Think about the fall...

While TV networks, including PBS, have been in Los Angeles schmoozing members of the press during the past two weeks, local public television stations have been plotting their fall schedules, around the country.

WPT's programming department unveiled their fall schedule last week at the Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Center and Be more Tuned In snuck in to bring you a few insights into what you can expect to see in September and October as the new season begins. Watch this blog for a follow-up in coming weeks with a few more peeks at what you can expect for November and December.

In September, the folks at American Masters present four hours about the life of Andy Warhol. Art fans and critics already know quite a bit about the enigmatic artist, but this in-depth biographical documentary will shed new light on Warhol for both experts and folks who only know him as the guy who painted Campbell's soup cans.

Marie Antoinette is another powerful program airing in September that will present the story of the French queen who to most is probably best known for her infamous beheading. Antoinette was the pop star of her day and this portrait uses interviews, artwork and recreations to tell her story.

In October, Masterpiece Theatre returns with a film that has something for everyone. Casanova stars Peter O'Toole as the elder lover, while David Tennant, the star of the BBC's newest version of Dr. Who plays the younger overconfident man. Before the show airs catch up with the memoirs of the actual Giacomo Casanova courtesy of the Adelaide, Australia library.

Also, starting this fall, one of America's favorite monkeys is coming to WPT Kids. Curious George, along with the always-favorite Man in the Yellow Hat, will be joining the daytime lineup beginning with a Labor Day marathon. William H. Macy narrates the program. A sneak peek is available now. Keep watching wpt.org for more details!

Calling all lawyers...

Today, Andy Moore, producer of Here & Now on WPT, joins Be more Tuned In as a guest voice to talk about an exciting upcoming program production.

Anybody know a good attorney? Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) is looking for one. We're putting the marriage amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution on trial. Courtroom dramas have always been popular prime-time programs. We're taking the color and excitement of the genre and turning it into a serious exercise in public policy.

Unlike the dramatic TV shows, our courtroom will be populated with real people -- Wisconsinites with real points of view and personal stakes in the outcome of the November marriage ballot.

We're modeling our special on a trial we produced in 1993. That's when voters went to the polls to vote for or against a constitutional amendment that expanded gambling in our state.

For that show, we constructed a courtroom in our studio. We used the language on the ballot as the "be it resolved" question. We hired two litigators and instructed them to build their best case with the testimony of three witnesses on their side. Obviously, limiting the witness list to three left out some of the arguments available. But, the testimony was compelling and informative. Certainly more useful than a wash of political commercialsm -- the kind of turbulent ads the public will be swimming through this coming fall. (Continued ...)

For example, in our 1993 program one lawyer called a tribal chair to the stand. She testified to the economic gains that gaming brought to her members.

The other lawyer's witness list included a resort owner who talked about the economic downturn she feared if expanded gaming plucked tourists from her cabins and plunked them down into the casinos.

There was exciting cross examination. At the end of the hour, we reminded viewers that they were the jury and asked them to take their verdict to the polls.

Any good idea worth doing once is worth doing again. Media coverage of the marriage amendment will take a back seat to the contentious races for governor and attorney general. That's another reason we decided to dust off the trial format. Trouble is, we've run into what Hollywood would call a casting problem.

We can't find a good attorney who's willing to argue for a "yes" vote to define marriage as between "one man and one woman." Outreach on our part to state and national traditional marriage lobbying groups and legal aid organizations has been unsuccessful. In fact, in declining to help provide a lawyer for our program, one state "yes" vote leader simply told me that PBS audiences "weren't on our side, anyway."

"We know who our voters are," she continued. "They're in churches around the state. We're putting all of our energy into getting those people to the polls."

I'm not going to hash through perceptions of television demographics. There is a bottom line, though -- WPT viewers demand accurate, in-depth information on the important topics of the day. Of course we'll cover the amendment issues in our weekly news programs. But this ballot item deserves extra attention, the kind of focus a one-hour special can allow.

Therefore, the marriage amendment is too important to give up on this project, too everlasting to leave coverage of it to commercials and nightly sound bites. Credible arguments in favor of the "yes" vote should be articulated in this program by the best possible attorney. So, we continue our search.

Our production date is Aug. 30. That's sufficient time to bring three good witnesses and prepare a case. We're looking for a lawyer who either personally supports the "one-man, one woman" amendment or who is simply dedicated to the principles of public service that this work will provide.

There is a modest honorarium available. Please contact me at moore@wpt.org if you're an attorney and are ready to play one on TV.

From Marilyn to James Dean and the Red-Headed Stranger...

