2014 - KLRU

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS
2014 Local Content and Service Report to the Community
MISSION
CORE VALUES
KLRU’s mission is to educate, entertain
and engage children and adults in the
Greater Austin area and beyond by
providing distinctive media experiences
that matter, whether on the air, online
or on the ground, and reflecting Austin’s
uniqueness and creativity to the world.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
VISION
KLRU enriches lives and transforms
communities.
KLRU is a leader in public media,
distinguished by its energetic
engagement with the community and for
the quality and creativity of content. KLRU
illuminates the wider world of knowledge;
the importance of discourse, and the
many possibilities life presents us all.
Arts In Context: Clothes Stories event
1
We are a trusted source for Central Texas ‐‐ independent,
noncommercial, nonpartisan and honest.
Our content is engaging, entertaining, intelligent, challenging,
educational, and diverse.
Quality is a constant.
We actively seek ways to address the needs of the unserved
and underserved.
We strive to leverage and celebrate Austin’s creative community.
We value collaboration and strive to be a good partner.
We are community oriented, viewer focused, attentive and responsive.
We are courageous, proactive, and innovative.
We follow through on our commitments.
We are not afraid to take creative risks.
We observe the highest ethical standards and are responsible
to our employees and community.
We know that each person’s contribution is critical to our success.
We honor the potential of each person and are committed to
helping everyone achieve his or her goals.
We celebrate cultural differences and embrace diverse perspectives.
Our ability to excel depends on the diversity, collaboration, skill
and teamwork of our employees.
We approach each other, our member stations, producers and
the public with respect, in an open and honest manner.
We have fun.
2014 Local Content and Service Report
KLRU is dedicated to telling stories that entertain, inspire and
change lives. As a major, national producer of original content,
KLRU highlights what makes Austin and Central Texas unique –
whether culture, arts or public issues – by creating and
distributing award-winning programs like Austin City Limits,
Arts In Context, Central Texas Gardener, Civic Summit, BBQ
with Franklin and Overheard with Evan Smith, among others.
As a PBS member station, KLRU brings hours of entertainment
and education to homes thoughout Central Texas. As a nonprofit educational organization, KLRU prepares children to
succeed in school and get ready for college and careers, and
also creates lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Each week, KLRU reaches more than 500,000 people through
our four broadcast channels, delivering more than 35,000
hours of programming. We are one of the largest providers of
online video content, with more than 7,000 hours of content
available though KLRU.org, YouTube channels, and other
broadband channels. We have an active and engaged following
on social media with more than 17,500 Facebook likes and
more than 24,000 Twitter followers. Our number of likes on
Facebook increased by 25% in 2014 and our number of
“follows” on Twitter increased by 36%, indicating that the
number people engaged with KLRU has grown significantly
this past year. KLRU.tv continues to grow as a distinct channel,
presenting KLRU and PBS content anywhere, anytime via
mobile, tablet and desktop. In 2014 we noted an 12% increase
in the number of times our videos were played online
(375,114), and page views of klru.org increased by 21%
with 2.58 million page views.
klru.org
2
KLRU 2014 EVENTS
January 2014
Community Gathering: Why Bother?
“Austin City Government 101” forums.
Special Event: KLRU Appraisal Fair
Screening: Sherlock at Alamo Drafthouse
Taping: Overheard with James Carville
and Mary Matalin
Taping: Overheard taping with Lucinda Williams
February 2014
Community Gathering: Civic Summit -- Why Bother
(2 events promoting civic engagement)
Taping: Overheard with Kevin Nealon
Screening: Community Cinema -- Las Marthas
Taping: Blackademics: Issues in Contemporary
African American Culture
Taping: Overheard with Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley
Taping: Overheard with Noel Wells
KLRU KIDS: Feria Para Aprender (largest Spanish language education fair in Central Texas)
Community Advisory Board meeting
KLRU Kids: Peg + Cat 100th Day of School
Celebrations (3)
KLRU Kids: Blackshear Elementary Literacy Night
KLRU Kids: Akins Vertical Team Family Resource Fair
March 2014
Taping: Overheard with Brian Stelter
Taping: Overheard with Jeffrey Tambor
Taping: Overheard with Jason Schwartzman
Special Event: Arts In Context screening and
performance by Shakey Graves
Taping: Overheard with Joel Klein
Screening: Community Cinema - Trials of Muhammed Ali
Taping: Overheard Russell Gold
Screening: Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle
Special Event: PBS Party at SXSW Interactive
celebrating Austin City Limits
Special Event: “Bloody Mary Morning”
party and concert during SXSW
KLRU Kids: KLRU at Pflugerville Spring Pfling
KLRU Kids: Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration
KLRU Kids: Adelante Bilingual Education Conference
KLRU Kids: African American Parent
Involvement Conference
April 2014
Screening: Russia’s Open Book
Taping: Overheard with Martin Baron
Community Gathering: Civic Summit - Communication or Crisis: Austin Race Issues
Screening: Community Cinema -- Medora
KLRU Kids: Dia de los Ninos at The Thinkery
Special Event: Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction
Taping: Overheard with Martin Baron
Taping: Austin City Limits with Los Lobos
Taping: Austin City Limits with Beck
Special Event: On Story Season 4 premiere event
Taping: Intergalactic Nemesis
KLRU Kids: Zavala Elementary Reading Rally
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Arts and Culture
Austin’s creative economy is a distinguishing feature of our
city, resulting in a vibrant arts and cultural scene that is like no
other. From music, to art, to film, to fashion -- many ideas begin
here. KLRU’s commitment to showcasing and sharing
the Austin arts scene goes back to the station’s founding in
1962. But nothing has done more to spread the cultural life
beyond our borders than the our award-winning music series
Austin City Limits, which celebrated 40 years of production
in 2014. This year also marked the creation of the Austin City
Limits Hall of Fame to recognize both artists and others who
have made the long-running show a national treasure.
