REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Fiscal Year 2016 | July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016

Public Broadcasting for Metropolitan Washington, D.C.

TO T H E COMMUNITY WE SERVE

WETA provided extraordinary services to the American people this year, bringing outstanding content to audiences through our stellar production portfolio and via our four WETA Television channels, radio station Classical WETA 90.9 FM, and extensive online initiatives. The flagship public media company in the nation’s capital, WETA informed America’s citizens and fostered civic engagement, told our country’s stories, and spotlighted our collective arts and culture. We are proud to be a top producer in public broadcasting nationwide, working with distinguished partners such as filmmaker Ken Burns; scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; the White

Thank you for helping to sustain our mission of public service.

Sincerely,

SHARON PERCY ROCKEFELLERPRESIDENT & CEO, WETA

TIMOTHY C. COUGHLIN CHAIRMAN, WETA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

House; The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and the Library of Congress.

Among our most important services, our award-winning, trusted public affairs productions PBS NewsHour and Washington Week presented superb journalism, launching comprehensive coverage of Election 2016 that reported on the candidates, campaigns, and issues of consequence to the public.

In the pages that follow, we invite you to explore WETA’s impressive fiscal year 2016 accomplishments, made possible with the generous support of our members, partners and funders.

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PBS NewsHour’s award-winning reporting covered the major stories of the year, including the 2016 national elections, the Orlando nightclub shooting, war in the Middle East, the worldwide refugee crisis, U.S. relations with Cuba, and the Zika virus.

WETA enjoyed an exhilarating year producing vital television programs for viewers from coast to coast. Fiscal year 2016 productions included live election events and important conversations on the state of America, as well as compelling insights into history, race and class from longtime WETA production partner Ken Burns and new WETA collaborator Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Among the more than 350 hours of new content, WETA also produced an array of concerts from the nation’s capital and engaging lifestyle series that delighted audiences throughout the country.

A production of NewsHour Productions LLC, a wholly owned nonprofit subsidiary of WETA Washington, D.C., in association with WNET in New York. Corporate funding provided by 23andMe, BNSF Railways, Fathom Travel, Genentech, Lincoln Financial Group, XQ Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center, along with major funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers. Additional funding provided by Adrienne Arsht, S.D. Bechtel Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, Friends of the NewsHour, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, J. Paul Getty Trust, Gilchrist Foundation, Gruber Family Foundation, Philip L. Graham Fund, Heising-Simons Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, Jerome Jacobson Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Kovler Fund, Kresge Foundation, Lemelson Foundation, Lumina Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, National Science Foundation, New York State Health Foundation, Orfalea Foundation, Ottaway Foundation, David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Park Foundation, Poetry Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Starr Foundation, and Judy and Josh Weston.

WEEKNIGHTS | PBS.ORG/NEWSHOUR

During this fiscal year, PBS NewsHour launched its Election 2016 coverage, with superb reporting and analysis informing voters throughout the election cycle. The nightly news program, co-anchored by Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff and featuring a team of seasoned and highly regarded journalists, has long been considered an essential guide for understanding a complex world. Among the year’s highlights was the PBS NewsHour Democratic Primary Debate with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on February 11 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Moderated by Ifill and Woodruff, the debate was produced in partnership with Facebook and simulcast live on CNN — garnering more than 8 million viewers and more than 900,000 live-stream views. Marking the innovation that is a hallmark of the program, PBS NewsHour and Facebook created a closed Facebook group of undecided voters, allowing for open discussion and soliciting questions for the debate, and also incorporated live data into the online debate discussion.

The election programming also included specials on primary and caucus results, and an interview with President Obama by Ifill on June 1 in Elkhart, Indiana, followed by Questions for President Obama: A Town Hall Special, exploring the choice voters have to make in November. The NewsHour election content continues in fiscal year 2017 with coverage of the Republican and Democratic conventions — in partnership with NPR — as well as of the presidential and vice-presidential debates and election night itself. This election coverage coincides with the regular production of the nightly news program, covering issues domestic and foreign, including a series on the refugee and migrant crisis facing Europe that earned a George Foster Peabody Award and a series exploring food that won the prestigious James Beard Award. PBS NewsHour also continued the Student Reporting Labs Academy, affording middle- and high-school fellows the opportunity to work alongside public media mentors to produce original news content for national audiences.

NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS

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F R I D AY S | PBS.ORG/WASHINGTONWEEKModerator and managing editor Gwen Ifill leads illuminating roundtable discussions, presenting exceptional political reporting and analysis of the major stories of the week from the nation’s capital. This year, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill launched an election initiative “16 for 2016” — a national campaign to bring together diverse points of view to inform and engage voters — with a goal of interacting with 1 million people during the campaign season. In celebration of its 50th anniversary year, the program is featuring a series of live-audience broadcasts from across America. The first took place February 12 in Milwaukee. Following the regular weekly broadcast in front of a studio audience, Washington Week produced an interactive town hall program in which the audience joined the conversation with Ifill and her panel in an issues-based Q&A session. Washington Week’s reach extends beyond the broadcast online featuring Webcast Extras with Ifill and her panelists; Gwen’s Take, exploring various topics such as the gun-control debate in the wake of the Orlando shooting; From the Vault videos; and News You Need to Know.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 PBS.ORG/AFTERCHARLESTON America After Charleston is an exploration of the issues propelled into public discourse after a white gunman shot and killed nine African-American parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 2015. Moderated by Gwen Ifill, the program was taped at the Circular Congregational Church, just blocks from the site of the shootings, before an audience of more than 250 community members. The special covers issues of race, structural inequality and politics through conversations with the families of the victims, Charleston civic leaders and commentators from across the country, as well as Polly Sheppard, one of the survivors of the shooting. The multi-platform initiative includes diverse digital and social media integration, highlighting exclusive Facebook data provided to PBS that demonstrates trends in social media reactions surrounding such shootings. The production also incorporated tweets into the taping and the live broadcast premiere.

A production for PBS by WETA Washington, D.C.; WGBH Boston; and South Carolina ETV Network. Funding provided by PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL

NOVEMBER 10, 2015 | PBS.ORG/VETERANSA poignant tribute to the history of disabled veterans in the United States, the film is an unflinching portrait of the realities of warfare and disabilities spanning the aftermath of the Revolutionary War through today’s conflicts in the Middle East. Debt of Honor: Disabled Veterans in American History includes personal stories from distinguished disabled veterans Rep. Tammy Duckworth and former Veterans Affairs administrator Max Cleland. Leading scholars also provide perspectives from the fields of history, psychology, and disability studies to help illustrate the enormous sacrifices of military service. The program is part of “Stories of Service,” the PBS multi-platform initiative that explores veterans’ experiences and provides a deeper understanding of the country’s military history. The National Endowment for the Humanities partnered with PBS and WETA to hold a series of screenings to highlight local stories of disabled veterans, with active military personnel and veterans and their families in attendance.

MAY 29, 2016 PBS.ORG/NATIONAL-MEMORIAL-DAY-CONCERTThe moving and inspiring concert features uplifting musical performances, documentary footage and dramatic readings that honor military service of men and women in uniform, their families at home and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. One of PBS’s highest-rated programs, National Memorial Day Concert has become an American tradition. The multi-award-winning television event, featuring a star-studded lineup, is co-hosted by Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise, two acclaimed actors dedicated to supporting U.S. veterans and troops. They are joined by General Colin L. Powell USA (Ret.), country music star Trace Adkins, classical superstar Renée Fleming and Broadway star Alfie Boe in performance with the National Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Jack Everly. The concert’s mission is to unite the country in remembrance and appreciation of the fallen.

A co-production of Capital Concerts and WETA Washington, D.C. Made possible by grants from The Boeing Company, National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel generously provided by American Airlines.

