November/December 2025
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, PAUL GROVE
As we close out the year, I want to extend my deepest thanks for your belief in the power of public media and for standing with WEDU PBS. These past few months have shown us how essential WEDU PBS is to West Central Florida.
While this year brought serious challenges, including the loss of $2.8 million in state and federal funding (20% of our operating budget), our commitment to West Central Florida has never been stronger.
Because of your generosity, WEDU PBS continues to deliver powerful programming that educates, inspires, and connects. From impactful documentaries like POV and Independent Lens, to unforgettable dramas on MASTERPIECE, scientific discovery with NOVA, wildlife journeys on NATURE, iconic history from Ken Burns, and the very best in the arts through Great Performances.
You’ve kept the music playing, the history unfolding, and the conversations going. Public media has always been about people. And this year has proven that WEDU PBS is truly powered by you, our community.
The American Revolution
Forging a Nation
Ken Burns is back with The American Revolution, a six-part, 12-hour documentary exploring the chaos, courage, and contradictions of a war that not only forged a nation, but reshaped the globe.
This compelling documentary explores the creation of the United States through the eyes of the people who lived it. Not just through generals and founders’ declarations, but from the young soldiers, Native American warriors, free and enslaved African Americans, refugees, Loyalists, and ordinary people caught in the crossfire.
Directed by Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, The American Revolution asks the hard questions and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths. It looks at how the ideals of freedom and equality could coexist with injustice and exclusion, and how that tension birthed a new nation. More than a history lesson, The American Revolution is a chance to better understand how the struggles of the past still echo in our lives today.
Premieres Sunday, November 16, at 8 p.m., and airs for six consecutive nights through Friday, November 21. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Choice and Dignity
Independent Lens: Life After is a deeply personal and eye-opening film from disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport. He explores a subject many avoid: assisted dying. This is a powerful examination of how society, policy, and prejudice shape the way disabled people experience life and autonomy.
Assumptions are challenged through candid interviews, real stories, and unflinching honesty. The film asks the difficult but necessary questions: Who truly has authority in making end-of-life decisions? What does “choice” mean when access, support, and care are not available to all?
Davenport does not shy away from the emotional weight of the topic, but what makes this film so compelling is its clarity, compassion, and refusal to offer easy answers.
Airs Monday, November 3, at 10 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Independent Lens: Life After
A More Perfect Union: Inspiring Civic & Civil Conversations Across America
United Through Conversation
A More Perfect Union: Inspiring Civic & Civil Conversations Across America is a one-hour PBS special that explores the enduring meaning of America’s founding ideals — liberty, democracy, and equality — 250 years later.
Filmed at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the program features a thought-provoking conversation with Ken Burns and other leading thinkers.
At a time of deep national division, A More Perfect Union invites viewers to reimagine civic discourse through respectful dialogue rooted in the principles that shaped our nation. Discover how the American idea continues to influence our democracy and how each of us can help build a more perfect union for generations to come.
Airs Monday, November 24, at 9 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Into the Flock
What happens when a man becomes a mother to wild turkeys? In NATURE: My Life as a Turkey, naturalist Joe Hutto takes on the extraordinary role of raising 16 wild turkey chicks from hatchlings to adulthood.
In the wilds of Florida’s Flatlands, Hutto roosted with them, foraged with them, and protected them as their devoted guardian. Along the way, he discovered their surprising curiosity, intelligence, and unique ways of seeing the world. Based on his remarkable true story, this moving film captures an unforgettable journey of connection between one man and the wild creatures who changed his life.
Witness a rare journey of coexistence and wonder in NATURE: My Life as a Turkey.
Premieres Wednesday, November 26, at 7 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Love and Valor
MASTERPIECE: The Great Escaper is a touching drama inspired by the remarkable true story of Bernard Jordan, a World War II veteran who slipped away from his nursing home to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Played with quiet strength by Michael Caine, Bernie’s trip is a mission of memory, love, and resilience. While Bernie travels across the Channel to honor his fallen comrades, his wife, Irene, portrayed by the late Glenda Jackson, reflects on their decades together and the enduring love that began during the chaos of war.
