SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, PAUL GROVE
As summer winds down and families across West Central Florida return to school-year routines, WEDU PBS remains committed to what public media has always done best: educate, inform, inspire, and entertain.
Your support is especially important as we approach the end of our fiscal year. It helps ensure we can continue bringing you the trusted programs and local stories that engage, enrich, and connect our community.
Because of you, new and returning favorites are on the way, including MASTERPIECE mysteries: The Marlow Murder Club and Marble Hall Murders, NATURE: Matriarch: A Jane Goodall Story, and the Hispanic Heritage Awards.
Locally, The GREATER series returns with fresh stories and perspectives that reflect the people, places, and experiences that make West Central Florida unique.
Thank you for your membership and for helping keep WEDU PBS a trusted resource for West Central Florida today and for generations to come.
Mystery Awaits
MASTERPIECE delivers a double dose of suspense with the premieres of The Marlow Murder Club and Marble Hall Murders.
The Marlow Murder Club
Marble Hall Murders
There’s no rest for amateur sleuths Judith, Suzie, and Becks as The Marlow Murder Club returns with three puzzling murder mysteries, including a university reunion where one of their own becomes a suspect.
Then, editor Susan Ryeland is pulled into a literary puzzle that quickly turns deadly in Marble Hall Murders, where secrets, murder, and an investigation stretching from England to Corfu will keep audiences guessing until the very end.
The Marlow Murder Club premieres Sunday, September 6, at 8 p.m. Marble Hall Murders premieres Sunday, September 6, at 9 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS App. p.m. and again at 9:30 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS app.
The Heart of Florida
Explore the people, places, and stories that make West Central Florida unique in a new season of The GREATER Series. Travel to Wauchula, Bradenton, Ybor City, and Venice to discover the character and culture that define each destination.
Along the way, meet local residents, visit treasured landmarks, and uncover the rich history that shapes these vibrant communities. Join us for an inspiring look at the places and people that make Florida home.
Premiering this October. For more details, visit wedu.org/greater
Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
GREATER
Hispanic Heritage Awards
Cultural Excellence
Experience an evening celebrating the achievements, cultural pride, and promise of the Latino community. The 39th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards honors an outstanding class of visionary leaders and changemakers making an impact across arts, sports, STEM, fashion, business, and more. Featuring performances that reflect the excellence, resilience, and richness of Latino heritage while amplifying the voices and accomplishments shaping American life and inspiring future generations today.
Premieres Friday, October 2, at 9 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
WEDU PBS is here to stay because of viewers like you. Thank you.
Extraordinary Journeys
Adventure and discovery await as NATURE Season 45 begins with Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure, where Elmo, Abby, and Nina journey to Kenya after adopting an orphaned elephant from a wildlife sanctuary. Their safari adventure introduces young viewers to elephant conservation and the dedicated caretakers protecting vulnerable wildlife.
Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure airs Wednesday, October 14, at 8 p.m.
Then, Matriarch: A Jane Goodall Story explores more than six decades of groundbreaking chimpanzee research, sharing rare archival footage and exclusive interviews with Dr. Jane Goodall that reveal extraordinary stories of motherhood, leadership, and the remarkable female chimpanzees who changed science forever.
Matriarch: A Jane Goodall Story airs Wednesday, October 21 and October 28, at 8 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
Deadly New Mysteries
Professor T returns with six all-new mysteries that put Cambridge’s brilliant criminologist, Professor Jasper Tempest, and his colleagues to the test. From a shocking incident in the boxing ring to unexplained deaths at an exclusive spa, each case brings unexpected twists and challenges.
As the investigations unfold, personal relationships are strained and difficult decisions raise the stakes even higher. Filled with intriguing mysteries, beloved characters, and surprising turns, this season promises another unforgettable chapter.
Premieres Sunday, October 18, at 9 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
Passport members can enjoy early access beginning August 9.
Building Liberty
Discover the remarkable story behind one of the world’s most iconic symbols of freedom in Secrets of the Dead: Lady Liberty.
This episode explores the extraordinary partnership between the United States and France that brought the Statue
of Liberty to life.
Through historical insight and compelling storytelling, it reveals the diplomatic collaboration, engineering ambition, and shared ideals that made the monument possible. From its conception to its construction, the program uncovers the enduring friendship and vision that continue to define Lady Liberty today.
Airs Wednesday, October 7, at 10 p.m.
Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
Secrets of the Dead: Lady Liberty
Verdi’s Requiem: The Met Remembers 9/11
A Moment of Reflection
Great Performances honors the anniversary of September 11 with a powerful performance from the Metropolitan Opera.
Verdi’s Requiem: The Met Remembers 9/11, hosted by Misty Copeland and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, features acclaimed soloists, archival footage from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and New York City’s moving Tribute in Light.
Airs Friday, September 11, at 9 p.m. Watch live or stream with the PBS App.
Drive Change Today
Celebrate Cartober with WEDU PBS this October by turning an unused vehicle into meaningful support for public media. Whether it’s a car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or even a boat, your donation helps drive change and strengthen trusted programming for your West Central Florida community.
Donating is simple, free, and convenient. Visit wedu.org/vehicle or call 1-888-WEDU-AUTO (1-888-933-8288) to get started.
Plant a Seed, Leave a Legacy
National Estate Planning Awareness Week is October 19–25, a reminder that a few thoughtful steps today can bring peace of mind tomorrow. Creating an estate plan can help guide future health decisions, protect loved ones, and reflect the values that matter most to you. It can also create lasting support for causes you care about, including the trusted programs and educational services provided by WEDU PBS.
If you’re interested in learning more about creating your legacy, visit wedugiving.org/how-to-give/bequest. We’d be happy to help you explore ways to make a lasting impact for future generations.
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
