowns and stories of Harper Lee, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jane Austen and others. An excerpt from NPT’s A Word on Words interview with John Boyne is used in this episode.
Mary Laura Philpott, one of the A WORD ON WORDS hosts, with author John Boyne.
Southern Festival of Books
Stop by NPT’s Great American Read booth at the Southern Festival of Books, Oct. 12 – 14, at Legislative Plaza. You’ll be able to vote for your favorite novel, get a copy of the list of the top 100 books, pose for photos with various props, and collect posters, bookmarks and pins. You’ll also be able to register for a chance to win a Great American Read-themed gift basket from NPT.
On the final day of the festival, join NPT for “The Great American Read” panel discussion on Sunday, Oct. 14, noon to 1:30 p.m., in the Downtown Nashville Public Library auditorium. The session will include a brief screening of an episode of The Great American Read, followed by a discussion with Washington Post book editor Ron Charles; indie bookseller and author Joelle Herr; author Bernice L. McFadden; and bookseller and author James Mustich. We’ll give away another themed gift basket at the Sunday panel discussion.
Keep Reading!
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Aging Matters: Dental Health, the twelfth documentary in Nashville Public Television’s NPT Reports: Aging Matters series, premieres Thursday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
Tennessee ranks 49th in oral health for older adults and almost half of Tennesseans over 65 . Older adults are often susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay, which can affect their general health and quality of life. Aging Matters: Dental Health explores explores how oral health affects overall health and how seniors will access dental care, particularly if they lack insurance.
Poor oral health can lead to increased risk of serious health problems, including heart disease and complications in controlling diabetes. The good news is that dentistry has come a long way in the last century, and today’s seniors are maintaining their natural teeth longer than in the past.
The broadcast premiere of Aging Matters: Dental Health will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Holly Plemons, senior program director for Interfaith Dental Clinic’s SMILE ON 60+; Dr. Michele Blackledge, dental director of Neighborhood Health in Middle Tennessee; Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, CEO of Interfaith Dental Clinic; and Bruce Sites, executive director of Friends in Need based in Kingsport, Tenn.
NPT is also offering two free public screenings of the documentary. The first, a preview event, takes place on Monday, Sept. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at FiftyForward’s Patricia Hart Building (174 Rains Ave., Nashville 37203). The event will include lunch and a panel discussion. The event is free, but RSVPs are required at dental-npt.eventbrite.com.
The second event takes place after the broadcast premiere, on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Nashville Downtown Public Library’s auditorium (615 Church St., Nashville 37219). This event includes a discussion and is co-sponsored by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability and Interfaith Dental Clinic. RSVPs are required for this free event at dentalhealth-npt.eventbrite.com.
Aging Matters: Dental Health was produced by Shawn Anfinson, whose previous projects include documentaries in NPT’s Next Door Neighbors series, Tennessee Crossroads episodes, and numerous short features for NPT’s Veterans Coming Home, American Graduate and other series.
The NPT Reports: Aging Matters series is hosted by Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Kathy Mattea. The funding for Aging Matters: Dental Health was provided through a grant awarded by the Davidson County Chancery Court, Part III from the SeniorTrust/ElderTrust settlement (Case No. 11-1548-III) and through a contract administered by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability.
Additional broadcast times for Aging Matters: Dental Health are Monday, Oct. 1, at 8 a.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m., both on NPT2. The documentary will also be available for online viewing at wnpt.org/agingmatters/.
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NPT’s August Membership Campaign is your opportunity to show your support for Nashville Public Television – and to take advantage of ticket offers and other thank-you gifts! This season’s offerings include concert packages, Nashville Zoo tickets and more. We’ll also have special guests in the studio on live pledge nights, Aug. 22 and 23. Here’s a preview of our special programming this month!
Bonus offer: Make a donation to NPT between Aug. 18 and Sept. 1, 2018, and you’ll be eligible to win a $1,000 VISA gift card. (Sustaining members are automatically entered into the contest.)
Experiences
Nature programs are popular with NPT viewers, so we are excited to include a few special shows during this month.
Giraffes: Africa’s Gentle Giants, a Nature special, airs Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m. Jim Bartoo from the Nashville Zoo will join us live in studio to talk about the park. Thank-you gifts available with your generous donation to NPT include a giraffe stuffed animal and a four-pack of tickets to the Nashville Zoo. For information about the Zoo package, call 844-213-5345.
Voyage of Adventure: Retracing Donelson’s Journey NPT’s original production, returns Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 8:30 p.m. Photographer Guider will join us in the studio to talk about his ambitious endeavor, as well as the many images he shot during the nearly 1,000-mile journey. Thank-you gifts with Voyage of Adventure pledges include Guider’s book The River Inside and a limited edition Guider print from the Donelson project.