The innovative spirit of Austin is perfectly captured in our new
web series Intergalactic Nemesis. This unparalleled web series
combines theater, Foley (sound effects), graphic art and drama
into a 17-part series, bringing this unique radio theater adaptation of a graphic novel series to life! Jason Neulander, the
director, writer and producer of the play upon which the series
is based said of KLRU that our work “serves a much bigger
purpose of sharing Austin’s unique and vital arts community
with the rest of the nation, further encouraging people to visit
Austin and explore the incredible nooks and crannies of
Austin’s one-of-a-kind arts scene.”
KLRU 2014 EVENTS (cont.)
May 2014
KLRU Kids: PBS Kids Game Demos at the Thinkery
KLRU Kids: PBS Kids Writers Contest celebration
and awards ceremony
Screening: Community Cinema -- The New Black
Screening: The Past, Present and Future of
Jewish Austin screening, discussion
Community Event: Leadership Austin Meeting
Community Advisory Board meeting
Taping: Austin City Limits with Valerie June
June 2014
Special Event: Antiques Roadshow
Community Gathering: Imagine One Austin –
seven part series
Special Event: ACL 40th Birthday concert
Screening: Freedom Summer @ Carver Museum
Taping: Austin City Limits with Ed Sheeran
KLRU Kids: Space Racer screening at Alamo
Drafthouse (2 locations)
KLRU Kids: PBS Kids Summer Kickoff events at
M Station, Safeplace
KLRU Kids: Smart Screen Time Family event at
Allison Elem. Engineering in Education Program
KLRU Kids: Smart Screen Time Family event at
Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin - EAST
July 2014
Taping: Overheard with Richard Linklater
Screening: Getting Back to Abnormal
Taping: Austin City Limits with Nick Cave
KLRU Kids: Jeopardy Family Night at Foundation
Communities: Trails of the Park
KLRU Kids: Smart Screen Time Family event at
Foundation Communities: Trails of the Park
KLRU Kids: Smart Screen Time Family event at
Boys and Girls Club of Marble Falls
August 2014
Screening: Austin Revealed at Austin History Center
Taping: Civic Summit: Mayors Forum
Screening: Black Folk Don’t at The Austin Film Society
Taping: Austin City Limits with Thao and the
Get Down Stay Down
Community Advisory Board meeting
Taping: Austin City Limits with White Denim
Taping: Austin City LImits with Nickel Creek
Taping: Civic Summit -- Mayoral Debate
KLRU Kids: Austin ISD Back to School Bash
KLRU Kids: Austin ISD Early Childhood Institute
Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett perform at the first Austin City Limits Hall of Fame
Induction Ceremony
3
September 2014
Taping: Austin City Limits taping with
J. Roddy Walston and the Business
Taping: Overheard with Ross Douhat
Community Event: Vision and Voice Celebration with
Austin Community College
Taping: Overheard with Lizz Winstead
Taping: Overheard with Mark Bittman
Taping: Overheard with Lawrence Wright
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Education Services
Key to KLRU’s mission is toeducate and engage children and
adults by providing distinctive media experiences. While this
happens in many ways, one of the best examples is the parent,
caregiver and child workshops we have conducted in the
community for over two decades. Based on our long history of
success, in 2014 KLRU was again selected to participate in the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s visionary Ready To Learn
Transmedia Demonstration Station project. Our previous work
on this project was highlighted in a report and webinar from
the National Summer Learning Association.
Beyond workshops, we also actively develop and implement
new programs to fit the needs of our community, such as
Summer STEM workshops, Smart Screen Time™ (a set of digital
literacy guidelines for both adults and children), and the Texas
GED Initiative, providing GED classes online and on the air.
We also establish wide-ranging partnerships to achieve our
community goals because we know our work has more reach
and more impact when we collaborate.
One of our key partnerships in 2014 is the American Graduate
Initiative. We were one of a few stations nationally to receive
funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to
develop a network of community partners dedicated to raising
awareness about the issues related to high school graduation
success rates. We established an advisory group comprised
of education, business and civic leaders and mentors and
students to help guide us in our work, and we are actively
engaged in production, outreach, and collaboration to tell
the stories of those who have overcome obstacles, created
opportunities and helped others in their quest to prepare
for college and career.
Children use
4
KLRU 2014 EVENTS (cont.)
September 2014 continued
Taping: Overheard with Ian McEwan
Special Event: State of the Station event
for donors and supporters
Community Event: Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
Taping: American Graduate Day
Screening: Arts In Context: El Taller at the Emma
Barrientos Mexican American Community Center
Taping: Overheard with Bob Woodward
Taping: Austin City Limits with Eric Church
Taping: Austin City Limits with Future Islands
Community Event: CASA Super Hero Run
Taping: Lt. Governors Debate
KLRU Kids: Fall Kickoff of Ready To Learn
Demonstration Stations (4)
October 2014
Screening: Last Days of Vietnam
Screening: SXSW.eco -- Earth: A New Wild
Screening: Community Cinema -- Makers
Taping: Austin City Limits with Jenny Lewis
Community Event: Texas Book Festival
Taping: Overheard with Katha Pollitt
Taping: Overheard with James Ellroy
Taping: Overheard with Nicholas Kristoff
Taping: Overheard with Martin Amis
Taping: Overheard with Joyce Carol Oates
Special Event: ACLTV 40th anniversary Pop Up Concert
Taping: Austin City LImits with Spoon
Taping: Austin City Limits with Sam Smith
Taping: Austin City Limits with The Avett Brothers
Taping: Austin City LImits with Ryan Adams
Special Event: Arts In Context screening and
performance by Les Rav
KLRU Kids: School Literacy Fairs (2)
November 2014
Screening: Community Cinema –
Evolution of a Criminal
Screening and Special Event: America By the Numbers
Taping: Overheard with William Gibson
Taping: Civic Summits - City Council Runoffs (3 nights)
Screening: LaDonna Harris: Indian 101
Community Advisory Board meeting
Taping: Austin City Limits with The Black Keys
Taping: Austin City Limits with The Foo Fighters
Screening: Dave Grohl’s Sound City in Studio 6A
with Q&A by Dave Grohl and Terry Lickona
KLRU Kids: Housing Authority of the CIty of Austin
Flores Training and Education Center Grand Opening
KLRU Kids: Odd Squad screening and
Ready To Learn Demo Sites (4)
December 2014
Community Event: Rick Steves donor Meet and Greet
with the Paramount Theater
Screenings: Five Downton Abbey screenings,
including Wimberley, TX, and Westminster
Senior Living Center
KLRU Kids: Martha Speaks Reading Buddies Celebration
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Quality Programming
Through four distinct channels, KLRU delivers more
than 36,000 hours of programming annually.
