PBS North Carolina Presents a New Season of Black Issues Forum
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PBS NORTH CAROLINA PRESENTS A NEW SEASON OF ‘BLACK ISSUES FORUM’
New episodes premiere every Friday on PBS NC.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 8/29/2024 — PBS North Carolina announces season 39 of the weekly public affairs series Black Issues Forum. North Carolina’s leading platform for news stories by, about and for African American communities, Black Issues Forum presents new episodes every Friday at 7 PM on PBS NC. Full episodes are also available on PBS North Carolina’s website as well as on the free PBS app and YouTube.
On the season opener of Black Issues Forum, series host and producer Kenia Thompson and guests explored how Project 2025 has influenced the strategies and platforms of presidential candidates. Additional topics this season include North Carolina’s gubernatorial race, voting rights, health care and inflation. A special HBCU Week feature to premiere on September 13 looks at Winston-Salem State University’s (WSSU) groundbreaking motorsports management program.
“This season on Black Issues Forum, we’ll continue to examine critical issues that impact African American communities across North Carolina” says Kenia Thompson. “We’ll focus on what’s at stake for this year’s elections, like abortion, gun safety and more. Our election specials will take us into communities to hear directly from residents about what’s most important to them.”
Black Issues Forum will visit Greensboro, a city with a rich civil rights legacy, and Anson County, one of the filming locations for the original version of The Color Purple. “We’ll examine these areas’ strengths and challenges to better understand what local Black voters are seeking from political leaders as they make their decisions for election day,” says Executive Producer Deborah Holt Noel.
For HBCU Week in September, Black Issues Forum has partnered with Maryland Public Television to celebrate the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Black Issues Forum will highlight WSSU’s motorsports management program and profile student Rajah Caruth, the third Black driver to win a race in a NASCAR national series. This story will premiere on Black Issues Forum on Friday, September 13, and will also be available at youtube.com/@HBCUWeekNow.
“Black Issues Forum shares Black-led stories about people and issues shaping the lives of African American communities in North Carolina,” says Kenia Thompson. “What better way to learn their stories then by hearing from residents firsthand.”
Black Issues Forum is the longest-running PBS NC original series currently in production. Catch up on recent episodes by visiting pbsnc.org/BlackIssuesForum.
About PBS North Carolina
As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third largest public media market, PBS North Carolina educates, informs, entertains and inspires its audience on air, online and in person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the 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 channel and the Explorer Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS North Carolina serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state emergency services. To learn more about PBS North Carolina, visit pbsnc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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PBS North Carolina
press@pbsnc.org