Bring It On! High School Quiz ShowIn March, we introduced a new

WGBH production: High School Quiz Show, a fast-paced academic challenge that showcases and rewards the academic achievement and intellectual curiosity of Massachusetts’ high school students. High School Quiz Show pits four-person academic teams from 20 area schools against each other. They compete in 10 qualifying matches in eastern Massachusetts, six statewide playoff matches against schools from WGBY’s long-running As Schools Match Wits in western Massachusetts, and the coveted state championship. Tied to the Commonwealth’s core curriculum, the series celebrates academic achievement and brings students, families, schools, and communities together to root for their home teams. WGBH’s Jennifer Goebel recently spoke with executive producer Hillary Wells about the popular new series.

Q How did High School Quiz Show come to be?A Inspired by the success of existing public television quiz shows including As Schools Match Wits, WGBH President Jon Abbott was intrigued by the idea of creating a statewide contest. He took the idea to Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester, who encouraged WGBH to “Bring it on!” It was at this point that Jon passed me the baton.

Q Was it difficult to find schools to participate in the show?A We were told by station after station that if we build it, they [the schools] will come. Nevertheless, we were skeptical, so before we officially green-lit the series, we sent out a flyer to test the waters. Within just a few weeks, more than 70

schools in eastern Massachusetts had applied for the 20 available slots. We hadn’t even built it!

Q What do you think appeals to people about the show?A The celebratory nature of the program is what seems to resonate most. When you walk through a school, you see cases of trophies for athletic teams. This is an opportunity to give high-achieving stu-dents the chance for public recognition as well. I see the need for more trophy cases in the future!

Q Tell us about the host, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan.A Dhaya has two degrees from MIT and is a stand-up comedian. She’s a great mentor for the kids, and brings a unique energy and spontaneity to the show. She was part of her high school’s academic team, learned English by watching Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and is a self-pro-fessed “super nerd”—so this is familiar territory for her.

Q What’s the most challenging part of producing a program like this?A We had a steep learning curve on the technology end, but I’d have to say that the most challenging aspect has been, and will continue to be, striking the balance between academics and entertainment. This plays out in all aspects of the game.

Q Do you have any advice for schools that may want to participate next year?A Believe it or not, we’re already in discussions about next year. My advice for teams that may want to participate next year is to friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter; to check our website regularly for updates; and, most importantly, to watch the show to under-stand how the game works and how to most effectively build a competitive team.

High School Quiz Show airs on Mondays at 7:30pm on WGBH 2. Watch online or see a complete list of school match-ups at highschoolquizshow.org.

Leadership Circlethe wgbh leadership c ircle newsletter

MIT graduate and stand-up comedian Dhaya Lakshminarayanan hosts High School Quiz Show, produced here at WGBH’s Brighton studios

spring 2010

The Circle

Hillary Wells

Major production support is provided by the University of Massachusetts. Research, development, and production funding generously provided by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Comcast, Massachusetts Teachers Association, and New England Aquarium.

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Tonight on WGBH…An Insider’s View What if it was your job to sift

through hundreds of TV dramas, documentaries, British comedies, and lifestyle programs and decide what makes it to the air and what ends up on the cutting room floor? What if you also got to strategize new ways to deliver content to viewers—on television, online, and on demand? For many

of us it might be a dream, but for WGBH Program Director Ron Bachman it’s a dream come true. Here, he

talks about what he looks for when choosing programs and what you can look forward to on WGBH:

What programs are you excited about on WGBH this spring and summer?We recently began airing The Kumars at Number 42 . I love this show. It’s a clever hybrid of situation comedy and talk show that revolves around an Indian family in the Wembley suburb of London. The parents build a TV studio onto their house so their adult son can have his own show. The twist is that his guests are unscripted, real-life celebrities.

Detective Chief Inspector, played brilliantly by Michael Kitchen. Also, look for “Six by Agatha,” three new episodes each of two of Agatha Christie’s greatest sleuths: Miss Marple and Poirot.

