ARTHUR is here and it’s a beautiful kind of day. ZOOM returns with the next generation and Ken Burns becomes a household name.
January 1990
Visionary
National rollout of DVS, WGBH's Descriptive Video Service — supplementary narration that helps blind and visually impaired viewers enjoy television (and eventually, feature films and home video) more fully. First described program: American Playhouse.
National rollout of DVS, WGBH's Descriptive Video Service — supplementary narration that helps blind and visually impaired viewers enjoy television (and eventually, feature films and home video) more fully. First described program: American Playhouse.
September 1990
The Ken Burns Effect
WGBH viewers are glued to Ken Burns’ The Civil War. Visits to Civil War battlefields skyrocket. Sales of books about the war climb. Johnny Carson talks about the series in his Tonight Show monologue. Burns becomes a household name.
WGBH viewers are glued to Ken Burns’ The Civil War. Visits to Civil War battlefields skyrocket. Sales of books about the war climb. Johnny Carson talks about the series in his Tonight Show monologue. Burns becomes a household name.
January 1991
Classic
Richard Knisely brings the sounds of Ravel, Debussy, and more to weekday afternoons on 89.7 WGBH. Live studio performances, interviews, studio recordings, and remote concert recordings provide listeners with a daily showcase of New England's vibrant classical music scene
Richard Knisely brings the sounds of Ravel, Debussy, and more to weekday afternoons on 89.7 WGBH. Live studio performances, interviews, studio recordings, and remote concert recordings provide listeners with a daily showcase of New England's vibrant classical music scene
September 1991
Capturing Carmen
Millions of "geography gumshoes" ask Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? The entertaining game show helps its young fans understand that geography is culture, customs, and costumes — not just memorization and maps. WGBH follows up in 1996 with Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, using the power of television to whet kids' appetite for history.
Millions of "geography gumshoes" ask Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? The entertaining game show helps its young fans understand that geography is culture, customs, and costumes — not just memorization and maps. WGBH follows up in 1996 with Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, using the power of television to whet kids' appetite for history.
October 1991
1492
WGBH's Columbus and the Age of Discovery launches America's — and the world's —observance of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing. The seven hour-long documentaries air in the U.S., Europe and the U.K., Japan, and South America.
WGBH's Columbus and the Age of Discovery launches America's — and the world's —observance of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing. The seven hour-long documentaries air in the U.S., Europe and the U.K., Japan, and South America.
August 1992
¿Habla Español?
WGBH borrows the popular telenovela format to teach conversational Spanish through an irresistible serial drama. Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish goes on to break all records for PBS telecourse popularity. Colleges across the U.S. embrace the project, along with its companion textbook, study guide, audio, and software.
WGBH borrows the popular telenovela format to teach conversational Spanish through an irresistible serial drama. Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish goes on to break all records for PBS telecourse popularity. Colleges across the U.S. embrace the project, along with its companion textbook, study guide, audio, and software.
January 1993
Presidential access
William Jefferson Clinton's presidential inauguration is the first made accessible to the 36 million blind or Deaf Americans, thanks to closed captioning and live DVS description provided by WGBH.
William Jefferson Clinton's presidential inauguration is the first made accessible to the 36 million blind or Deaf Americans, thanks to closed captioning and live DVS description provided by WGBH.
October 1993
Virtual classrooms
Supported by Annenberg Media, WGBH creates Teaching Math: A Video Library, capturing teaching excellence in classrooms nationwide. The virtual visits expand to other arenas — science, social studies, reading, foreign languages — to help kindergarten through fourth-grade and ninth- through twelfth-grade teachers master the art of education.
Supported by Annenberg Media, WGBH creates Teaching Math: A Video Library, capturing teaching excellence in classrooms nationwide. The virtual visits expand to other arenas — science, social studies, reading, foreign languages — to help kindergarten through fourth-grade and ninth- through twelfth-grade teachers master the art of education.
January 1994
Musical jambalaya
WGBH stirs up a rich gumbo of New Orleans music and culture for the nation's public radio listeners with the weekly Crescent City Sounds.
WGBH stirs up a rich gumbo of New Orleans music and culture for the nation's public radio listeners with the weekly Crescent City Sounds.
December 1994
Movie magic
The CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (later, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media) installs the first closed captioning system for Deaf and hard-or-hearing moviegoers at the National Air and Space Museum. Over time, WGBH's MoPix system will revolutionize moviegoing for blind and Deaf audiences across the U.S.
The CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (later, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media) installs the first closed captioning system for Deaf and hard-or-hearing moviegoers at the National Air and Space Museum. Over time, WGBH's MoPix system will revolutionize moviegoing for blind and Deaf audiences across the U.S.
March 1995
Women in science
Stereotypes, gender inequality, balancing career and family ... six notable women tell their stories in WGBH's Discovering Women, aimed at sparking girls' interest in science careers. Studies found that students participating in a companion outreach campaign were less intimidated by science and less likely to stereotype scientists.