KLRU HD (18-1), the station’s primary
channel, delivers Masterpiece Theatre,
Great Performances, PBS NewsHour,
Sesame Street and much, much more
from the national PBS schedule of
exceptional programming, as well
as local productions and created
program acquisitions.
KLRU Create (18-2) is a nationwide
channel presenting the best of public
television’s lifestyle programs.
KLRU-Q (18-3) aspires to bring the world
to your door, featuring the most international news coverage of any channel
available in Austin (from Germany, the
UK, Asia and the Middle East). KLRU Q
also offers wide ranging programs not
found on KLRU HD.
Vme (18-4) is a Spanish-language public
television network delivering drama,
music, sports, news, current affairs, food,
lifestyle, nature and educational
pre-school content to viewers.
Through KLRU.tv, an extensive
catalogue of video content is made
available to those who prefer alternative
viewing options, including nearly all of
the programming available on their TV
screen, as well as a wide range of local
and national content produced exclusively for the online and mobile through
KLRU, PBS Digital Studios and others.
5
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
KLRU works to ease summer learning loss and teaches
kids & parents smart way to manage screen time
Community need: Provide resources to kids during
summer to stave off summer learning loss.
What we did: Each summer, KLRU and PBS Kids work to
provide families with a variety of free educational resources
to encourage children to continue learning and exploring
new ideas during summer vacation. Research shows that
students experience significant learning loss when they do
not participate in educational activities during the summer months, and that loss is even greater among children
in low-income communities. In fact, one study concluded
that more than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal
access to summer learning opportunities.1 To combat this
summer slump, in 2014 KLRU sought and received funding
from the KDK-Harman Foundation to become active partners with summer STEM youth program providers across
our viewing area.
As the local PBS station for Central Texas, KLRU has a
unique role to play in learning outside of the classroom.
PBS has long been the most trusted media resource in
the country, and serves as a massive resource for digital
educational media, especially in STEM fields. KLRU believes
that we have a responsibility to inform our public about
the potential benefits of screen-based learning and the
risks that can occur – especially during summertime, when
we know that screen time for youth increases dramatically.
With these factors in mind, we developed a pilot project to
enhance the service of summer STEM providers, helping
them extend their desired learning goals into the home
and strengthen levels of engagement with youth during
the course of their programming.
KLRU identified five agencies to partner with on this project
– Boys and Girls Club of East Austin, Boys and Girls Club of
South Austin, Austin AISD Summer Stem Academy at Allison
Elementary, Boys and Girls Club of Highland Lakes: Burnet,
and Boys and Girls Club of Highland Lakes: Marble Falls.
(continued on next page)
6
1 See Alexander, K. L., Entwisle D. R., & Olson L. S. (2007a). Lasting consequences of the summer learning gap. American Sociological Review, 72, 167-180.
Alexander, K. L., Entwisle D. R., & Olson L. S. (2007b). Summer learning and its
implications: Insights from the Beginning School Study. New Directions for Youth
Development, 114, 11-32.
Transmedia Demonstration Station at M Station in Austin, TX
“KLRU has been a wonderful partner in
our Summer STEM grant program, providing tremendous resources and training to our grantees in both rural and
urban settings. A leader in educational
programming, KLRU plays a vital role in
our Central Texas community as we seek
to expand opportunities for all children
and youth.”
Melanie Moore
CEO, KDK-Harman Foundation
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
KLRU works to ease summer learning loss and teaches
kids & parents smart way to manage screen time (cont.)
For the first phase, we worked with each agency to create
a plan, specific to each site’s programmatic needs, that
uses PBS Kids and KLRU’s digital resources in their summer
STEM workshops. We also created opportunities to extend
the resources into the home and beyond the duration of
the program. Through the support of the KDK-Harman
Foundation we were able to train 15 staff (three at each
site) and serve approximately 250 kids (50 at each site).
For the second phase of the partnership, we had an onsite presence for 10 hours at each location during times
when youth are using KLRU resources. During this time we
helped troubleshoot any implementation or technology
issues, gauge partner and youth reactions, and spurred
thinking about improving effectiveness.
The third phase in each collaboration included a session
in which we present our Smart Screen Time/La Pantalla
Inteligente™ concepts to families. These sessions focused
on dialogue and decision-making about family uses of
screen time during the summer months. In these highenergy, dialogue-rich workshops, we presented some
data about screen use— for better and for worse—and
asked families to decide on strategies that they feel will be
most effective for them. Topics included striking a balance
between “smart” and “silly” time, avoiding “screen zombie”
states, encouraging dialogue throughout the day, family
viewing/playing opportunities, and the importance of
daily reading.
Outcomes: The response to the program from the agencies,
participants and the funder was all overwhelmingly positive. Evaluation reports found that the kids enjoyed challenging each other and asked their parents to get some
of the apps they used in the workshops so that they can
continue learning at home. The staff of Boys and Girls
Club Highland Lakes: Burnet reported that children “were
inspired to learn through the games and challenges and
they noticed an improvement in reading, math and science
skills.” Staff at the Boys and Girls Club South said, “The kids
loved the freedom to choose their own games within the
KLRUKIDS.org realm. It gave them confidence and let them
work independently.” The funder, the KDK-Harman
Foundation, asked KLRU to seek additional funds
in 2015 to expand the pilot project.
7
Graham Elementary School students use KLRU laptops
Boys & Girls Clubs and KLRU are a perfect partnership! KLRU brought their
subject matter expertise and passion
for STEM Education to the Boys & Girls
Clubs of the Austin Area this summer.