Can you give us a peek at what’s coming this fall?One of the big events will be Ken Burns’s Baseball: The Tenth Inning. It’s been 16 years since he did the original Baseball series, so he looks at things that have happened since then, including the Red Sox World Series victories. Nova will present a miniseries called Making Stuff, which shows how materi-als can and have transformed the world. Frontline and American Experience have teamed up on a production called God in America, which examines religious life in America, past and present. I’m also excited about Masterpiece Mystery! ’s debuting an exciting new 21st-century re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes called Sherlock. And Kenneth Branagh will be back in new episodes of Wallander.

What do you look for when you’re acquiring new programs?Outside of WGBH-produced national PBS series such as Masterpiece, Nova, Frontline, and American Experience, we

look for programs that address topics not being covered elsewhere or that may hold particular interest for our Boston-area viewers. We also seek out programs that fit with other initiatives WGBH is involved in, such as Black History Month or the Cambridge Science Festival. Sometimes, a show will come along that we think is simply too good for our audience to miss. A recent example is the drama series MI5—everyone I know who has tried it has gotten hooked.

What do you enjoy most about your work?I’ve always liked television. And I love being in a posi-tion where I get to review and make editorial decisions about programming. I see a lot of shows I might not

otherwise have seen and I learn from every one of them—even the programs that don’t make it to WGBH’s air.

What do you watch when you’re not working?I’m a drama junkie. I actually started at WGBH by writing Masterpiece introductions for Alistair Cooke. On commercial TV, I enjoy Lost, 24, and Mad Men. On WGBH, I love Masterpiece as well as historical documentaries and arts-related programs.

Our ThanksWGBH SALUTES ITS LOCAL SPONSORS:

American Experience: Northeastern University; Antiques Roadshow: Trader Joe’s; Greater Boston: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Northeastern University, Welch and Forbes; High School Quiz Show: see page 1; Masterpiece: Huntington Theatre and Skinner Appraisers and Auctioneers; Nature: New England Aquarium; Nova: Bentley University, Putnam Investments, Wolf Greenfield; PBS Kids: Boch Automotive Enterprises, Boston Children’s Museum, Citizens Bank, Garelick Farms, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Museum of Science, UFund, and UMass Boston; P.O.V.: Peggy Meyerhoff Pearlstone.

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The new season of Masterpiece Mystery! kicks off in May with new episodes of Foyle’s War that take place at the end of World War II in Europe— a happy turn of events for Foyle’s many fans, who bemoaned the series’ conclu-sion in 2008. You’ll have to tune in to see what the future hold for the enigmatic

Michael Kitchen (right) stars as Foyle with Honeysuckle Weeks as Sam Stewart.

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Now Hear ThisFrom on-demand viewing to podcast-ing, WGBH always has sought new ways to reach people. For 50 WGBH radio listeners, the future is here. Tivoli Audio CEO and WGBH Overseer Tom DeVesto recently donated 50 units of his company’s NetWorks Global Audio System to

help WGBH transition listen-ers to the new 99.5 All Classical. The state-of- the-art radios take advantage

of Internet broadcasting to deliver crystal-clear reception of any station

anywhere in the world—without the need for a computer. “Our goal with the NetWorks radio was to make online listening simple and accessible,” says DeVesto. He calls the devices “as easy to use as a lamp.” WGBH has used the NetWorks stereos as premiums during pledge drives and in the annual WGBH Auction (auction.wgbh.org). For DeVesto, the new 99.5 All Classical service is a perfect fit for his company’s spirit of innovation and excellence. “We are happy to be able to help listeners here in Boston and around the world get more of the classical music they love,” he says.

