FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 10/26/2021 — Today PBS North Carolina announces the return of North Carolina Bookwatch for its 23rd and final season on Sunday, November 7, at 3:30 PM. The final season of North Carolina Bookwatch will feature a diverse set of North Carolina authors over four episodes, including:
The long-running literary series will end with a primetime retrospective special on Tuesday, December 7, at 8 PM, on PBS NC. Longtime “friend of the show” Bland Simpson will join D.G. Martin for a loving look back at the many books and authors that shared the North Carolina Bookwatch set over the years.
“For more than two decades, D.G.’s program has advanced our mission to educate, inform, entertain, and inspire our audiences,” says PBS North Carolina CEO Lindsay Bierman. “He captivated his viewers with an abiding love of reading and storytelling while introducing us to some of the nation’s most powerful voices and prolific writers. D.G.’s legacy and contribution to our network will have archival significance and enduring impact.”
North Carolina Bookwatch first debuted in 1997 with original host Robin Minietta. After three seasons, Minietta left the anchor chair, opening the position for longtime public servant and politician D.G. Martin in 1999. Over the following 22 years, Martin filmed over 450 episodes and interviewed hundreds of authors with state ties, from literary giants Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham and Kathy Reichs to local celebrities Roy Williams, Vivian Howard and North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green.
“Hosting North Carolina Bookwatch has been a happy part of my life for more than 20 years,” recounts host D.G. Martin. “I will always be grateful to PBS North Carolina for giving me the privilege and responsibility of hosting more than 450 programs that brought North Carolina writers into the homes of viewers all over the state and beyond.”
In its 23 seasons, North Carolina Bookwatch filmed episodes primarily at its home studio located inside PBS North Carolina headquarters—the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Communications Center in Research Triangle Park. Frequently over the years, however, the show fulfilled its mission of bringing writers and viewers together by filming on-site at literary festivals, colleges and universities and local bookstores spanning the entire state. In a nod to the program’s staunch support of local writers and booksellers, the final season of North Carolina Bookwatch was filmed at independent bookstore Flyleaf Books, located in Chapel Hill.
“I’ll never forget the day I was tapped to be the producer/director of this show,” says Katy Loebrich, North Carolina Bookwatch producer for the past seven seasons. “I come from a long line of teachers, linguists and librarians and I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, and working with D.G., meeting authors and working on this show with our amazing crew has been a dream for me.”
To commemorate the show and celebrate its beloved host, PBS North Carolina will host a virtual event on Thursday, November 18, at 7 PM. The special online event will begin with a preview screening of the final retrospective episode followed by a discussion with D.G. Martin and moderated by PBS North Carolina CEO Lindsay Bierman. The online event is free and open to the public. Additional event information and registration can be found on Eventbrite.
North Carolina Bookwatch airs on Sundays, at 3:30 PM, and Tuesdays, at 5 PM, on PBS NC, and on Tuesdays, at 8 PM, on the North Carolina Channel. Full episodes are also available on demand at video.pbsnc.org and via the PBS Video App across iOS and Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and Samsung Smart TVs. For more information about North Carolina Bookwatch, visit pbsnc.org/bookwatch.
D.G. Martin has hosted North Carolina Bookwatch since the series’ third season in 1999. A Yale Law School graduate and former Green Beret, Martin has been involved with public service and politics throughout his life, including stints as interim vice chancellor for Development & University Affairs at both the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and North Carolina Central University, work as the Carolinas director of the Trust for Public Land and a hard-fought 1998 campaign for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate against John Edwards.
As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third-largest public media market, PBS NC educates, informs, entertains and inspires its statewide audience on-air, online and in-person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the statewide network includes in-person engagement, digital-first social and online content delivery, and four over-the-air channels—PBS NC, the North Carolina Channel, Rootle 24/7 PBS Kids and the Explorer Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS NC serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state’s emergency services. Visit pbsnc.org and join the conversation at facebook.com/MyPBSNC and @MyPBSNC on Instagram and Twitter.
-PBS NC-
Media Contacts:
Kathleen Kramer, PBS North Carolina Marketing & Communications
kkramer@pbsnc.org
919-549-7059