expertise – support – dignity september/october...

WMHTNL0917

The Wounds We Feel at Home

As part of our September focus on the Vietnam war, WMHT will present the personal stories of local Vietnam Veterans and the impact of their military service on their loved ones. Through personal interviews, photographs, and archival war footage The Wounds We Feel at Home explores the human dimensions of this war — from a mother dealing with the loss of her son, to a trauma surgeon struggling to rationalize his own actions in war to ultimately finding peace through his friendship with a Vietnamese medical student. WMHT will showcase Soldier’s Heart — a Troy based organization that helps Veterans transform the emotional, moral, and spiritual wounds that often result from war and military service.

The Wounds We Feel at Home airs on Monday, Sept.18, at 7:30 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

Everyone needs a personal estate plan. Let us help you get started today!

Whatever your stage in life, it is a good idea to think about and plan for how your affairs will be handled. A few simple steps today can give you peace of mind tomorrow. Our FREE Personal Estate Planning Guide will help prepare you for the process of estate planning. Please contact WMHT’s Sandra Beer at 518-880-3462 or [email protected] for more information.

Sponsored by The Community Hospice: Expertise – Support – Dignity SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

The Vietnam War, a landmark event by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, is a new 10-part, 18-hour documentary film that tells the epic story of the war as it has never been told before. This 10-part film airs Sundays to Thursdays, at 8 p.m. each night, Sept. 17-21 and Sept. 24-28, on WMHT-TV. “This is without a doubt the most ambitious project we have ever undertaken,” said Ken Burns. The team spent 10 years working on the series. Burns came of age during the war, and as he says, “you think you know something, and then you get involved in a project like this and you’re

daily humiliated by the fact that you know nothing... We began the project with a new blank slate and came to another understanding about [the war], one that is nuanced and complex. What we tried to do was create a safe space for all the different perspectives.” The episodes delve deeply into the war, covering a myriad of American and Vietnamese viewpoints. You’ll learn more about how we got into the war, the protests it sparked, the American massacre of civilians at My Lai, the enemy’s massacre of civilians at Hue, the killing of students at Kent State, and the veterans who threw away their war medals at a demonstration against the war outside the U.S. Capitol. The Vietnam War features testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including

Americans who fought in the war, others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides. Burns, Novick, and the crew examined 100,000 still pictures, and 5,000 hours of archival footage, and they worked with renowned historians and other experts who had many different views. The whole crew traveled to Vietnam to better represent the Vietnamese perspective. “If we didn’t find a way to do it, our whole film wasn’t going to be what we wanted it to be,” explained Novick. “We had a wonderful Vietnamese producer, Ho Dang Hoa. He helped us identify and find veterans and other people to talk to.” The Vietnam War also brings you original music by composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, music performed by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, and iconic songs that defined the era by Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Pete Seeger, and more. “We can’t forget Vietnam and we are still arguing about why it went wrong, who was to blame, and whether it was all worth it,” Burns said. “This film is not an answer, but a set of questions about what happened.”

“The Vietnam War drove a stake right into the heart of America.”

THE VIETNAM WAR

7928 WMHT NL SeptOct17.indd 2 7/26/17 11:45 AM

BALLET HISPANICOIt’s Latin-inspired, contemporary dance at

its best — and you have a front-row seat. Live From Lincoln Center premieres BALLET HISPANICO, with two favorites: CARMEN.maquia and Club Havana led by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro.

Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s CARMEN.maquia is a Picasso-inspired take on Bizet’s classic opera about a passionate gypsy. The mesmerizing physically charged choreography fuses modern dance with nods to Spanish paso doble and flamenco.

In Club Havana, rhythms of the conga, rumba, mambo, and cha cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz.

As an “extra bonus,” you’ll also see behind-the-scene interviews with dancers and glimpses of the company’s rehearsal.

Ballet Hispanico airs Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. on WMH-TV.Photo credit: Ballet Hispanico Company’s Johan Rivera Mendez. Photo by Paula Lobo.

A riveting performance...

