MARCH/APRIL 2026
A WORD FROM OUR CEO, JACK GIBSON
As we enter a new season, I want to thank you for your extraordinary support in 2025. Your generosity powers everything AZPM does, and because of you, we continue to deliver trusted journalism, meaningful storytelling, and programs that reflect and uplift Southern Arizona.
This spring brings new energy and new opportunities for AZPM. We’re especially excited to start working from the Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media — a space that strengthens our ability to serve our community every day. While the building is new, our mission remains the same: to provide reliable, independent public media made possible by supporters like you.
We also have an exceptional slate of national and local productions ahead. MASTERPIECE presents two sweeping dramas — The Forsytes and The Count of Monte Cristo — premiering March 22nd. Arizona Illustrated celebrates 45 seasons of Southern Arizona stories, introduces The Conversation in March, and we welcome David Lee as News Director and host of The Press Room.
Your support is essential as public media continues to navigate new challenges due to the recent cuts in federal funding. With your partnership, AZPM will remain strong — today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. Thank you for being such an important part of our mission.
Every contribution makes a difference.
Secrets and Sacrifice
This season, MASTERPIECE presents two sweeping new dramas that explore the power of love, ambition, and destiny.
The Forsytes
The Count of Monte Cristo
In The Forsytes, you’ll follow a prominent Victorian family whose generations navigate shifting social expectations, fraught romances, and the timeless conflict between duty and desire. Their world of privilege is shaken by emotional upheaval, challenging every assumption about loyalty, marriage, and legacy.
Alongside it comes a bold new adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, where Edmond Dantès — betrayed and falsely imprisoned — embarks on a gripping quest for justice. His transformation from hopeful young sailor to legendary figure of vengeance delivers unforgettable tension, rich emotion, and remarkable performances.
Together, these two epic tales offer everything viewers love about MASTERPIECE: complex characters, lush period settings, and stories that reveal how far the human heart will go in search of truth, freedom, and belonging.
The Forsytes premieres Sunday, March 22nd, on PBS 6.
The Count of Monte Cristo premieres Sunday, March 22nd, on PBS 6.
What’s on PBS This Week – AZPM
AZPM’s New Home
This spring, AZPM celebrates a transformative milestone: the ribbon cutting and transition of operations to the Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media at the University of Arizona Tech Park at The Bridges. This 61,500-square-foot facility will bring all of AZPM’s services together under one roof, supporting world-class television, radio, digital content, and educational outreach.
More than a building, the Baker Center is a bold investment in the future of public media in Southern Arizona. Purpose-built for innovation, it features advanced broadcast technology, modern studios, and collaborative spaces designed to elevate local journalism, creative storytelling, and community engagement for decades to come.
This landmark project was made possible through the Bridging Communities Capital Campaign, funded entirely by donor generosity-ensuring membership support for our operating budget remains focused on delivering trusted news, educational programming, classical music, and stories that reflect our community. To those members who also contributed to this campaign: Thank you for helping make this vision a reality. Your generosity has built a foundation for AZPM’s future.
And while the Baker Center will help to shape what’s next, it is your ongoing membership support that powers everything we do today-trusted in-depth news, educational and entertaining programming, classical music, and stories that reflect our community.Your commitment ensures that AZPM thrives for generations to come.
Rise of a Dynasty
Ranthambore National Park is home to one of the greatest wildlife turnarounds in modern history, and NATURE: Legendary Tigers of India tells that remarkable story. Decades ago, the park’s tigers were nearly extinct — only a dozen remained. Once hunted by dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II, they later gained crucial protection under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, laying the groundwork for an extraordinary recovery.
Today, more than 70 tigers roam the park. Much of what we know about them comes from the late Valmik Thapar, who spent 50 years documenting their lives. Drawing on his extensive archive and insights from family and colleagues, this special reveals the struggles and triumphs behind one of India’s greatest conservation successes.
Premieres Wednesday, April 22nd, on PBS 6.
What’s on PBS This Week – AZPM
NATURE: Legendary Tigers of India
I love AZPM — both TV and the classical music station.
Keep up your important work! — Steve, Sahuarita
A Season of Hope
Call the Midwife returns with Season 15, bringing heartfelt stories of courage, compassion, and change. The Christmas special followed senior Nonnatus staff on a mercy mission to Hong Kong, where Sister Julienne embraced new hope for the order’s future.
Back in the snowy East End, younger midwives step up amid unexpected challenges. As the series moves into 1971, the team navigates a rapidly shifting world marked by women’s liberation protests and complex medical cases — from premature births and placenta previa to kidney cancer, tuberculosis, and modern-day slavery.
Premieres Sunday, March 22nd on PBS 6.
What’s on PBS This Week – AZPM
We grew up in a PBS household. From Sesame Street to Arthur to Daniel Tiger to Keeping Up Appearances to Red Green, it’s always free and has always educated us. It should continue to be for years to come. — Tyler, Tucson
Meet David Lee
I am thrilled to join the AZPM family as news director and, in January, the new host of The Press Room. Coming from Seattle PBS, I see this as a unique and exciting opportunity to lead a highly skilled and passionate group of journalists who listen to the community and are making an impact daily.
