Things are heating up here at WHRO Public Media, and as I write this, it isn’t even the first official day of summer. As you know, public media stations across the country recently faced an unprecedented threat when the President submitted a rescissions bill asking Congress to pull back two years of already allocated federal funds for stations like ours. As I pen this column, the House of Representatives has voted to strip away these funds. We are still waiting to hear how the Senate will vote.
However, what we have heard is your generous support of the services our local station provides in the community. Many of you contacted your members of Congress and sent my staff words of encouragement during this trying time. It is only because of your loyalty, and your willingness to champion the services we provide, that we are able to do the work that we do. On behalf of all the staff at WHRO, thank you! We are truly fortunate to have such committed members and volunteers.
As you can imagine, the work for our community never stops. We recently enjoyed a great turnout for several preview screenings here at the station, as well as events in the community. Our Education team has been hard at work, visiting local schools and libraries to conduct educational programs and participating in regional and national conferences for educators.
In May, we celebrated the winners of our annual PBS Writers Contest. We honored these young storytellers and their families at an exciting reception and awards ceremony. Congratulations to all the winners and their families!
Speaking of excitement, I’m very excited about the programs and events we have coming up over the next few months. You can read about some of the upcoming television programs on pages 4−6. We are also currently in production on some great radio features as part of our country’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You can read about that—and an exclusive opportunity to preview a highly anticipated film—on page 8.
In August, WHRO’s Emerging Leaders Board presents our 4th annual Play Your Heart Out, a free concert full of the region’s up-and-coming musicians. Join us on August 17 for this fun event. Visit whro.org/events for details.
I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events. Enjoy your summer!
Bert Schmidt President & Chief Executive Officer |