Clockwise, from top: Washington Week with Gwen Ifill; Debt of Honor: Disabled Veterans in American History; America After Charleston; A Capitol Fourth.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT

AMERICA AFTER CHARLESTON

DEBT OF HONOR: DISABLED VETERANS IN AMERICAN HISTORY

A production of WETA Washington, D.C. Corporate funding provided by Prudential Financial, The Boeing Company, Genentech, 23andMe and XQ Institute. Additional funding provided by Newman’s Own Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.

A production of Steeplechase Films. WETA Washington, D.C. is the presenting station. Funding provided by Lois Pope. National outreach supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

A co-production of Capital Concerts and WETA Washington, D.C. Made possible by grants from the Lockheed Martin Corporation, National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel generously provided by American Airlines.

A CAPITOL FOURTH

JULY 4, 2015 | PBS.ORG/A-CAPITOL-FOURTHThe annual Independence Day celebration marks 35 years on the air with the live broadcast from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The concert and spectacular display of fireworks honored America’s birthday with an all-star musical extravaganza headlined by pop-music superstar Barry Manilow, performing a medley of his hits and patriotic classics. Additional performers for A Capitol Fourth include top country music group Alabama, singer-songwriter Nicole Scherzinger, CMA Award-winner Hunter Hayes, vocalist Meghan Linsey, Grammy Award-winning superband KC and the Sunshine Band, world-renowned piano virtuoso Lang Lang, and classical crossover star and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan — all with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of pops conductor Jack Everly. In celebration of Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, jazz vocalist Robert Davi pays tribute to the American icon’s hits.

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APRIL 11-12, 2016 PBS.ORG/KENBURNS/JACKIE-ROBINSON

This moving documentary from filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon tells the story of Jack Roosevelt Robinson, who rose from humble origins to break baseball’s color barrier and wage a fierce lifelong battle for first-class citizenship for all African Americans that transcends even his remarkable athletic achievements. Jackie Robinson is also a warm portrait of a loving and devoted husband and father, featuring extensive interviews with Robinson’s widow, Rachel, and their surviving children, Sharon and David, who saw firsthand how resistant society could be to equality for African Americans. The four-hour film — and its robust website and public-engagement campaign — reveal that Robinson was both an iconic sports figure and one of the most important Americans of modern times. He was more than the myth; he was a man of his time and deeply committed to furthering civil rights. To augment the project, WETA produced comprehensive educational materials to help teachers spotlight Robinson’s legacy and his impact on the Civil Rights Movement.

JACKIE ROBINSON

At left, from top: Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Jackie Robinson; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Below: Filmmaker Ken Burns.

PBS.ORG/KENBURNS

The works of Ken Burns enjoy popularity long beyond their initial broadcast premieres, a testament to his skill at captivatingly telling America’s story. Fiscal year 2016 saw the national encore broadcasts of four of his many co-productions with WETA. Burns’s landmark masterpiece, The Civil War, about America’s most destructive and defining conflict, returned to PBS in newly restored high definition, marking both the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and the end of the Civil War, as well as the 25th anniversary of the nine-part film’s original 1990 broadcast premiere. Prohibition, originally broadcast in 2011, is a three-part film exploring the era of speakeasies, bootleggers and constitutional chaos in the wake of the rise, rule and fall of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. First broadcast in 2009, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, a six-part documentary series, is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved not for royalty or the rich but for everyone. Finally, Jazz, which first aired in 2001, tells the story of the quintessential American art form. The 10-part series follows the growth and development of jazz music from its beginnings to the new millennium.

The Civil War is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Financial support for the original broadcast provided by General Motors, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Funding for the 25th anniversary presentation provided by Bank of America, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS. Prohibition is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Corporate funding provided by Bank of America. Additional funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Park Foundation; The Montrone Family through The Penates Foundation; public television viewers; and PBS. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Funding provided by General Motors; the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Park Foundation; PBS; National Park Foundation; The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation; The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Bank of America. Jazz is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Financial support for the original broadcast provided by General Motors; PBS; Park Foundation; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; The Pew Charitable Trusts; The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism; the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Reva and David Logan Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; the National Endowment for the Arts; and Helen and Peter Bing.

SEASON 3, A 10-PART SERIES BEGINNING JANUARY 5, 2016 PBS.ORG/FINDINGYOURROOTS

This critically acclaimed series explores ancestry through genealogy research and DNA testing. In conversations with Gates, 28 of today’s most intriguing cultural trailblazers learn their family histories, including Mia Farrow, Dustin Hoffman, LL Cool J, Norman Lear, Sen. John McCain, Bill O’Reilly, Shonda Rhimes and Gloria Steinem. This season on Finding Your Roots, WETA encouraged viewers to share their family histories via social media. On Twitter, there were more than 216 million uses of the project hashtag (#FindingYourRoots) and mentions of the project since the broadcast premiere in January. The series’ Facebook page received more than 3.8 million impressions. Also in conjunction with the broadcast, Gates, with professors Nina Jablonski of Pennsylvania State University and Aditi Pai of Spelman College, designed The Finding Your Roots Curriculum Project, a new education curriculum based on the series that uses genealogy and genetics to teach science, targeted to disadvantaged middle-school students and minority college students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

A production of McGee Media, Inkwell Films, Kunhardt Films and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. Major corporate support provided by Ancestry.com, Johnson & Johnson, POM and Ford. Support also provided by the Ford Foundation, Candace King Weir, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS. The middle-school and college programs for the Finding Your Roots Curriculum Project are made possible through $826,000 in grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.

ENCORE PRESENTATIONS FROM KEN BURNS

AMERICAN FAULT LINE: RACE AND THE

AMERICAN IDEAL

A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE WITH KEN BURNS AND HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. PBS.ORG/BURNSGATES

Filmmaker Ken Burns and scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., were moved to encourage a national conversation about race following the tragic shooting in June 2015 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. As evidenced by their individual works, the history of race has captured the attention of Burns and Gates throughout their careers. The pair launched a multi-city tour discussing race — which in their view is the prevailing political fault line in the United States — and its significance in their understanding of America; its importance in their work; and how, as a nation, Americans deal with race today. Discussions in Charleston, Washington and New York City were complemented with video clips from Jackie Robinson, Burns’s film about the impact and legacy of the first black player in Major League Baseball, and Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise, Gates’s chronicle of the Civil Rights Movement culminating in the election of President Obama. The tour received extensive media attention; thousands of individuals attended the lively discussions; and many more watched the live stream of the New York event — held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

A production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Major League Baseball. Funding provided by Bank of America; PBS; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Mr. Jack C. Taylor; and members of The Better Angels Society, including Dalio Foundation, Jessica & John Fullerton and John & Catherine Debs.

Carlos Watson; Henry Louis Gates, Jr . ; and Ken Burns participate in a community discussion about race in America at Lisner Auditorium on the campus of The George Washington University.

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NOVEMBER 24, 2015 PBS.ORG/AMERICANEXPERIENCE

The film presents the true story of the Pilgrims, a small group of religious radicals whose determination to establish a separatist religious community planted the seeds for America’s founding. Stunning re-creations bring to life the stark, true story of America’s early settlers, including the final film performance of the late actor Roger Rees as William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Plantation for more than 30 years. Re-creations of the Pilgrims’ village feature “Plimoth Plantation,” a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, that served as a consultant throughout the production. American Experience: The Pilgrims and director Ric Burns were featured at the Smithsonian’s inaugural History Film Forum in Washington, D.C., as well as at a special screening at the Massachusetts State House in Boston, which included a rare display of Bradford’s journal “Of Plymouth Plantation,” where the manuscript is housed.