My career has led me across the country, and I’ve spent time in multiple markets such as Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Memphis, Manhattan, Washington, D.C., Tallahassee, and Green Bay. At each stop throughout my career, I’ve taken the approach that news works for the communities we’re in. That philosophy will continue here in Tucson and Southern Arizona. I want us always to remember who we ultimately work for, and that’s the people and communities we live in.
You’ll see and hear me hosting The Press Room beginning on January 9th. I am honored to take the torch from Steve Goldstein, who’s been an amazing host for such a dynamic program. He set the bar high when the show was created, and I only hope I can continue the impressive work.
The future is extremely bright here at AZPM, and with your help and understanding, our coverage will only get better. The Press Room | AZPM
Thoreau Revealed
Discover the life, writings, and enduring influence of one of America’s most iconic thinkers, Henry David Thoreau. The two-night film presented by Ken Burns explores the ideas that shaped his writing.
With newly uncovered historical material, the filmmakers revisit the world Thoreau lived in and the cultural tensions he challenged. His reflections on nature, civic responsibility, and moral courage are presented not as relics of the past, but as principles still relevant in modern debates. The film examines how Thoreau’s work intersects with environmental stewardship, social justice, and the importance of standing publicly for one’s convictions.
The result is a compelling portrait that situates Thoreau in his time while highlighting the lasting impact of his ideas on American thought, activism, and cultural discourse.
Premieres Monday, March 30th, on PBS 6.
What’s on PBS This Week – AZPM
Henry David Thoreau
AZPM is a constant source of inspiration and information to so many of us. Thank you.
— Nancy, Green Valley
Arizona Illustrated and The Conversation: Stories That Matter
Arizona Illustrated continues its 45th season with stunning photography and in-depth storytelling about what makes Southern Arizona unique. Tune in for features on gardening, arts, music, culture, and community, plus highlights from our newly digitized archives celebrating decades of coverage.
And starting this March, look for something new: The Conversation, a local vodcast and audio podcast featuring thought-provoking discussions with voices shaping our region. You’ll see short segments within Arizona Illustrated, and you can watch the full conversations on our YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast app. Visit azpm.org for easy links to watch or listen. Arizona Illustrated – AZPM
Arizona Illustrated
Tucson Festival of Books
Celebrate Literacy at the Tucson Festival of Books
Mark your calendars! On March 14th and 15th, the Tucson Festival of Books returns to the University of Arizona campus as one of the nation’s largest literary gatherings. Since 2009, this free celebration has drawn thousands of book lovers — last year, over 130,000 attendees joined the fun!
Beyond discovering new stories, the festival makes a lasting impact. Every dollar raised supports local literacy programs, helping children and adults build brighter futures through reading. To date, more than $2.5 million has been donated to organizations like Literacy Connects, Make Way for Books, and the University of Arizona Literacy Outreach Programs.
Join AZPM in celebrating the power of books and community. Visit community.azpm.org for more upcoming events and ways to get involved!
Your Support Keeps AZPM Strong
Thank you for being an essential part of the AZPM family! Your membership makes trusted news, educational programming, and inspiring local stories possible. With the loss of nearly $1.6 million in federal funding, your support matters more than ever. Every gift helps sustain the journalism and programs you rely on. Ways to Make an Impact:
- Increase Your Monthly Gift – Even a small upgrade makes a big difference.
- Vehicle Donation – Turn an unused car, RV, or boat into support for AZPM.
- Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts – Include AZPM in your will or trust.
- IRA Gifts – Donate directly from your IRA for a tax-smart gift.*
- Donor-Advised Funds – Direct a gift anytime.
- Employer Matching – Many companies match or double your contribution.
Ready to help? Update your giving level, activate Passport, or make an additional gift at azpm.org/exchange, or call 520-621-1600. Thank you for keeping public media strong — today and for generations to come.
*Please consult your tax advisor for guidance.
Thank you for being a valued member of AZPM!
We’re excited to share AZPM’s 2024-2025 Annual Report, now available in a convenient digital format. This report highlights the impact of your support throughout the last fiscal year and the many ways you help keep public media strong in Southern Arizona.
Explore the full report and learn more about AZPM’s achievements, from trusted PBS and NPR programming to local news, podcasts, and classical music. As you review the report, please take pride in the programs and services you make possible, reaching families across our region, including those who rely on PBS Kids as a safe and educational resource. For many in rural communities, PBS Kids is the only source of preschool education.
Because you count on us, we count on you. Thank you for helping AZPM remain a trusted source of news, entertainment, and learning for all.
Every contribution makes a difference.
Amplify your ongoing financial support to AZPM by making a special contribution that goes above and beyond your membership.
Your tax-deductible support ensures that AZPM can continue to be your source for news and entertainment now and in the months to come.
To ensure the future of television, radio, digital media, and educational services that change lives for the better, we need the ongoing support of members like you. Onetime membership fees aren’t nearly enough to cover the rising costs of providing quality public media in Southern Arizona — we rely on additional gifts from caring friends like you.
To give today, simply click the “Donate Today” button to send your gift. If you prefer, you can also visit azpm.org/exchange to give online, or call (520) 621-1600.