See it live
The Tenors – Fan Favorites airs Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 8:30 p.m. These tenors – who are Canadian, in case you’re trying to keep track – will be performing Oct. 29, 2018, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. For information about tickets and meet-&-greet opportunities with your pledge to support NPT, call 844-213-5345.
Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville Special airs Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. Stevens will join us live in our studio for the broadcast; membership thank-you gifts include tickets to the CabaRay in west Nashville. Call 844-213-5345 for ticket information.
Pavlo Live in Kastoria airs Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 8:30 p.m. The Canadian-born Mediterranean guitarist will be live in our studio for our broadcast of his concert recorded in the Greek mountains. Call 844-213-5345 for information about tickets and meet-&-greet opportunities for Pavlo’s Jan. 20, 2019, performance at TPAC.
The Chris Botti Band in Concert, a Great Performances special, re-airs on NPT2 on Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 8:30 a.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 1:30 p.m. As a special thank-you to pledge donors, we’re offering tickets to the trumpeter’s Feb. 14 and 15, 2019, concerts at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. For information about tickets, call 844-213-5345.
Other performance shows and programs about musicians include Grateful Dead – Downhill from Here (Friday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m.) and Dionne Warwick – Then Came You (re-airs on NPT2 on Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 7 a.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 22, at noon).
NPT Passport
Remember, donations to NPT at the $60+ level include access to NPT Passport, a member benefit streaming portal featuring on-demand episodes of many past, present and limited-run PBS and NPT shows via your favorite devices. More information about NPT Passport is available at video.wnpt.org/passport/learn-more.
Enjoy this month’s special programming (check our schedule for additional airings) and please support Nashville Public Television.
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NPT invites the public to participate in a town-hall discussion about the prevalence of violence and its impact on youth. Youth & Violence: NPT Reports Town Hall and taping takes place Thursday, Sept. 6, in NPT’s Studio A (161 Rains Ave. Nashville 37203). The taping begins promptly at 6:30 p.m.; doors open for a reception at 6 p.m. This event is FREE, but RSVPs are required at youth-npt.eventbrite.com.
Young people, experts and community leaders and other members of the Middle Tennessee community are expected to take part in this conversation about what is being done to address the public health crisis emerging around youth and violence. NPT producer LaTonya Turner will moderate the discussion.
This town hall will be recorded for future broadcast. Youth & Violence: NPT Reports Town Hall premieres on NPT Thursday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m.
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By MiChelle Jones, NPT
On Labor Day 2016, while others spent the day grilling and relaxing, photographer John Guider set off on what would be a two-month, 1,000-mile journey along Tennessee’s waterways. His goal was to follow, as closely as possible, Col. John Donelson’s 1779 journey from Virginia to what would become Nashville. Guider’s voyage was chronicled by The Tennessean and is now the subject of an NPT original documentary, Voyage of Adventure: Retracing Donelson’s Journey, premiering Thursday, July 26, at 8 p.m. on NPT.
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Kathy Mattea narrates the one-hour program, which was produced by NPT’s Will Pedigo. Voyage of Adventure includes stunning river footage, excerpts from Donelson’s journal and images shot by Guider during his autumn excursion. “By being on the river, just a few feet above the waterline, I get to view nature in a very unique way,” Guider says in the documentary. “I’m on the water looking up at nature. And I’m looking up in celebration, and in awe, and reverence.”
This was Guider’s third river project. The first was traveling the length of the Mississippi River, a nearly 2,500-mile journey over three years. Next came his “Great Loop” project, 6,500 miles over seven years that included waterways from the Gulf of Mexico, up the East Coast and across the Great Lakes. The idea to follow Donelson’s route came during that project when Guider came across a commemorative marker, a chance encounter that also solved a conundrum. After spending two-and-a-half years with his craft, Guider says it became so personal that he couldn’t name it (his wife declined to have it named after her).
“I named my boat the Adventure II in honor of his [boat],” Guider said. Guider continued traveling the Great Loop, but he kept coming back to Donelson. “I just couldn’t get his story out of my mind, so I decided this was going to be my next adventure: retracing Donelson’s journey and using it as a comparison, not as a reenactment. I had his journal and I knew the locations of where he was speaking…and that’s where it all began.”
Though Guider spends weeks at a time on the river, he says the trips themselves are somewhat spontaneous without a lot of planning. “I talked about it for two to three months,” he says of the Donelson project. “The boat was fairly ready, it just needed to be reconditioned and repainted.” As for his own condition, Guider tries to stay in fairly good shape, but until this year didn’t have a rigorous exercise program. “I knew if I go out on a journey, if the first day I can only row three or four hours, it’s no big deal.”