JANUARY 15, 2016 PBS.ORG/GERSHWINPRIZE

This year’s prize was awarded for the first time to a country music artist — Willie Nelson, who was honored at an award ceremony featuring a tribute concert. Highlighting music from throughout Nelson’s storied career, the special includes Edie Brickell, Leon Bridges, Rosanne Cash, Ana Gabriel, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Cyndi Lauper, Raul Malo of The Mavericks, Micah Nelson, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Paul Simon, Neil Young and Buckwheat Zydeco, with host Don Johnson. Nelson also performs — including a moving rendition of “Living in the Promiseland” that brings the entire audience to its feet. The Gershwin Prize is named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin and recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music worldwide.

A production of WETA Washington, D.C.; CoMedia; Mark Krantz Productions; Cappy Productions and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Corporate funding provided by Capital One. Major funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers. Air travel generously provided by American Airlines.

NOVEMBER 23, 2015PBS.ORG/TWAINPRIZE

The 18th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor — Eddie Murphy — performs his first stand-up comedy in 28 years upon accepting the award during this 90-minute television special. At the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and in households across the country, audiences were treated to an evening of laughter and heartwarming tributes to the comedian, actor, writer, singer and director. Friends and admirers, including Kathy Griffin, Arsenio Hall, Tracy Morgan, Trevor Noah and Chris Rock, pay tribute to the gifted entertainer — the most commercially successful African-American actor in the history of the motion-picture business and one of the industry’s top-five box-office performers overall. In the end, it is Murphy who — true to form — brings down the house and creates a night to remember during Eddie Murphy: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize. The program was also broadcast on cable channel TV One.

EDDIE MURPHY: THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE

JANUARY 8, 2016 PBS.ORG/WHITEHOUSE

President and Mrs. Obama host a concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, signed into law by President Johnson on September 29, 1965. The act called for the creation of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, the culmination of a movement calling for the federal government to invest in culture. This In Performance at the White House special features a selection of songs drawn from American-originated musical genres performed by Buddy Guy, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Audra McDonald, Keb’ Mo’, Smokey Robinson, Trombone Shorty, Esperanza Spalding, Brian Stokes Mitchell, James Taylor, and Usher, with special readings from Carol Burnett. Mrs. Obama also hosted an educational workshop for students, titled “A Celebration of Song,” produced by The Grammy Museum®. The concert was later broadcast via the American Forces Network.

WILLIE NELSON: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE FOR POPULAR SONG

A production of WETA Washington, D.C.; The Grammy Museum; TV One; CoMedia; Mark Krantz Productions; Cappy Productions; and Black and White TV Inc. Funding provided by PepsiCo, the Kovler Foundation, Tracy Richelle High and Roman Johnson, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ojora Saraki, The Wellbeing Foundation, Karen and Sam Seymour, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Air travel generously provided by American Airlines.

FEBRUARY 26, 2016 PBS.ORG/WHITEHOUSE

The final In Performance at the White House production during the Obama Administration is a rousing special honoring the legacy of iconic singer, songwriter, composer and musician Ray Charles. With hosts President and Mrs. Obama, the East Room program features interpretations of Charles’ works by Yolanda Adams, Leon Bridges, Andra Day, Anthony Hamilton, Brittany Howard, Demi Lovato, Sam Moore, Jussie Smollett, The Band Perry, and Usher. The program was also broadcast on cable channel TV One and via the American Forces Network. Timed to the special, Mrs. Obama hosted a student educational workshop, “The Musical Legacy of Ray Charles,” produced by The Grammy Museum®. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History also remounted an exhibition, “Ray Charles: The Genius,” and the Smithsonian launched the educational website Smithsonian Music at music.si.edu with the Smithsonian Salutes Ray Charles performance and providing materials for teachers and students to learn more about Charles and the global impact of his music.

SMITHSONIAN SALUTES RAY CHARLES: IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

From top: American Experience: The Pilgrims; Smithsonian Salutes Ray Charles: In Performance at the White House; A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House; Willie Nelson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song; Eddie Murphy: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize.

A CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN CREATIVITY: IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: THE PILGRIMS

A production of WETA Washington, D.C., and Steeplechase Films, in association with the BBC and CTVC. American Experience is produced for PBS by WGBH Boston. Major funding for The Pilgrims provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence; Lilly Endowment; and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Additional funding provided by Rosalind P. Walter, The Annenberg Foundation, the 1772 Foundation and The Overbrook Foundation/Arthur G. Altschul Jr. Exclusive corporate funding for American Experience provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Major funding provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers.

A production of WETA Washington, D.C.; CoMedia; Mark Krantz Productions; and Cappy Productions. Funding provided by The LBJ Presidential Library, David M. Rubenstein, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Spencer Foundation. Air travel generously provided by American Airlines.

A co-production of WETA Washington, D.C., and Bounce AEG. Funding provided by The Ira and Leonore Gershwin Fund and The Leonore S. Gershwin Trust FBO The Library of Congress Trust Fund Board. Major funding also provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers. Air transportation generously provided by United Airlines.

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A production of Pilot Film and Television Productions, Ltd., in association with WETA Washington, D.C. Funding provided by Subaru of America, Inc.

SEASON 5, A 13-PART SERIES BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2015 | SEASON 6, A 13-PART SERIES BEGINNING APRIL 6, 2016PBS.ORG/FOOD/SHOWS/MARTHA-BAKES

Martha Stewart shares her best baking tips and techniques, teaching viewers to create delectable baked goods from scratch in their own kitchens. Stewart’s updated versions of classic savory and sweet recipes set the standard, while her use of flavors and ingredients add new angles to familiar favorites. Some of the delicious offerings featured this year on Martha Bakes include spinach and three-cheese pizza, sorbet sandwiches, zoodles with pea pesto, jalapeño-cheddar rolls and caramel buttercream layer cake.

MARTHA BAKES

SEASON 5, A 20-PART SERIES BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 30, 2015SARAMOULTON.COM/SHOWS

One of America’s favorite cooking teachers, chef Sara Moulton, returns to public television for the fifth season of Sara’s Weeknight Meals, featuring simple but delicious recipes. The Daytime Emmy Award- and James Beard Award-nominated series spotlights practical tips, strategies and shortcuts — from using five ingredients for cookouts and learning an easy technique for sautéeing to making sumptuous sandwiches and eating more nutritiously. This season, special episodes focus on Meatless Mondays, Sunday supper and creating Chinese “takeout” at home. In addition, guest chefs from around the globe prepare their favorite dishes in Moulton’s home kitchen before taking her on culinary expeditions to their favorite local farms, ethnic enclaves and other secret food sources.

SARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS

Clockwise, from top left: Sara’s Weeknight Meals, Martha Bakes, Globe Trekker.

SEASON 14, A 30-PART SERIES BEGINNING APRIL 5, 2015 | SEASON 15, A 34-PART SERIES BEGINNING APRIL 3, 2016PILOTGUIDES.COM/TV-SHOWS/GLOBE-TREKKER

Globe Trekker transports viewers to unforgettable destinations through its travel adventures featuring stunning photography and rhythmic indigenous music. In each episode of this long-running series, a charismatic host ventures off the beaten path to soak up the local culture, sample the cuisine and revel in breathtaking vistas. In keeping with their aim of “living as the locals do,” the trekkers take turns exploring everything from big-city landmarks to exotic sights in remote villages. This year’s original episodes feature journeys to India, Cuba, Peru and North East England. Highlights include a special “U.S. Road Trip” through the Rust Belt Highway, and a new Globe Trekker “Food Hour” about the story of chocolate.

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2017 and beyond, WETA has an extensive pipeline of productions in development. A project’s scope includes collaborating with producers and advisers, securing funding, and developing ancillary materials such as web content and outreach activities.

The next project with Ken Burns is Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War, a film with Artemis Joukowsky airing September 20, 2016, and exploring the works of Americans Waitstill and Martha Sharp, who helped Jewish refugees, including many children, escape from the Nazis during World War II. The lineup of riveting films in the works from Burns’s production company Florentine Films includes the 10-part documentary The Vietnam War, as well as Country Music and Hemingway, coming to PBS over the next few years.

