Hallmark national television series premiere including investigative journalism on FRONTLINE, history on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and Mystery! on MASTERPIECE. Brian O’Donovan debuts A Celtic Sojourn.
February 1980
Scene of the crime
British suspense and detective stories make their national appearance on WGBH's Mystery! Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, DCI Jane Tennison — so entertaining, it's criminal! Gene Shalit starts out in the host seat, followed for many years by Vincent Price and then Diana Rigg. In time, Mystery! becomes part of WGBH's MASTERPIECE, one of public TV's most-loved programs.
British suspense and detective stories make their national appearance on WGBH's Mystery! Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, Inspector Morse, DCI Jane Tennison — so entertaining, it's criminal! Gene Shalit starts out in the host seat, followed for many years by Vincent Price and then Diana Rigg. In time, Mystery! becomes part of WGBH's MASTERPIECE, one of public TV's most-loved programs.
May 1980
Film Fury
A WGBH WORLD docudrama brings to life the case of a Saudi princess and her lover, publicly executed for committing adultery. Death of a Princess sets off protests from both the Saudi Arabian and U.S. governments as well as the big oil companies. WGBH wins wide praise for holding fast and airing the controversial film.
A WGBH WORLD docudrama brings to life the case of a Saudi princess and her lover, publicly executed for committing adultery. Death of a Princess sets off protests from both the Saudi Arabian and U.S. governments as well as the big oil companies. WGBH wins wide praise for holding fast and airing the controversial film.
January 1981
Happy New Year
New Year's Day from Vienna is broadcast for the first time, launching an annual classical tradition that continues every January 1 from Vienna's Golden Hall of the Musikverein.
New Year's Day from Vienna is broadcast for the first time, launching an annual classical tradition that continues every January 1 from Vienna's Golden Hall of the Musikverein.
October 1981
Enterprising
WGBH teams up with Harvard Business School to produce the first documentary series on how business works: Enterprise, hosted by Eric Sevareid. The Wall Street Journal calls it "a fascinating series on the culture and workings of business."
WGBH teams up with Harvard Business School to produce the first documentary series on how business works: Enterprise, hosted by Eric Sevareid. The Wall Street Journal calls it "a fascinating series on the culture and workings of business."
January 1982
Homegrown drama
A consortium of public TV stations—WGBH among them—joins forces to produce American Playhouse. The anthology series becomes a springboard for the careers of countless rising actors, and home to two notable WGBH productions: Concealed Enemies, about the Alger Hiss spy case, and Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky. (Actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick meet on the WGBH set of the latter and later marry.)
A consortium of public TV stations—WGBH among them—joins forces to produce American Playhouse. The anthology series becomes a springboard for the careers of countless rising actors, and home to two notable WGBH productions: Concealed Enemies, about the Alger Hiss spy case, and Lanford Wilson's Lemon Sky. (Actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick meet on the WGBH set of the latter and later marry.)
Investigative journalism: January 1983
Hailed on its premiere as "the last best hope for broadcast documentaries," FRONTLINE arrives as the only weekly news and public affairs documentary program anywhere on American television. The WGBH series goes on to explore the critical issues of our time and to earn every major journalism and broadcasting award.
October 1983
Costs and consequences
Six years in the making at WGBH, Vietnam: A Television History premieres, a painful odyssey that sets new viewing records for PBS public affairs programs. Thirteen hours in its premiere, the series is pared to 11 hours and rebroadcast in 1997 as part of WGBH's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE series.
Six years in the making at WGBH, Vietnam: A Television History premieres, a painful odyssey that sets new viewing records for PBS public affairs programs. Thirteen hours in its premiere, the series is pared to 11 hours and rebroadcast in 1997 as part of WGBH's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE series.
January 1984
Local Politics
WGBH introduces Gavel to Gavel coverage of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (and, in 1994, the Senate, too).
WGBH introduces Gavel to Gavel coverage of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (and, in 1994, the Senate, too).