Our kids loved the opportunity to have
meaningful screen time. Our families
and staff appreciated the fact that the
kids were learning while having fun.
Collaboration and partnerships like
these are successful because all stakeholders benefit. Kids have fun with
technology and “accidentally” learn
valuable skills and knowledge through
applications and games. Parents and
families are happy that their kids are
engaged in positive educational activities. Communities have a fun, safe,
place for kids where academic enrichment is continuous and ongoing.
Erica Gallardo Taft
Vice President of Program Services Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
New Austin government focus of
civic engagement project
Community need: In 2014, the City of Austin implemented
a proposition passed in 2012 to change the City Council
from a seven-member, all at-large group to a 10 singlemember district council with a mayor elected at large.
The new 10-1 form of government was one of the most
significant leadership shifts in community’s history.
What we did: Despite being a progressive city, Austin’s
voter turnout in any election cycle remains shockingly low.
KLRU began focusing on the concept of civic engagement
in 2012 with partners the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic
Life at University of Texas and KUT-FM, Austin’s NPR station.
We created several community discussions about what civic
engagement means and why people are or aren’t involved.
In 2014, with the change to 10-1 governance set to take
place, KLRU’s work narrowed in focus as we tried to help
the community embrace the goals of the new system and
encourage more civic engagement during the transition.
Building on our previous work with Annette Strauss and
KUT, we added another partner to help tackle this project
– Leadership Austin.
We decided to focus on education around the new form of
government (10-1), anticipating that the new city districts
would themselves encourage increased engagement.
In early 2014, we co-hosted a series of workshops for the
public to serve as a general overview on the functions
of Austin’s city government, with an emphasis on the
challenges and opportunities the new form of governance
would bring. Working with our partners, KLRU also created
a series of reports called Austin City Government 101,
designed to provide quick information about how city
government works.
As the year progressed, we continued to focus on education
and engagement. Together with our partners, we presented
a seven-part informative series called the Imagine One
Austin Information Series where candidates, candidate
staffers, and the public could receive baseline information
about Austin and the region’s most pressing issues.
(continued on next page)
8
Civic Summit: Mayoral Candidate Forum
“KLRU has been such an important
community partner and knows the
important role they play in advancing
discussions in our region. The starting
point for any community engagement
is nearly always something someone
cares about. KLRU helps individuals find
that passion because at that moment,
there is a choice: either cynicism prevails and the moment is lost or personal
engagement kicks in and authentic
leadership is born. People begin to
make a difference – and KLRU does
that for our community.”
Christopher Kennedy
CEO, Leadership Austin
2014 Local Content and Service Report
New Austin government focus of
civic engagement project (cont.)
For Imagine One Austin we worked with our established
partners of The Annette Strauss Institute, KUT and Leadership Austin, and also created partnerships with Community
Impact Newspaper, Center for Politics and Governance at
the LBJ School of Public Affairs and The League of Women
Voters of the Austin Area. This series examined important
community topics such as economy, housing, health
services, environment and changing demographics. As an
outcome of this work, we created imagineoneaustin.org
where Austin citizens go got to find information about
their district.
As the election date neared, our focus turned to hosting
candidate forums and debates. KLRU held the first
televised mayoral candidate forum shortly after the filing
deadline. Additionally we produced news stories about
voting and the election throughout this time period.
During the runoff elections, we focused on what leadership
qualities the candidate (or district winner) would bring to
office. KLRU hosted and produced nine of these leadership
discussions inviting the general public to attend and
participate in the tapings. All of this activity culminated
in KLRU hosting a mayoral debate before the end of
early voting.
Outcomes: We helped create imagineoneaustin.org for
information on Austin voting districts and candidates. We
produced community meetings focused on a wide range
of topics and hundreds of people attended. Our leadership
interviews with candidates during the runoffs were often
the primary in-depth interview available for voters to
watch before election day.
Now that we have laid the groundwork for this project,
focusing on education about why civic engagement is
important and background about our new form of governance, KLRU’s next step is to get citizens engaged beyond
the voting booth. We hope to accomplish this by opening
new lines of communication between elected officials and
those who elected them, and we are testing a concept
called “Office Hours”, using social media tools to more
effectively connect office holders and their constituents.
9
imagineoneaustin.org
STORIES
OF IMPACT
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Creativity takes center stage with Arts In Context
Community need: Austin prides itself on being a creative
community, but not all residents have easy access to the
arts. In addition, not all artists have the resources to reach
a broad audience. KLRU saw a need to connect artists to
audiences to help support Austin’s goal of being a
creative community.
What we did: With an emphasis on celebrating our
community’s diversity, we focused on a wide-range of
art forms to tell powerful stories about creativity and
collaboration. Through our nationally-distributed arts
show Arts In Context and its sister online show Arts In
Context Shorts, KLRU is fulfilling a key component of
our station’s mission: to reflect Austin’s uniqueness
and creativity to the world.
The series explores local arts, creative communities, and
conversations associated with Austin’s cultural scene.
Each short film is created with the highest standards of
quality. We are creating documentary films that are in and
of themselves pieces of art – going far beyond the type of
simple video profile or interview that might air in a news
segment. Shot in high-definition and edited to present the
same kind of quality you have come to expect from PBS
national productions, our Arts In Context documentaries
foster new creativity and talent as a vibrant representation
of the performing arts in Austin.
Arts In Context purposefully strives to highlight diverse
artists, communities, and art forms. The program takes a
wide-ranging view of different artistic practices, highlighting dance, choreography, classical music, popular music,
theatre, and the visual arts – but has also explored the
worlds of tattoo artists, DJ crews, improv troupes, game
design, puppetry, circus arts, and experimental and multidisciplinary art. All of these communities are contributing
to Austin’s cultural scene.
(continued on next page)
10
Arts In Context — In Face
STORIES
OF IMPACT
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
Creativity takes center stage with Arts In Context (cont.)
The show not only highlights the creative community
that makes Austin so special it is also a resource for
local artists. The show reaches nearly every household in Austin and Central Texas (as well as airing
around the country and online) – helping local
artists reach a wider audience than would
otherwise be possible.
