The association of public media elected Phil Hoffman, Executive Director WUCF-TV/FM (Orlando), as its new chair during the group’s annual board meeting this month.
The board also added Chris Puorro, station manager of WQCS-FM (Ft. Pierce) as its At-Large member of the Executive Committee.
“It’s an honor to be asked to serve Florida Public Media,” Hoffman said.
Phil Hoffman, Executive Director of WUCF TV/FM in Orlando, takes the helm of Florida Public Media.
“Public media plays a critically important role in bringing our local communities important information…whether it’s educational content for children, thoughtful programs from Ken Burns, Nova and Nature, or highly trusted reporting from some of the country’s best reporters. Public media has always had a mission to serve all people with great content. FPM enables Florida stations to do that well.”
“I’m thankful to my colleagues across the state for choosing me to be a part of the executive team at Florida Public Media,” Puorro said.
“We look forward to continuing the public media collaborations that have provided our listeners and viewers with a wide array of content, and helped to keep them safe and informed during challenges.”
The board also elected these others officers:
Chris Puorro, Station Manager, WQCS-FM.
– Vice Chair: David Mullins, General Manager, WUSF-FM/TV (Tallahassee)
– Secretary: Paul Grove, President and CEO, WEDU-TV (Tampa/St. Petersburg)
– Immediate Past Chair: Randy Wright, Executive Director, WUFT-FM/TV(Gainesville/Ocala)
Florida Public Media (FPM) is the organization of 24 public radio and public television stations in the state. The stations broadcast programming by NPR and PBS, and a wide range of news, public affairs, and music programs.
TV members provide the main distribution of The Florida Channel, and radio members serve as the backbone of the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN). FPREN is headquartered at WUFT on the campus of The University of Florida in Gainesville.
FPM is the state’s leader in educational programming and emergency communications.
Florida’s association of public broadcasters recognized four members of the legislature for their important roles in supporting public broadcasting this past session.
WQCS General Manager Chris Puorro, Rep. Randy Fine, WFIT General Manager Terri Wright
Winners of the 2021 Florida Public Media Champion Award include:
Senator Doug Broxson (Pensacola)
Senator Audrey Gibson (Jacksonville)
Representative Randy Fine (Palm Bay)
Representative Jay Trumbull (Panama City)
“On behalf of my colleagues in public media across the great state of Florida, I’m proud to congratulate the four recipients of the Florida Public Media Champion Award for 2021,” said Randy Wright, General Manager of WUFT in Gainesville-Ocala and chair of the organization.
“Senators Broxson and Gibson, and Representatives Fine and Trumbull, played significant parts in highlighting the extraordinary public safety and educational roles public media play in Florida.”
“We’re proud to recognize them for their valuable contributions to the communities we all serve,” Wright said.
Florida Public Mediarepresents 24 public radio and television stations throughout the state.
The annual award is given to honor those who have championed support for public broadcasting in the legislature.
It is inscribed with a quote by the legendary Fred Rogers: “Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me.”
WUSF News was named radio Station of the Year by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists for its journalism produced during 2020.
The team also collected six other first place awards (General Assignment, General Assignment (Long), Education (Single), Health Reporting (Single), Political, Government, Election Reporting (Single), and Political, Government, Election Reporting (Station) in the contest that includes commercial and public media broadcasters from across Florida.
Tallahassee, FL. April 12, 2021 — Education Development Center (EDC) and SRI International (SRI) announce the release of their new research Mahsi’choo for the Info! Molly of Denali Teaches Children about Informational Text.*
Molly of Denali is an award-winning animated series, produced by GBH Boston that airs on PBS stations throughout Florida. It follows the adventures of curious and resourceful 10-year-old Molly Mabray, an Alaska Native girl who lives in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska. Recently renewed for a second season, it is the first nationally distributed children’s series to feature a Native American lead character.
Molly of Denali involves Alaska Native voices in all aspects of the production, both on screen and behind the scenes. Informational text, the underlying literacy curriculum, is integrated into the series’ episodes, games, app, website, and assets for educators, families, and kids. Informational text—oral, written, or visual text designed to inform—is essential to navigating daily life, and it includes activities such as reading a map, critically engaging with websites, and posing questions to an expert.
Two separate rigorous studies found that children from low-income households who were given Molly of Denali videos, digital games, and activities were better able to solve problems using informational text. Most children have access to stories and other narrative texts but little to no access to informational text. Yet informational text is a fundamental part of literacy. Comprehending informational text paves the way for future learning, particularly in social studies and the sciences, and success in life.
“In a year where children have been forced to learn through screen time, there has been a great deal of debate on what is good programming and bad programming,” said Tasha Weinstein, education and engagement manager at WFSU in Tallahassee.
