klru blog

Pearl Jam ACL simulcast giveaway, originally uploaded by KLRU-TV.

The ticket giveaway for the simulcast of the Austin City Limits Pearl Jam taping.

Some fans were in line at 5:30am and over 300 tickets were given away in the first 5 minutes.

For the last week KLRU has had many calls and emails from Grande Communications customers about audio problems on their Channel 9. Grande is using a downconverted version of KLRU-HD and the device they are using is switching the primary and secondary audio streams. The result is either no audio or DVI/SAP audio on the main audio channel. Grande technical staff is working on the problem, but KLRU can’t be sure when it will be fixed. If you experience this problem, please contact Grande at http://www.grandecom.com/contact_us/

The Territory
Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m.

The new season of the Austin Museum of Art’ annual television showcase of international film and video, The Territory, begins this May on KLRU. The Territory features fourteen programs that blend experimental, documentary, narrative and animated shorts from around the world.

The Territory’s 32 season highlights the work of artists from Texas, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, The Netherlands, Australia, Argentina, Columbia, Korea, and Israel. Within the 30-minute format, artists experiment with techniques and subjects in a condensed format similar to a short story.  These film and video shorts are recognized as vibrant sub-genre of independent voices in the media world. The Territory brings these challenging works directly to the PBS audience across Texas — thereby stretching conventional television boundaries. For complete episode descriptions go to The Territory’s web site at  amoa.org/theterritory

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Program: Independent Lens “Crips and Bloods: Made in America”
Date: Tuesday, May 12
Time: 9 p.m.

Guns, knives, drugs…what could I be blogging about on a PBS station in regards to these three things?  The options are pretty narrow, but the answer is Independent Lens’ Made In America, a documentary airing on KLRU on May 12 about gangs in Los Angeles.

Like most people, I couldn’t say I knew much about the origins of the Bloods or the Crips, but Independent Lens certainly gave me a ton of insight.  African Americans were not allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts in Los Angeles, so they created their own social groups, based on geographic locations, they even had their own hand signs.  LA was highly segregated geographically; a black person dare not cross a street into a white community or risk being questioned and beat by the police.  As time progressed, the Community got fed up with the racism; they rioted, hence the Watts riot lasting for five days in 1965.  Following the riots, there were increased pledges to fix the poverty and issues in Los Angeles, but nobody followed through.  With conditions stagnant, family life in these communities was poor; the young came together once again in their geographically isolated groups, but this time, revolving around crime, territory and drugs.
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Nature at 7 p.m. Sunday follows the female loggerhead turtle as she makes the long journey from Mexico to Japan to lay eggs in the place she was born.

Masterpiece Mystery! at 8 p.m. Sunday presents the three part series of “Wallander,” which tracks the scruffy Swedish Inspector Kurt Wallander as he goes after the growing crime affecting contemporary Sweden.

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KLRU is taking proactive steps to strengthen operations in light of budget shortfalls and tough economic times by making staff reductions and other cost saving measures.

KLRU remains fully committed to our vision – that the PBS programs we are privileged to present can play an important role in building a stronger, more engaged and informed Austin community.

Beginning next week KLRU will cease broadcasting between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Although we will be signing off overnight, we are still increasing total broadcasting hours with the addition of a new channel – 18-3 – later this summer.

We are also moving forward with our efforts to make more content available on the Web, allowing viewers to access KLRU content anywhere and at anytime at klru.tv.

We are suspending production of Docubloggers, KLRU’s weekly community journalism series and revising the scope of In Context to focus instead on a series of specials featuring local arts organizations. The next special will air May 14th at 8 p.m. featuring Ballet Austin’s Hamlet.

Public broadcasting and KLRU are more important and relevant than ever before for its unbiased programming. The need for trusted, reliable information during periods of rapid change is vital. For more than 4 decades, KLRU has provided our viewers with a way to come together to honestly address community concerns and opportunities. That is why public broadcasting is a fundamental part of our community, and will continue to be well into the future. Help us continue to fulfill our mission by showing your financial support or by placing a comment below.

– Bill Stotesbery, KLRU CEO and General Manager

Nature at 7 p.m. Sunday looks at the plummeting numbers of horseshoe crab and how their decline could affect other species – including humans.

Masterpiece Classic at 8 p.m. Sunday presents part five of “Little Dorrit” as trouble continues in London, but Mr. Dorrit and Amy remain in Italy.

Journey the buffets in Las Vegas, going behind the food to the tireless chefs and servers, and finally the farmers who buy leftovers in bulk to feed their pigs in Buffet at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. (more…)

What: Dia De Los Ninos
When: Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Where: St. John Branch Library and Community Center, 7500 Blessing Avenue

KLRU will be at theAustin Public Library’s annual Dia de los ninos / Dia de los libros (Day of the Child/Festival of Books) this Saturday. There will be storytellers, dancers, music, free snacks, free books and much more.

KLRU is starting production for a new Web-only music series called ACL Stage Left. This show will premier on the Web this summer. KLRU be announcing more details in the coming months.

We’ll be taping a performance by David Garza on April 8 at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) in the KLRU’s Studio 6A. RSVP here

ACL Stage Left is a new web music series brought to you by KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, the station responsible for the iconic PBS series Austin City Limits. Like its forerunner, ACL Stage Left features intimate performances of both bands you know and bands you’ll want know. ACL Stage Left will delve into the experience of music and the stories of the people who create it by featuring both performances and interviews with the artists. It will be presented this summer as part of klru.tv - a new online video resource.