Our approach to storytelling also means that we
strive to capture the real essence of each person or
organization we feature, successfully conveying what
makes their work distinctive, meaningful and resonant.
As improv artist Shana Merlin said:
“This program expressed what I do and who I
do it with better than anything I have ever seen.
I have been an improviser for twenty years. After my family saw the episode, they said things
to me like, ‘Wow, maybe I could benefit from
learning improve,’ and ‘What you do is really
special.’ This is after 20 years of me explaining
to them what I do. Arts In Context did it better
in thirty minutes.”
Because we aim to tell a story around creation and
community – the context that drives people to
make their art – we are able to go far beyond simply
capturing a “work sample” for artists. Many artists are
able to use our episodes to secure additional work
Arts In Context — El Taller
or funding. But we are also giving them a tool that
helps them express the essential value of what they
do to audiences unfamiliar not only with their work,
but with an entire art form.
Arts In Context also works to raise the profile of
Austin’s arts & cultural scene by supporting Austin’s
growing national and international reputation as a
vibrant, arts-rich community. The program not only
airs locally on KLRU, but also nationally on other PBS
member stations, including major markets like Los
Angeles, New York, and Dallas; Arts In Context now
reaches a potential audience of fifty million homes
each month. Since August 2013:
• carriage has increased more than 244% – from
17.24% to 42.15% of the US
• the number of stations carrying AIC programming
has nearly tripled – from 38 stations/channels
to 104
• the number of markets carrying AIC programming
has also increased more than 240% – from 25
to 51 markets
Arts In Context — Let Me Tell You About The Octopus Project
11
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Creativity takes center stage with Arts In Context (cont.)
Outcomes: Response to Arts In Context has been overwhelming from the artists profiled to the critics to the
viewers from across the country. In 2014 the show has
been nominated 9 times for Lone Star Emmys winning
2 statues.
Arts in Context producers also regularly receives feedback via email and social media from countries around
the world and cities around the nation. Recently a
viewer in Colorado wrote to an artist who was
featured in an episode:
Hello Ballet Afrique,
My name is Robert Carroll, and I was privileged to
watch your program on our Public Television station here in Colorado…. Honestly, I cried many times
during the program, particularly when Danielle was
doing her dance, the freedom she was expressing, the
emotions that arose afterwards...well, when you both
spoke of what those emotions meant, well..it was just
incredible to see a young person in touch with their
heart, and not through any dogma...just raw emotion
and freedom of dance to move through those emotions!
I have always felt that way about dancing. I remember as a young child in grade school performing my
own brand of dance performances for my classes...
unfortunately, in my family dance and in particular,
ballet, was not what boys did. However, I now have a
9-year-old son that has found his way to ballet and
dance. I like to think the weekly Saturday night housemusic dance parties, evenings cooking together and
listening to swing/big band and dancing around the
house has provided him the express himself through
movement and dance. Anyway, I just want to send
you all of my best wishes for the best in your endeavors! Thank you for inspiring so many people!!
Sincerely,
Robert Carroll
(continued on next page)
12
Arts In Context — A Reason to Dance
STORIES
OF IMPACT
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
Creativity takes center stage with Arts In Context (cont.)
Connecting Communities: Social Impact
Arts In Context purposefully emphasizes diversity in
the art forms, communities and artists it chooses to
profile. By highlighting artist communities that are
often marginalized, underserved, or experiencing
the challenges of a changing Austin, Arts In Context
hopes to provide a mouthpiece that will connect
different audiences who may be unfamiliar with
other art forms and the communities that produce
them. Episodes like “Tardeadas” captures the
changing face of Austin’s East side through a longtime musical fixture, the Tejano music legends in
Conjunto Los Pinkys. “Performing Possibilities”
features Conspire Theatre, a group consisting of
women in prison (women are the fastest-growing
incarcerated population in the United States).
“A Reason to Dance” highlights Ballet Afrique, a
contemporary ballet company fighting cultural
expectations to tell the story of the African diaspora.
“Masters of Ceremony” profiles Riders Against the
Storm, who strive to build community through
hip-hop and healing.
Arts In Context places nontraditional art forms into
its seasons alongside art forms that have historically
received more mainstream attention; and because
we focus on telling the broader story of a community
and a process, Arts In Context increases awareness
and empathy among different viewing audiences. A
recent example is The Arts in Context Short “Beautiful
Fences.” In order to beautify the neighborhood and
build community, artists and citizens in north Austin
collaborated to paint a long row of unassuming
fences amidst Austin’s Lamar Boulevard’s rush of
traffic. Repeatedly painting the phrase “beauty will
save the world” in various languages, this diverse
community demonstrates the power of art in changing perceptions. The short was so well received by
the community that other organizations shared it
to their constituencies as an example of using art to
bring a community together.
13
Grace Borengasser, community organizer and one of
the people working on Beautiful Fences told us:
“By highlighting our fence project in the
Arts In Contexts shorts, KLRU has been
invaluable in spreading the word to the
Austin community about our desire to
embody harmony and connectedness by
empowering neighbors to collaborate
in community art projects that
celebrate diversity.”
The short also appeared nationally on the PBS
NewsHour website as part of their Local Beat.
PBS is “America’s largest stage,” continuing a commitment to showcasing the arts as no other broadcaster
can or will do. Through Arts In Context, children and
families, the elderly and the homebound, the
affluent and low-income, all enjoy the best of Austin
arts and culture, free of charge, through KLRU.
Arts In Context — Tardeadas
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
Stories of heritage and history prepare Austin for the future
Community need: As the city’s population grows,
a great deal of the history of the community is lost.
KLRU sees a need to educate about our diverse past
in order to build a better future.
What we did: KLRU launched a new series called
Austin Revealed. Austin Revealed captures the
stories of history and heritage that have shaped our
community and that, in some cases, may be at risk
of being lost in the passage of time.