“Knowing what is quality content is really important and we now know that screen time can work when you have effective programming.”
WFSU has organized “Molly of Denali”-inspired workshops in its viewing area and collaborated with the Muskogee Tribe to create a virtual museum that links the Muskogee with the native Americans of Alaska.
Ten families were selected, and each week included a different area of study, including maps, traditions, biographies and animals. Kelling said she was thrilled to take the proven content of the TV program and put it to use in the community through the virtual museums.
Two nine-week studies included 263 first-grade children from low-income households across the country. The study team randomly assigned each child to receive either a tablet loaded with Molly of Denali resources (treatment condition) or a tablet that blocked access to Molly of Denali resources (control condition).
Problem-solving: Access to Molly of Denali digital resources improved first-grade children’s ability to use informational text to solve problems, for example, choosing the right book or website to answer a question or using an index to find a topic in the book.
High return for minimal time investment: Children benefited from the Molly of Denali resources after using them for only about one hour per week, on average, over nine weeks—similar to the time that children might access educational media at home. Many educational programs require more time or engagement before learning benefits are seen.
More screen time = more learning: Children who used Molly of Denali resources for longer periods showed greater learning benefits. Findings demonstrate that more exposure to high-quality educational content results in greater learning gains.
The power of replication: The second study was a replication of the first study, adding further evidence of the impact of the Molly of Denali resources. Although replication is a critical part of the scientific process, few findings in education research are confirmed by conducting the same study a second time.
Molly of Denali has received much critical acclaim, including a Peabody Award, a Television Critics Award and a Kidscreen Award, and has a television reach of over 42 million people1 and over 450K users on PBS KIDS digital platforms each month.2 Now Molly of Denali also has the backing of two studies that demonstrate children’s learning.
The studies were commissioned as part of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS Ready To Learn Initiative, with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The Ready To Learn Initiative brings educational television and digital media resources to children ages 2–8 and aims to promote early science and literacy learning.
The studies, conducted during the pandemic, pioneered innovations in remote data collection with families across the nation, providing evidence that research remains possible when in-person visits are not an option. The Molly of Denali content also provided a free resource to help develop children’s literacy skills to families experiencing pandemic-related disruptions in schooling.
“Never before has there been a study of children’s media supporting young children’s use of informational text to solve problems,” said Shelley Pasnik, EDC senior vice president and principal investigator of the joint EDC-SRI research team. “That we were able to see positive results not once but twice during a year of great educational turmoil makes the case for providing all families with quality early learning opportunities.”
“This research shows the power of well-designed educational media,” said Joy Lorenzo Kennedy, EDC’s lead author. “Not only does Molly of Denali have an engaging storyline and compelling cast of characters, it also embeds informational text in ways that improves children’s learning outcomes.”
Claire Christensen, lead author for SRI, added, “This research comes at a critical time when parents and educators are searching for guidance about how best to support children’s learning when they can’t be in the classroom.”
This study is one of a series of Ready To Learn Initiative studies demonstrating the impact of educational media on children’s learning. The full report is available online at edc.org/infotext
About EDC Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, it has been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.
About SRI International SRI International is an independent, nonprofit research center that works with clients to take the most advanced R&D from the laboratory to the marketplace. For more than 70 years, SRI has led the discovery and design of groundbreaking products, technologies, and industries—from Siri and online banking to medical ultrasound, cancer treatments, and much more.
About MOLLY OF DENALI
Molly of Denali is co-produced by GBH and its animation partner, Atomic Cartoons, in association with CBC Kids. Funding for Molly of Denali™ is provided by a Ready To Learn Grant from the U.S. Department of Education; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American People; and by public television viewers. Additional funding made possible with the participation of the Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit. Corporate funding provided by the T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan and Target. Alaska Native collaborators: Adeline P. Raboff, Dewey Kk’ołeyo Hoffman, Luke Titus, Princess Daazhraii Johnson and Rochelle Adams. Language Advisors: Adeline P. Raboff, Lance X’unei Twitchell, Lorraine David, Marie Meade and Marjorie Tahbone. Informational text advisor: Nell K. Duke, University of Michigan.
About the Ready To Learn Initiative The Ready To Learn initiative is a cooperative agreement funded and managed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). It supports the development of innovative educational television and digital media targeted to preschool and early elementary school children and their families. Its general goal is to promote early learning and school readiness, with a particular interest in reaching children living in low-income households. In addition to creating television and other media products, the program supports activities intended to promote national distribution of the programming, effective educational uses of the programming, community-based outreach, and research on educational effectiveness.