That, Guider says, is the advantage of traveling alone. “As you’re doing it at your own pace, it’s not that hard. In the morning when I wake up, I’m kind of tired and groggy, it’s just like any other morning no matter where I am,” he says. “But then I get out in the water and start rowing and the endorphins kick in. Within a few minutes, a big, broad grin is stretching across my face and I know I’m alive again and all is well.” He travels without a chase vehicle, which may seem especially adventurous, but Guider brushes it off. “Curiously enough this journey, no matter where I am, I’m only four hour’s drive from home, even though it’s a 1,000-mile water course.”
For Guider, this trip was a balance between photography mission and curiosity about Donelson’s voyage. “I wanted to learn more about Donelson and why the heck he did this. People think what I’m doing is kind of insane, but what he did was not only insane, but he corralled his whole family,” Guider says. “The other thing is my love for Tennessee; part of my mission is to educate and illuminate and make people aware of how precious this landscape is.”
Additional broadcast times for Voyage of Adventure: Retracing Donelson’s Journey are below; the documentary will also be available for online viewing at wnpt.org/voyage-of-adventure/.
- Monday, July 30, at 8 a.m. on NPT2
- Tuesday, July 31, at 1 p.m. on NPT2
- Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 8:30 p.m. on NPT
- Friday, Aug. 24, at 8:30 a.m. on NPT2
- Saturday, Aug. 25, 10:30 p.m. on NPT
This NPT original production is in partnership with The Tennessean. Major funding for Voyage of Adventure was provided by The Anne Potter Wilson Foundation, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee; Martin S. Brown Jr. and the MSB Cockayne Fund; Gilbert S. Merritt; and Dell. Additional support was provided by Eileen Beehan; Sally Pack Farms; Karen Dunn Cochran; Julie Davis; Rachel Stockley Donelson Chapter, DAR; Sally L. Dunn; Andrew Donelson Dunn; Calvin and Marilyn Lehew; and Ophelia Paine.
Posted in NPT Original Production by .
Nashville Public Television is one of eight Tennessee nonprofit organizations to receive a 2018 Nissan Foundation grant. The grant will help fund NPT’s Next Door Neighbors project.
Next Door Neighbors began in 2008 and, through documentaries and video shorts, aims to shed light on Nashville’s status as a destination city for refugees and immigrants and to explore the rich diversity of people now calling Middle Tennessee home. The most recent documentary, Next Door Neighbors: Between Two Worlds, premiered in April 2018 on NPT. All the documentaries in the series are available for online viewing at video.wnpt.org/show/next-door-neighbors/.
“NPT is extremely grateful to the Nissan Foundation for its long-standing, generous support of Next Door Neighbors,” said Kevin Crane, NPT’s president and CEO. “The Next Door Neighbors project is a cornerstone of NPT’s service to the Middle Tennessee. More than a decade after it began, the documentary series continues to play a vital role in building acceptance and appreciation for the diverse tapestry of cultures found in our immigrant and refugee communities. I am proud of the work NPT has done in this area and look forward to continuing another year of Next Door Neighbors.”
The Nissan Foundation’s 2018 grantees include 29 nonprofit organizations located in Southern California, North Central Texas, Middle Tennessee, Central Mississippi, Eastern Michigan and the New York and Atlanta metro areas. In total, the Nissan Foundation is awarding grants amounting to $730,000.
In 1992, Nissan North America formed the Nissan Foundation in response to the civil unrest that occurred near Nissan’s then U.S. headquarters in Southern California following the Rodney King trial verdict. Every year since, the Nissan Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations that offer educational programs that inform, inspire and celebrate diversity among the various cultural and ethnic groups that make up society.
Over its 26-year history, the Nissan Foundation has awarded more than $10 million to approximately 120 organizations promoting respect and understanding among cultural and ethnic groups.
“It is a privilege to recognize Nashville Public Television with a Nissan Foundation grant for the work it is doing to promote the value of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity,” said Nissan Foundation President Scott Becker, who is also senior vice president, Administration, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Nissan Foundation has a proud history of recognizing and supporting organizations making a real impact in this regard.”
Posted in Next Door Neighbors by .
For the 38th year, PBS and NPT will air A Capitol Fourth, the annual Independence Day concert held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, live on July 4th. This year’s broadcast is 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4, with an encore presentation immediately afterward at 8:30 p.m. New for 2018 is a Viewing Party Kit that includes recipes, decorating ideas games and more to help viewers celebrate the holiday with friends and family. The kit is available at www.watchthefourth.org.
Emmy Award-nominated actor and producer John Stamos (“Fuller House,” “Scream Queens”) returns as host and performers include multiplatinum country music singer-songwriter Luke Combs; country music star and “American Idol” alum Lauren Alaina; and 12-time Grammy Award-winner gospel legend CeCe Winans.
