In The Spotlight
Keystone Edition - PA Prisons: Change from Within
Monday, November 2nd, 7pm
Keystone Edition focuses on programs at SCI Coal Twp. in Northumberland County designed to help inmates build skills and benefit the wider community, as well as external discussions about sentencing and victims’ rights.
Burying the Hatchet: The Tom Quick Story (Encore)
Sunday, November 8th, 7pm
BURYING THE HATCHET: THE TOM QUICK STORY tells the fascinating story of how Lenni Lenape tribes had been dislocated from their Milford, Pa. homeland in the late 18th century and how this largely white community and disenfranchised tribal leaders worked together to reconcile the past and forge a shared path forward based on trust, friendship, and an inspiring and healing vision of the future.
Conversations for the Common Good: Pennsylvania Innocence Project
Thursday, November 12th 7pm
WVIA Public Media is partnering with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project to produce a special edition of Conversations for the Common Good, exploring the human impact of wrongful convictions and the pursuit of justice. Presented in a panel discussion format, the program will feature compelling short-form documentaries that share the personal stories of individuals who were wrongfully convicted or imprisoned, alongside conversations with legal experts, advocates, and those directly affected by the criminal justice system. The program will highlight the Pennsylvania Innocence Project's mission to exonerate innocent people, prevent wrongful convictions, and support formerly incarcerated individuals as they transition to freedom. Together, WVIA and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project aim to foster public understanding, inspire meaningful dialogue, and recognize the courage, resilience, and hope demonstrated by those who continue the fight for justice.
News & Public Affairs
Vote 2026: PBS News Election Special
Tuesday, November 3rd 8pm
PBS News live news, results, and analysis of the midterm elections.
Salute to Service 2026: A Veterans Day Celebration
Friday, November 6th 9pm & 10pm (encore)
Jason Kelce hosts Salute to Service 2026: A Veterans Day Celebration with The U.S. Army Field Band on PBS. This action-packed show features unique musical performances by 8-time Grammy winning musical legend Jon Batiste alongside the Six-String Soldiers and Jason Kelce wailing on the bari sax with the Jazz Ambassadors. Come with us as we take on training at the United States Military Academy at West Point with NFL offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, reminiscing on his time as a cadet. We will also meet members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment 'The Old Guard' as they share what it takes to be a member of their elite team, defending the District of Columbia all while fulfilling the sacred duty of honoring all who have served this country. Join us for this moving celebration as we come together to express our gratitude to those who have worn the uniform in service to us all.
The True Cost of Defense
Monday, November 9th 7pm
THE TRUE COST OF DEFENSE is an hour-long documentary that explores the continual role of servicemen and women across global communities. The program introduces viewers to Travis Mills, who lost all four limbs serving in Afghanistan and now navigates life with cutting-edge prosthetics. It also follows military recruiters working to build an all-volunteer force and visits family-focused overseas bases and small-town economies that depend on military spending. Additionally, it explores the decades-long environmental cleanup of former military installations and the expanding role of private charities in supporting veterans when government resources fall short.
Medicine Ball
Monday, November 9th 10pm
Native college athletes navigate college life and basketball at the University of Minnesota Morris located on the site of a former Native boarding school revealing how basketball became a powerful symbol of resilience, hope, and cultural pride in Native communities.
Frontline - Coal's Human Cost
Tuesday, November 10th 10pm
Coal miners are suffering from incurable lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years. With NPR, Public Health Watch and Kentucky Public Radio, how industry and government have failed to protect miners in Appalachia from black lung disease.
One In A Million
Sunday, November 15th 7pm
ONE IN A MILLION chronicles one family's courageous efforts to save their dying son and in the process, build a public bone marrow registry that would save thousands. The film follows Jay Feinberg's story from his leukemia diagnosis through his years-long search across the U.S. and Europe for a bone marrow donor match. In an era without cell phones or social media, the Feinbergs relied on fliers, news articles and television to coordinate donor drives and encourage volunteers. Jay's life was improbably saved by a last-minute donation and he would later pay that fortuitous kindness forward by starting a global nonprofit dedicated to helping those in similar circumstances.