February 1985
Portrait of the earth
WGBH brings The Living Planet to PBS, an ambitious, 150,000-mile odyssey by naturalist David Attenborough, who spans the globe to portray each of the major geographical regions that offer a home to life. CBS Sunday Morning calls it an "absolutely titanic series that ranks with the greatest accomplishments in the history of broadcasting."
WGBH brings The Living Planet to PBS, an ambitious, 150,000-mile odyssey by naturalist David Attenborough, who spans the globe to portray each of the major geographical regions that offer a home to life. CBS Sunday Morning calls it an "absolutely titanic series that ranks with the greatest accomplishments in the history of broadcasting."
March 1985
International Broadcast firsts
WGBH Radio orchestrates the first-ever transatlantic digital broadcast: Bach's St. Matthew Passion, live from East Germany's Leipzig Gewandhaus; two years later, WGBH will pioneer the first transpacific digital broadcast (Seiji Ozawa and the New Japan Philharmonic, live from Tokyo).
WGBH Radio orchestrates the first-ever transatlantic digital broadcast: Bach's St. Matthew Passion, live from East Germany's Leipzig Gewandhaus; two years later, WGBH will pioneer the first transpacific digital broadcast (Seiji Ozawa and the New Japan Philharmonic, live from Tokyo).
December 1985
Jazzing it up
Steve Schwartz joins 89.7 WGBH, creating the weekend overnight jazz program Jazz Gallery. Five years late, he takes up residence with Jazz from Studio Four: artist profiles, interviews with jazz greats, live performances from the WGBH studios, and contemporary and classic jazz selections from his vast personal collection.
Steve Schwartz joins 89.7 WGBH, creating the weekend overnight jazz program Jazz Gallery. Five years late, he takes up residence with Jazz from Studio Four: artist profiles, interviews with jazz greats, live performances from the WGBH studios, and contemporary and classic jazz selections from his vast personal collection.
April 1986
Health hints
WGBH's Bodywatch joins the PBS lineup to promote health, fitness, and good nutrition. Texas "cowboy doctor" James "Red" Duke battles flab, anxiety, and overindulgence with an irreverent sense of humor and adventure.
WGBH's Bodywatch joins the PBS lineup to promote health, fitness, and good nutrition. Texas "cowboy doctor" James "Red" Duke battles flab, anxiety, and overindulgence with an irreverent sense of humor and adventure.
October 1986
Celtic celebration
A Celtic Sojourn premieres, bringing native Irishman Brian O'Donovan's signature informal hosting style to WGBH Radio and introducing listeners to traditional and contemporary Celtic music. The show aired until O’Donovan’s passing in 2023.
A Celtic Sojourn premieres, bringing native Irishman Brian O'Donovan's signature informal hosting style to WGBH Radio and introducing listeners to traditional and contemporary Celtic music. The show aired until O’Donovan’s passing in 2023.
November 1986
Martha cooks
The production house that made Julia Child a household word serves up a new player on the culinary scene: Martha Stewart, who prepares a Thanksgiving dinner on WGBH's "Holiday Entertaining with Martha Stewart." It's a good thing.
The production house that made Julia Child a household word serves up a new player on the culinary scene: Martha Stewart, who prepares a Thanksgiving dinner on WGBH's "Holiday Entertaining with Martha Stewart." It's a good thing.
January 1987
Race Relations
Eyes on the Prize, produced by Blackside, chronicles America's watershed civil rights years. Created and executive-produced by renowned filmmaker Henry Hampton and presented on PBS by WGBH, the landmark series expands to 14 hours, wins shelves of awards, and shapes a nation's understanding of race and social justice.
Eyes on the Prize, produced by Blackside, chronicles America's watershed civil rights years. Created and executive-produced by renowned filmmaker Henry Hampton and presented on PBS by WGBH, the landmark series expands to 14 hours, wins shelves of awards, and shapes a nation's understanding of race and social justice.
September 1987
School day
First TV "semester" of WGBH's popular teen show, Degrassi Junior High airs. The series is endorsed by the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and more for sparking discussions about pregnancy, drugs, peer pressure, and other pre-teen and teen challenges. The drama and dilemmas continue in 1990 at Degrassi High.