The WETA production partnership with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., continues with several series and specials. In Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise, premiering November 15 and 22, 2016, Gates hosts a journey through the last half-century of the African-American experience, inspiring viewers to examine the forces and events that have shaped their lives — and the nation’s culture and society — since the end of the Civil Rights Movement. In the fourth season of the series Finding Your Roots, Gates continues to explore how the interaction of different racial, religious and ethnic groups has produced a diverse American society.

Additional projects coming to a national audience in fiscal year 2017 are Bill Murray: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, airing October 28, 2016, and honoring the actor-comedian for his four decades of hilarity on television and in films; and Smokey Robinson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which premieres February 10, 2017, with an all-star musical lineup paying tribute to the ninth recipient of the prestigious honor.

SYNDICATION SERVICES

WETA assists producers in bringing select projects to a national audience. In fiscal year 2016, WETA provided syndication services for the holiday favorite National Christmas Tree Lighting 2015, the top-rated children’s series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and the financial news series Nightly Business Report.

P R O D U C T I O N P I P E L I N E

GLOBE TREKKER

A production of Silver Plume Productions and WETA Washington, D.C. Funding provided by Subaru of America, Inc; Maple Leaf Farms; USA Rice Federation; Salt Institute; Tea Board of India and USA Pears.

A production of Flour Productions, Inc., in association with WETA Washington, D.C. Season 5 funding provided by Domino Sugar. Season 6 funding provided by Domino Sugar, Bob’s Red Mill and Kerrygold.

From top: Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War; Bill Murray: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize; Nightly Business Report; Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise; National Christmas Tree Lighting 2015.

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TELEVISION

WETA

• The flagship PBS station in the nation’s capital, WETA presents programming on four channels. WETA TV 26 is the primary channel; WETA HD offers superior sound and picture quality; WETA UK is dedicated to the best in British programming; and WETA Kids provides informative and educational fare for young viewers.

• WETA is one of more than 350 PBS member stations and, in an average week, reaches 2 million viewers in the District of Columbia and in 53 counties throughout the region. WETA TV 26 and WETA UK are the top two public television channels in the Greater Washington area.

WETA Television proudly serves the residents of Greater Washington, providing a diverse range of engaging programming. From news and public affairs series, and performing arts and drama offerings, to history and science documentaries, and children’s series, the station endeavors to expand horizons by presenting superb content on-air, online and in the community.

Opposite page: Masterpiece: Sherlock: The Abominable Bride. This page, clockwise, from top left: Call the Midwife; Nova: Chasing Pluto; Nature: India’s Wandering Lions; Smithsonian Salutes Ray Charles: In Performance at the White House; Frontline: Yemen Under Siege; Masterpiece: Indian Summers; Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood; Independent Lens: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution; Great Performances: Billy Elliot the Musical Live. 13

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• The award-winning Frontline series always asks the tough questions, this year shining a light on significant and complex topics such as America’s heroin crisis, transgender identity, and the world of fantasy sports and online betting.

• It was a banner year for science, as Nova documented astronaut Scott Kelly’s record-breaking mission in A Year in Space, and Nature highlighted the paleontological discovery of the world’s largest animal in Raising the Dinosaur Giant.

• Recognizing the range of diverse cultures and backgrounds of the WETA community, special-interest programming aired throughout the year. Featured titles included Independent Lens: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution; Changing Season: Life on the Matsumoto Family Farm; Frontline: Growing up Trans; and Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle.

• WETA productions PBS NewsHour and Washington Week continued to offer extraordinary news reporting and analysis in service to the public. During this election year, comprehensive campaign coverage included the PBS NewsHour Democratic Primary Debate and Questions for President Obama: A PBS NewsHour Special. In response to the tragic events in South Carolina, the live town hall meeting America After Charleston, moderated by Gwen Ifill, opened a national dialogue to address issues surrounding race, class and identity.

• The popular series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., explored the ancestral stories of 28 distinguished participants, using the latest advances in historical research and DNA technology. The 2016 season was the first with the series’ new production partner WETA.

• Fiscal year 2016 celebrated the longtime production partnership between WETA and filmmaker Ken Burns, with encore presentations of The Civil War, Jazz, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea and Prohibition and the unveiling of the latest joint effort, Jackie Robinson.

This page, clockwise, from top left: Luther; Independent Lens: A Ballerina’s Tale; Great Performances: Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin’ to Do; Mercy Street; Doc Martin. Opposite page, clockwise, from top left: Big Blue Live; Gorongosa Park: Rebirth of Paradise: New Blood; A Year in Space; Nova: Making North America; Independent Lens: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.

TRUSTED FOR NEWS AND DOCUMENTARIES

• From favorite mysteries to beloved comedies, WETA UK showcases the best in British television, with more and more viewers discovering the channel every year. Perennial favorites include Midsomer Murders, Pie in the Sky, Inspector Morse and Rosemary & Thyme.

• A resource for British programming enthusiasts, WETA UK featured a slate of new drama series this year, including the coming-of-age story Lilies, the Scotland-set crime series Shetland and the contemporary pregnancy drama In the Club. The Telly Visions blog on weta.org provided weekly episode recaps and posts to further the discussion online.

• Fiscal year 2016 bid a fond farewell to Masterpiece dramas Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge and Wallander, while launching new productions Home Fires, Indian Summers and Poldark. The Sherlock special, The Abominable Bride, enthralled viewers on New Year’s Day, and a new set of Grantchester episodes delighted mystery aficionados.

CELEBRATED FOR DRAMA AND THE ARTS

• Drama highlights in the WETA schedule included the Alexandria-set Civil War drama Mercy Street, shot in historic locations within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The gripping, modern detective drama Luther, starring Idris Elba, featured psychological thrills, while popular comic-drama Doc Martin returned for its seventh season, delighting fans.

• Performance programming has been a staple of WETA offerings since the founding of the station, and this past year was no exception. Notable performances from renowned venues were featured on In Performance at the White House, The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize and A Capitol Fourth.

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• As part of the station’s educational mission, WETA broadcasts a wide selection of children’s programming mornings on WETA TV 26 and around the clock on the WETA Kids channel. These offerings provide a haven for children where parents, grandparents and other caregivers can find trusted content.

• WETA Kids continues to be a valued source for high-quality educational programs suitable for children. From Curious George to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, young viewers of all ages can reliably find illuminating and entertaining television.

• Two new offerings on the children’s programming slate this year were Nature Cat, introducing viewers to the wonders of nature and voiced by an all-star lineup of comedic talent; and Ready Jet Go!, building on children’s curiosity about science, technology and astronomy.

ENRICHING YOUNG MINDS

• Fostering a deeper connection with local families, WETA participated in various events throughout the fiscal year, including the National Building Museum’s Discover Engineering Family Day, which encourages STEM learning; EdFEST, Washington’s only citywide public school fair; and La Feria de la Familia, a day of family activities at the D.C. Armory.

• The WETA Kids Ready To Learn initiative offers resources to families and childcare providers to help encourage a child’s natural curiosity, reading skills and love of learning. In fiscal year 2016, more than 3,600 children benefited from 84 workshops, attended by more than 700 participants throughout the region.

• The Where Literacy Begins project introduces early-childhood learning techniques to parents and caregivers, nurturing reading comprehension and developmental growth. WETA organized 25 workshops providing low-cost tools and techniques, allowing participating families a head start for success in school and beyond.

• The WETA production Martyrs, Mayhem and Martial Law: Life in Civil War Alexandria explored the extraordinary history and human stories of the local city, joining WETA’s portfolio of documentaries created exclusively for viewers in Greater Washington.

• The six-part series Honored to Serve saluted local people, places and history, recognizing service personnel and their families as an integral part of the American fabric. WETA augmented the broadcasts with online content and a community engagement initiative that included area screenings at the GI Film Festival.