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Contact: Patrick Yack. pyack@nullfloridapublicmedia.org
The contents of Molly of Denali were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. The project is funded by a Ready To Learn grant (PR/AWARD No. U295A150003, CFDA No. 84.295A) provided by the Department of Education to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
*Mahsi’choo (Mah-see-cho): “Thank You” in Gwich’in.
Orange County Public Schools is partnering with the University of Central Florida to establish a strategic alliance for educational programming to air on WUCF TV. This collaboration will directly benefit students beginning June 4, 2020. Through this partnership the district can reach school-aged children with media content tied to their educational standards. It will be available to view on the local PBS station WUCF 24.5.
The enrichment opportunities will be delivered through a series of instructional videos produced by Orange County teachers along with supplemental content provided by WUCF. The first series of videos will be geared toward children in kindergarten through second grade. The videos will complement the workbook materials that all OCPS students in K-2 are receiving for summer enrichment.
“We are excited about this opportunity to provide meaningful instruction to students over the summer and throughout the year. Utilizing our talented teachers to present the standards-aligned content guarantees the rigor required for student mastery and it offers parents a valuable resource to assist with their child’s learning,” Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said.
The programming content will consist of a wide variety of educational materials including, but not limited to, at-home learning instruction, school and district events, and superintendent and district leadership news conferences.
“WUCF is proud to partner with Orange County Public Schools to support families as an extension of the classroom,” said Dr. Phil Hoffman, WUCF executive director. “Schools, teachers and students are facing unique challenges, and WUCF is happy to help play a critical role in bringing a learning environment into the homes of our Central Florida families.”
Conversion will expand local journalism and bring 13 new shows to Northeast Florida airwaves; station will be known as WJCT News 89.9
Jacksonville, Fla. – June 4, 2020 – WJCT today announced it will convert 89.9 FM, its flagship radio station, to an all news/talk format, and the station will be identified as WJCT News 89.9effective July 13, 2020.
This conversion will expand WJCT’s local journalism with additional midday newscasts of local reporting by the organization’s news team. Thirteen new national programs from a range of producers will also be added to the station’s weekly schedule.
This announcement follows a period of sustained audience growth across all of WJCT News’ platforms, including on 89.9 FM, online at wjct.org and on the WJCT app. WJCT News covers stories throughout Northeast Florida; shares breaking news from partner news outlets such as The Florida Times-Union, News4Jax and the Jacksonville Daily Record; and produces original digital media such as the magazine ADAPT and the Odd Ball and VOIDCAST podcasts.
The average number of weekly listeners consuming news has continued to grow recently, the continuation of a long-term trend. WJCT anticipates further growth across its platforms, as consumers seek trustworthy coverage of topics of local and national importance like the coronavirus, hurricane season and the 2020 election season.
“The growing need for sources of news and information that are deeply thoughtful, unfailing in the pursuit of truth and universally available has never been clearer than it is now,” said David McGowan, President & CEO of WJCT. “The Jacksonville area in Northeast Florida, a region with an ever-more diverse citizenry, requires a healthy range of news sources to inform critical decisions about our shared future.”
New programs coming to 89.9 FM starting July 13 include the following; to view the updated schedule, visit wjct.org/radiopreview:
PBS NewsHourfrom PBS, every Monday through Friday at 9 p.m.
Think from KERA in Texas, every Monday through Friday at 10 p.m.
1A Plusfrom WAMU in Washington and NPR, every Monday through Friday at midnight
The Pulsefrom WHYY in Philadelphia, Fridays at 2 a.m.,and Sundays at 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Innovation Hubfrom PRX and WGBH in Boston, Saturdays at 4 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Science Friday Weekendfrom WNYC in New York, Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 8 p.m.
Fresh Air Weekendfrom NPR, Saturdays at 7 p.m.
New Yorker Radio Hourfrom The New Yorker and WNYC in New York,Saturdays at 8 p.m., midnight and 3 a.m., and Sundays at 10 a.m.
PRX’s RemixSelectfrom PRX,Saturdays at 9 p.m.
Podcast Playlistfrom CBC in Canada, Saturdays at 10 p.m.
It’s Been a Minutefrom NPR, Saturdays at noon and 1 a.m., and Sundays at 9 p.m.
With Good Reasonfrom Virginia Humanities in Virginia, Sundays at 11:30 p.m.
