Public Broadcasting’s KVIE studios in Sacramento was transformed into a concert venue Saturday night as Blame Sally took the stage for a fundraiser. This was not your run of the mill fundraiser either. KVIE recorded the performance and will be using the footage to produce a PBS Special, which will ultimately be used in pledge drives across the country and made available in DVD format. So why choose Blame Sally for such an event? KVIE is using Blame Sally to show women of all ages, middle age in particular, that you can accomplish so much more. In their 30’s and 40’s they put their individual careers on hold to start Blame Sally. As a role model, Blame Sally proves that women in their 30’

I was recently approached by Todd Wagner at Ninth Street Opus to help publicize an upcoming event over at Public Television’s KVIE in Sacramento. Ninth Street Opus represents a San Francisco all-female group, Blame Sally, scheduled to perform at the KVIE TV station on Saturday, December 3. KVIE and Blame Sally are working together to create a pledge program to help raise money for Public Television on a national level. KVIE will be filming Blame Sally during their performance and using the footage to produce a PBS special which will ultimately be used in their pledge drives across the country. I don’t think I need to go on about the value of public television and what it means for the co

After two long years of tilling, sowing and watering the fields, Documentary Foundation, a local film organization, will finally be able to reap the rewards of its labor, making its debut at the prestigious Silverdocs Film Festival in Washington, D.C., on June 19. Producer of the film and Managing Director for Documentary Foundation Keith Ochwat said he and Creative Director Christopher Rufo grew up in Sacramento.  When they got into film after college, they realized that the city had a lot to offer and they wanted to contribute to that as much as possible, especially with the next generation. As a result, the nonprofit Documentary Foundation was born in 2007.   Based in Midtown, its mis

KVIE Public Television is seeking video submissions for You on the Road, a community video companion project to its Rob on the Road series hosted by Rob Stewart. This project is an opportunity for anyone to use public television to share their stories about the people and places that inspire them, and capture what makes our region an exciting place to live and work. Through Rob on the Road and You on the Road stories, you can help others experience our region in a new and inspiring way! From the submissions received, KVIE will select stories to be featured in a 30-minute special edition of Rob on the Road. The producers of the selected videos may also have the opportunity to be interviewe

Representatives from over 80 arts organizations received tips on obtaining funding at an arts funding symposium hosted by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC) Tuesday moning at the KVIE banquet room with a speech by Congresswoman Doris Matsui. The free event titled “Where's the Money?” was a day full of speakers, panels and workshops with teachers, artists, grant writers and various other active participants for the arts in Sacramento in attendance. KVIE General Manager David Lowe opened the event by talking about the Public Broadcasting Station to note that KVIE also largely relies on funding from public grants, private grants, and donations like the attendees in the room.

The civil rights movement of the 1960s is often viewed as centralized in the South, but blacks in Sacramento faced similar challenges, and a KVIE documentary tells those stories. “It was just a really horrific time in Sacramento,” said Bryan Shadden, a producer at KVIE who worked on the film, “African Americans in California’s Heartland: The Civil Rights Era.” The documentary first aired four years ago, but is being shown again Feb. 17 to coincide with Black History Month. Shadden worked on a story about busing African-American students out of Oak Park after Stanford Junior High School burned in 1963. Students were bused to almost all-white schools in an effort to integrate the races.

It was a Saturday night in Midtown Sacramento: The wine flowed, the crowd laughed and talked, the music played and there was even a little karaoke. The crowd of about 200 people was remarkably diverse, even by Midtown standards. One gent wore a cowboy hat, an 88-year-old lady applauded and a young blond guy in tight jeans got up and belted out show tunes by Cole Porter and Rogers and Hammerstein. Tenor Evan Brienza sings Cole Porter accompanied by Don Kendrick.   Then everybody watched a television show in appreciative silence.   The occasion for the unusual party was the premiere of the KVIE-produced documentary about the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. A scene from the docum

KVIE and PBS announced today the release of PBS for iPad and soon to-be-released PBS App for the iPhone and iPod touch. Both apps make PBS video and KVIE scheduling information available anywhere, anytime. These efforts continue KVIE’s transformation into a multi-platform media leader serving Northern California through television, mobile, the Web, and other platforms, including classroom interactive whiteboards. PBS is premiering the first episode of its multi-part series CIRCUS (www.pbs.org/circus) on PBS for iPad. The episode is available for streaming beginning today, in advance of the broadcast premiere on KVIE (ch. 6) on November 3 at 9pm. These new apps build on successful initiat

As Harriet Tubman once said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” On September 11th, as over 200 Sacramento community members gathered at the California Museum to celebrate the 30 years that Lilliput Children's Services has been serving the state's most vulnerable children and their families, Lilliput was humbled to remember exactly who they are helping and why.   Founded in 1980, Lilliput is committed to building families and making dreams come true, and has completed over 4,500 adoptions for California foster children.  Throughout the evening, guests enjoye