For example, in partnership with Alpheus Media,
KLRU created Austin Revealed: Civil Rights Stories,
a documentary featuring interviews with prominent
citizens about their experiences during Austin’s civil
rights period, the effect of segregation and, today,
the impact of gentrification. In response to the community’s interest in this topic,
KLRU put together a discussion of the issues presented
in the film as part of our Civic Summit series. Our
guests included Lee Leffingwell, Austin Mayor;
Dawnna Dukes, State Representative; Wilhelmina
Delco, Former State Representative and the first
African American elected official from our area; JohnMichael Cortez, Community Involvement Manager,
Capital Metro; and Natalie Cofield, President and CEO
of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce.
The discussion examined East Austin’s race issues,
past and present.
After the success of Austin Revealed: Civil Rights
Stories, Austin Revealed created a series on being
Jewishin Austin. In Central Texas as elsewhere,
being Jewish means many different things. To
some, attending regular service and participating
in traditional religious ceremonies makes a person
Jewish, while others see being Jewish as a cultural
group or something they were born into. KLRU
explored the many differing ways of identifying and
“being” Jewish in Austin.
14
Outcome: The community had a very powerful
response to the Austin Revealed: Civil Rights Stories
project. The Austin Chronicle wrote “The accounts
shared in Austin Revealed might be hard to sit with
and even harder to accept, but it’s time that we stop
avoiding the hard stuff and acknowledge the racial
separation that still happens here in Austin. It’s the
only way we’ll ever move past it.”
Austin Revealed video content has resulted in
numerous in-person screenings and discussions.
We have created partnerships with Austin History
Center to have these videos as part of their collection
for future researchers to use. Organizations including
Google Fiber, Austin Independent School District,
and the Jewish Community Center of Austin have all
used this content as a springboard for discussion and
learning. This content will be used for years to come
and KLRU plans to create more Austin Revealed
episodes focusing on different cultures and
communities in Central Texas.
Gary Bledsoe in Arts In Context: Civil Rights Stories
2014 Local Content and Service Report
STORIES
OF IMPACT
American Graduate: Making it happen for high school
Community need: Despite fairly high graduation
rates in Austin, there are still many students who drop
out of high school, especially in certain population
segments. Many factors impact a student’s decision
to drop out, but most people in our community
do not know the issues kids face. KLRU saw a need
to help bring these factors to light in order to help
facilitate positive change.
The station convened an advisory panel of community leaders, including educators, non-profit leaders,
business leaders and students, to help guide the
project. Many other organizations and school districts are also participating in the project including
Austin Voices for Education and Youth, Austin Council of PTAs, OutYouth, Austin ISD, Pflugerville ISD,
Round Rock ISD, Manor ISD, KIPP: Austin.
What we did: In 2014, KLRU received a $200,000
American Graduate community service grant from
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The
grant’s purpose is to raise awareness in Central Texas
about the true costs of our youth leaving school
before graduation, as well as efforts conducted in
our region to reduce dropout rates.
Outcome: The network of community partners that
KLRU has assembled is helping illuminate long-term
solutions in our community. We are starting with the
importance of a strong foundation in early education and spanning the entire PreK-12 spectrum. KLRU
is highlighting local leaders who are helping in an
effort to increase graduation rates and the everyday
heroes who are committed to improving education
outcomes for children as “American Graduate Champions.” We are also providing monthly news stories
about educational issues.
High school graduation rates are an important indicator of the community’s health, and high dropout
rates have serious economic consequences. The
E3 Alliance, one of KLRU’s partner organizations,
has estimated that the cost of a single class year of
dropouts in Central Texas is $435 million. The time,
energy, and resources we invest now to address this
challenge will pay important dividends in the overall
social and economic health of our community.
In a celebration and launch of the grant, KLRU
participated in CPB’s “American Graduate Day” on
Saturday, September 27, and hosted an all-day
programming special from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
that included national and local panels, content, and
discussion regarding education and graduation
topics and issues.
KLRU is the only Texas recipient of this grant and
one of 33 stations across the country participating in
the national American Graduate initiative. KLRU has
brought together a coalition of community partners
to communicate the full scope of the dropout crisis
and increase awareness of its contributing factors in
Central Texas through programming on KLRU, news
stories and events designed to discuss this issues.
15
KLRU Board Chair Catherine Robb, E3 Alliance’s Khotan ShahbaziHarmon, Austin Independent School District’s Kathy Ryan and KLRU
CEO Bill Stotesbery.
2014 Local Content and Service Report
KLRU Creates Intergalactic Nemesis web-original series
In 2014 we partnered with Austin-based theatrical extravaganza The Intergalactic Nemesis
to bring the popular transmedia project Book One: Target Earth to the web. Intergalactic
Nemesis Book One: Target Earth is a comic book and theatrical performance in the style of
a radio drama, but with amazing visuals, sound effects and music performed in front of a
live audience.
The story takes place 1933 and follows Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Molly Sloan, her intrepid
research assistant Timmy Mendez and a mysterious librarian from Flagstaff, Arizona, named Ben
Wilcott. Together, they travel from Romania to Scotland to the Alps to Tunis to the Robot Planet
and finally to Imperial Zygon to defeat a terrible threat to the very future of humanity: an
invading force of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon!
KLRU raised funds to be able to capture this unique story and share it with a wider audience by
working with PBS Digital Studios to distribute the series. We recorded the live show and serialized it into 17 web episodes. Each high-energy, creatively edited episode is 5-7 min in length
and ends in a dramatic cliffhanger. Over the course of the project the series received acclaim
from the media with stories in The New York Times, Texas Monthly, Austin Chronicle and Austin
Business Journal, and to date Intergalactic Nemesis has had over 123,575 views and more than
1,000 people subscribed to the series on YouTube.
16
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years and
launches Austin City Limits Hall of Fame
In 2014, KLRU’s signature series Austin City Limits celebrated 40 years of
presenting the best live music on television. ACL began broadcasting in
1976 as a live-music show that showcasd Texas musicians; it has since
grown to feature performers of all genres from all over the globe. Since
its inception, the Presidential Medal of the Arts and Peabody Awardwinning series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s
reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World.