• Several projects uncovered the region’s unique local culture and history, including the television series WETA Neighborhoods, spotlighting the people and places of Anacostia, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle and Georgetown. Ongoing series WETA Around Town and WETA Arts, hosted by Robert Aubry Davis, continued to illuminate the lively and abundant arts scene.

• Local events provided WETA members with direct access to celebrated PBS personalities making public appearances in the nation’s capital, including cast members from Downton Abbey on Masterpiece, and filmmaker Ken Burns and Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who engaged in a candid discussion on race in America.

• The Re:Dream online video series tackled the topics of opportunity and success in the 21st-century economy and spotlighted how individuals pursue their American dream. WETA, one of five PBS stations participating in the digital project, produced eight locally focused micro-documentaries and partnered with The George Washington University and the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington to host companion screening events.

• Additional online-exclusive WETA projects that centered on the local community included Not THAT D.C., a collection of brief documentaries surveying unique activities in the region; and the Boundary Stones blog, giving insight to historic events that took place in the national capital area.

• The station also created timely content for weta.org that built on television programs — from a Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries personality quiz to Civil War articles relevant to the new series Mercy Street.

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WETA AUDIENCES

This page, clockwise, from top left: WETA volunteer at a local festival; Ready Jet Go!; Curious George; Nature Cat; Odd Squad. Opposite page, clockwise, from top left: Martyrs, Mayhem and Martial Law: Life in Civil War Alexandria; Honored to Serve/National Memorial Day Concert; Re:Dream; WETA Neighborhoods; WETA Around Town.

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• This singular public service is drawn from WETA’s immense library of classical recordings, as well as from live performances at venues throughout Greater Washington, expertly recorded by Classical WETA’s superbly talented sound engineers. Moreover, WETA serves its dedicated listenership by reviving radio series that have been favorites of music lovers nationwide for decades.

• In fiscal year 2016, Classical WETA reached number seven in listenership among Greater Washington’s 40-plus radio stations, with a weekly audience exceeding 450,000. Another 20,000 weekly listeners enjoyed Classical WETA via the live, online stream at classicalweta.org.

• The richness of the listener experience is further enhanced by the breadth and depth of musical knowledge of Classical WETA on-air hosts David Ginder, Marilyn Cooley, Bill Bukowski, Nicole Lacroix, Deb Lamberton, Linda Carducci, Chip Brienza, Rich Kleinfeldt, James Jacobs and John Banther.

SHOWCASING WASHINGTON’S MAJESTIC MUSIC

MAKING MUSIC INTERACTIVE

CLASSICAL WETA• Classical WETA launched a partnership with the

Library of Congress and Classic Digital Syndications (CDS) to re-energize a nearly century-old radio series, making it available to stations across the country. Concerts from the Library of Congress features performances by an array of outstanding classical musicians and ensembles. The series, hosted by renowned conductor and composer Bill McGlaughlin, showcases the revered institution’s musical offerings, as well as fascinating aspects of its vast musical holdings.

• Washington’s premier orchestral institution, the National Symphony Orchestra, was again a major feature of Classical WETA’s programming. NSO Showcase remains a favorite among listeners, highlighting the virtuosity of the orchestra and of music director Christoph Eschenbach. The series encompasses many of music’s greatest composers as well as those forging a new path for the genre.

• Connecting with the community is a station priority, and Classical WETA achieves this through a variety of ways, including appearances by on-air hosts at cultural venues throughout the region, such as the Concert Hall at Strathmore, Wolf Trap and the Folger Shakespeare Library.

• Listeners also engage with the station at website classicalweta.org, enjoying such features as the popular “Test Your Classical Music IQ” feature, the innovative initiative titled “What’s Your Classical Composer Personality?,” and perennial favorite Classical Countdown, the annual listeners’ choice competition.

• The new Classical Music News feature on classicalweta.org is the go-to place for news and information about classical music. The site is updated daily with timely content from prestigious public media organizations, including NPR, PBS and PRX (Public Radio Exchange). 19

THE POWER OF THE FIRST INSTRUMENT

• Throughout the year, Classical WETA spotlighted the varied operatic fare of Greater Washington, both through its digital station, VivaLaVoce, and through its broadcast of productions by local companies, including Wolf Trap Opera and Washington Concert Opera. A milestone of the season was Classical WETA’s extensive coverage of Washington National Opera’s epic Ring cycle by Richard Wagner.

• Classical WETA streamed contemporary opera, with the Wolf Trap Opera’s production of John Corigliano and William M. Hoffman’s acclaimed work, The Ghosts of Versailles. Classical WETA broadcasted Wolf Trap Opera’s production of Mozart’s much-loved work The Marriage of Figaro on WETA Opera House and VivaLaVoce.

• WETA Opera House remains appointment listening for opera lovers each Saturday, offering broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, as well as recordings of performances by many of the world’s most revered opera companies, from the genre’s most renowned venues, including London’s Covent Garden and La Scala in Milan.

• Classical WETA helped kick off the NSO’s year with the broadcast of the National Symphony Orchestra Season Opening Ball Concert. Befitting the occasion, the program was decidedly festive, including works by Bernstein and Smetana, and featuring Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger.

• Front Row Washington returned with a series of programs featuring live recordings of concerts from venues such as the Freer Gallery of Art, the National Gallery of Art and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. A highlight of the season was a Phillips Collection concert re-creating the 1966 American debut of legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould.

Classical WETA 90.9 FM continues to strengthen the station’s enduring bond with music lovers, presenting the finest in classical music in all its forms — orchestral, operatic, chamber, choral, solo and more.

At left: Thomas Wilkins (NSO Showcase). Opposite page, left to right: Joyce DiDonato in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of La Donna del Lago; National Symphony Orchestra with music director Christoph Eschenbach.

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LEARNING MEDIAONLINE SERVICES OFFERING UNPARALLELED RESOURCES

SERVING THOSE WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND THEIR FAMILIES

PROGRAMS THAT FILL GAPS IN READING, WRITING AND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

• Start with a Book is a learning initiative for parents and summer-program staff designed to strengthen literacy skills and ward off summer-learning loss in young children, especially those at risk. Through collaborations this year with local organizations such as Turning the Page and the D.C. Public Library, Start with a Book established strong connections with programs serving lower-income children in the Greater Washington area. The project also partnered with the American Federation of Teachers to help develop summer-learning programs. Start with a Book reached more than 106,000 parents and youth educators, a 37 percent increase from the number of visitors in the previous year.

• Colorín Colorado, the online project designed for parents and teachers of English-language learners, completed a successful redesign this year. The nation’s leading website serving this growing student population reached more than 2.3 million visitors and continues to provide practical information on timely topics such as the impact that changing immigration policy has on schools and efforts to welcome families from diverse backgrounds into schools.

• AdLit.org serves parents and teachers of children in 4th through 12th grade who struggle with reading. In fiscal year 2016, the project continued its collaboration with the National Writing Project, producing a video series that spotlights a group of Washington, D.C., high school students studying to be historians. AdLit.org also launched a new video project focused on teaching writing in science class.

AdLit.org is funded by the National Writing Project and The Poses Family Foundation. BrainLine and BrainLine Military are funded by the Bob Woodruff Foundation, the Infinite Hero Foundation, American Institutes for Research, and the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training at the University of Oregon. Major support for Colorín Colorado is provided by founding partner, the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, with generous support provided by the National Education Association. LD OnLine is funded by Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. Reading Rockets is funded by The Poses Family Foundation. Start with a Book is funded by the Park Foundation.

• BrainLine — which provides key information on preventing, treating, and living with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — reached a milestone this year, surpassing 200,000 unique visitors to Brainline.org each month. Also, in conjunction with the University of Oregon, BrainLine is helping produce a new web project about how teachers can work most effectively with students who have sustained a TBI. This includes video interviews with teachers and special educators from Arlington County Public Schools.