A Word from … SHARON SLEICHER

Two men, two remarkable lives. American Masters presents intimate portraits of a fiercely independent filmmaker in Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny and a barrier-breaking artist in TYRUS.

Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny takes an unconventional look at the life and work of a young man who grew up in Texas in the 1960s and started making films in the late 1980s and 90s. Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and Before Sunrise sparked a low-budget, in-your-

own-backyard movement in the United States and around the world. The story also delves into his more recent work to bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Everybody Wants Some!!

Throughout the film, you’ll hear from Linklater himself as he talks about

his own career and others including Ethan Hawke, Jack Black, and his family. Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny airs Friday, Sept. 1, at 9 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

A new addition to the public affairs lineup this fall is a series called Third Rail with OZY. It will feature passionate yet civil point-counterpoint discussions of the important issues facing us.

Each week, Carlos Watson, Emmy Award-winning journalist and co-founder/CEO of OZY Media, will frame the show around a single, provocative question: “Is it okay to express racial preferences when dating?” “What should vetting of immigrants include?” “Is the American Dream just a dream?”

As each conversation unfolds with experts and celebrity guests, viewers

Where the world is now and where it’s going...

THIRD RAIL with OZY

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft lifts off on Oct. 15, 1997, atop a Titan IVB rocket. Credit: NASA

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has been operating around Saturn for 13 years. As the space probe’s mission nears its end, it will attempt one last daring maneuver.

NOVA premieres Death Dive to Saturn — a documentary that will have you on the edge of your seat — watching in awe as you discover what Cassini is about to do and what it has already done.

The film will delve into the final hours of the mission, which ends on September 15. On the final orbit Cassini will dive between the innermost ring and top of Saturn’s atmosphere. After losing contact with Earth, the spacecraft will burn up like a meteor, becoming part of the planet itself.

Through interviews with NASA scientists and the incredible photos that Cassini has been sending back, you’ll explore the reason they are ending the mission, learn more about Saturn’s wonders revealed through the years, and discover the risks involved in this death dive. It’s a bold adventure that could only be undertaken at the end of the mission.

The program airs the same week as the probe plunges into Saturn, on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 9 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

Death Dive to Saturn

2 wmht spotlight

Dear WMHT Member,There’s one thing that’s always been true:

WMHT belongs to you.Like all great community endeavors, WMHT’s

singular purpose is to enrich and enlighten ALL the people of our region. That’s why your ongoing support of WMHT is so profoundly important.

Particularly in this challenging time for news and public affairs coverage at home and abroad, the value of a space dedicated to helping each of us fully understand our world cannot be overstated.

You’ve helped make possible a distinctive television event coming to WMHT this month: Ken Burns’ long-awaited documentary series, The Vietnam War. If ever there’s been a time in our shared history that has defied a full, common understanding, it’s this war and the individual and community impact and toll it elicited.

The fact is, no other media organization would ever have endorsed ten years for this unparalleled film to be created, let alone earmark 18 hours of prime space to its broadcast. But this is exactly why public broadcasting and WMHT exist: To courageously explore the complex dimensions of this world we inhabit together, and to know that, in the end, we may not have all the answers, but we will have seen things through many eyes and achieved

deeper knowledge.There simply is no other

media organization that does what WMHT and public television do — none that has public service as their paramount mission, a loyal audience as a funding base, and a steadfast dedication to excellence as a consistent goal.

All this belongs to you because you choose to belong to the special — and wonderful — group of committed people who support WMHT and have helped it thrive for decades now. The simple fact remains that the vast majority of WMHT’s funding has always come directly from viewers and listeners who choose to support what they so strongly believe in.

When the value of the incredible resource that is public broadcasting and WMHT is called into question, we look to you to stand with us in unity for the importance of free access to the arts, sciences, history, children’s services, and trusted news and information for all.

With appreciation.

Sharon Sleicher Director of Membership and Fellow WMHT Supporter

CONTACT WMHT with any questions or suggestions!

