WXXI April 2012 Highlighted Programming

This month on WXXI: (See the very bottom for information on how to order a copy of these programs)

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012
Grand Coulee Dam: American Experience (90 min.) Learn how the tension between technological achievement and environmental impact hangs over the legacy of Grand Coulee Dam.

Panama Canal: American Experience (90 min.) This film unravels the story of one of the world’s most significant technological achievements.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012
Nova: Hunting the Elements (120 min.) David Pogue spins viewers through the world of weird, extreme chemistry on a quest to unlock the secrets of the elements.

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012
Independent Lens Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (90 min.) Discover the man behind the furry red monster named Elmo — puppeteer Kevin Clash.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012
Live/Lincoln Center Renee Fleming at the Penthouse(90 min.) Join Renée Fleming and guest Josh Groban for an intimate performance in Lincoln Center’s Penthouse space. Featuring the rarely performed operatic masterpiece Knoxville Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber

MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012
In Search of Memory (93 min.) Profiling neuroscientist Eric Kandel, who won a Nobel Prize for his research on the biological basis of memory. The documentary examines Kandel's groundbreaking work and his early life in Nazi-occupied Austria. Directed by Petra Seeger.

Safeguarding Memory: Commemorating Jewish Mass Grave in Poland (28 min.) The mass murders of Jews in Poland during World War II are recalled by elderly Poles who witnessed them.

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012
The Titanic with Len Goodman (60 min.) The legacy of the Titanic is explored by "Dancing With the Stars" judge Len Goodman, who once worked as an apprentice welder for the company that built the ship. He visits Belfast, where it was built, and Southampton, England, home to many of the dead, and meets with descendants of the passengers and crew.

Saving the Titanic (60 min.) A dramatic portrayal of the Titanic's final hours from the perspective of the ship's engineers, who toiled beneath deck to keep the ship's power systems running even after they learned all was lost.

Frontline: Nuclear Aftershocks (60 min.) Miles O'Brien reports on the implications that the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan may have for U.S. nuclear safety. Included: the fight over the relicensing of the Indian Point nuclear plant, which is located 38 miles from Manhattan.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012
Nature: Voices of the Sea (60 min.) Conclusion. The role of sound for whales and dolphins. Included: the songs of humpback whales, which can carry for thousands of miles; the echolocation abilities of sperm whales.

Nova: Deadliest Tornadoes (60 min.) The science behind the April 2011 tornado outbreak in the U.S., which saw more than 360 people killed from hundreds of twisters, is examined. Included: what caused the tornadoes; whether the tornado-prediction process can be improved.

America Revealed: Food Machine (Part 1 of 4) (60 min.) Yul Kwon ("Survivor: Cook Islands") hosts this four-part series about the intricate networks that keep America running, beginning with a look at food growth and delivery. Included: a pizza delivery route in NYC; California's Central Valley.

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2012
The American Experience: Hoover Dam (60 min.) The construction of the Hoover Dam, which "changed the history of the West" and took eight years to complete. Included: interviews with former workers; efforts by the Bureau of Reclamation to convince the Government to fund the project.

Frontline: The Real CSI (60 min.) The reliability of forensic science and courtroom presentations of forensic evidence are examined. Included: the Casey Anthony case; the FBI investigation of the Madrid terrorist bombing; capital cases in Mississippi.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2012
Nature: River of No Return (60 min.) The experiences of wolf biologist Isaac Babcock and his bride, Bjornen, who take a yearlong honeymoon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho. The 2.5-million-acre wilderness is home to an abundance of wildlife that includes wolves.

Nova: Why Ships Sink (60 min.) The safety of cruise ships is investigated. Included: the 2012 sinking of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy; the 2007 sinking of the Sea Diamond near the Greek island of Santorini.

America Revealed: Nation on the Move (60 min,) Part 2 of 4. An examination of America's complex transportation system features a journey across the country by air, road and rail. Included: a visit to the FAA command center that details how the nation's flight plans work; a stop in Las Vegas.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012
Independent Lens: Revenge of the Electric Car (90 min.) In "Revenge of the Electric Car," filmmaker Chris Paine visits Nissan, GM and Tesla Motors to examine the resurgence of the electric car and the race to build the next generation of automobiles.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2012
The American Experience: The Crash of 1929 (60 min.) An examination of the 1929 stock market crash reveals how "the stock market was controlled by a handful of men" and what precipitated the disaster. Included: the aftermath of the crash and its impact on bankers and speculators.

Frontline: Money, Power and Wall Street (120 min.) Part 1 of 2. Chronicling the attempt to repair the economy following the 2008 financial meltdown. Included: the major decisions; the missed opportunities; the uneasy partnership between government and financial leaders.

To request a DVD copy of one of the above programs, please click on the "Offair Request" link on the left side under "Media Navigation". I will update this space each week so that you can see the upcoming programs on WXXI. Check back again for more updates.