• BrainLine Military, targeted to service members and veterans and their families, provides a treasure trove of resources about traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. The award-winning initiative also offers a platform for service members and veterans to share their stories. Highlighting this year’s accomplishments is the production of a video featuring an entrepreneurship training program for veterans with TBI who are interested in running a small business.

WETA Learning Media is the ultimate resource for a range of individuals — from members of the military living with traumatic brain injuries to teachers and parents of students struggling to learn in preschool through 12th grade. These web-based outreach projects offer multimedia information, resources, and community to people who may not know where to turn for help.

• Fiscal year 2016 was the most successful year to date for WETA Learning Media national websites, which served 16 million unique visitors. Reading Rockets, LD Online, Start with a Book, Colorín Colorado, AdLit.org, BrainLine and BrainLine Military all set audience records. Collectively, the projects attracted more than 360,000 followers on social media.

• In its 14th year, Reading Rockets, an award-winning national multimedia initiative, continues to offer a rich, growing library of research-based information and resources for parents and educators about how young children learn to read, why so many struggle, and how adults can help. Recent highlights include expanded resources on teaching writing, an extensive new video library featuring top literacy experts, and new blogs authored by nationally known voices in education and children’s literature. More than 7.8 million unique users visited ReadingRockets.org — a 27 percent increase from the previous year — and the site received nearly 19 million page views. The project also maintains a robust presence on social media. By the end of 2015, Reading Rockets had 155,000 likes on Facebook, 35,000 followers on Twitter, 9,000 followers on Pinterest, and 1.3 million YouTube video views.

• Since 1996, LD OnLine has served parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities with in-depth, research-based resources about dyslexia, ADHD and more. This year, LD OnLine produced a collection of new video resources including one that explores effective apps for helping teens with organizational struggles and another that teaches children ways to handle stress. LD OnLine also launched a new partnership with one of the leading teacher educators in the field, the Landmark School, bringing fresh content to users.

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WETA FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016

WETA posted a solid financial performance in fiscal year 2016 (July 1, 2015 — June 30, 2016), garnering more than $92 million in funding support and generating nearly $1 million in operating income. This positive financial outcome was the result of generous contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, coupled with disciplined, cost-effective financial management. The support of donors, foundations and corporations, combined with community service grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), supplied the essential funds that enabled WETA to continue to serve the community and produce high-quality programming for audiences nationwide.

Beyond its strong financial results, WETA achieved a number of notable operational and programming accomplishments this year. WETA produced and distributed important and critically acclaimed content, while expanding its reach and engagement with national and local audiences.

LOCAL BROADCASTING OPERATIONSWETA depends on broad-based local support to fulfill its community service mission. In fiscal year 2016, contributions from individuals provided more than 60 percent of the funding for local broadcasting operations, which include four WETA Television channels — WETA TV 26, WETA HD, WETA UK and WETA Kids — as well as Classical WETA 90.9 FM, weta.org, and WETA Learning Media online resources. Individual contributions, along with support from local businesses, foundations and organizations, delivered the resources that powered local broadcasting operations and enabled WETA to deliver educational resources and outreach services to the community of Greater Washington.

NATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCTIONFiscal year 2016 was an exciting year for national television offerings, with the premiere of the two-part Jackie Robinson documentary produced in collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, and the successful returning series Finding Your Roots produced with new WETA partner Henry Louis Gates, Jr. WETA also produced and delivered a strong schedule of performance programs from the White House, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. In addition to delivering audiences for WETA and for public television stations across the country, these national television productions delivered strong financial results — and were important and significant financial contributors that helped fund WETA operations and educational and outreach initiatives.

In its second year of operation under WETA management, PBS NewsHour demonstrated its productivity and posted solid financial results. In addition to the nightly PBS NewsHour program, activity this year from NewsHour Productions included a Democratic primary debate, campaign-trail reports and town hall specials. Washington Week, also produced by WETA, continued to be an important news and information program for the PBS national primetime schedule and a positive financial contributor to WETA.

OPERATING EXPENSESMore than 83 percent of every dollar that WETA raised went to pay for radio, television and online operations, including educational and community outreach services. WETA used the remaining expenses to develop and steward donations and build and maintain the infrastructure that will enable the company to sustain its service to the community for years to come. Generous financial support from diverse sources provides WETA with the resources necessary to withstand periodic economic challenges and to expand our public media services to the community.

61%

18%

8%

8%

5% <1%

39%

29%

21%

5%3% 3%

65%

13%

11%

5%3% 3%

SUPPORT FOR LOCAL OPERATIONS

Individuals $17,702,612

Public Broadcasting Support $5,343,555

Foundations & Not-for-Profits $2,202,080

Corporate Underwriting & Funding $2,187,173

Other Income $1,384,272

Federal & State Government $8,518

Total $28,828,210

SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL TELEVISION PRODUCTION

Public Broadcasting Support $24,683,152

Foundations & Not-for-Profits $18,635,279

Corporate Underwriting & Funding $13,121,726

Individuals $3,454,789

Other Income $1,970,955

Federal & State Government $1,723,625

Total $63,589,526

OPERATING EXPENSES

National Programming & Productions $59,546,569

Fundraising $12,303,292

Television Broadcasting $9,764,538

Education, Outreach & Promotion $4,305,158

Management & General $3,102,929

Radio Broadcasting $2,714,862

Total $91,737,348

WETA financial statements are audited annually by a certified public accounting firm.

The flagship public broadcaster in the nation’s capital, WETA is a careful steward of the funds generously entrusted to the station from a variety of public and private sources. WETA is a not-for-profit organization licensed to the community of Greater Washington and dedicated to a mission of public service. The company presents and produces vibrant television and radio programming, creates engaging digital content and offers important educational services beyond broadcast.

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Robust membership support for WETA is emblematic of the appreciation viewers and listeners have for the station’s high-quality programs and local activities. WETA programming and educational and cultural offerings serve all of Greater Washington — people of all ages from all neighborhoods, with a variety of interests. It is the ongoing support of members that has enabled WETA to provide these services to the Greater Washington region for more than half a century and will empower WETA to do so in the years ahead.

In gratitude for their loyalty and financial investment, WETA invites members to special events, providing behind-the-scenes insights into some of the station’s most illuminating and compelling programming. In this fiscal year, these events ranged from advance screenings and discussions with key cast members of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece and the popular Civil War drama Mercy Street to a candid conversation with filmmaker Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., about race in America. Among other member-only events was a lively discussion about mystery programming on WETA TV 26 and WETA UK.

MEMBERSHIP

W E TA C O M M U N I T Y A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L

WETA appreciates the counsel of the WETA Community Advisory Council, composed of individuals who volunteer their time to serve as a voice of the community regarding programming, outreach services and public activities. These dedicated community leaders represent various civic, social and welfare groups and other organizations located within the Greater Washington region.

WETA SUSTAINING MEMBERS

WETA depends on the steady stream of contributions from sustaining members, whose monthly giving provides the consistent financial foundation that ensures the ongoing success of WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM. WETA is immensely grateful for the long-term commitment of the station’s enthusiastic sustaining members, who numbered more than 19,000 this year.

WETA PRODUCTION CENTER

The Production Center is home to the WETA productions PBS NewsHour, Washington Week, WETA Around Town and WETA Arts. It is also a major draw to many outside producers who choose the state-of-the-art facility to create programs for domestic and international television networks, government agencies, commercial syndication, corporations and universities. With the latest in high-definition technology, the fully equipped television studios and control rooms include robust fiber-optic and satellite connectivity, AVID edit rooms and experienced crews as well as an array of connections to newsmaker hotspots.

In fiscal year 2016, WETA completed a new set for PBS NewsHour and made additional improvements to the facility’s adjacent studio. Preparations were also underway for PBS NewsHour’s live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the national political conventions, directed from the Production Center’s control room.

