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July 27, 2007

KLRU Brings Local Voice to PBS’ The War

Austin, TX -- In September PBS will present Ken Burns’ seven-part documentary The War to the nation. KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, will use this national documentary as a catalyst to spark local discussion on the issues. KLRU has created a special documentary that will examine how Central Texans were affected by World War II. The station has also formed partnerships with other local non-profit organizations to extend the project beyond the television show.

KLRU’s production team has been working for months to find diverse stories from throughout Central Texas for a special two-hour documentary. KLRU Presents: The World, the War and Texas tells the story of World War II through the eyes of Texans. Accounts from a variety of veterans and civilians are interwoven with a deep historical perspective of the global conflict, illustrating the war’s dramatic impact on life in Central Texas. The show will feature the perspectives of a variety of veterans including Chinese Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, women and others who served the United States during World War II. Air dates and times for KLRU Presents: The World, the War and Texas will be available at klru.org in August.

In addition to the documentary, KLRU will host a series of events designed to continue the discussion beyond the television shows. KLRU’s award-winning Outreach Department has been working since late last year in collaboration with other organizations, including The Austin History Center and the AARP, to provide educational activities and advance screenings with panel discussions on the impact of World War II. Events in development include:

• A local workshop at the Austin History Center presented by the Library of Congress Veterans History Project on how to gather and submit oral histories from WWII veterans

• Veterans History Exhibit at the Austin History Center

• A preview screening of The War with a panel discussion in the Austin area

• A preview screening and discussion related to The War series with The National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg KLRU is also creating a Web site that will allow World War II veterans and their families to submit their stories. The submitted items will become part of a national war story archive.

More details about KLRU Presents: The World, the War and Texas and KLRU’s events surrounding the series will be available at KLRU.org in August.

About KLRU

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, reflects, celebrates and inspires Central Texas through creative excellence,
community engagement and lifelong learning. Although primarily a television station providing locally produced and quality national programming, KLRU is also a non-profit organization helping to build a stronger community through educational workshops, community outreach projects and public events. Get more information about KLRU at klru.org.