A welcome message to MPT viewers

Maryland Public Television regards its viewers as members of our broadcast family and genuine insiders who have a special relationship with our network. Our viewers are loyal and engaged with MPT, and we're grateful for that involvement.

This partnership with you prompted us to create The MPT Insider, which we introduce today. The goal of this biweekly newsletter is to provide viewers, members, volunteers, and visitors with network news, programming highlights, and behind-the-scenes features.

We hope The MPT Insider proves to be both a useful tool for you and an entertaining, insider look at your public TV station. Please let us know how we're doing by sending an email to comments@mpt.org or placing a call to 410-581-4097. 

You and your family have so many entertainment and education choices available these days. That's why we sincerely thank you for selecting MPT. We're grateful for your support, and—now—we welcome you to The MPT Insider!

Sincerely, 

Larry D. Unger
President & CEO

MPT walked away with Emmy® Awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences during ceremonies held on June 24. 

Over the course of its more than 50-year history, MPT has earned 196 regional Emmys out of 454 nominations, the Board of Governors Award (the regional NATAS chapter’s highest honor), Community Service Awards, and Overall Excellence Awards – along with four national Emmy Awards. 

MPT earned 20 nominations across 13 categories during this year's 65th Capital Emmy Awards competition. Read the list of winning programs and watch the episodes/programs below.

Emmys were earned in the following categories:

INFORMATIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL - SHORT-FORM CONTENT 

   Maryland Farm & Harvest: Carnivorous Plant Nursery - WATCH HERE
   Megan Bryant, segment producer

MAGAZINE PROGRAM (SINGLE PROGRAM)

   Outdoors Maryland: Episode 3405 - WATCH HERE
        Sarah Sampson, series producer
        Jack Harris, segment producer

 LONG-FORM CONTENT

   Artworks: Dreamer (co-production with Baltimore Choral Arts Society) - WATCH HERE
       Travis Mitchell, executive producer
       T.L. Benton, producer
       Anthony Clark, artistic director/conductor  

TECHNOLOGY - SHORT-FORM CONTENT

   Outdoors Maryland: The Long Flight - WATCH HERE 
       Stefanie Robey, producer

 

A Capitol Fourth - Tuesday, July 4 at 8pm

This time-honored 43 year-tradition puts viewers front and center for America’s biggest birthday party with the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation lighting up the iconic D.C. skyline. Celebrate our country’s 247th birthday with a star-studded musical extravaganza featuring the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of premier pops conductor Jack Everly and performances by top stars from pop, country, R&B, classical and Broadway. Watch the preview here.

 

Doc Martin, Season 8 Premiere - Thursday, July 6 at 9pm

DOC MARTIN is a catchy comedy-drama that stars Martin Clunes as the abrasive and tactless Dr. Martin Ellingham, a successful London surgeon who begins working as a general practitioner in the seaside Cornish village of Portwenn after developing a problematic blood phobia. Doc Martin soon finds he needs all the allies he can get as he tries to negotiate his way around village life with hilarious consequences. Watch the preview here.

 

Don’t Put Her Down - Wednesday, July 12 at 7pm

Don’t Put Her Down is a loving and beautifully crafted short documentary about the music and life of bluegrass pioneer Hazel Dickens. With a soulful, piercing voice and a raw, intimate approach to songs about working-class lives and worker rights, Dickens was a vital and influential part of the bluegrass music scene that blossomed in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. areas after World War II. Her feminist perspective helped her to break through the male-dominated world of bluegrass to become a seminal voice in the genre.

While Don’t Put Her Down is by no means a comprehensive biography, Baltimore area filmmaker Julia Golonka smartly allows Dickens’ music to be the focal point here. It is heard through nearly the entire runtime of the half-hour film, whether it is via captivating on-screen performances of Dickens’ songs by modern bluegrass/folk artists or through the ingenious and mesmerizing music video-like marrying of her original recordings with “crankies,” a traditional form of folk storytelling utilizing shadow puppets presented against hand-cranked painted scrolls, to visualize the timeless, heartfelt nature of Dickens’ voice and music. 

Staff Pick - By Stuart Kazanow, Director of Acquisitions

Stuart serves as MPT's Director of Acquisitions, working with independent producers to bring their films and series to MPT's local and national audiences. Stuart has been working with MPT since 2007 and is passionate about the mission of public television and increasing the exposure of unique stories and under-served voices within our community.

 

Behind the Scenes: Taping Season 11 of Chesapeake Collectibles

Almost 500 registrants and treasure-carrying viewers–most accompanied by another MPT fan–arrived from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to have their items evaluated by the show’s professional appraisers. Here are some behind-the-scenes video/photo, and you can also stream past episodes here.

Summer road trip? Get prepped with MotorWeek

The summer road trip is a time-honored tradition upheld by loving families and cherished friends alike. Prepping for the long haul can seem fun when you’re shuffling the perfect road trip playlist, scoring the tastiest (and least messy) snacks and planning the out the most scenic routes; but, there’s a very serious side to prepping, and it’s making sure your car is ready for the miles ahead.

We checked in with the MotorWeek team to get a quick list of what you should do before you hit the highway. Here’s what MPT’s in-house car gurus have to say. Read the full article here.