WETA is privileged to have earned the enduring support of more than 103,000 loyal members who fund most of the station’s local television and radio broadcasting services as well as a wide range of WETA educational activities and events in the community. In fiscal year 2016, individuals contributed almost $18 million, accounting for 61 percent of WETA’s local operating budget.

Washington Week is produced weekly at the WETA Production Center .

WETA members and volunteers enjoy a variety of station events, including screenings and discussions with cast members of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece and WETA production partners Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Ken Burns.

VOLUNTEERS

More than 150 volunteers provided more than 5,300 hours of their time to WETA in fiscal year 2016, an extraordinary commitment to the company and its mission of public service. Moreover, the contributions of dedicated volunteers make WETA’s operations more vibrant, through participation in events, taking calls during pledge drives, making thank-you calls to new members, and assisting station staff with a variety of community initiatives.

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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

WETA appreciates the generosity of its loyal Leadership Circle donors, whose annual philanthropic gifts enable WETA to continue its tradition of providing high-quality programming and important community services.

WETA established the Elizabeth P. Campbell Legacy Society to honor the organization’s late founder, who championed free, quality education for all citizens and whose vision helped establish WETA as one of the Washington area’s most valued and essential institutions. Through her bequest, Mrs. Campbell laid the groundwork to ensure that WETA would always be an integral part of the educational and cultural life of our country and the Greater Washington community.

ELIZABETH P. CAMPBELL LEGACY SOCIETY

The WETA Salon Series offers unique experiences related to the programming on WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM. Throughout the year, generous donors had the opportunity to hear thought-provoking speakers and attend live local performances. The events included the presentation of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to Willie Nelson and a private musical recital at the Residence of the German Ambassador, an advance screening and panel discussion of the final season of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece and a cooking demonstration and dinner with Chef Pati Jinich.

WETA LEADERSHIP CIRCLE SALON SERIES

This group of Leadership Circle music lovers supports Classical WETA 90.9 FM with annual investments of $1,000 or more. These generous donors, who ensure the vitality of Washington’s premier classical music radio station, enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of the station, opportunities to meet on-air hosts, and private recitals — including one this year by the Washington Bach Consort at the residence of the German Ambassador.

FRIENDS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

This year, the WETA Salon Series included a private musical recital at the residence of the German Ambassador (above) and a cooking demonstration and dinner with Chef Pati Jinich (at right). Globe Trekker, Mercy Street and Downton Abbey (top, left to right).

Chairman’s Circle $100,000 +

President’s Circle $50,000 TO $99,999

Trustee’s Circle $25,000 TO $49,999

Director’s Circle $10,000 TO $24,999

Benefactor $5,000 TO $9,999

Sponsor $2,500 TO $4,999

Supporter $1,000 TO $2,499

PBS NewsHour features timely interviews with today’s newsmakers , including Gwen If i l l ’s conversation with Aretha Franklin , the 2015 recipient of the “Portrait of a Nation” prize.

Friends of the NewsHour is a group of dedicated individuals from across the country who help ensure the legacy of the most trusted and credible television news program. Friends enjoy special benefits including invitations to PBS NewsHour studio productions and Friends of the NewsHour salon events, which include panel discussions featuring important news figures. They are also invited to WETA screenings and receptions. WETA is very grateful to the following donors who contributed in fiscal year 2016.

FRIENDS OF THE NEWSHOUR

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LOCAL UNDERWRITING

AbramoramaAlexandria Symphony OrchestraAll Souls Memorial Episcopal ChurchAltarum InstituteAmadeus ConcertsAmerica’s Test KitchenAmerican Film InstituteAmerican Association for Cancer ResearchAmerican Guild of OrganistsAmerican Pops OrchestraAmerican-Turkish Association of

Washington, D.C.AOG Wealth Management Inc.Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA)Art and Frame of Falls ChurchThe Art LeagueArts on the GreenAttila Glatz Concert ProductionsBach Choir of BethlehemBaltimore Symphony Orchestra at

StrathmoreThe Boeing CompanyBritish-American Business AssociationCancer Treatment Centers of America

Candlewick PressCantate Chamber SingersThe Capital HearingsCapital Remodel & Garden ShowCassaday & Company, Inc.Castleton FestivalCathedral Choral SocietyThe Catholic University of America

Benjamin T. Rome School of MusicCenter for the Arts at George Mason

UniversityThe China National Traditional OrchestraThe Choral Arts Society of WashingtonThe Choralis FoundationClarice Smith Performing Arts Center at

the University of MarylandCogent Communications, Inc. The Collins FirmThe Colonial Williamsburg FoundationColumbia RecordsComcast CorporationCompany ECookologyDaPonte String Quartet

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

The Embassy SeriesEmbraer SAEuropean UnionFairfax Choral SocietyFalun Dafa Association of Washington, D.C.The Florida Keys & Key WestFolger Shakespeare LibraryFord’s TheatreThe Foundation for Global Sports

DevelopmentFox Searchlight PicturesFriday Morning Music ClubGEICOGeorge Washington’s Mount VernonGeorgetown University – School of

Continuing StudiesGiant Food of Maryland, Inc.Gourmet SymphonyGrace ChurchGrace Episcopal ChurchGraham Holdings CompanyGreater Williamsburg Chamber and

Tourism Alliance

Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLCHillwood Estate, Museum & GardensHolland America LineHomestretch Inc.The Hylton Performing Arts CenterJenner & Block LLPThe John E. Marlow Guitar SeriesThe John F. Kennedy Center for the

Performing ArtsJohns Hopkins MedicineKeller Benefit ServicesLevine School of MusicLincoln Center for the Performing ArtsLive NationManassas Ballet TheatreMarketplace Events – Home ShowsMaryland Lyric OperaMcLean OrchestraThe Mitchell Gallery at St. John’s CollegeMorphoTrust USANational Archives FoundationNational Chamber EnsembleNational Endowment for the HumanitiesNational Gallery of ArtNational PhilharmonicNational Presbyterian ChurchOakridge Auction GalleryOlney Theatre CenterOpera LafayetteOpera PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Eighth Icoc Inc.Prince George’s Philharmonic

Quatt Associates, Inc.Random HouseThe Reston ChoraleRice UniversityRosenthal Automotive GroupRoswell Artist-in-Residence ProgramS&R FoundationShakespeare Theatre CompanyShriver Hall Concert SeriesSidney’s Music & EntertainmentSignature TheatreSmithsonian Institution – American Art

MuseumSmithsonian Institution – Freer Gallery of

Art and Arthur M. Sackler GallerySmithsonian Institution – National Air &

Space MuseumSmithsonian Institution – National Museum

of American HistorySmithsonian Institution – National Museum

of the American IndianSmithsonian Institution – National Portrait

GallerySony MusicSony Pictures ClassicsSt. John’s Episcopal ChurchSt. Jude Medical FoundationSt. Martin’s PressStrathmoreThe Studio TheatreTen Thousand VillagesTriStar Pictures

WETA is grateful to the corporate entities that supported WETA Television, Classical WETA 90.9 FM, WETA Magazine, weta.org and local initiatives in fiscal year 2016.

Twentieth Century Fox Film CorporationUnited States Army – Military District of

WashingtonUnitedHealth GroupUniversal PicturesViking BooksVocal Arts DCThe Walt Disney StudiosWashington Antiquarian Book Fair Washington Bach ConsortiumWashington Balalaika SocietyThe Washington BalletThe Washington ChorusWashington Concert OperaWashington District of Columbia

Jewish Community CenterWashington Master ChoraleWashington Men’s CamerataWashington National CathedralWashington Performing Arts Waterford Concert SeriesThe Westmoreland Museum of

American ArtThe Wild Kratts Live!Wintergreen Performing ArtsWolf Trap Foundation for the

Performing ArtsYour Part-Time Controller

WETA Magazine — the station’s program guide — is distributed monthly to WETA members.

