NMPBS January/February 2027 E-Newsletter

January/February 2027

A Word from Our Director of Development, Theresa Spencer

As we begin a new year, we do so with renewed purpose and a commitment to bringing you trusted journalism, thoughtful conversations, and engaging programs that inform and connect us.

When federal funding was first eliminated last year, viewers and members like you across New Mexico stepped forward. Today, NMPBS continues to address an ongoing gap in its operating budget as a community-funded public media organization. Powered by you. Together, we can help ensure that the programming and services New Mexicans rely on remain available for years to come.

The year ahead brings plenty to enjoy, from the series finale of Miss Scarlet and new seasons of All Creatures Great & Small and Finding Your Roots to special donor events like our Sandia Crest trip.

Thank you for standing with NMPBS and helping sustain the public media you value. We look forward to sharing another year of discovery, connection, and enriching experiences with you.

Double the Drama

Two acclaimed series bring mystery, romance, and charm to Sunday night on MASTERPIECE!

Miss Scarlet

All Creatures Great & Small

Get ready for a Sunday night of suspense and warmth on MASTERPIECE. The evening opens with the premiere of Miss Scarlet’s six-episode final season, as Eliza Scarlet navigates new personal and professional challenges, faces unexpected rivals, and brings her journey as Victorian London’s first female private detective to a thrilling conclusion.

Then, All Creatures Great & Small returns for Season 7, transporting viewers to the Yorkshire Dales in 1946, where new beginnings bring fresh challenges and heartwarming moments. Join the Skeldale House family for more veterinary adventures, unexpected mishaps, and the humor, friendship, and community spirit that make the series a favorite.

Miss Scarlet premieres Sunday, January 17, at 7 p.m.
All Creatures Great & Small premieres Sunday, January 17, at 8 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

Keeping informed by viewing News Hour is an important part of my life.

— Stephane, Roy

Connect with NMPBS

NMPBS supporters enjoy opportunities to connect with the station, meet fellow public media advocates, and see how their generosity makes a difference.

A recent gathering at the NMPBS tower site on Sandia Crest offered a behind-the-scenes look at the engineering that brings NMPBS to communities across New Mexico. Hosted by General Manager and CEO Dr. Phil Hoffman, the event was one way NMPBS thanks its supporters and brings them closer to the work they make possible.

Watch for upcoming events and more ways to connect with NMPBS!

BOOKISH

Mysteries Among the Pages

In postwar London, bookseller Gabriel Book has a talent for solving crimes as well as finding rare literary treasures. In BOOKISH Season 2, he reunites with Inspector Bliss to investigate a suspicious séance, an unusual death in a tailor’s shop, and a notorious book thief hiding a dangerous legacy.

With clever clues, eccentric characters, and secrets lurking around every corner, Book follows each lead wherever it takes him. From London to Germany, these mysterious cases prove that some stories are far stranger than fiction.

Premieres Sunday, January 17, at 9 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

Hidden Histories

Every family has stories that can get lost over time. In Season 13 of Finding Your Roots, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. traces his guests’ ancestry, bringing to light accounts of courage, hardship, resilience, and love.

This season features a star-studded lineup, including Bette Midler, Rita Moreno, Noah Wyle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Elizabeth Banks, Ashley Judd, Carrie Coon, Randall Park, Wendell Pierce, David Alan Grier, and Allison Williams. Their family trees reveal unexpected links and experiences that offer a deeper understanding of where they come from.

Each episode invites viewers to look beyond familiar names and discover the lives and legacies woven into their ancestry.

Airs Tuesdays, beginning January 12, at 7 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

Noah Wyle

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: 250 Years of Americana

Americana Appraised

Explore America’s history through ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: 250 Years of Americana as appraisers examine historic art, artifacts, crafts, and collectibles that tell the nation’s story. Featured finds include a flag quilt dating to around 1880, a Tiffany Studios turtle-back glass shade from circa 1915, and an 1884 Edison light bulb.

These treasures offer a glimpse into American ingenuity, artistry, and everyday life across generations. One discovery receives a $300,000 valuation, revealing the surprising value of these remarkable pieces of Americana.

Airs Monday, January 4, at 8 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

Thank you for all you do to keep New Mexico informed and entertained.

— Melissa, Albuquerque

Before the Digital Age

Before smartphones, social media, and computers transformed everyday life, a group of young engineers took a chance on a new idea.

In 1957, eight engineers left Shockley Semiconductor Company to establish a venture of their own, led by 29-year-old physicist Robert Noyce.

Their work laid the foundation for a new era of computing. Noyce would co-invent the microchip, a tiny device that became essential to computers, cars, phones, and countless technologies we rely on every day.

American Experience: Silicon Valley revisits the people and decisions behind this pivotal moment, showing how a bold break from convention launched the digital age.

Airs Tuesday, January 5, at 8 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

American Experience: Silicon Valley

Independent Lens: Buried Under Years of Dust

The Power of Expression

Independent Lens: Buried Under Years of Dust follows Emily Grodin, a nonspeaking autistic woman who felt trapped inside a body without a voice. After decades of unsuccessful therapies, she discovers a way to communicate through assisted typing, expressing the years she felt buried beneath the dust of being misunderstood. Emily’s story reminds us that communication is a basic human right. She didn’t need fixing. She needed understanding. Buried Under Years of Dust premieres Sunday, January 17, at 11 p.m.

In recognition of Black History Month, Independent Lens: In Our Own Image: The Story of African American Art traces the evolution of Black visual art, from its roots on Southern plantations to its place on the global stage. Through the experiences of artists, collectors, and institutions safeguarding this heritage, the film asks a fundamental question: Why create art? In Our Own Image: The Story of African American Art premieres Tuesday, February 23, at 9 p.m.

Watch live or stream with the PBS app.

Thank you all at PBS for allowing me to give back to my children what I received as a child. Education and awareness goes a long way on the road to success.

— Shayna, Albuquerque

Make Your IRA Count

(RMD) from your IRA this year, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) offers a meaningful way to support the public media you value.

A QCD allows you to make a gift directly from your IRA to NMPBS. Your gift can count toward all or part of your annual RMD and may help reduce your federal taxable income. It also helps bring the programs and stories that inform, inspire, and connect our communities to audiences across New Mexico. Getting started is easy with Giving Docs, our free, secure online tool.

Visit givingdocs.com/nmpbs to explore your options, and consult your financial advisor to determine whether a QCD is right for you.