CALL 518-880-3400

EMAIL [email protected]

CONNECT ONLINE Facebook.com/PublicMediaWMHT

MAIL WMHT, 4 Global View, Troy, NY 12180


A Word from … SHARON SLEICHER

Two men, two remarkable lives. American Masters presents intimate portraits of a fiercely independent filmmaker in Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny and a barrier-breaking artist in TYRUS.

Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny takes an unconventional look at the life and work of a young man who grew up in Texas in the 1960s and started making films in the late 1980s and 90s. Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and Before Sunrise sparked a low-budget, in-your-

own-backyard movement in the United States and around the world. The story also delves into his more recent work to bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Everybody Wants Some!!

Throughout the film, you’ll hear from Linklater himself as he talks about

his own career and others including Ethan Hawke, Jack Black, and his family. Richard Linklater — Dream is Destiny airs Friday, Sept. 1, at 9 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

TYRUS reveals the extraordinary talents of Tyrus Wong. To art lovers, Tyrus was a renowned painter; to film buffs, he was the visual genius behind movies such as Bambi and Rebel Without a Cause; and to Chinese immigrants, he was a pioneer.

The documentary takes you on a journey from his birthplace of Guangzhou, China, to boarding houses in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, and studios in Hollywood. You’ll see clips and concept art from early movies and more than 80 years of his inspiring art — some of it rare and never seen before. He passed away last December at the age of 106. TYRUS airs Friday, Sept. 8, at 9 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

A new addition to the public affairs lineup this fall is a series called Third Rail with OZY. It will feature passionate yet civil point-counterpoint discussions of the important issues facing us.

Each week, Carlos Watson, Emmy Award-winning journalist and co-founder/CEO of OZY Media, will frame the show around a single, provocative question: “Is it okay to express racial preferences when dating?” “What should vetting of immigrants include?” “Is the American Dream just a dream?”

As each conversation unfolds with experts and celebrity guests, viewers

will contribute via social media and polls will track real-time opinions.

Watson’s life has been a study in contrasts. Despite his love of learning, he had trouble

in school and is probably one of the few children in the world to get evicted from kindergarten. That didn’t deter him; he went on to earn degrees from Harvard

University and Stanford Law School and launched an entrepreneurial

career focused on media and education.

He hopes that evidence-based debate — leavened with humor — will alter people’s points of view. Third Rail airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 8, on WMHT-TV.

Where the world is now and where it’s going...

THIRD RAIL with OZY

It was the only bank prosecuted after the 2008 financial crisis — a small family-run institution that had served the Chinese immigrant community since 1984.

FRONTLINE presents Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, the incredible saga of the Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York. Many of their clients had never dealt with a bank before.

Problems started in 2009 when one of their loan officers was running a money-laundering operation and stealing money. He was fired immediately, and bank officers went to their bank regulator and told him about it. An investigation was started, the bank and family became the target, and they were accused of mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. Bank employees were taken out of the bank in chains. According to the bank’s lawyer, the bank had one of the nation’s lowest default rates.

While most banks were too big to fail, Abacus became small enough to jail. The indictment and subsequent trial forced the Sung family to defend themselves and their bank over the course of a five-year legal battle. Airs Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 10 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

EXPLORES THE LIVES OF Richard Linklater and Tyrus Wong

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft lifts off on Oct. 15, 1997, atop a Titan IVB rocket. Credit: NASA

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has been operating around Saturn for 13 years. As the space probe’s mission nears its end, it will attempt one last daring maneuver.

NOVA premieres Death Dive to Saturn — a documentary that will have you on the edge of your seat — watching in awe as you discover what Cassini is about to do and what it has already done.

The film will delve into the final hours of the mission, which ends on September 15. On the final orbit Cassini will dive between the innermost ring and top of Saturn’s atmosphere. After losing contact with Earth, the spacecraft will burn up like a meteor, becoming part of the planet itself.

Through interviews with NASA scientists and the incredible photos that Cassini has been sending back, you’ll explore the reason they are ending the mission, learn more about Saturn’s wonders revealed through the years, and discover the risks involved in this death dive. It’s a bold adventure that could only be undertaken at the end of the mission.

