Schools across the country have been closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, so public television stations are trying to help fill the education gap facing young people.
Neal Shapiro, president of the New York metro area public broadcasting station WNET, told Cheddar Monday that PBS stations are offering kids the tools to stay on track with their schooling via educational television.
The broadcaster has been working with a group of teachers in New Jersey to provide educational programming during the coronavirus pandemic. "Teachers are actually teaching from their very own homes, and they are using TV in a very interactive way. So, now they’re teaching from nine to one [o'clock], and each hour is a different grade," Shapiro said of the educators.
Public educational television may be a "game-changer" for children going forward, he said, even after the pandemic is over.
"As we think about how life will be different, education is one of those ways," Shapiro explained. "I think there are going to be a lot more ways in which we can use educational television to fill that gap."
PBS provides a vast range of content between its news, educational, and arts programming. Shapiro said increasing content is one way the channels can help communities hunkering down.
"If you look at what we’re doing in the arts, that’s a whole other area where public television has kind of led the way," he noted. "In New York we’ve gone back and done some of our plays over the years. So, even though Broadway is dark we’re not."
WNET has also launched an Arts Only channel where they will stream Lionsgate Live! A Night at the Movies, hosted by actress Jamie Lee Curtis who is also sheltered at home.
Shapiro said channels have seen an increase in viewership on all platforms and credits the broadcaster's unique programming.
"I think one of the reasons we are particularly up is that there are still things PBS does better than other people," he said. "There is nobody who does deep documentaries the way we do. There’s nobody who has this rich library of fantastic drama and costume drama the way that we do."
Spotify has announced its official Songs of the Summer predictions. Lea Palmieri, a Spotify trend expert and podcast host, joined Cheddar News to break down the acts who made the cut and how. “It's a mix of streaming data charts and also our global curation team," she said. "They're keeping an eye on all of the hottest music." While Harry Styles has recently topped the Spotify charts, Palmieri also addressed the "Feral Girl Summer" trend, which she described as going "moderately wild, having fun, enjoying yourself."
Catching you up on today's top entertainment stories with a recap from the 75th Annual Tony Awards, including red carpet interviews and Jennifer Hudson receiving her EGOT, and "Jurassic World: Dominion" topping the box office.
The Tony Awards made its sensational return to Radio City Music Hal for the first time since 2019. 'A Strange Loop' stole the show, winning Best Musical while Adrianna Debose hosted in the most spectacular way possible. Cheddar News was joined by Broadway Reporter Leigh Scheps to break down the 75th Annual Tony Awards.
U.S. stocks closed Thursday at their lowest levels of the trading day, as investors continue to eye inflation ahead of the May CPI report out Friday. Art Hogan, Chief Market Strategist for National Holdings, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
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Benefits brokerage, Nava Benefits, raised $40 million in a Series B round. Nava says it's on a mission to fix healthcare, one benefits plan at a time. The startup is working to bring benefits to small business that are normally available to only Fortune 500 companies. Brandon Weber, Co-Founder and CEO of Nava Benefits, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Auction house Christie's will be presenting "Legacy of the GOAT," which will include a rare Michael Jordan signed rookie card and sneakers. Caitlin Donovan, the vice president of Christie's handbags and accessories department. joined Cheddar News to discuss the special memorabilia selection for the NBA great. "He's been a global phenomenon, so he's really shaped '90s culture and streetwear culture," she said. "And we see bidders from every pocket in the world."
Kona Brewing Co., pro surfer Anna Gudauskus, and surf photographer Sarah Lee are embarking on an 1,500+ mile beach cleanup down the East Coast. Gudauskus and Lee join Cheddar News to discuss the initiative.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