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99.5 All Classical, 24/7

When we acquired WCRB and launched the new 99.5 All

Classical in December 2009,” says Jon Solins, director of programming, “WGBH seized a rare opportunity to deliver a robust 24/7 classical music ser-vice to the Boston area. 99.5 All Classical is allowing us to share more music with our listeners—from exclusive concert recordings and far-ranging interviews with musicians and composers, to new features, like our daily segments with Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart. “We are thrilled to significantly expand our Boston Symphony Orchestra offerings,” Solins says. “We’ve increased the number of BSO concerts from 25 to 62 a year, offering listeners a BSO program every Saturday night. And Tanglewood fans can now look forward to tuning in all three concerts from the Shed each weekend throughout the

Behind the Music: 99.5 All Classical Live performances… concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra… on-demand listening. If classical music is your passion, WGBH’s 99.5 All Classical is your place. We recently asked our classical hosts, “What makes 99.5 All Classical so special?”

“ The new 99.5 All Classical not only presents listeners with a variety of sounds from many classical music eras, but also tries to broaden listeners’ horizons within each era. There’s something for just about everyone to explore and enjoy.”–Laura Carlo

Classical Music with Laura CarloWeekdays, 5-9am

“ We’re finding so many new ways to reflect the vibrant presence of the musicians in this city—and we’ve only just begun!”–Cathy Fuller

Classical Music with Cathy FullerWeekdays, 9am-1pm

“ We’re excited to be able to provide great classical music to listeners who can take us with them wherever they go, through our website: 995allclassical.org.”–Ray Brown

Classical Music with Ray BrownWeekdays, 2-6pm

“ By combining the richness of Boston as a classical music center with WGBH’s public broadcasting tradition and cutting-edge technology, 99.5 All Classical is poised to become a local cultural cornerstone and a national leader in classical music media.”–Brian McCreath

Classical Music with Brian McCreathSaturday and Sunday, 7-11am

“ The new 99.5 All Classical has enormous potential: the opportunity to present the legacy and current accomplishments of greater Boston, one of the most dynamic musical communities in the world.”–Brian Bell

The Boston Symphony OrchestraSaturday, 7pm

summer. We’re also presenting The BSO on Record, our comprehensive survey of the Orchestra’s recorded legacy, as well as inviting BSO artists into our Fraser Performance Studio for special perfor-mances you won’t hear anywhere else.” This year marks the 125th anniversa-ry of the Boston Pops, and 99.5 is celebrating in a big way, starting with the season opener conducted by Lockhart on May 8, at 7pm. Later in the month, 99.5 will bring you John Williams as well as the world broadcast premiere of The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers by Peter Boyer. And on July 4, you can count on an ear-popping Pops performance from the Esplanade, simulcast on both 99.5 and 89.7. “We’re widening our tent with new programs, voices, and ways of listening [see right],” Solins says, “while remaining true to our tradition of being stewards and ambassadors for the very best classi-cal music in this most classical of cities.”

Listen to 99.5 All Classical online at 995allclassical.org, on your Internet radio (see left), on your HD radio at 89.7 HD2 or on 89.5 WNCK in Nantucket.

Host Laura Carlo and Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart talk about music during “Keith’s Corner,” weekdays at 8:30am on 99.5 All Classical

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89.7 Gets More Live, More Local “Straightforward.” “Insightful.” “Fantastic.” These are just a few of the words visitors to wgbh.org are using to describe The Emily Rooney Show and The Callie Crossley Show. The weekday programs, which began airing on WGBH 89.7 in January, deliver two distinct hours of live, local, mid-day discussion led by award-winning journalists Emily Rooney of Greater Boston and Callie Crossley of Beat the Press. WGBH’s introduction of local coverage is a boon for listeners, says Rooney, who calls Boston “a terrific news town” with no shortage of sources or stories. “WGBH 89.7 has changed the radio landscape,” she says. “Now other stations are adding more local flavor—that’s good news for everyone.” Sharing a diversity of ideas and voices from throughout New England is Crossley’s interest and goal. Her “Local Made Good” segment profiles innovators and entrepreneurs. She conducted the last interview with the late historian Howard Zinn and scooped The New York Times with her story on Usahidi, a Web-based tracking system created by students at Tufts University to assist relief workers in Haiti. “We live in a community rich with fascinating people doing interesting things,” says Crossley. “It’s a pleasure to be able to bring their stories to the air.”

