VPM, Virginia’s home for Public Media, will premiere five original series and shows, some with national distribution.
For information: vpm.org/fallshows
Richmond, Va. - It’s an exciting time at the newly christened VPM, Virginia’s home for Public Media. This fall and winter, VPM will roll out five brand-new television series and shows, some with planned national distribution.
“This is an extraordinary moment for VPM,” said Jayme Swain, VPM President and CEO of the Virginia Foundation for Public Media (VFPM), the parent company of VPM. “Not only have we changed our name to better reflect the diverse communities we serve, but we are investing more into local content. Some of our programs are hyper-local and intended for viewers in Virginia while others have national interest and will be seen by audiences across the United States.”
“The Future of America’s Past,” a four-part series hosted by historian Ed Ayers, premiered locally on Aug. 8 on VPM PBS and will be distributed by American Public Television (APT) in Fall 2019 to over 75% of the U.S. market via more than 170 public television stations. Produced by Field Studio in partnership with VPM, the program aims to discover how public historians, including artists, curators, activists and National Park Service rangers, are re-shaping the ways American history is preserved and remembered. Season 2 is now in production.
“The Art Scene,” a weekly series hosted by local actor Haliya Roberts with segment hosts Bianca Bryan, Douglas “Roscoe B” Powell and Noah Scalin, will premiere Oct. 10 at 8:30 p.m. on VPM PBS. Through engaging interviews and visits to local theatres, galleries, studios, concert halls, and arts education organizations, the series will shine a light on the vibrant personalities and organizations of Central Virginia’s art scene. The series is a co-production of VPM and 19RED, the original productions division of Fuel Creative, Inc.
On the series “Legacy List,” host and Richmond, Va. native Matt Paxton (a nine-season veteran of A&E’s “Hoarders”) will take viewers inside Americans’ beloved family homes and estates to help homeowners and family members discover the truth behind particular family treasures and heirlooms. Paxton is joined by military memorabilia expert Avi Hopkins, fashion collectibles authority Jaime Ebanks, and Mike Kelleher, a walking encyclopedia of pop culture trinkets and antiques. The series is a joint production of VPM, Shipyard Entertainment and MY Entertainment. It will premiere on VPM PBS in January 2020 and be available to PBS stations nationwide through distribution by American Public Television (APT). International sales will be handled by Kew Media Distribution.
Area foodies are sure to enjoy “The Inn at Little Washington,” produced by VPM, Show of Force, and Chef Spike Mendelsohn. The documentary offers a look at the ornate and delicious world of Chef Patrick O’Connell and The Inn at Little Washington, an American culinary gem nestled in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Viewers will see the acclaimed chef and his team celebrate their fortieth year in business while chasing a third Michelin star. Following a premiere at the Virginia Film Festival, the documentary will be broadcast nationally on PBS as part of its first quarter 2020 prime-time programming, although an exact date has yet to be set.
“The Art of Statecraft: President George H.W. Bush’s Foreign Policy Team” (working title), will premiere nationally, including on VPM PBS, in early 2020. A joint production of VPM and the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, the documentary examines the pillars and strategies of American foreign policy at the end of the Cold War. Detailed, first-person accounts of major world events — the Panama invasion, Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the Persian Gulf War — provide a glimpse into one of the most fascinating foreign policy presidencies of the modern era. The film includes interviews with members of Bush 41’s foreign policy team, including James Baker, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.
"Telling stories about our community and where we live is core to our mission to educate, entertain and inspire,” said Steve Humble, VPM’s Chief Content Officer. “I am really excited to be a part of this new VPM brand. These shows are a great start to what we will be bringing to Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley over the next several months."
VPM is the new name and brand identity of the Community Idea Stations, which includes PBS stations in Richmond, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg as well as NPR stations in Richmond, Chase City and the Northern Neck. Major funding for all five original productions is provided by the Virginia Foundation for Public Media (VFPM), the parent company of VPM.
For more information, visit VPM.org. Follow VPM on social media @myVPM.
About VPM
VPM is the largest locally owned and operated public media company in Central Virginia. As Virginia’s home for public media, VPM provides the best of PBS and NPR programming coupled with a strong set of community-based programs and services designed to make an important impact in the areas of arts, news, history, science and education. Each week, the stations in Richmond, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg are accessible to nearly 2 million people across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.
VPM includes public television stations VPM PBS, VPM Plus, VPM PBS KIDS, lifestyle channel VPM Create and international program channel VPM Worldview.
VPM also includes Richmond public radio stations VPM News (88.9 FM) and VPM Music (107.3 FM, 93.1 FM and 88.9-HD2). In the Northern Neck (89.1 FM) and Southside Virginia (90.1 FM), listeners receive a combination of the news and music stations.
More information can be found at VPM.org.
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