TPT National Productions: An Unprecedented Year and a Look to the Future
2022 was an extraordinary year for the National Productions team at Twin Cities PBS.
suicide. Additionally, a community-engagement campaign involving 10 PBS stations around the country provided local coverage and on- the-ground resources to engage communities around this critical public health issue. PBS relies on TPT’s National Productions team to provide inclusive and diverse storytelling for general audiences. The features and series cover important issues and topics Americans are facing today, showcasing stunning and intimate filmmaking and reflecting the diversity of the American experience. Michael Rosenfeld, TPT’s Vice President of National Productions, states, “We look for stories that will interest a national audience because the topic has universal appeal. It’s about finding a subject matter that touches us as human beings, wherever we may live. And, of course, stories that unfold right here in Minnesota are often interesting or important enough to ‘go national.’ For example, one of our episodes from the last season of America Outdoors was filmed in the Boundary Waters area, and it got an audience in all 50 states.”
They produced the national PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston , which reached over 10 million viewers, received tremendous viewer and critical acclaim, inspired people to explore the outdoors, and spurred important conversations about climate change, equity, outdoor access, and our relationship to the world around us. The series has been renewed for season 2, and new episodes will begin airing this summer. The success of America Outdoors was followed up by the release of Facing Suicide . This feature documentary — lauded by experts for its careful and powerful approach — shares the deeply personal stories of those directly affected by the suicide epidemic, as well as insights from specialists and researchers who provide hands- on knowledge about this public health crisis, including how to intervene and save a life. A companion PBS YouTube series creates a space of understanding, hope, and action for young people whose lives have been touched by
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APRIL 2023
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