More choices and more voices. Since it expanded its news

service last December, 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s NPR® Station for News and Culture, has been giving listeners more of both—and more of the unfiltered

reporting, analysis, and discussion they value from public media. Along with 13 hours a day of in-depth news and analysis from WGBH

co-productions The World and The Takeaway and signature programs from National Public Radio, 89.7 delivers two hours of fresh, local perspective with the new The Emily Rooney Show and The Callie Crossley Show (see right).

Creating a forum for discussion of local issues was a key driver of the news expansion, says WGBH Radio General Manager John Voci. “With newspapers in crisis and commercial media continuing to turn away from in-depth reporting, we saw a need for strong local journalism and an oppor-tunity for WGBH to help fill that gap.” 89.7 continues to build its news team and recently welcomed former NPR and The World producer Phillip Martin. Martin is hard at work on a special series examining the impact of 30 years of commercial fishing regulations and the first term of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “WGBH has led the way in docu-mentary filmmaking and investigative journalism for television,” says Voci. “We are thrilled to be building on, and drawing from, those strengths for our 89.7 radio audience.”

Remembering Ray Smith

This Just In: News on 89.7 WGBH

On February 26, WGBH Leadership Circle members, listeners, and generations of jazz fans everywhere mourned the passing of Jazz Decades host Ray Smith at the age of 87. Ray was a family man, a decorated World War II veteran, an accomplished drummer, and a human encyclopedia when it came to ragtime, blues, swing, and the great jazz of the 1920s and

’30s. “He was warm, funny, gentle, gracious, and unabashed in his love of the music he shared with listeners for 51 years,” says WGBH Radio General Manager John Voci. “He will be missed.” Thanks to a treasure trove of archived episodes, the show will go on. Tune in Jazz Decades on 89.7 WGBH every Sunday at 7pm and online at wgbh.org anytime.

Hosts Emily Rooney and Callie Crossley bring more local news and analysis to 89.7 WGBH

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W e know how much you value and enjoy the programs you support

on WGBH. That’s why throughout the year we invite Leadership Circle members to join us for a variety of exclusive events that allow you to get deeper into your favorite programs. Check below for what’s coming up and be sure to look for “You’re Invited” postcards in your mail and email. Don’t miss out by letting your Leadership Circle membership lapse—renew your membership before it expires! You can renew online at wgbh.org/leadership or speak to a Leadership Circle representative by calling 617-300-3505. Remember to give us your email address, as we’re sending more of our invitations, updates, and ticket giveaways by email. Thank you for your continued support as a Leadership Circle Member. We hope to see you at an event soon!

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Jazz In Performance: Jazz Composers Alliance OrchestraWednesday, May 19, 9pm, WGBH’s Fraser Performance StudioWith some of New England’s finest improvising musicians in its ranks, The Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra has premiered more than 120 new pieces by its resident composers.

Celtic Guest Street SessionFriday, May 28, 6pm, WGBH’s Fraser Performance StudioJoin A Celtic Sojourn host Brian O’Donovan for a lively evening of Celtic music fearuring improvisational pianist Jacqueline Schwab, North American Fiddle Champion Sheila Falls Keohane, and singer Muiris O’Scanlain.

99.5 All Classical Music Festival Saturday, June 19, 12noon-6pm, WGBH’s Brighton StudiosCelebrating 99.5 All Classical’s new place in the cultural life of New England, WGBH will showcase local artists in an enjoyable afternoon of performances by vocal, chamber, and contemporary music groups at our Guest Street Studios. Details at 99.5AllClassical.org.

Upcoming Events

Winter 2010 Highlights

99.5 All Classical host Cathy Fuller welcomes A Far Cry to WGBH’s Fraser Performance Studio in January.

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Lidia Bastianich, host of Lidia’s Italy television series, at a presentation and book signing for Leadership Circle members in March.

WGBH families come out in force for a Kids & Family Day with the Boston Lyric Opera, including a “show and tell” of the BLO’s production of The Barber of Seville in February.