KVIE Public Television is pleased to announce the Sacramento artists who won first place in various categories of the KVIE Art Auction 2010 juried competition. Chosen by juror and sculptor Al Farrow, Keith Bachmann wins honors with the Best of Show award for his oil on canvas painting Night Palms (up-for-bid 9/25 7:30pm).  In the contemporary classics category, John Berger wins 1st Place for his Untitled (up-for-bid 9/26 8pm) acrylic on canvas painting. In the watercolor category, David Peterson wins 1st Place for his painting American River Gold (up-for-bid 9/25 6:30pm). In the sculpture category, Melissa Tregilgas wins 1st place for her clay sculpture Cylinder with Squid (9/25 4:30pm)  

In case you missed the June 22 Paying for Content panel put on by The Sacramento Bee and The Sacramento Press, you will have the chance to see it on Access Sacramento, Channel 17 at the following dates and times: Sunday, July 4 at 10 p.m. (and repeated Monday at 2 p.m.) Sunday, July 11 at 5 p.m. (and repeated Monday at 9 a.m.) To read the recap, written by Agnus-Dei Farrant, click here.

The Sacramento Press and The Sacramento Bee co-sponsored a panel discussion titled "Paying for Content" on June 22. The third floor of The Bee housed 37 people who gathered to listen to panelists discuss paywalls, online revenue and the relationship between consumer and organization. Independent journalist JT Long moderated. The panelists were Tim Foster, editor of Midtown Monthly; Michael Sanford, KVIE's vice president for content creation; Geoff Samek, co-founder of The Sacramento Press; Tom Negrete, Bee managing editor for the online edition and production; Ron Trujillo, editor of The Sacramento Business Journal; and Mike O'Brien, co-publisher and owner of Sacramento Magazines Corpor

Legendary slide guitarist Roy Rogers and his band The Delta Rhythm Kings are coming to KVIE Public Television in Sacramento, Thursday, June 24 to perform an exclusive benefit concert for this local non-profit PBS member station. The concert, which will be held in the intimate setting of KVIE’s Studio, will feature classic Rogers’ titles and songs from his latest release Split Decision. In a generous show of support to KVIE and concert goers, The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek (who was recently in Studio D in Sausalito recording with Rogers); last musical partner of Woody Guthrie and mentor and model for young Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott; and world-renowned harpist and violinist Carlos

With family and friends in attendance, 40 aspiring high school filmmakers debuted their documentary shorts at the second annual Documentary Foundation Film Festival Sunday. The Sacramento student filmmakers covered a multitude of issues including racism in high school, legalization of marijuana, pink-slipped teachers and prisoner work programs in Folsom Prison. The program is taught by Sacramento native documentary filmmakers Keith Ochwat and Christopher Rufo and sponsored by KVIE. The duo created the Documentary Foundation student program as a means to inspire future generations of documentary filmmakers. "There are so many issues that affect peoples' lives," Ochwat said. He spoke of th

The KVIE Art Auction 2010 juried competition and fundraiser is calling for artists to enter their best work into this year's Art Auction. Participants will have the opportunity for recognition in this highly competitive, prestigious juried show and have the chance to win cash prizes, which includes $500 for the Best of Show and $150 for First Place awards in each art category: sculpture, contemporary classics, figurative and still life, young collectors, California’s Gold, photos and prints, functional art, and watercolor. Donated pieces will receive region-wide exposure in a 3-day televised event seen by up to 60,000 motivated art buyers. The KVIE Art Auction 2010 will be heavily promote

On May 21 through 23, KVIE Public Television and a group of Amador Wine Country businesses will host a bed and breakfast-wine country getaway fundraiser to support KVIE Public Television. The all inclusive getaway was created to showcase some of the best locations in the Amador region to visit. The fundraiser includes a two night stay at the 1862 National Historic Landmark St. George Hotel, a tour of Black Chasm Cavern, lunch at Cooper Vineyards, wine tasting at Montevina Winery, an exclusive dinner prepared by chef Randall Selland of The Kitchen and Ella Dining Room and Bar, a raucous murder mystery dinner featuring the Volcano Theatre Company, and more. Your host will be KVIE’s Rob Stewa

It was a veritable who's who of Sacramento artists, arts organizations and art supporters inside KVIE Public Television's offices Friday morning. Nearly 100 invitees gathered to listen to Mayor Kevin Johnson's remarks in a meeting entitled "For Art's Sake." "Performing arts, visual arts and literary arts -- we need all three to reach the potential of what Sacramento can be," Johnson said in his speech. "Our commitment: We are going to promote the arts in a real way." The mayor stressed that the arts community doesn't just use city money, it creates revenue for the city. Therefore, the relationship is a reciprocal one. He then introduced Sharon Gerber, founder of arts and event planning