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FOUNDATION SUPPORT

WETA thanks the foundations that provided general and project support for fiscal year 2016, allowing flexibility in creating and delivering broadcast services and educational initiatives for the community.

The Arlington Community FoundationThe Austin Foundation, Inc.Walter A. Bloedorn Foundation The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz

FoundationEugene B. Casey Foundation The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the

Performing Arts Marshall B. Coyne Foundation The Dana FoundationNelson B. Delavan FoundationDelman Mortenson Charitable FoundationDimick Foundation DLT Solutions The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.The Richard Eaton FoundationThe Robert M. Fisher Memorial Foundation,

Inc. – A Foundation of the Jess and Mildred Fisher Family

John G. and Jean R. Gosnell Foundation

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT

KE N BU RNSNational Endowment for the Humanities: Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities

E LIZ AB ETH P. C AMPB E LLArlington County Civic Federation: Centennial Historic Achievement Award

GWE N IF ILLNational Press Club: Fourth Estate Award

Washingtonian Magazine: Washingtonian of the Year

Women’s Media Center: Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award

S HARO N PE RCY RO CKE F E LLE RCapital Speakers Club: Award of Excellence

Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program Award

J U DY WO O D RU F FWomen’s Media Center: Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award

KEN BURNS PRESENTS CANCER: THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES A FILM BY BARAK GOODMANAlfred I. duPont-Columbia Award

National Brain Tumor Society: Community Leadership Award — Ken Burns, Barak Goodman, Siddhartha Mukherjee

COLORÍN COLORADOCommunicator Award: Silver Distinction Award for Websites in Education

Interactive Media Award: Best in Class Award in Education

PBS NEWSHOURAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Silver Award; Television Spot News/Feature

Gracie Award: Grand Winner; Hard-News Feature — “Escape from Terror”

James Beard Foundation: Broadcast Media Award; Television Segment — “Food4Thought”

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, News & Documentary Emmy Award: Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast — “Who’s Behind the Chinese Takeover of the World’s Biggest Pork Producer?”

WETA PRODUCTIONS, CO-PRODUCTIONS AND PROJECTS

The Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Inc.

The Jacob and Charlotte Lehrman Foundation

The Maple Tree FundThe J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott

FoundationRichard E. and Nancy P. Marriott

FoundationMAXIMUS FoundationThe Meredith FoundationThe Millstream Fund Claude Moore Charitable FoundationThe Morningstar FoundationNew York Community TrustPark Foundation The Phase FoundationPNC FoundationPrince Charitable TrustsThe Rice Family FoundationThe Scheidel Foundation Seeley FoundationEugene M. Sullivan, M.D. Foundation Wallace Genetic FoundationWashington Forrest FoundationThe Yuen FoundationOne anonymous foundation

The Better Angels Society is composed of individual donors and family foundations whose generosity allows WETA production partner Ken Burns to continue to produce high-quality documentary films enjoyed by millions of public television viewers nationwide. The society’s support also expands educational outreach activities, including dynamic web components that introduce current and future generations of Americans to their collective history. The following donors contributed to The Better Angels Society through WETA during fiscal year 2016.

THE BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY

GENERAL & PROJECT SUPPORT

HONORS & AWARDS

Barnard/Fain FoundationAmy and Gilchrist BergThe Lavender Butterfly FundJonathan and Jeannie Lavine, Crimson

Lion FoundationSharon Percy Rockefeller and Senator

John D. Rockefeller IVSegal Family FoundationFred and Donna Seigel

This awards list represents honors received in fiscal year 2016.

From left: A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House; Independent Lens: Las Marthas; Ken Burns Presents Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies A Film by Barak Goodman; Colorín Colorado; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, News & Documentary Emmy Award: Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast — “Hazardous Work: Diving into the Philippines’ Dangerous Underwater Mines”

National Headliner Award: First Place; Continuing Coverage of a Major News Event — “No End in Sight Fighting ISIS”

New York Festivals: Bronze World Medal; Television — News: Reports/Features, Coverage of Continuing News Story — “Escape From Terror”

NewscastStudio: National Set of the Year

Peabody Award — “Desperate Journey”

THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORYNational Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Primetime Emmy Award; Outstanding Narrator, Peter Coyote

New York Festivals: Grand Award; Television — Documentary/Information Program, Biography/ Profiles

32 33

WETA TV 2626.4 Over the Air Via AntennaComcast 26Cox 26, 802Fios 26RCN 26

WETA UK26.2 Over the Air Via AntennaComcast 265Cox 800Fios 474RCN 39

WETA KIDS26.3 Over the Air Via AntennaComcast 266Cox 801Fios 472RCN 38

WETA BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016OFFICERS

Timothy C. CoughlinChairman

Ann Dibble JordanVice Chairman and Secretar y

TRUSTEES

Cynthia Baker

Marguerite Bateman

Karna Small Bodman

Joseph Bruns

Louise Henry Bryson

Peter Buscemi

René Carter

Chris Chadwick

Cherrie Doggett

Gregory Gallopoulos

Ronald Gordon

John Hauge

John W. Hechinger Jr. Trustee Emeritus

J. Roderick Heller III Trustee Emeritus

Roger Krone

Charito Kruvant

Susan Lee

Jerome Libin

Elizabeth Lodal

David O. Maxwell Trustee Emeritus

W E T A M I S S I O N The WETA mission is to produce and broadcast programs of intellectual

integrity and cultural merit that recognize viewers’ and listeners’ intelligence, curiosity, and interest in the world around them. As an independent and

not-for-profit public broadcaster and producer, WETA provides its viewers and listeners with high-quality, compelling programs and serves a broad

community with educational projects and web-based initiatives.

Mara Mayor

Sally Merten

Gary Nakamoto

Robert Quinn

Edward Hart Rice

Margaret Milner Richardson

Sharon Percy Rockefeller ex officio

Bruce Sanford

Thomas Saylak

Pauline Schneider

John Schwieters

John Shenefield

Sudhakar Shenoy

Robert Sloan

Loren Allan Smith ex officio

Catherine Stevens

Riley Temple

John Ulfelder

Christopher Wolf

CORPORATE OFFICERS

Sharon Percy Rockefeller President and Chief Executive Officer

Rick Schneider Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Dalton Delan Executive Vice President and Chief Programming Officer

James Bond Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer to the Board

Lisa Lindstrom Delaney Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Kari Waldack Assistant Secretary to the Board

CLASSICAL WETAWETA 90.9 FM WashingtonWGMS 89.1 FM HagerstownWETA 88.9 FM Frederickclassicalweta.orgvivalavoce.org

INSIDE FRONT COVER: Top row, from left: WETA Learning Media; Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour; Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; Clifford The Big Red Dog and friend; American Masters: B.B. King: The Life of Riley; Josh Groban: Stages Live; Nature; Downton Abbey on Masterpiece; Colorín Colorado. Bottom row, from left: Luther; Uranium: Twisting the Dragon’s Tail; Concerts from the Library of Congress: Schumann Sampler; Gwen Ifill, PBS NewsHour; saxophone player; The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That; filmmaker Ken Burns; Jackie Robinson. INSIDE BACK COVER: WETA headquarters.

© 2016 WETA All rights reserved. Publisher: Mary Stewart. Editor: Kristine Barr. Design and Layout/Production: August Lang & Husak. WETA has made every effort to ensure that this report presents accurate information for fiscal year 2016. Complete trademark information and photography credits are available at weta.org/annualreport.

WETA HD26.1 Over the Air Via AntennaComcast 800

(D.C. area)Comcast 219

(Balt. area)Cox 1026, 1003

DirecTV 26, 26-1Dish 8076Fios 526RCN 613

WETA Board of Trustees Chairman Timothy C. Coughlin and WETA President and CEO Sharon Percy Rockefeller.

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