Wednesday night is all about American Masters on WPT. At 8, the network premieres "Marilyn Monroe."That film is followed by "James Dean: Sense Memories" at 9. Together, the films offer a biographical look at two pop culture icons that died too soon.

Since 1984, American Masters has profiled the people who have defined American culture, racking up a long list of spotlighted folks along the way. Now, 22 years later, they have compiled their list of masters into what Be more Tuned In is pretty sure is the coolest Web feature to ever appear on a PBS server. Their "Six Degrees Game" takes the fun of the classic "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" and adds it to all of the American Masters. Where else can you learn how Willie Nelson is connected to architect Frank Gehry? And, who would've guessed the connection would include a link to Truman Capote?

Cows on parade...

If you've ventured to Madison during the past month, you've probably noticed that many of the city's streets have been infested ... by a herd of full-size colorful cows! As part of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's CowParade, area artists have spectacularly designed and decorated a set of 101 fiberglass cows, which have found their way to places like the State Capitol, State Street, Monona Terrace and the UW's Bascom Hill. Nearby communities Fitchburg and Sun Prairie each have a mini-herd of five cows and a set of three cows are "roaming" the state with a traveling exhibit that will visit dozens of community events.

While the photos are nice, Be more Tuned In highly recommends taking a personal trip to check out the cows, if you have the chance. In person, the designs really jump to life and some of the cows, like a bobble-headed "Bobbin' Yount of the Moo-waukee Brewers" are actually interactive. Also, as you head out on your own cow hunt, make sure you take time to find the cow pictured above near the Wisconsin Historical Museum, because it was sponsored by WPT.

Music in (and over) the air...

Picnic basket? Check. Blankets? Check. Lawn Chairs? Check.

That is the usual preparation for folks heading out to the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's weekly annual summer tradition of Concerts on the Square. Held on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Capitol on most Summer Wednesday nights, the concerts have become a regular ritual for folks in Madison and visitors from around the Midwest who show up early to lay down blankets to grab the best music- and people-watching areas.

But, if a Wednesday night trek to downtown Madison doesn't work for you, or you would like to relive a concert you've attended, WPT is telecasting three of this year's shows on the statewide network. The first airing has already passed, but the second concert -- a collection of Broadway hits performed last night -- will air Saturday night at 7. It will repeat at 9 Sunday morning. WPT also will air a "Celtic Celebration" at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 28.

If you enjoy these broadcasts and want to watch them again, or if you miss the first go-round, watch the listings at wpt.org for encore presentations in August.

Photo courtesy wcoconcerts.com.

An American icon...

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, WPT steps back to an earlier day of folk music to shine a light on the life and career of the legendary Woody Guthrie in American Masters "Ain't Got No Home."

The folk singer wrote more than 1,400 songs in his too-brief life of 55 years, which ended as a result of the genetically disposed degenerative disease Huntington's Chorea. During those years though, he led a diverse life -- wandering the roads of America, meeting people from all walks of life and writing about them in a style that hasn't been matched since. And, as some of his songs (certain verses of "This Land Is Your Land," for example) have come to be considered all-American tunes, it is important to remember that Guthrie was a politically charged activist. He often played a guitar with the message "This Machine Kills Fascists" emblazoned across its face.

Performers and writers still celebrate Guthrie's influence on American culture. Exhibitions of his artwork, celebrations of his writing and performances of his music are still scheduled regularly. Artists like Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger were instrumental in carrying on Guthrie's music. Also, as a living legacy, Guthrie's son Arlo too became one of the country's beloved folksingers and he continues to carry on his father's traditions on the road and in the studio today. His daughter, Nora, was responsible for a project in the late 1990s that saw Billy Bragg and Wilco providing melodies for many of Guthrie's unperformed lyrics.

It's party time...

WPT will celebrate the Fourth of July Tuesday night with a special presentation of A Capitol Fourth.

At 8 p.m., the extravaganza program from Washington D.C. will be a great way to warm up for the fireworks display in your Wisconsin community. Or, the encore presentation at 9:30 can be a good opportunity to reflect on the day as you wind down from some of the traditional Independence Day celebrations.

The special -- hosted by Jason Alexander -- will feature music, dazzling fireworks and appearances from Cuba Gooding, Jr., Vanessa Williams and Sesame Street's Elmo. Both Elmo and Alexander posted their thoughts on the line-up and the holiday to the show's Web site.

And, if the excitement of the day hasn't worn you out too much, or you just can't get enough fireworks, why not take a moment to create a dazzling display on your home computer.