Climate Onefrom PRX, Sundays at midnight
Music programs such as Jazz Night in America with Christian McBride and Live from Herewith Chris Thile will air Sunday nights at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively,on Electro Lounge Radio on 89.9 HD4: a new HD radio station launched by WJCT in April 2020 as part of the Jacksonville Music Experience (JME). Additional elements of the Jacksonville Music Experience include Classical 24® from American Public Media on 89.9 HD2; Anthology, a hand-crafted selection of music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s on 89.9 HD3; Music Thursdays on WJCT-TV; Studio 5 Sessions at wjct.org; the VOIDCAST podcast, produced in partnership with Void Magazine; and live performances at the WJCT Soundstage. Details about the Jacksonville Music Experience are available at wjct.org/jaxmusic.
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About WJCT: WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow. For more information on WJCT’s in-depth programming content, log on to WJCT Online at wjct.org. Like WJCT on Facebook and follow WJCT on Twitter and Instagram.
With the coronavirus pandemic ripping through our our state, WUSF Public Media in Tampa and 90.7 WMFE in Orlando are teaming up to produce a weekly Facebook Live show to immediately and directly connect with people in the Central Florida and Tampa Bay regions.
“The State We’re In” premieres at noon Tuesday, April 14, on the WMFE and WUSF Facebook pages and will offer news and information about the COVID-19 public health crisis and its impacts on Florida and our communities. WMFE News Director Matthew Peddie and WUSF Reporter/host Bradley George will co-host, and each episode will feature a conversation with an expert — from health care and business to education and science — and allow viewers the chance to ask questions and share their experiences.
To watch the show, visit the WMFE or WUSF Facebook page at noon on Tuesdays. When you’re watching the live show, select “Subscribe” to be notified the next time we go live.
WMFE and WUSF are already collaborating on I-4 Votes, one of eight public media networks participating in “America Amplified: Election 2020,” an initiative that aims to strengthen collaboration within public media, build trust in local journalism and deepen understanding of America’s needs and aspirations. It’s led by public radio station KCUR 89.3 in Kansas City and supported by a $1.9 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The America Amplified team is lending support to get the Facebook Live show up and running. Its leaders are encouraging partner stations to adapt their journalism to the global pandemic, and find ways to connect our communities at a time when people are needing to separate physically. “The State We’re In” will launch as a way for Floridians to talk with one another about coronavirus, but it eventually will evolve into a place for discussions about other issues, including the 2020 presidential election.
“COVID-19 has all of our attention, and we’re proud to extend our stations’ essential coverage to the Facebook Live platform, which will allow anyone to directly and easily join the conversation in real time,” WMFE President and CEO Erika Pulley-Hayes said. “We want to make sure that everyone has access to reliable and local information, as well as an opportunity to voice their concerns so that we can address them.”
“The State We’re In” will be audience-centric. The show will focus on what the citizens need and want to know about the virus to make better, informed decisions in their own lives.
“Our stations are known for providing accurate and timely information that listeners can rely on,” WUSF General Manager JoAnn Urofsky said. “The coronavirus has upended the daily lives of everyone around the world, and we are making access to accurate information as easy as possible for everyone.”
Connect with WMFE and WUSF on Facebook and tune in April 14.
About WUSF Public Media:
WUSF Public Media is a comprehensive media organization that provides media services to the community and businesses through public broadcasting and multi-media production services. Licensed to the University of South Florida, WUSF Public Media has been serving the public interest through programming, educational outreach and community partnerships for more than 50 years. Visit wusfnews.org for more information.
About WMFE:
Community Communications Inc., DBA WMFE, is a non-profit, member-supported, community-based public broadcasting company that operates 90.7 WMFE-FM, metro Orlando’s primary provider of NPR programming; 90.7-2 Classical; and 89.5 WMFV, public radio for The Villages, Leesburg and The Golden Triangle. Part of the community since 1980, Community Communications focuses on providing quality national and local news and programming. Visit wmfe.org and wmfv.org for more information.
TALLAHASSEE, FL. March 19, 2020 – As many schools and districts across Florida cancel classes beyond spring breaks to lessen the spread of COVID-19, Florida PBS stations are banding together to support at-home learning for students by delivering a new weekday television schedule of educational programs.
These programs are aligned to state standards, and are free and accessible from home. Most of the stations across the state will begin broadcasting these programs Monday, March 23rd at 6 a.m.
Image Credit Julianna Cecere, KQED
“Florida’s public television stations have been dedicated to ensuring the health, welfare and education of our youngest viewers for decades and have a long-standing partnership with the state of Florida”, said Randy Wright, Executive Director of WUFT-TV/FM in Gainesville-Ocala and chair of Florida Public Media.
“We can continue to play a critical role in providing trusted, aligned educational resources for students, parents, teachers and caregivers during these challenging times. This unique and special educational programming and PBS Learning Media are extraordinary tools that are easy to access from home and they’re made available as a free service from Florida’s public media.” At-Home Learning Stations
Stations are dedicating a daytime weekday schedule on their main or other channel. The new 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule includes specific blocks of time for Pre-K through 12th grade levels and covers subjects, including English language arts, social studies, science and math.
