PBS Stations Nationwide to Feature Inclusion Documentary Film
The documentary film “What Does Normal Mean?” has been picked up by more than 60 PBS stations around the country. That is a triumph for all of us who care about kids with disabilities and inclusion! Most of the stations plan to show the film in November; some stations may show the film some time after November. WXXI in Rochester, NY, for example, will show “What Does Normal Mean?” in January ‘07, with plans for major outreach and publicity surrounding its viewing. This presents a perfect opportunity for family leaders and other advocates in the Rochester area to work with WXXI to mount a media campaign around inclusion prior to the film’s release.
A list of PBS affiliates that will be showing “What Does Normal Mean?” is located at the bottom of this page. Please check to see if your local station will carry the film. If your station is carrying it (a YES vote on the list), we suggest you immediately contact the station to find out when the movie will be shown (not at 5:00 am, we hope) and offer to help the station with publicity and outreach. For example, when “What Does Normal Mean?” was shown by the PBS affiliate in Albuquerque last spring, the station’s weekly news program featured segments of the film and a panel discussion about special education with educators, parents, and students as a run-up to the documentary. The station also ran a series of ads and press releases prior to the show. A popular columnist for the statewide newspaper interviewed families and professionals about inclusion for one of his Sunday columns. Thus, the issue of inclusion received lots of good publicity throughout New Mexico in the days and weeks before and after “What Does Normal Mean?” was shown.
Soon, we’ll have a sample “What Does Normal Mean?” press release and a list of media recommendations for you to use as your local PBS station prepares for showing the film.
PLEASE NOTE that many PBS stations either said NO to showing “What Does Normal Mean?” or could not decide and voted MAYBE. That list is also available upon request. We urge you to get together with other inclusion advocates and work with your local PBS affiliate if they voted NO or MAYBE. . . and persuade them to show this excellent documentary film!
The Family Voices folks who worked on “What Does Normal Mean?”
Polly Arango, Executive Producer/Writer polly@algodonesassociates.com
Bridget Via, Family Liaison/Featured Family viazoo@aol.com
63 Yes Votes (includes Add-On)
ALAS-Fairbanks AK
ARKA-Conway AR
CONN-Hartford CT
GEOR-Atlanta GA
KACV-Amarillo TX
KAET-Tempe AZ
KAWE-Bemidji MN
KCET-Los Angeles CA
KCOS-El Paso TX
KCSM-San Mateo CA
KEDT-Corpus Christi TX
KENT-Lexington KY
KENW-Portales NM
KERA-Dallas TX
KIXE-Redding CA
KNCT-Killeen TX
KNME-Albuquerque NM
KOOD-Bunker Hill KS
KQED-San Francisco CA
KRSC-Claremore OK
KRWG-Las Cruces NM
KSPS-Spokane WA
KUED-Salt Lake City UT
KVCR-San Bernardino CA
NDAK-Fargo ND
SDAK-Vermillion SD
WBGU-Bowling Green OH
WBRA-Roanoke VA
WCET-Cincinnati OH
WCEU-Daytona Beach FL
WCNY-Syracuse NY
WCTE-Cookeville TN
WDCQ-University Center MI
WEIU-Charleston IL
WETP-Knoxville TN
WFSU-Tallahassee FL
WGTE-Toledo OH
WGVU-Grand Rapids MI
WILL-Urbana IL
WIPB-Muncie IN
WKAR-East Lansing MI
WKNO-Memphis TN
WKYU-Bowling Green KY
WLAE-Metairie LA
WLJT-Martin TN
WLRN-Miami FL
WNED-Buffalo NY
WNIN-Evansville IN
WNMU-Marquette MI
WNPT-Nashville TN
WOUB-Athens OH
WPBS-Watertown NY
WPSU-University Park PA
WQLN-Erie PA
WSKG-Binghamton NY
WTVS-Detroit MI
WUSF-Tampa FL
WVIR-Beaver WV
WVPT-Harrisonburg VA
WXXI-Rochester NY
WYBE-Philadelphia PA
WYCC-Chicago IL
Addon Votes
MARY-Owings Mills MD
57 No Votes
ALAB-Birmingham AL
HAWA-Honolulu HI
IOWA-Johnston IA
KBDI-Denver CO
KBYU-Provo UT
KCTS-Seattle WA
KETC-St. Louis MO
KLCS-Los Angeles CA
KLRN-San Antonio TX
KPBS-San Diego CA
KPTS-Wichita KS
KRMA-Denver CO
KSMQ-Austin MN
KTCA-St. Paul MN
KTWU-Topeka KS
KUAT-Tucson AZ
KUHT-Houston TX
KVIE-Sacramento CA
KVPT-Fresno CA
KWSU-Pullman WA
LOUI-Baton Rouge LA
MAIN-Bangor ME
MISS-Jackson MS
NCAR-Research Triangle Park NC
NEBR-Lincoln NE
NEWH-Durham NH
NEWJ-Trenton NJ
OKLA-Oklahoma City OK
OREG-Portland OR
WCVE-Richmond VA
WEDU-Tampa FL
WETA-Arlington VA
WFUM-Flint MI
WFWA-Fort Wayne IN
WGBH-Boston MA
WGBY-Springfield MA
WISC-Madison WI
WLIW-Plainview NY
WMEC-Chatham IL
WMHT-Troy NY
WNEO-Kent OH
WNET-New York NY
WNIT-Elkhart IN
WNYE-New York NY
WPBT-North Miami FL
WPTD-Dayton OH
WPTO-Dayton OH
WQED-Pittsburgh PA
WSIU-Carbondale IL
WSRE-Pensacola FL
WTIU-Bloomington IN
WTTW-Chicago IL
WTVI-Charlotte NC
WTVP-Peoria IL
WUFT-Gainesville FL
WXEL-West Palm Beach FL
WYES-Metairie LA
30 Maybe Votes
KEET-Eureka CA
KLVX-Las Vegas NV
KNPB-Reno NV
KOCE-Huntington Beach CA
KOZK-Springfield MO
KRCB-Rohnert Park CA
KTEH-San Jose CA
KTXT-Lubbock TX
KUSM-Bozeman MT
KWBU-Waco TX
KWCM-Appleton MN
SCAR-Columbia SC
VERM-Colchester VT
WCFE-Plattsburgh NY
WFYI-Indianapolis IN
WHRO-Norfolk VA
WHUT-Washington DC
WHYY-Philadelphia PA
WIPR-San Juan PR
WITF-Harrisburg PA
WJCT-Jacksonville FL
WLVT-Bethlehem PA
WMFE-Orlando FL
WMVS-Milwaukee WI
WOSU-Columbus OH
WPBA-Atlanta GA
WSBE-Providence RI
WTCI-Chattanooga TN
WVIZ-Cleveland OH
WYIN-Merrillville IN