To mark the 40th season, KLRU held an all-star benefit concert featuring some of the brightest
stars in the show’s history as they returned to the Austin City Limits stage. The star-studded
evening, hosted by Jeff Bridges and Sheryl Crow, featured Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr.,
Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, Kris Kristofferson, Lloyd Maines, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Vaughan, Grupo
Fantasma and Doyle Bramhall II along with musical performances from Bridges and Crow, celebrating Austin City Limits legacy as an American music institution over the last four decades.
Commemorating the trailblazing music series 40th Anniversary, the evening was taped as part
of a two-hour primetime special, Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years which was part of the
PBS Arts Fall Festival.
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years
17
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years and
launches Austin City Limits Hall of Fame (cont.)
In 2014 KLRU also established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. Celebrating
the storied history of ACL, the Hall of Fame’s Inaugural Induction Ceremony
took place on April 26, 2014 at ACL’s original home, KLRU’s legendary Studio 6A. Recognizing
both artists and non-performers who have made the long-running show a music institution, the
ceremony honored the first class of inductees, featuring two legendary music acts, Willie Nelson
and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, and a pair of individuals who have played an invaluable role in the genesis of the series, show creator Bill Arhos and longtime University of Texas
football coach Darrell Royal.
Performers for this intimate evening included inductees and Doyle Bramhall II, Mike Farris,
Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Lukas Nelson, Robert Randolph and Kenny Wayne
Shepherd. Recent Oscar winner and Texas native Matthew McConaughey hosted and inducted
music icons Willie Nelson and Stevie
Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (featuring Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon
and Reese Wynans). ACL executive
producer Terry Lickona inducted
show creator Bill Arhos, while former
University of Texas football head
coach Mack Brown handled the
induction for Darrell Royal.
The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
will be an annual event, honoring
a new class of inductees each year.
The inaugural Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
CultureMap said, “The night was so
magical it led one audience member
to comment, ‘That was so amazing, I almost forgot to breathe.’”
Austin City Limits has become a unique American institution, in both the worlds of popular
music and television. It has such a rich history and legacy that we decided it was time to
celebrate and honor the artists and individuals who made it what it is today.
18
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Using film to inspire dialogue: Community Cinema
Community Cinema for 2012-2013
Community Cinema is a groundbreaking public education and civic engagement initiative
featuring
screenings
of films
from
the long
running PBSwith
series
Independent
Lens on location
KLRU-TV, Austin
PBS and
the Austin
Public
Library
in association
ITVS
brings communities
together
in
100
cities
and
online.
Each
year,
Community
Cinema
brings
together
leading
organizations,
through independent film by providing resources and opportunities for education, engagement, and action —
community
members
and public
stations
to learn,
discuss and get
involved in today’s
transforming film
and public
broadcasting
intotelevision
a powerful
resource
for individuals,
communities,
and
critical
social
issues.
KLRU
has
partnered
with
the
Austin
Public
Library
Windsor
Park
Branch
organizations. Each month from September 2012 to June 2013 the Community Cinema project will present
years to present
this documentary
and community
discussion
project. In
a different filmfor
theseveral
first Tuesday
of the month
at Windsorscreening
Park Library,
5833 Westminster
Drive.
2014, films
focused on immigration and economic tension in the Texas border town of Laredo
All screenings begin
at 7 p.m.
with Las Marthas; race and religions freedom on The Trials of Muhammad Ali; the economy in
small towns on Medora; marriage rights on The New Black; women’s issues with Makers; and
forgiveness
and redemption
Evolution
of a Criminal.
Community
Cinema
2012 – on
2013
Schedule
KLRU’s partner, Windsor Park Branch Library director DJ Harris said: “The partnership between
SEPTEMBER 4, 2012*
KLRU and the Windsor Park Branch of the Austin Public Library has been a terrific boon for
our Branch
Library
and our customers. Monthly Community Cinema screenings draw viewers
HALF THE SKY
by Maro
Chermayeff
from well outside of Windsor Park Branch’s service area as well as our neighbors and long-time
Inspired by his best-selling Pulitzer Prize-winning book, author Nicholas Kristof and celebrity activists
users of our Branch. Publicizing the screenings widely and through social media has raised
travel to nine countries. They witness courageous individuals who are confronting oppression and creating
the Windsor Park Branch Library’s
meaningful solutions through health care, education, and economic empowerment for women and girls.
profile both in our community and
throughout Austin and central
OCTOBER 2, 2012
Texas. Lastly, hosting the film series
at Windsor Park
had a
AS GOES JANESVILLE
byBranch
Brad has
Lichtenstein
pronounced effect on our staff.
As Goes Janesville records two years in the lives of laid-off workers, business leaders, and elected officials
I hear staff members talking to
trying to reinvent their lives and their Midwestern town amid the closure of their GM plant and America’s
customers with pride about our
worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
association with KLRU.”
NOVEMBER 6, 2012*
SOLAR MAMAS by Jehane Noujaim
Rafea, who lives in a small Jordanian village, is 30 years old with four children and a husband eager to take
a third wife. With the encouragement from her country’s
of Environment, she attends the Barefoot
IndependentMinistry
Lens: Las Marthas
College in India to train to become a solar-energy engineer. The Barefoot College provides training to the
rural poor to empower them to make their communities sustainable. Students include rural women from
Kenya, Burkina Faso, Columbia, and Guatemala.
DECEMBER 4, 2012
BEAUTY IS EMBARASSING by Neil Berkeley
Artist Wayne White found early success as one of the creators of Pee-wee’s Playhouse and now his “word”
paintings, which feature pithy and often sarcastic text statements crafted onto vintage landscape paintings, have made him a darling of the fine art world. This is a funny, irreverent story of the highs and lows of
a commercial artist struggling to find peace and balance between his work and his art.
19
2014 Local Content and Service Report
Partnering with like-minded organizations to build
community: CASA Superhero 5K
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Travis County (CASA) works to ensure every child who’s
been abused or neglected deserves to have a dedicated advocate speaking up for their best
interest in court, at school and in our community. Each year, CASA’s major fundraiser is the
Superhero 5K run. KLRU has partnered with CASA of both Travis and Williamson Counties for
this event. The partnership has also resulted in connections beyond the Superhero event, with
CASA becoming a partner in our American Graduate project.
