Some broadcast and cable programs contain material included in the public school curriculum and on standardized examinations. Here are viewing suggestions for October 18-24, 2004.

The topic of this week's Media Hour is theatre -- check out Tuesday's show on PBS, and come talk about musicals, Shakespeare and high school theatre. Have you been in a show before, or do you just like to watch? Or do you think dressing up and acting like long-dead English kings is silly?? Come and talk with us about it next Saturday!

What's the Media Hour? Watch the show(s)-of-the-week, jot down some ideas, then come and talk about them with me and other citizens (including other City Workers, if they're available). We get together at the Greek Theater (next to City Hall), every Saturday morning at noon, Whyville Time. You'll find that the Theater makes discussions pretty easy, since City Workers are able to direct people's movement and behavior, when we need to, and it makes everyone's chat bubbles overlap a little less than other rooms.

Monday, October 18

"American Experience: The Fight" (Athletics, American History, Middle and High School, PBS, 9-10:30 pm E/P) This documentary covers one of the most politically charged sports events in history: the 1938 heavyweight boxing championship of the world. Max Schmeling was the national champion of Germany and a role model for the racist Nazi German government of that era. Joe Louis, the U.S. champion, was elevated by the public, especially his fellow African-Americans, to the role of standard-bearer for democracy, despite the fact that blacks were still often blocked at the voting booths, and couldn't fully share in the freedoms enjoyed by whites. Log on http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/index.html.

Tuesday, October 19

"Decisions That Shook The World" (American and World History, Discovery Channel, 8-9 pm E/P) This is a documentary about President Ronald Reagan and the Cold War. In 1980, Americans elected a President with a radically different approach to foreign affairs, particularly the power struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. A decade later the Soviet Union was no more.

"Broadway: The American Musical" (Music Education, American History, Middle and High School, PBS, 9-11 pm E/P) This initial episode of a 3-part documentary miniseries is entitled "Give My Regards To Broadway (1893-1927)". In1893, the intersection of Broadway and 42nd St. in New York was nobody's idea of 'the crossroads of the world.' But by 1913, a stage show called 'The Ziegfeld Follies" began there which was a mix of everything that was happening in America and in New York, at that time. Showman Florenz Ziegfeld's productions were the equivalent of the melting pot itself. They introduced many of the era's key figures: Irving Berlin, a Russian immigrant who becomes the voice of assimilated America; entertainers, such as Jewish comedienne Fanny Brice and African-American Bert Williams, who become America's first 'crossover' artists; and the brash Irish-American George M. Cohan, whose song-and-dance routines embody the energy of Broadway. There's lots of music and theatre history a http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/. The miniseries continues in this time slot Tuesday October 20 with an episode entitled "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin (1929-1942)" and concludes Wednesday with "Tradition (1957-1979)".

Wednesday, October 20

"National Geographic Special: Quest for the Phoenicians" (Archeology, Ancient History, High School, PBS, 8-9 pm E/P) This is a documentary about an ancient people mentioned in the Bible, portrayed as the "bad boys", whose seafaring skills became legendary. But who exactly were the Phoenicians, what became of them and what was the secret of their success? Armed with a revolutionary device, the first robotic deep sea 'archaeologist' capable of deep-water excavation, Dr. Robert Ballard is on the trail of Phoenician shipwrecks. Meanwhile, in a cave at the bottom of the rock of Gibraltar, a Spanish archaeologist is excavating the site where Phoenician sailors stopped to pray before venturing into the open ocean. And from Lebanon to Tunisia, geneticist Dr. Spencer Wells is searching for Phoenicians -- in the DNA of their descendants. These stories converge to paint a new portrait of the Phoenicians, their accomplishments and their ultimate defeat by the Romans.

Thursday, October 21

"CNBC in Russia: Its Promise, Its Problems" (Economics and Current Events, High School, CNBC Channel, 10-11 pm E/P) The latest installment of CNBC's special international documentary series this takes an in-depth look into the world's largest country in terms of geographic area. Russia is a critical supplier of oil, a nuclear power struggling with terrorism and a country with a booming economy -- Moscow has more billionaires than any city in the world -- but also has enormous problems with corruption, poverty and unrest in ethnic regions.

Friday, October 22

"Time Machine" (World History, High School, History Channel, 8-9 pm E/P. TV-Rated PG) This documentary examines what happened in the past after America and its allies defeated and invaded an enemy. After the end of WWII, allied forces faced guerrilla bombings and attacks in occupied Germany -- Nazi loyalists tried to derail reconstruction by sabotage and killing collaborators, while an underground organization of die-hard Nazi German officers, called "Werewolves", boasted of rebirth of their deposed political Nazi political party. Was their bark worse than their bite? The program investigates how Werewolves terrorized military and civilian targets, and the Allied attempt to purge Germany of Nazi political influence.

Saturday, October 23

"Chat: Voting Campaign Special for Young Latinos" (Current Events, High School, Mun2 Cable Channel, 7-7:30 pm ET, 4-4:30 pm PT, broadcast in Spanish, Versi??n en espa??ol abajo.) This live-audience participation program for young Latinos regularly covers a wide array of topics, but this broadcast will feature the 2004 Presidential Election and the importance of exercising one's right to vote. It will also provide voting-age viewers an online destination where they can obtain information to register to vote. (http://www.svrep.org/latino_vote.html)

(Versi??n en Espa??ol: )
"Chat: Campa??a de Votaci??n Dise??ada Especialmente Para Los Jovenes Latinos" (Current Events, High School, Mun2 Cable Channel, 7-7:30 pm ET, 4-4:30 pm PT, en Espa??ol) Para promover la campa??a, mun2 ha implementado una amplia cobertura. "Chat", el programa de charla que les ofrece a los j??venes latinos un foro abierto, presentar?? una programa que estar??n dedicados a las elecciones presidenciales y a la importancia de ejercer el derecho al voto. La nueva campa??a tambi??n ser?? destacada en "The Report", la revista noticiosa alternativa de 15 minutos que brinda los ??ltimos acontecimientos en los temas de inter??s para los j??venes latinos. Adem??s, la cadena ha obtenido una alianza con SVREP (http://www.svrep.org/latino_vote.html) para proveerles a los televidentes un sitio de Internet a donde los j??venes podr??n ingresar y obtener informaci??n inmediata sobre como registrarse para votar.

Sunday, October 24

"Inside the U.S. Secret Service" (History and Current History, High School, National Geographic Channel, 8-10 pm E/P) This is a documentary about the men and women who are the first and last line of defense for the President against all threats large and small. It also reveals the Service's other duties, including detecting and confiscating counterfeit money (its very first task, beginning in 1865) and thwarting acts of financial crime and digital terrorism such as money laundering and cyber attacks.