Actress Ellie Kendrick (Anne Frank) joined Masterpiece Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton in a special sneak preview of The Diary of Anne Frank in April.

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Boston Landmarks Orchestra at the Hatch ShellWednesdays, July and August, 7pm, Boston EsplanadeJoin 99.5 All Classical and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer at the Hatch Shell for a series of free concerts.

Classical Bus Trip to TanglewoodSunday, July 11, 11am-7pmJoin us for opening weekend! Conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos leads renowned violinist Pinchas Zukerman in a program of Mozart and Strauss. Includes transportation to and from Lenox, MA. Tickets are $120 per person, and include membership in the Classical Club.

Classical Bus Trip to TanglewoodSunday, August 29, 11am-7pmWe’ll travel to and from Lenox, MA in a comfortable, air-conditioned motor coach for a choral program with conductors Kurt Masur and John Oliver leading performances of Bach’s “Jesu meine Freude” and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Tickets are $120 per person, and include membership in the Classical Club.

Look for your Leadership Circle “You’re Invited” postcard, either in your mail or email, for the latest schedule. To attend any of these events, call the Leadership Circle MemberLine at 617-300-3505, send an email to leadershipcircle@wgbh.org, or reserve your place online at wgbh.org/circleevents. We hope to see you here!

If you’d like to receive this newsletter electronically, please email leadershipcircle@wgbh.org or call 617-300-3505.

WGBH Leadership CircleOne Guest StreetBoston, Massachusetts 02135

non profit orgus postage paid

wgbhleadership circle

w g b h l e a r n i n g t o u r s

The Circle is a publication of WGBH Educational Foundation, One Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135Writers: Jennifer Goebel, Tina Vaz; Designer: Danielle Pierce; Leadership Circle Staff: Mary Toropov, director; Germaine Frechette, Emanuel Gardiner, Elizabeth Hagyard, Stacy Kasdin, and Justin Wollenhaupt© 2010 WGBH Educational Foundation 1003084

LearningToursTravel the world with WGBH LearningTours on educationally rich, intimate excursions designed exclusively for members and friends of WGBH. To find out more about any of the LearningTours or to register, visit wgbh.org/learningtours or call us at 617-300-3505.

Greece, Italy, and the MediterraneanMonday, July 26-Tuesday, August 10WGBH LearningTours and WCAI pres-ent a Mediterranean voyage of discovery with Diane Rehm, host and executive producer of her national call-in and interview show, and Scott Simon, host of

NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday, aboard the MV Aegean Odyssey.

Next Stop, Tanglewood! Thursday, July 29-Sunday, August 1Join 99.5 All Classical fans and BSO host Ron Della Chiesa on a weekend trip to the BSO’s summer home at Tanglewood. Enjoy prime Shed tickets to three Tanglewood concerts, featuring BSO performances of Glinka’s overture to Ruslan and Ludmila on Friday, a pro-gram of Berg, Strauss, and Mahler on Saturday, and a performance with cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Sunday. We return Sunday evening. A three-day extension to the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, New York includes a new production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

A Scottish Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan and Robbie O’Connell September 13-22, 2010 Experience the magic of Scotland with WGBH LearningTours, led by the host of 89.7 WGBH’s A Celtic Sojourn Brian O’Donovan and legendary Celtic musician Robbie O’Connell! We’ll wend

our way past highland and loch on an enchanting tour of the rich culture and fascinating history of the Scots. Savor private Celtic music sessions daily, and enjoy some of the North’s most spectacular scenery.

Paris in the Footsteps of Julia ChildEarly October 2010Led by Julia Child’s executive chef and

friend for 24 years, Nancy Verde Barr, (who authored Backstage with Julia, among many other books about cooking), you’ll see Paris through Julia’s

eyes. We’ll visit Julia’s favorite spots, including a private tour of the Cordon Bleu School and a multi-course cooking demonstration by a Cordon Bleu chef.

Leadership Circlethe wgbh leadership c ircle newsletter

spring 2010

The CircleSC

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