"This is a country with amazing stories of people doing great work," said Paula Kerger, "and we need to be able to tell those stories."
Kerger, the president of the Public Broadcasting System, came from New York and spoke to a group of about 90 people during a dinner reception Wednesday night in Winona Lake at Dane and Mary Louise Miller's home. It is the first time the president of PBS has visited the northern Indiana viewing area served by WNIT.After the meal, which was prepared by Mary Louise Miller and friends and served in a large tent set up in the Millers' yard, Dane Miller and members of the WNIT staff welcomed Kerger, who spoke about different aspects of public television in people's lives.
Kerger said public television is "wonderful ... it exists because a group of people in the community decided it was necessary."
Touting the programming as educational, entertaining and inspiring, Kerger said public television "touches hearts and opens minds."
Funded primarily by viewers, Kerger said, public television is the largest membership organization in most communities. Because stations are independent, each one is unique and offers programming geared toward its community.
"In many communities, public television is the only local broadcaster left," Kerger said. "We have a link with the community. We are telling the stories no one else will tell."
She used Ken Burns' Civil War documentary series as an example.
"It was a different kind of documentary. It told the stories from the perspective of those who lived it. It changed documentary filmmaking."
Kerger added that without public television those stories may never have been told.
Then Kerger told the group that Burns has finished another documentary series that will premiere in the fall. The new documentary series focuses on World War II through the eyes of four towns in the United States: Mobile, Ala.; Sacramento, Calif.; Laverne, Minn.; and Waterbury, Conn.
The stories are told from the point of view of both the soldiers and the people at home.
"It is amazingly powerful footage," said Kerger, adding "Many of these people are telling their stories for the first time."
Another program slated for this fall's lineup is "Wired Science," a series that is tied in with "Wired" magazine.
Kerger also explained that public television is an educational tool.
"There are lots of opportunities to impact schools and kids with public television," Kerger said, pointing out that "Nova" is the No. 1 program in schools, and many of the documentaries are featured in classroom learning activities.
"We are telling American stories as no one else will do," said Kerger. "We are changing people's lives."