CASA Director of Communications
Callie Langford said “Each year as we
start planning our CASA Superhero
Run, KLRU is one of the first partners
we call to secure their involvement.
We love the connections CASA and
KLRU share around kids, family and
even superheroes through the fantastic SuperWhy show (plus the kids at
the race love to see and take pictures
with their favorite characters)! Since
our partnership began in 2010, this
race has grown from 700 participants
raising $35,000 to more than 2,300
participants raising over $160,000!”
Casa Superhero 5k participants with WordGirl
20
2014 Local Content and Service Report
2014 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Lone Star Emmy Nominations
ARTS / ENTERTAINMENT - PROGRAM / SPECIAL
Arts In Context: Masters Of Ceremony
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
On Story (Austin Film Festival)
Breaking Bad: A Conversation With Vince Gilligan
Barbara Morgan, Executive Producer
Arts in Context: Peligrosa
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
CHILDREN / YOUTH / TEEN - PROGRAM FEATURE /
SPECIAL / FEATURE / SEGMENT
Arts In Context: Marching To Nowhere
Mario Troncoso, Producer
Christopher Kim, Producer
Juan A. Izaguirre, Photographer
Isaac Hammons, Audio
TEXAS HERITAGE - PROGRAM / SPECIAL /
FEATURE / SEGMENT
Arts In Context: Tardeadas
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
Danny Guerra, Associate Producer
Chelsea Hernandez, Editor
Isaac Hammons, Audio
Juan A. Izaguirre , Photographer
Christopher Kim, Photographer
WEATHER - PROGRAM / SPECIAL /
FEATURE / SEGMENT
Arts In Context: Thirst
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
Chelsea Hernandez, Producer/Editor
DOCUMENTARY - CULTURAL / HISTORICAL
Arts In Context: A Reason To Dance
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
Chelsea Hernandez, Producer/Editor
DOCUMENTARY – TOPICAL
Makarios: A Rising Tide
Kristen Cox, Producer
Randall Dark, Director
21
INFORMATIONAL / INSTRUCTIONAL - PROGRAM /
SPECIAL / FEATURE / SEGMENT
Central Texas Gardener: So Succulent
Linda Lehmusvirta, Producer Editor
Ed Fuentes, Director
PUBLIC/CURRENT/COMMUNITY AFFAIRS –
FEATURE/SEGMENT
Arts In Context Shorts: Silence To Power
KLRU
Chelsea Hernandez, Producer, Cinematographer
Eve Tarlo, Producer
SPECIAL EVENT COVERAGE (OTHER THAN NEWS OR SPORTS)
Arts In Context: There Will Be Fun
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
Chelsea Hernandez, Associate Produce/Editor
Vamos Al Baile (Let’s Go to the Dance)
Sara Robertson, Producer
Mario Troncoso, Producer
ON-CAMERA TALENT - PROGRAM HOST / MODERATOR
/ REPORTER - PROGRAMMING
Chet Garner, Host Of The Daytripper
Hogaboom Road, Inc.
Chet Garner, Program Host
MAGAZINE PROGRAM - PROGRAM / SPECIAL
Texas Parks & Wildlife #2206
TPWD
Don Cash, Series Producer
Abe Moore, Producer
Alan Fisher, Producer
Whitney Bishop, Producer
TEXAS HERITAGE - PROGRAM / SPECIAL /
FEATURE / SEGMENT
El Paso - Segundo Barrio - part of One Square Mile
Brazos Film & Video
Carl Crum, Producer
2014 Local Content and Service Report
2014 ACCOMPLISHMENTS (cont.)
Lone Star Emmy Awards
OTHER AWARDS and RECOGNITION
WEATHER – PROGRAM / SPECIAL / FEATURE / SEGMENT
NETA award for Promotion:
Arts in Context: Clothes Stories (special event)
• 2014 Access Award from the Austin Mayor’s
Committee for People with Disabilities (AMCPD).
KLRU received a media award for an episode of Arts In
Context Shorts: Bridging the Gap, which features the
work of the Arc of the Arts organization. Through
education and training, Arc of the Arts makes professional artists out of people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. The program gives new
skills to artists both in making art and in marketing and
selling their works, providing a viable career path for a
population with limited options. With a strong identity,
a boost of confidence, self-expression and platform
for exposure, these artists meet new goals for refining
their craft and for practicing social skills to use in their
new career.
NETA Award for Education and Community
Engagement – Collective Impact Achievement noted
for “project diversity, collaborative partnerships and
community impact have proved exemplary.”
• Kennedy Huff, Pflugerville High School student who
participates in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
was recognized as a Reporting Lab All-Star and attended
the 2014 PBS Student Reporting Labs Workshop.
Arts in Context: Thirst
Mario Troncoso, Producer/Director
Chelsea Hernandez, Producer/Editor
SPECIAL EVENT COVERAGE (OTHER THAN NEWS OR SPORTS)
Arts in Context: There Will Be Fun
Mario Troncoso, Producer / Director
Chelsea Hernandez, Associate Producer / Editor
NETA (National Educational Television
Association) AWARDS
• Julie Hildebrand, 4th grade teacher at Patton
Elementary School was recognized as PBS Learning
Media Digital Innovator.
• The Arts In Context Short: Pour Your Heart Out and
Austin Revealed were selected to be part of the
Faces of Austin showcase during SXSW.
Kennedy Huff PBS Newshour Reporting Lab All-Star (L) Vernagene Mott, VP
of the Pflugerville School Board (R)
22
2014 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT
KLRU Educational Outreach by the Numbers
Number of Events
62
Number of Workshops
Books Distributed
23
Tablets Distributed
70
76
2,286
8,574
Unduplicated adult attendance at events and workshops
9,321
Duplicated adult attendance at events and workshops
13,412
Unduplicated youth attendance at events and workshops
14,335
Duplicated Youth attendance at events and workshop
21,986
Total unduplicated attendance at events and workshops
23,658
Total duplicated attendance at events and workshops