— CPTV Will Broadcast and Stream the Town Hall Meeting Live at 8 p.m. —
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 16, 2015) – CPTV/Connecticut Public Television invites members of the public to be part of the studio audience for an advance screening of the PBS documentary The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation on Tuesday, May 5 at CPTV’s Hartford studios, located at 1049 Asylum Ave.
Following the screening, a town hall meeting will be held, hosted by Diane Smith, during which the issues raised in the film will be discussed. This town hall meeting will air live on CPTV at 8 p.m., and will be simulcast live online at CPTV.org/raisingamerica.
From their very first days, infants and young children need a rich and responsive environment for healthy brain development and to thrive throughout life. The Raising of America series – which will be broadcast on CPTV beginning November 2015, starting with The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation – aims to transform the way viewers look at early childhood health and development.
The Raising of America: A CPTV Town Hall Meeting, the televised, hour-long event that follows the May 5 advance screening at CPTV, will feature a discussion of the issues raised in the documentary.
During this town hall meeting, a panel of early childhood experts, studio audience members and at-home viewers will share thoughts and ideas about how to ensure all of Connecticut’s children have the opportunity for a strong start and a more equitable, prosperous future.
“We are thrilled to be hosting this advance screening of the new PBS documentary The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation. This allows us to get the community involved in the discussion of this important film even sooner,” said Jerry Franklin, president and CEO of the Connecticut Public, parent company of CPTV. “Early childhood education, and its accessibility for all children, is a timely and significant topic, both around the nation and here in Connecticut. We encourage all interested parents, teachers and community members to come be part of this special event.”
“The Raising of America takes an in-depth look at the importance of early childhood and its impact on our nation. It delves into how brain science, environment and adults all have an impact on a child’s long-term learning, as well as their mental and physical health,” said Dr. Myra Jones-Taylor, commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. “This town hall meeting plays a vital role in sparking the conversation of the importance of early childhood, not only for parents and families, but for communities as well.”
The May 5 event will begin with a reception at 5:45 p.m., followed by the screening at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m., the televised town hall meeting will take place.
Panelists at the town hall meeting will include:
- Myra Jones-Taylor, Ph.D., commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Walter S. Gilliam, Ph.D., director of the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Philosophy, Yale University
- Irene Garneau, instructional coach at the Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School
- Jessica Sagar, director of All Our Kin, Inc.
- Cliff O’Callahan, M.D., Ph.D., pediatrician
Admission to the screening and town hall meeting is free, but registration is required, and space is limited. Register at CPTV.org/raisingamerica.
Additionally, viewers watching The Raising of America: A CPTV Town Hall Meeting at home starting at 8 p.m. will be invited to contribute questions by emailing TownHallMeeting@ctpublic.org; tweeting @CPTVOnline, #CPTVTownHall; or calling 1-800-842-2788.
The Raising of America: A CPTV Town Hall Meeting is sponsored by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, with additional support from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.
About Connecticut Public Television
CPTV is a media service of the Connecticut Public. It is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including original documentaries, public affairs shows and educational programming. CPTV has built a reputation as a leader in children’s programming, including playing an historic role in bringing Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to public television. The station offers 11.5 hours of positive, nurturing children’s programs each weekday, reaching 450,000 households each week. The Connecticut Public also includes WNPR, an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. WNPR serves 276,000 listeners weekly in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island with news and information. Its award-winning local programming includes The Faith Middleton Show, The Colin McEnroe Show and Where We Live. CPBN also includes two affiliate channels: CPTV4U, a 24/7 television channel featuring award-winning drama, news and talk programming, concert performances, independent films, nature shows, British comedy and more; and CPTV Sports, Connecticut’s only 24-hour local sports network, covering statewide high school, college, semi-professional and professional sports. CPBN also houses the Learning Lab, home to the Journalism & Media Academy Magnet School satellite campus and the Institute for Advanced Media, which includes the Veterans Vocational Training Program. For more information, visit CPTV.org.
To download a PDF of this press release, click here: CPTV to Host Raising of America Town Hall Meeting_041615