‘chronicles’ docuseries
emmy-winning DOCUSERIES TELLING cultural & historical stories of northwestern pENNSYLVANIA
‘Chronicles’ premiered on WQLN/PBS in 2022. Since then, we’ve produced 63 episodes and received 29 Great Lakes Emmy nominations. ‘Chronicles’ episodes run the gamut, covering historical individuals, landmarks, events, nature, sports, music, industry, education, and politics; all cultural touchstones in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
As Executive Producer/Showrunner, I launched ‘Chronicles’ with the collaborative vision of WQLN leadership, Erie preservationist funding, and a small-but-mighty production team. I built a team that developed deep, resonant storytelling, established a strong production and post-production foundation, and served as a beacon of community outreach for our public media station.
SERVICE: THE LIVES OF MICHELE AND TOM RIDGE
In 1985, a devastating string of toornados upended many small, rural communities in western Pennsylvania . A young congressman, Tom Ridge, was appalled by the federal response and began his career-long crusade advocating for an effective federal emergency management agency (FEMA). This is a brief segment from the second chapter of the 7-part docuseries about the extraordinary lives of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge and his wife, Michele.
Air date: TBD
BREAKING THE NEWS: LOCAL JOURNALISM
Local journalism has always been the watchdog of democracy — but what happens when hometown news begins to fade? In this episode, we dive deep into the history of Erie, Pennsylvania’s newspapers and TV stations, uncovering how fierce competition shaped the media, how corporate ownership changed everything, and why trusted local reporting is more vital than ever.
BREAKING THE NEWS: WQLN
In this episode of Breaking the News, we explore the origins of WQLN in Erie, Pennsylvania, its connection to the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and how PBS and NPR have educated and inspired generations with programs like Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and groundbreaking jazz and radio storytelling. From the early battles against commercial “vast wasteland” television to today’s debates in Congress over defunding public media, this is the story of why stations like WQLN still matter — and why losing them could change America forever.
Charlotte Elizabeth Battles
A beloved community figure and bank owner defied the federal government to support Girard during the Great Depression. Charlotte Elizabeth Battles was a woman like no other.
Shoring Up: Our Lake Today
We go from the shipbuilding to the shipwrecks. Why is the Erie Quadrangle a thing and what is it about Lake Erie that makes it so prone to shipwrecks. We examine Lake Erie’s long history of research where people have tried to better understand its patterns and climate.