Also on tap for this year’s concert: multiplatinum-selling music legend Jimmy Buffett with the Broadway cast of the new musical “Escape to Margaritaville”; multiplatinum-selling music legends The Beach Boys; legendary Motown stars The Temptations; three-time Grammy Award-winning and multiplatinum-selling artists Pentatonix; multiplatinum pop singer and songwriter Andy Grammer; and Grammy Award-winning soprano superstar Renée Fleming. “The Voice” Season 14 finalist Kyla Jade will open the show with a performance of the national anthem.
Additionally, Broadway legend Chita Rivera will introduce a special tribute to the work of famed American composer Leonard Bernstein in this, his centennial year. The segment will feature Bernstein’s beloved composition “Tonight” from “West Side Story” performed by internationally acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jack Everly. Rivera, a two-time Tony Award-winner, rose to stardom when she originated the role of Anita in the Broadway premiere of “West Side Story” in 1957.
Find our full programming lineup at http://www.wnpt.org/schedule/
Posted in Programming by .
By Dasha Didier
NPT Intern
We’re sharing Name that book! images on Instagram over the next few weeks. Follow us at nashvillepubtv to see how many books you can identify from the list of 100 titles on The Great American Read list. We plan to post three images every Wednesday through early August and we’ll post the answers the following week with the next round of images.
The idea behind Name that book! is to create a fun way to remind people of favorite books they may have read years and years ago.
To do this, I fill our Great American Read frame with objects that represent the essence of a book from the list of 100 best-loved novels. I choose books that will be relatively easy to recognize and ones I am somewhat familiar with. After a search on Google Images and Pinterest, I make a list of important symbols and distinguishable items that best characterize each novel. I send my wish list off to the props master at the Nashville Repertory Theatre (our neighbors here at NPT) and receive a box of props in return. If necessary, I print off images to further help symbolize the book and then arrange all my objects in the most aesthetically pleasing way.
Some books are easier to illustrate than others. We had an abundance of easily recognizable objects for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: the Mad Hatter’s hat, a teapot and playing cards. Others, like Beloved, were more difficult. I tried my best to distinguish that book’s literary symbols like the black, wide-brimmed hat that represented the fear of being taken back into slavery.
Keep a look out on Instagram for Name that book! And don’t forget to vote for your favorite novel at www.wnpt.org/greatread.
Posted in The Great American Read by .
NPT’s June Membership Campaign kicks off June 1 and includes music shows – some with ticket and meet-&-greet offers – and a new Tennessee Crossroads special. Just in time for summer, Weekend Getaway, a 90-minute Crossroads episode, premieres Thursday, June 7, at 7 p.m. and features suggested itineraries for quick trips in East, Middle and West Tennessee.
Road trip!
First, Danielle Allen heads home to Memphis, where she books accommodations in the elegant and James Lee House and delves into the soulful connections of a storied record label at the Stax Museum. You can’t go to Memphis and not sample barbecue, so Danielle makes a stop at The BBQ Shop. Next, Rob Wilds visits the Cumberland Plateau, checks into the Sewanee Inn, has a meal at Jim Oliver’s Smokehouse Restaurant and explores South Cumberland State Park. Finally, Tennessee Crossroads host Joe Elmore finds the hospitable Gracehill Inn in the Smokies, dines at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp and gets artistic at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Live and in person
Celtic Woman: Homecoming ‒ Ireland airs Saturday, June 2, at 8 p.m., but you don’t have to wait till then to take advantage of our thank-you offers. Call 844-213-5345 for information about tickets and a meet-&-greet opportunity with the quartet at their June 15, 2018, performance at TPAC.
NPT’s annual Appraisal Day takes place Saturday, June 23, at the Factory at Franklin. Get a preview of this family-friendly day Monday, June 4, during the 7 p.m. broadcast of Antiques Roadshow. Warwick Stone, aka the Rock Collector, will be our guest during this live television event. Warwick specializes in rock’n’roll memorabilia, but you can bring almost anything to Appraisal Day; registrations are available at wnpt.org/antiques.
Joe Bonamassa: British Blues Explosion Live airs Monday, June 4, at 8:30 p.m. In this concert recorded July 2016 at England’s Old Royal Naval College, the guitarist pays homage to Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Thank-you gifts for Joe Bonamassa pledges include tickets to his Aug. 9, 2018, concert at the Ryman Auditorium. Call 844-213-5345 for information.
Brit Floyd: The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show celebrates the seminal rock band known for concept albums like The Wall. The program airs Thursday, June 7, at 8:30 p.m. Among the thank-you gifts available with your generous donation to NPT are tickets and a meet-&-greet opportunity for the tribute band’s Aug. 4, 2018, show in TPAC’s Jackson Hall.
Enjoy this month’s special programming (check our schedule for additional airings) and please support Nashville Public Television.
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