June 14, 2012

‘WSIU InFocus’ gains national recognition

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A weekly half-hour magazine-style program on Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s WSIU Public Television is receiving national recognition.

“WSIU InFocus” is featured in the local stories section of the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) national website.  The feature notes the series “explores the region’s people, stories and issues” within WSIU’s five-state service region, and focuses on a spring 2011 interview with original Freedom Riders Genevieve Houghton of Carbondale and Tom Armstrong of Naperville.  A link to the story on the APTS website is  HYPERLINK "http://www.apts.org/local-stations/local-station-stories/wsiu-series-explores-regions-people-stories-and-issues" here.

“WSIU InFocus” debuted in October 2005 and aired monthly until February 2006 when it switched to a weekly series.  The series, which focuses on unique people, places, events, and history in the community and region, now has nearly 300 episodes, including program-length specials and call-in shows.  The series co-hosts are George Norwood and Roz Rice.

“We're pleased to see APTS feature WSIU's work among the many stories of public broadcasting's impact throughout the nation,” said Greg Petrowich, WSIU Public Broadcasting executive director.  “Exploring issues and sharing stories is what makes public media so vital in America and no place is it more vital than right here in Southern Illinois.”

The program airs at 7:30 p.m. each Friday on WSIU-TV 8.1 and WUSI-TV 16.1, with repeat broadcasts the following Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m.  “WSIU InFocus” also repeats on WSIU’s second digital channel, WSIU World -- WSIU-TV 8.2 and WUSI-TV 16.2 each Saturday at 4 p.m., Sunday at 9 p.m., and Monday at 8 p.m.

More information is available online at www.wsiu.org/infocus,  Viewers are invited to ask questions, share comments and offer ideas for future episodes at 618/453-6156, by email at infocus@wsiu.org, or on WSIU Public Television’s page on Facebook, facebook.com/wsiutv.

The APTS recognition of the quality of WSIU’s “InFocus” show is greatly appreciated,” said Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts.  “It is yet another indication of the quality programming that is produced right here in our studios in the college.  We are very proud of the staff and students who work hard to produce entertaining and informative content for our stations -- it is one of the things that makes MCMA a really unique and wonderful place to work.”

The series offers a variety of topics that include one-on-one interviews with legislators, authors, musicians, film directors, producers, scientists, historians, and other scholars visiting SIU Carbondale; artistic and scholarly work of University faculty, staff and students; political analysis, debates and forums; and a spotlight on special regional events and places of interest.

WSIU’s core broadcast signal extends to more than 1.1 million citizens in 37 predominately rural counties across Southern Illinois, southeastern Missouri and southwestern Indiana.

(Monica Tichenor, the public information and promotion coordinator for WSIU Public Broadcasting, contributed information for this news release.)