Highlights Archive

Independent Lens: Breaking the News • WXXI-TV

Frustrated by the lack of representation in the media, a group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists launched The 19th*, a digital news startup whose work is guided by elevating the voices often left out of the American story.

Independent Lens: Breaking the News airs Monday, February 19 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Independent Lens: Breaking the News follows the launch of The 19th*, a news startup that seeks to change the white, male-dominated news industry, asking who’s been omitted from mainstream coverage and how to include them. Bringing the viewer right into the newsroom during tense moments as the startup launches in a pandemic amid rising social unrest, the film provides an inside view of what it takes to challenge the status quo and break the mold in American media.

Shot over three years, the film documents the honest discussions at The 19th* around race and gender equity, revealing that change doesn’t come easy, and showcases how they confront these challenges both as a workplace and in their journalism. But this film is about more than a newsroom; it’s about America in flux and the voices that are often left out of the American story.

Photo: Reporter Kate Sosin contemplating at desk • Credit: Heather Courtney

Watch the Trailer:

GOSPEL • WXXI-WORLD

Explores the rich history of Black spirituality through sermon and song.

GOSPEL airs Saturday, December 14 at 9 a.m. on WXXI-WORLD

From executive producer, host, and writer Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., GOSPEL reunites with directors Stacey L. Holman and Shayla Harris after recently teaming up on Making Black America: Through the Grapevine.

Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, speaks with dozens of clergymen, singers and scholars about their connection to the music that has transcended its origins and now spreads “the good word” all around the world. The series features interviews with notable names including Dionne Warwick, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Rev. Otis Moss III, professor Michael Eric Dyson, and awe-inspiring musical performances of Gospel favorites “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus,” “Total Praise,” and others from talents including The Belle Singers, Cory Henry, Celisse, and more. Throughout its four hours, GOSPEL gives a look at the history of Black religious music and preaching, showcasing the symbiotic relationship of words and song present in any Black church. The series examines the origin of Black gospel music, which blended the sacred spirituals with the blues tradition and soared to new heights during the Great Migration. This music served as an outlet for the anger and frustration of living as a Black person in America, which remains true today. The series also explores the evolution of preaching styles over time, and the impact of class, gender, cultural innovations, and consumer technologies shaped the development of gospel since its conception.

Photo: Tyrell Bell and the Belle Singers, featuring Ian Johnson, perform “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus”, for GOSPEL. • Credit: McGee Media

History with David Rubenstein • Sundays at 7 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

David Rubenstein’s skillful questioning of acclaimed writers takes us behind the scenes.

History with David Rubenstein airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

David Rubenstein’s skillful questioning of acclaimed writers like Robert A. Caro, Ron Chernow, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and many others effectively takes us behind the scenes, enabling a rare insight into the American story and a real sense of how history gets made.

In August David interviews the following writers:
8/4 — Author Richard Haass
8/11 — Author Craig L. Symonds

Energy Switch • Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Energy and climate point-counterpoint talk show, featuring America’s leading experts.

Energy Switch airs Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

Energy and climate point-counterpoint talk show, featuring America’s leading experts, moderated by energy scientist and television host Dr. Scott Tinker. Lively, balanced but at times conflicting discussions. Non-partisan, researched and vetted. Tightly edited, fast paced, and rich with content.

Shuttlesworth • Monday, February 12 at 2 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

A film that traces the unique crucible of Birmingham’s brutal industrial history in creating what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called the “most segregated city in America” and the people that were willing to take it on – personified in the fearless, indomitable Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.

Shuttlesworth airs Monday, February 12 at 2 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

His tireless work in the face of beatings at the hands of the KKK and bombing of his own home, as well as constant harassment by the police and shunning by members of his own community, was unprecedented in the Movement leadership and inspired legions of Foot Soldiers willing to follow him into the breach.

Beginning with his segregated childhood in the Oxmoor Valley, Shuttlesworth follows the reverend’s life through Bethel Baptist Church, the Birmingham Campaign and the reactionary violence unleashed by the white power structure of the city. Through this lens, Shuttlesworth examines the City of Birmingham, its unique history and culture, and how the city became the symbol for social justice and the American Civil Rights Movement.

Photo: Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth • Credit: PBS

Stories from the Stage • Fridays at 2:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Sharing extraordinary tales of what it means to be human.

Stories from the Stage airs Fridays at 2:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

Stories have the power to astonish us, make us laugh and cry, and open our hearts to the world. Hosted by Wes Hazard and Theresa Okokon, Stories from the Stage invites storytellers from around the world to share extraordinary tales of what it means to be human. Each episode features both on-stage performances and interviews about their inspirations and craft, and the meaning behind their stories.

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover • Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Bringing together the brightest minds and freshest voices from across the political spectrum to engage in a contest of ideas about important issues confronting our nation.

Firing Line with Margaret Hoover airs Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

The series maintains the character of the original, providing a platform that is diligent in its commitment to civility and the rigorous exchange of opinion. Firing Line with Margaret Hoover comes at a time when meaningful discourse is needed more than ever. Interviews and debates will highlight leading lights from the left and right, complemented by archival footage from the original Firing Line to remind viewers of longstanding conservative and liberal arguments, where they’ve been disproved or reinforced over time. It is an opportunity to engage in the debate about the America that we want to create for the 21st century — and summon Americans of every political persuasion to a rigorous examination of the choices we must make together in the challenging years ahead.

BBC World News America • Weekdays at 5:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

In-depth reports on the major international and US news of the day presented from Washington DC.

BBC World News America airs weekdays at 5:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

Every weeknight it delivers coverage and analysis of international events and issues with a fresh perspective, connecting the dots between the United States and the world.