The program airs the same week as the probe plunges into Saturn, on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 9 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

Death Dive to Saturn

wmht spotlight 3

deeper knowledge.There simply is no other

media organization that does what WMHT and public television do — none that has public service as their paramount mission, a loyal audience as a funding base, and a steadfast dedication to excellence as a consistent goal.

All this belongs to you because you choose to belong to the special — and wonderful — group of committed people who support WMHT and have helped it thrive for decades now. The simple fact remains that the vast majority of WMHT’s funding has always come directly from viewers and listeners who choose to support what they so strongly believe in.

When the value of the incredible resource that is public broadcasting and WMHT is called into question, we look to you to stand with us in unity for the importance of free access to the arts, sciences, history, children’s services, and trusted news and information for all.

With appreciation.

Sharon Sleicher Director of Membership and Fellow WMHT Supporter


Add “spice” to your recipe repertoire...

4 wmht spotlight WMHTNL0917

Stream what you want, when you want. As a WMHT member you can get access to an on-demand library of thousands of hours of programs that you can stream to your laptop, tablet etc. Through Passport, you will have access to a members-only video-on-demand library that contains hundreds of hours of some of your favorite public television programs. Please go to wmht.org/passport to learn how to get access today, or call 518-880-3400, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a WMHT staff member can assist you.

WMHT Passport

Here’s a wonderful way to add exciting new recipes to your everyday and party menus! Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street joins the Saturday lineup at 1 p.m. beginning September 9.

A renowned food expert, Kimball travels the world from Thailand to Peru and Tel Aviv to bring you recipes and techniques to create bolder, simpler, and better dishes.

Kimball says, “Milk Street offers an invitation to the cooks of the world to sit at the same table for a culinary exchange. There is no ‘ethnic’ cooking. It’s a myth. It’s just dinner or lunch served somewhere else in the world.” You’re in for a treat, enjoy!

POV presents The Grown-Ups, a humorous, empathetic, and at the same time sad documentary that looks at the lives of middle-aged students at a school for people with Down Syndrome.

In many ways, they are stuck in a state of limbo: mature enough to love and live independently, yet emotionally and financially ill equipped to do so. “Who are we? Conscious adults” is the mantra of the four friends you’ll get to know in the film.

Anita is a bright, self-confident woman who wants to assert her independence from her parents. She and Andrés are in love. Together, they are planning their wedding, even shopping for rings, but there is a major legal obstacle facing them. In Chile, where they live, adults are forbidden to marry if they have the mental capacity of a minor.

Producer Maite Alberdi’s film brings up many questions: How can we prevent people with challenges from being marginalized? How do labels affect people? How can people with disabilities be treated fairly in the workplace?

The Grown-Ups airs Monday, September 4, at 10 p.m. on WMHT-TV. WMHT will also hold free screenings throughout the area. For more information, please visit wmht.org/community.

The GROWN-UPS

The Wounds We Feel at Home

As part of our September focus on the Vietnam war, WMHT will present the personal stories of local Vietnam Veterans and the impact of their military service on their loved ones. Through personal interviews, photographs, and archival war footage The Wounds We Feel at Home explores the human dimensions of this war — from a mother dealing with the loss of her son, to a trauma surgeon struggling to rationalize his own actions in war to ultimately finding peace through his friendship with a Vietnamese medical student. WMHT will showcase Soldier’s Heart — a Troy based organization that helps Veterans transform the emotional, moral, and spiritual wounds that often result from war and military service.

The Wounds We Feel at Home airs on Monday, Sept.18, at 7:30 p.m. on WMHT-TV.

Everyone needs a personal estate plan. Let us help you get started today!

Whatever your stage in life, it is a good idea to think about and plan for how your affairs will be handled. A few simple steps today can give you peace of mind tomorrow. Our FREE Personal Estate Planning Guide will help prepare you for the process of estate planning. Please contact WMHT’s Sandra Beer at 518-880-3462 or [email protected] formore information.

Sponsored by The Community Hospice:Expertise – Support – Dignity

Help for seriously ill patients. Support for their loved ones.

communityhospice.org • (518) 724-0242


expertise – support – dignity september/october...

Documents