I’m not ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ I’m Dancing with the Star Programmers

Last week in Atlanta I joined a couple hundred public television programmers and producers at the “American Public Television Fall Marketplace” convention. It’s a spirited gathering where programmers from each city spend days in a screening room. They’re reviewing all the great new programming they can choose from to make a TV schedule that fits their particular community. I was there to showcase our new European Easter show (a one-hour special coming your way this spring), our upcoming Luther and the Reformation special (destined to dazzle in 2017), and our new Season 9 (a dozen or so new shows to debut next fall). This fun-loving musical group entertained during one break–giving us a sneak, toe-tapping peek at a Celtic spin on Manheim Steamroller that promises to freshen up our Christmas music scene this holiday season. (You might get a little dizzy watching this.) I hope, this Thanksgiving season, that any of you who enjoy public television programming can put that on your list of things to be thankful for.