Don’t miss this moving portrait of courage in one soldier’s twilight years presented with warmth, humor, and a poignant reminder that some promises are never forgotten.
Premieres Sunday, November 23, at 9 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
December 2 is #GivingTuesday. This global day of generosity inspires people to give, collaborate, and strengthen their communities. Join the movement with a tax-deductible gift to WEDU, and your donation will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $150,000, thanks to a generous Sarasota donor. Your support ensures access to trusted, high-quality programming for everyone.
Honoring Our Heroes
This Veterans Day, WEDU PBS honors the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes with Salute to Service: A Veterans Day Celebration. This one-hour musical special blends powerful storytelling with stirring performances to recognize the courage, dedication, and resilience of America’s veterans past and present.
Featuring the United States Army Field Band and a dynamic lineup of musical guests, Salute to Service highlights the enduring spirit of those who have served. Whether you tune in for the music, the personal stories, or a moment of reflection, this program offers an unforgettable evening.
Airs Monday, November 10, at 9 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Salute to Service: A Veterans Day Celebration
Spend the Holidays with WEDU PBS
Celebrate the season with WEDU PBS as we bring you a lineup of festive programs filled with music, joy, and timeless traditions — perfect for gathering with loved ones.
We begin with Hope of the Season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir, a moving celebration of harmony and holiday cheer. Let the choir’s joyful melodies fill your home with the magic of Christmas. Airs Monday, December 15, at 8 p.m.
Let the wonder continue with Great Performances: The Nutcracker. This holiday favorite enchants audiences of all ages with its dazzling costumes, beloved Tchaikovsky score, and a magical tale of adventure and imagination. Airs Tuesday, December 16, at 8 p.m.
Then, experience a powerful twist on a classic with Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah. This vibrant performance blends gospel, jazz, and R&B with Handel’s iconic work, reimagined by conductors Marin Alsop, Bob Christianson, and Gary Anderson for a soul-stirring evening. Airs Wednesday, December 24, at 9:30 p.m.
Keep the spirit of compassion and community alive with Call the Midwife: Holiday Special. Return to Nonnatus House as the beloved midwives and nuns celebrate the season with heartfelt stories and time-honored traditions. Airs Thursday, December 25, at 8 p.m.
And as the year draws to a close, let’s toast to new beginnings with Great Performances — From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2026. This elegant concert offers a grand start to the new year with waltzes, polkas, and musical brilliance. Airs Wednesday, December 31, at 8 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
Every contribution makes a difference.
There are a variety of opportunities to donate and help support the programming you love by considering creative non-cash gifts such as:
IRA Charitable Rollover
Individuals who have reached age 73 can donate up to $105,000 to WEDU PBS directly from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA), without treating the distribution as taxable income. Giving from your IRA is a great way to satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) tax-free and support WEDU PBS’s mission to serve the public good and to aid in the creation of an informed citizenry. Talk to your financial or tax advisor about rolling 401(k) monies into an IRA to make a tax-free charitable contribution to WEDU PBS.
Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds
Donating stock or mutual funds you have held longer than one year and which have appreciated in value directly to WEDU is a savvy giving strategy to avoid capital gains taxes. Consult with your financial advisor to help leverage your gift for the best tax savings. Remember, sometimes it might be more tax advantageous to sell depreciated stock and give a gift of cash to WEDU PBS with the proceeds — a double tax savings!
Donate your car, motorcycle, boat, RV, kayak, or even real estate!
We make donating your vehicle or other mode of transportation simple and convenient with fast pickup and streamlined paperwork. You benefit by possibly being able to reduce your taxable income. Plus, you avoid paying for advertising, loss of privacy, and possible security risk. In addition, there is no need to pay for registrations, insurance, and repairs to keep your transportation in working condition.
Please contact us for easy gifting of real estate that may have become a burden to own or insure. For more information:
CALL: (813) 739-2959
EMAIL: [email protected]
VISIT: wedugiving.org