Crime and Punishment in America
Monday, November 16th - Thursday, November 19th 8pm (encore each night at 10pm)
This eight-hour documentary film series directed by Lynn Novick (whose previous film series include College Behind Bars, The Vietnam War, Prohibition, The War), will explore the 400 year history of criminal justice - and injustice - in America, from the 1600s to the early 21st Century. The series will unfold chronologically and will largely be told through the lived experiences of individuals whose personal stories will bring this sweeping, epic story vividly to life.
Independent Lens - Storming: Seasons of Care
Monday, November 23rd 10pm
Exploring the depths of love, hopelessness isn't an option for one family in Storming, who provide 24-hour care for their son nearing 10 years in a coma after a traumatic brain injury.
Drama
All Creatures Great and Small - Christmas Cheer
Sunday, November 29th 9pm
This new special goes behind the scenes with the cast and creators to celebrate the best moments from each of the three seasons, including the return home of James after serving in the RAF, the birth of Little Jimmy, Tristan and Charlotte’s budding romance, Carmody’s first Christmas, and Mrs. Hall’s emotional Christmas miracle in Season 5. Christmas Cheer also highlights the wide variety of animals that have been part of holiday storylines, from kestrels to goats to foxes. Viewers learn that all of the idyllic holiday scenes are filmed in late June, so fans and ice packs are frequently deployed. And what would Christmas be without holiday traditions, from Mrs. Hall’s delicious feasts, to who will play the highly desired Father Christmas role each year, or the annual favorite toast: “Merry Bloody Christmas!”
An Anthem to America: Ken Burns & Florentine Films
Thursday, November 26th 10pm
Join Ken Burns and the filmmaking team as they look back over five decades of making groundbreaking documentaries. Meet the people who create the films, explore their signature style, and discover how they bring American history to life.
History
Coming Home: From Shadowland to Spiritworld
Monday, November 2nd 10pm
Follow the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians as they undertake an extraordinary effort to reclaim their ancestral lands on the Sonoma Coast after 170 years of displacement. Interweaving the little-known history of Russian colonization in California with a modern story of negotiation, diplomacy, and ceremony, the film shows how land repatriation becomes a powerful act of cultural renewal. As the Kashia confront the legacy of historical trauma - including generational loss, addiction, and the ongoing impacts of colonialism - the return to sacred places like Metini and Danaka reveals how restoring land can help restore identity, resilience, and community.
JFK: Breaking the News
Sunday, November 22nd 7pm
On Nov. 22, 1963, the motorcade transporting President John F. Kennedy was met by thousands of citizens and hundreds of members of the press as it slowly made its way through downtown Dallas. Moments later, the president's assassination would forever change the country,the world and the landscape of broadcast journalism. Narrated by Emmy-winning newscaster Jane Pauley, JFK: BREAKING THE NEWS focuses on media coverage of the national tragedy, with an insightful look at the emergence of television as the nation's primary source of breaking news information.
Arts & Music
We Chose to Go to the Moon
Tuesday, November 10th 8pm
Recorded live at Carnegie Hall, historian John Monsky tells the exhilarating story of America's journey to the Moon and the heroes in and outside of NASA who made it possible. Featuring iconic music from the 1960s and '70s performed by Broadway stars and a live orchestra, alongside rare archival imagery and historic flags, this living documentary brings the Space Race vividly to life.
Art of Music - Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks with David Fricke
Thursday, November 12th 10pm
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Petrie Sculpture Court, the Tedeschi Trucks Band leaders perform and reveal their musical inspirations to journalist David Fricke including personal connections to Derek and the Dominos' "Bell Bottom Blues;" Sippie Wallace's "Women Be Wise" on Mississippi John Hurt's Gibson from the Met's collection; and "Who Am I" and "What in the World" from their Future Soul.