“Many students in our area do not have the needed computers, printers or even internet to make online learning possible to the extent needed to make an at-home learning environment, but they do have a television,” said Tasha Weinstein, education and engagement manager at WFSU Public Media in Tallahassee.
In the weeks to come, Florida stations will be sharing local content and other resources that can specifically support the needs of teachers and students.
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Florida Public Media is the association of public radio and public TV stations throughout Florida. PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital platforms and community-based programs. Kidscreen – and Webby Award-winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS also offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning. The PBS KIDS Video app is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as YouTube, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
WASHINGTON – February 6, 2020 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) today announced the election of its new board leaders and members.
Molly Phillips, Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS, has been elected Chair; Jefferi K. Lee, General Manager of WHUT in Washington, D.C. has been elected as Professional Vice Chair; and Carol Kellermann, Lay Trustee, Thirteen/WNET in New York, has been re-elected as Lay Vice Chair. The newly-elected officers will begin their terms on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.
The newly-elected trustees are: DeAnne Hamilton, Executive Director and General Manager of KBTC Public Television in Tacoma, Washington; Laura Hunter, Station Manager and COO of Utah Education Network/KUEN in Salt Lake City, Utah; Dax Schieffer, Board Chair of Friends of MontanaPBS in Bozeman, Montana; and Dolores Sukhdeo, President and CEO of South Florida PBS in Miami, Florida. Newly-elected as an at-large trustee to the APTS board is Brigadier General (Retired) Leo A. Brooks, Jr., Vice President, Enterprise Subsidiary Integration, Government Operations, for The Boeing Company in Washington, D.C. The newly-elected trustees will begin their terms on Monday, February 24, 2020.
Re-elected to the APTS Board of Trustees are Kathy Rae, Board Member of KPBS in San Diego, California, and Andrew Russell, President and CEO of PBS SoCal KCET in Los Angeles, California.
About Dolores Sukhdeo
Dolores Sukhdeo serves as the President and CEO of South Florida PBS, the merged organization that brings together WPBT2 and WXEL to represent the 7th largest TV market in the United States. In 1998, Sukhdeo joined WPBT2 as Vice President for Facilities Services where she was responsible for the for-profit activities. She was promoted to Station Manager in 2002 and to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2003.
Sukhdeo began her television career in 1990 at the international newsgathering division of Disney/ABC News Inc. – Worldwide Television News in New York, NY, where she worked her way through the ranks from Sales Assistant to Regional Executive for the USA & Latin America. During her tenure at Worldwide Television News, Sukhdeo managed large scale news events including the Oklahoma City bombing, Olympics coverage, presidential elections and the United Nations 50th Anniversary.
Sukhdeo earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Literature from Columbia University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Miami.
Sukhdeo is the Immediate Past Chair for Florida Public Media, a statewide consortium of Florida public television and radio stations. She is Past President of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) Florida, and Past Chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) Nonprofit Business Committee and the GMCC Creative Industries Committee.
Jill Hubbs will serve as interim GM of WSRE and executive director of the WSRE-TV Foundation in Pensacola, Fla.
Hubbs is replacing Bob Culkeen, who was named president and CEO of WTCI in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Hubbs
“I am grateful to Bob Culkeen for his service to the station, college and community. His accomplishments here have been significant, from launching the new WSRE PBS KIDS channel to completing technology upgrades that will serve us well into the future,” said Ed Meadows, president of Pensacola State College, which holds WSRE’s license. “We will miss his fun sense of humor, and we extend our congratulations to Ms. Hubbs on her new leadership role.”
Hubbs has been an EP for several WSRE productions, including Gulf Islands National Seashore: The Treasure of the Gulf Coast and Baseball in Pensacola. She produced They Were Their Fathers in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. She is a founding board member of Pensacola’s Veterans Memorial Park.
Hubbs began her career as a schoolteacher. She joined the Florida station in 1996 and has led several education initiatives with institutions like Weis Elementary School. She was most recently director of educational services and community outreach.
“Jill lives the mission of public television on and off the job. Her work at WSRE has positively impacted many lives in our community, particularly our children, teachers and military,” said Sandy Cesaretti Ray, the college’s associate VP of community and government relations. “Bob will be missed, and fortunately Jill is well poised to build upon his successes with a solid team at WSRE and PSC.”
WQCS General Manager Chris Puorro, Rep. Randy Fine, WFIT General Manager Terri Wright