First TV "semester" of WGBH's popular teen show, Degrassi Junior High airs. The series is endorsed by the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and more for sparking discussions about pregnancy, drugs, peer pressure, and other pre-teen and teen challenges. The drama and dilemmas continue in 1990 at Degrassi High.
July 1988
Indie views
A consortium of public TV stations, WGBH among them, creates the series POV as a forum for the points of view of independent filmmakers. Challenging the notion of television as a one-way medium, the series becomes a showcase for bold, distinctive, and intimate non-fiction.
A consortium of public TV stations, WGBH among them, creates the series POV as a forum for the points of view of independent filmmakers. Challenging the notion of television as a one-way medium, the series becomes a showcase for bold, distinctive, and intimate non-fiction.
September 1988
Page to screen
WGBH brings the spunky heroine of Beverly Cleary's best-selling children's books to the small screen with Ramona. A young Sarah Polley shines as the bright and imaginative "pest" to older sister Beezus.
WGBH brings the spunky heroine of Beverly Cleary's best-selling children's books to the small screen with Ramona. A young Sarah Polley shines as the bright and imaginative "pest" to older sister Beezus.
Making history, October 1988
WGBH gives American television its only weekly history series: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. The award-winning anthology series brings to life the epic events and personalities that have shaped our past and present, from the U.S. Presidents to Amelia Earhart to Duke Ellington ... from the Donner Party to the quiz show scandal to the Sears Roebuck catalog.
January 1989
Man in plaid
Norm Abram invites viewers into WGBH's The New Yankee Workshop, taking his loyal fans through step-by-step woodworking projects.
Norm Abram invites viewers into WGBH's The New Yankee Workshop, taking his loyal fans through step-by-step woodworking projects.
January 1989
Once upon a time
Fairy tales, fables, and timeless children's classics come to PBS on WGBH's Long Ago & Far Away, hosted by James Earl Jones. The anthology series blends animation, live action, and puppetry to capture the magic in what The Chicago Tribune calls "the old-fashioned art of storytelling at its best."
Fairy tales, fables, and timeless children's classics come to PBS on WGBH's Long Ago & Far Away, hosted by James Earl Jones. The anthology series blends animation, live action, and puppetry to capture the magic in what The Chicago Tribune calls "the old-fashioned art of storytelling at its best."
February 1989
Understanding AIDS
Peter Jennings anchors The AIDS Quarterly, in-depth coverage of the social, economic, health, and ethical issues surrounding the AIDs epidemic. Viewers touched by the disease thank WGBH when they begin to hear from relatives who had cut off contact.
Peter Jennings anchors The AIDS Quarterly, in-depth coverage of the social, economic, health, and ethical issues surrounding the AIDs epidemic. Viewers touched by the disease thank WGBH when they begin to hear from relatives who had cut off contact.
February 1989
Going interactive
Interactive NOVA: Animal Pathfinders is WGBH's award-winning entry into the world of multimedia that marries computer and television technology to let students direct their own study of the scarcity of loggerhead turtles or the feeding and breeding of the ladybird beetle. Classroom Computer Learning calls the results "powerful new teaching tools unlike any you've ever seen before."
Interactive NOVA: Animal Pathfinders is WGBH's award-winning entry into the world of multimedia that marries computer and television technology to let students direct their own study of the scarcity of loggerhead turtles or the feeding and breeding of the ladybird beetle. Classroom Computer Learning calls the results "powerful new teaching tools unlike any you've ever seen before."
March 1989
Giant screen
To the Limit, the first of WGBH's giant-screen NOVA films, tours IMAX theaters around the world, celebrating physical performance and the workings of the human body. The larger-than-life documentary is the first of its kind to use endoscopic (inner-body) photography, along with a new high-speed IMAX camera that slows down motion.
To the Limit, the first of WGBH's giant-screen NOVA films, tours IMAX theaters around the world, celebrating physical performance and the workings of the human body. The larger-than-life documentary is the first of its kind to use endoscopic (inner-body) photography, along with a new high-speed IMAX camera that slows down motion.
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