Rogers State University Public Television is celebrating 20 years of service to northeastern Oklahoma by launching the station’s second membership drive on Friday, April 13 with a special Pink Floyd concert.
The membership drive will run through Sunday, April 22 and will feature entertaining and educational programming.
“The membership drive will help raise awareness, members and necessary funds for better programming and service for the region,” said Dan Schiedel, general manager of RSU Public TV.
The station, based on RSU’s Claremore campus, reaches about 1.2 million people within a 75-mile radius of the campus and is proud to be Oklahoma’s only full-powered television station operated by a public university.
The television premiere of the station’s first High Definition (HD) production, “The Coleman Theatre Beautiful, will air Sunday, April 15, at 8:30 p.m. The documentary is about the history and restoration of the Coleman Theatre in Miami, Okla. The 30 minute documentary explores the beauty of the theater’s architecture and its history through stories, archival footage and photographs from past performances. Independent Native American producers Dan Bigbee and Lily Shangreaux of Stillwater-based BIG Productions worked in collaboration with RSU Public TV producer Tim Yoder to produce the documentary.
Elvis, John Denver and the Statler Brothers will be among the many performance programs to air during the 10-day drive. RSU Public TV also will present a special Wood Turning Workshop marathon on Saturday, April 14, with host Tim Yoder and special guest Troy Powell, Claremore city manager. Programming also will feature several “how to” programs including “Sewing with Nancy” and “America’s Home Cooking: One Skillet Meals.”
On Sunday evening, April 22, the final night of Springfest, Congressman Dan Boren and his wife Andrea will join RSU Public TV along with the famous painting instructor, Jerry Yarnell, for a live presentation in the studio.
Membership support is already making a difference at the television station, enabling recent program purchases of “Rosemary & Thyme,” “Super Natural Science,” and “Man Made Marvels of Asia” and many other titles, Schiedel said. Recently, RSU replaced the station’s inner transmission lines at its main transmitter, which now makes the station’s analog service fully functional. This means a stronger signal for more viewers.
RSU Public TV broadcasts on UHF Channel 35, Tulsa and Claremore cable channel 19, DISH TV channel 35 and satellite systems across northeastern Oklahoma.
To make a donation or for more information, call (800) 823-7210.