PBS’s Award-Winning 'Tavis Smiley’ Show Comes to Detroit
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Della Cassia
248-305-3770
248-305-3770
PBS’s
Award-Winning 'Tavis Smiley’ Show Comes to Detroit
March 23, March 24 and March 25, 2015
Community Arts Auditorium, Wayne State University
DETROIT (March 10, 2015) – The national spotlight will once again
shine on Detroit when Tavis Smiley, host of the late-night television talk show
Tavis Smiley on PBS, comes to
Detroit. Smiley will tape five
episodes of his award-winning program in front of a live audience at Wayne
State University’s Midtown Detroit campus on March 23, 24 and 25. Detroit Public Television (DPTV) will
provide the crew and state-of-the-art facilities to help produce the shows in
conjunction with Wayne State University.
The focus of the week
will include examining the city’s Downtown resurgence, the challenges facing
long-time residents of the city, the Arab American community in Dearborn, the
arts community, and education. The week will conclude with a Detroit Town Hall
meeting.
Smiley is a
broadcaster, author, publisher, advocate and philanthropist whose thoughtful
conversations with world figures and his work to inspire the next generation of
leaders have made him a celebrated journalist and passionate advocate for youth
empowerment. His show has won
numerous awards and is seen daily on PBS stations throughout the country as
well as on the WORLD Channel. Funding for the 5-night series is provided by
Ford Foundation and The Skillman Foundation.
“The
world is looking at all that has been accomplished over the last two years in
Detroit. Yet, there are still huge challenges ahead of us,” said Rich
Homberg, President and CEO of Detroit Public Television. “Having Tavis come to
Detroit to help translate our story for the entire country is an important
opportunity for Detroit Public Television. We’re truly excited about this
partnership.”
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“I love
Detroit and welcome an opportunity to bring my show to Wayne State University,”
said Smiley. “Detroit has a bright future and we intend to give viewers across
the country an in-depth look at the city’s rich cultural heritage, thriving art
scene and some of the forward-thinking initiatives taking root.”
Tavis Smiley is currently the host of the
late-night television talk show “Tavis Smiley” on PBS, as well as “The Tavis
Smiley Show” from Public Radio International (PRI). He has authored or
co-authored 18 books, including What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up
in America and The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto, both
of which were New York Times bestsellers. His latest book, My
Journey with Maya, will be published in April; the book beautifully
recounts how Smiley stumbled into a relationship
with Maya Angelou that shaped his future and affected the man he became. He is also the founder of the nonprofit Tavis Smiley
Foundation, which recently announced a $3 million, four-year campaign called
“ENDING POVERTY: America’s Silent Spaces” to alleviate endemic poverty in
America. In 2009 TIME magazine named Smiley to its list of “The World’s
100 Most Influential People.” The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored him
with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame April 2014.
About Detroit Public Television
Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is the non-commercial, viewer-supported PBS-member station watched by more than 1.5 million people in Detroit and Southeast Michigan and another 1.2 million people throughout Canada. DPTV also manages WRCJ 90.9 FM, Detroit's classical and jazz radio station, in collaboration with the license-holder, the Detroit Public Schools. The radio station is located in the Detroit School of Arts. DPTV is licensed to the Detroit Educational Television Foundation and governed by a volunteer board of trustees from the local business, civic, and cultural communities.
Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is the non-commercial, viewer-supported PBS-member station watched by more than 1.5 million people in Detroit and Southeast Michigan and another 1.2 million people throughout Canada. DPTV also manages WRCJ 90.9 FM, Detroit's classical and jazz radio station, in collaboration with the license-holder, the Detroit Public Schools. The radio station is located in the Detroit School of Arts. DPTV is licensed to the Detroit Educational Television Foundation and governed by a volunteer board of trustees from the local business, civic, and cultural communities.
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