Stereotypes, gender inequality, balancing career and family ... six notable women tell their stories in WGBH's Discovering Women, aimed at sparking girls' interest in science careers. Studies found that students participating in a companion outreach campaign were less intimidated by science and less likely to stereotype scientists.
May 1995
Worldwide WGBH
WGBH goes online at www.wgbh.org, enabling anyone with internet access to get information on productions, community events, teaching resources, and more.
WGBH goes online at www.wgbh.org, enabling anyone with internet access to get information on productions, community events, teaching resources, and more.
September 1995
Rock on
Over 10 musical hours, WGBH's Rock & Roll tells the story of the innovative artists, producers, and songwriters who shaped the soundtrack of our lives, from rock's renegade beginnings to its techno-driven present. Awop bop a loo bop!
Over 10 musical hours, WGBH's Rock & Roll tells the story of the innovative artists, producers, and songwriters who shaped the soundtrack of our lives, from rock's renegade beginnings to its techno-driven present. Awop bop a loo bop!
January 1996
Global news
PRI's The World premieres on public radio stations from coast to coast, offering global perspectives for an American audience. GBH acquires PRI (now known as PRX) in 2012.
PRI's The World premieres on public radio stations from coast to coast, offering global perspectives for an American audience. GBH acquires PRI (now known as PRX) in 2012.
October 1996
Aardvark power
Lights! Camera! Arthur! WGBH brings Marc Brown's popular children's books to television to explore real-life issues through engaging, emotional stories that also foster an interest in reading and writing. The animated aardvark goes on to win a slot among TV Guide's "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time." What a wonderful kind of day!
Lights! Camera! Arthur! WGBH brings Marc Brown's popular children's books to television to explore real-life issues through engaging, emotional stories that also foster an interest in reading and writing. The animated aardvark goes on to win a slot among TV Guide's "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time." What a wonderful kind of day!
Trash or treasure? January 1997
Part adventure, part history lesson, part treasure hunt, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW travels the country in search of family heirlooms and yard sale bargains. The suspenseful, is-it-or-isn't-it appraisals turn the WGBH production into PBS's most-watched program as America heads for its attics and basements in search of the real deal.
January 1997
Boston beat
WGBH examines the region's top news and newsmakers with Greater Boston. The nightly show goes on to become the "program of record" for the 500 political and cultural newsmakers who join host Emily Rooney each year, which continues when Jim Braude takes over as host in 2015. Beat the Press, which is hosted by Rooney, wraps up the week with a lively discussion of what the media covered, and why.
WGBH examines the region's top news and newsmakers with Greater Boston. The nightly show goes on to become the "program of record" for the 500 political and cultural newsmakers who join host Emily Rooney each year, which continues when Jim Braude takes over as host in 2015. Beat the Press, which is hosted by Rooney, wraps up the week with a lively discussion of what the media covered, and why.
April 1997
Kudos
WGBH does what no broadcaster has ever done, won six George Foster Peabody Awards — the Pulitzer of the broadcasting and cable world — in one year. Two years later, WGBH does it again. Since 1951, WGBH has won hundreds of Emmys, duPont-Columbia Journalism Awards, and Peabodys...even three Oscars.
WGBH does what no broadcaster has ever done, won six George Foster Peabody Awards — the Pulitzer of the broadcasting and cable world — in one year. Two years later, WGBH does it again. Since 1951, WGBH has won hundreds of Emmys, duPont-Columbia Journalism Awards, and Peabodys...even three Oscars.
September 1997
Art odyssey
A British nun and art maven becomes an improbable U..S television icon when WGBH brings Sister Wendy's Story of Painting to American television. Her WGBH-produced follow-up, Sister Wendy's American Collection, explores six great U.S. art museums.
A British nun and art maven becomes an improbable U..S television icon when WGBH brings Sister Wendy's Story of Painting to American television. Her WGBH-produced follow-up, Sister Wendy's American Collection, explores six great U.S. art museums.
October 1998
Scrutinizing slavery
Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery explores how a nation built on liberty and equality could justify the existence of slavery. A book, CD, comprehensive website, teacher workshops, and eight-city urban youth initiative extend the impact of the acclaimed six-hour PBS miniseries.
Africans in America: America's Journey through Slavery explores how a nation built on liberty and equality could justify the existence of slavery. A book, CD, comprehensive website, teacher workshops, and eight-city urban youth initiative extend the impact of the acclaimed six-hour PBS miniseries.
A classic re-Zooms, January 1999
Zoom resumes, bringing fun and science literacy to a new generation of viewers and web visitors whose parents made the original WGBH production a 1970s TV landmark. Kids across the country supply the show's games, experiments, recipes, poems, and creativity.
December 1999
New millennium
WGBH welcomes the new millennium with a 25-hour international broadcast offering performances and news reports from 56 countries. PBS Millennium 2000 is seen by an estimated billion viewers around the globe.
WGBH welcomes the new millennium with a 25-hour international broadcast offering performances and news reports from 56 countries. PBS Millennium 2000 is seen by an estimated billion viewers around the globe.
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