Highlights Archive

Academy of Country Music Honors • WXXI-TV

The Academy of Country Music Honors celebrates the biggest names in country music, as well as the top talent behind the scenes on Music Row.

Academy of Country Music Honors airs Friday, August 8 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2023, the 16th ACM Honors salutes the accomplishments of Clint Black, BRELAND, Kane Brown, Mary Chapin Carpenter, HARDY, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, and more. The show features unique, never-before-seen performances from BRELAND and Keith Urban, Brandy Clark, Jordan Davis, Chris Janson, Lady A, Nelly, Carly Pearce, The War And Treaty, Trisha Yearwood, Brett Young, Bailey Zimmerman and more.

Photo: Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood performing at the Academy of Country Music Honors.
Credit: Academy of Country Music.

American Experience “Victory in the Pacific” • WXXI-TV

This documentary investigates the authorization to use the atomic bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this context of fierce Japanese resistance to an invasion and provides a rare glimpse of Japanese decision-making in the waning months of the war.

American Experience “Victory in the Pacific” airs Tuesday, August 5 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2005, Victory in the Pacific examines the final year of World War II. From the American capture of the Mariana Islands in the Central Pacific in July 1944 to the surrender broadcast of Emperor Hirohito in August 1945, it delves into the rationale for using the atomic bomb and features the first-hand recollections of both American and Japanese civilians and soldiers.

Photo: Victory in the Pacific key art.
Credit: PBS.

Spatchcock Funk • WXXI-TV

The series is back with an exciting new season of drinks and recipes that get people and stories together, and this time Rochester is on the hit list!  

Spatchcock Funk airs Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

In episode four, “The 19th Hole”—airing Saturday, July 26 at 11:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV—while touring Central New York region’s best locations to celebrate the New York culinary scene, host Matt Read and producer Alex DeRosa let their appetites chart a course to the Canandaigua Country Club for a classic golf course family outing. Watch as the Rochester chapter inspires a cocktail that unwinds friendly competition on the course and whips up a dip that sets the vibe. The episode then showcases Rochester’s infamous Garbage Plate, which gets a clever remix, followed by an easy-to-put-together sweet treat that truly completes a fun day at the course. 

Got you curious yet? Catch the whole season this July every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. with repeats on Saturday at 4 p.m., starting July 12 on WXXI TV.

Photo: Matt Read, Alex DeRosa, and another golfer
Credit: Spatchcock Funk

Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard • WXXI-TV

This documentary explores the remarkable stories behind the hopeful drawings of the children of Honkawa Elementary School in a war-ridden Hiroshima and the evolution of a friendship across distance and time.

Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard airs Monday, August 4 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Originally sent as a gift of thanks from the war-scarred children of Honkawa Elementary School in Hiroshima—responding to a donation of art and school supplies from the children of All Souls Unitarian Church—a box of colorful drawings was uncovered at a parishioner’s home in 1995. They surprisingly depicted self-portraits, festival flags and kites against a bright blue sky, children on a playground, and cherry blossoms in bloom—none reflecting the horror or trauma the children had endured. In 2010, church members set out to reunite the drawings with their creators.

Photo: Children of the All Souls Unitarian Church opening packages from the children of Honkawa Elementary School in Hiroshima.
Credit: American Public Television.

P!NK: Live from Wembley Arena • WXXI-TV

Grab a front-row seat at P!NK’s sold-out 2006 concert, packed with the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter’s greatest hits.

P!NK: Live from Wembley Arena airs Thursday, August 7 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Captured in a dynamic 15-camera high-definition shoot during her I’m Not Dead tour in London, the show features performances like “Get The Party Started,” “Who Knew,” “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” and “Nobody Knows,” accompanied by acrobatics, elaborate stage sets, and sizzling costumes.

Photo: P!nk performing on stage.
Credit: PBS.

WXXI Marches in the Rochester Pride Parade

WXXI is proud to be part of this year’s Rochester Pride Parade on Saturday, July 19 at 11 a.m.

Did you know that the first Rochester Pride Parade was on June 28, 1989, in honor of the 20^th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising? Catch WXXI marching in this colorful, glorious and inclusive of this parade now its 36^th year.

The parade starts at South Avenue and Science Parkway, heading north to Highland Park.

Complete details about the parade can be found here.

Photos from last year’s parade

A Difficult Moment for Public Media — But We’re Not Going Anywhere — A message from WXXI President & CEO Chris Hastings

Congress has passed a bill that eliminates all federal funding for public media, including support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This decision strikes at the heart of stations like WXXI and the vital services we provide every day—local journalism, trusted national reporting, educational programming, emergency communications, and the stories that connect and reflect our diverse communities.

We are deeply disappointed. And we know many of you are too.

But let us be clear: WXXI is not going anywhere.

We’ve been here for Rochester for close to 60 years, and we remain committed to serving you — no matter what.

This will be a challenging time. CPB funding has been a foundational part of our budget and mission. Losing it will force us to make difficult decisions. But thanks to your support, we’re not starting from zero. We have strong partnerships, deep community roots, and a team that believes deeply in the power of public media.

What happens next?

We will be transparent with you in the coming weeks about how this decision affects WXXI.
We will work with our board and partners to assess the financial and operational impact.
And we will ask for your continued engagement as we fight to protect what public media means to Rochester.

To everyone who called, wrote, donated, or shared their story — thank you. Your voice mattered. And it will continue to matter.

We’re still here. We’re still listening. We’re still telling the stories that matter.

All the best,

Chris Hastings
President & CEO
WXXI Public Media

P.S. We’re moving into an uncharted future, but WXXI’s commitment to this community remains unwavering. The best way to stand with us now is through monthly giving.

DONATE NOW!

American Masters “Becoming Helen Keller” • WXXI-TV

Revisit the complex life and legacy of the author, advocate and human rights pioneer.

American Masters “Becoming Helen Keller” airs Saturday, July 19 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD and streaming live on the WXXI app.

This documentary rediscovers the complex life and legacy of author and activist Helen Keller (1880-1968), who was deaf and blind since childhood, exploring how she used her celebrity and wit to advocate for social justice, particularly for women, workers, people with disabilities and people living in poverty.

It tells Keller’s story through rarely seen photographs, archival film clips and interviews with historians, scholars and disability rights advocates. Narrated by author, psychotherapist and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander, the film features on-camera performances from Tony- and Emmy Award-winning actor Cherry Jones reading Keller’s writings. Actor and dancer Alexandria Wailes provides American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of Keller’s words with all other ASL interpretation by writer and rapper Warren “WAWA” Snipe. The program also features audio description by National Captioning Institute and closed captioning by VITAC.

This program is presented by Move to Include^TM, an award-winning national initiative to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media.