Great Performances - Romeo & Juliet
Friday, November 13th 9pm
Directed by the Public Theater's Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali, the Public's new Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Shakespeare's enduring classic Romeo and Juliet will mark the first time in nearly 20 years that the iconic star-crossed lovers will captivate Free Shakespeare in the Park audiences. Never was there a story of more woe, or more romance, than the Bard's timeless tale of two young lovers from warring families. As the Montagues and Capulets are torn apart by ideology and simmering violence spills into the streets of the border town of Verona, Romeo and Juliet dare to defy a world determined to keep them apart. In this bold new staging, the play unfolds in English, but Romeo and Juliet speak to one another in Spanish, a language reserved only for their shared world. Featuring Ra'Mya Latiah Aikens and Daniel Bravo Hernndez in the title roles, also featured are Caleb Joshua Eberhardt (Mercutio), Glenn Fleshler (Lord Capulet), Francis Jue (Friar Laurence), Ariyan Kassam (Tybalt), LaChanze (Lady Capulet),Martin K. Lewis (Paris), Zack Lopez Roa (Benvolio), Deirdre O'Connell (Nurse), Jason Manuel Olazbal (Lord Montague), Jessica Pimentel (Escalus), and Mariand Torres (Lady Montague).
Great Performances - Dudamel's Inaugural Season with NY Philharmonic
Friday, November 20th 9pm
Beginning in the 2026-27 season, internationally acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel officially assumes his role as Music & Artistic Director of the New York Philharmonic. Formerly Music and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he joins a storied lineage of NY Phil leaders that includes Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, and Leonard Bernstein. To mark Dudamel's arrival in New York, GREAT PERFORMANCES captures a program from David Geffen Hall featuring Mahler's dynamic Symphony No. 5 and the world premiere of Tania Leon's Imagenes mestizas.
American Masters - Liz Diller & Ric Scofidio: Architect Provocateurs
Tuesday, November 24th 9pm
Liz Diller who, together with her late partner, Ricardo Scofidio, began as a radical conceptual artist to become one of the most influential and powerful architects of her generation, reshaping not just buildings but the way cities think about democracy, culture, and public life.
Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert
Thursday, November 26th 8pm
Paul Simon brings his critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated Seven Psalms to life in this first-ever live performance of the complete piece for his Quiet Celebration, an intimate evening spanning his vast career and celebrating new arrangements of timeless classics, deep cuts, and new musical discoveries. Inspired to perform again, Simon began work rehearsing and figuring out how he could bring Seven Psalms to the stage. His transformation of the movements for live performance gave way to all new renditions of some of his most cherished songs and a deep desire to bring these contemplative and intricate pieces to audiences. A Quiet Celebration toured the US in small venues, selected for their acoustic prowess and intimate setting, allowing audiences to engage with the music as never before. Join Paul for an unforgettable concert, recorded live at McCaw Hall in Seattle.
Barbra Streisand: Timeless - Live in Concert
Friday, November 27th 9pm
Enjoy a magical concert filmed on New Year's Eve in 1999 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Staged as an original, Broadway-style musical in which Barbra looks back at her past, the production featured an orchestra conducted by Marvin Hamlisch.
Billy Joel: The 100th: Live at Madison Square Garden
Saturday, November 28th 9pm
Recorded on March 28, 2024, BILLY JOEL: THE 100TH: LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN celebrates Joel's record-breaking 100th consecutive residency performance at Madison Square Garden. The special features many of Joel's most beloved songs, including "Piano Man," "Uptown Girl," "My Life" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," concluding with "You May Be Right." Additional hit songs include "The Downeaster Alexa," "Big Shot," "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "New York State of Mind," and "The Longest Time."
Andre Rieu: Power of Love
Sunday, November 29th 7pm
Recorded live in Maastricht in 2024, highlights include Verdi's Triumphal March of Aida performed with 400 brass players, "Strauss & Co," "Dancing on the Stars" with 16-year-old Emma Kok, a singalong of "Sweet Caroline," "The Blue Danube," and more.
Barry Manilow: Live By Request
Monday, November 30th 8pm
Grab a front-row seat as the consummate performer fields call-in requests for his greatest hits in a live broadcast from 1996. Classics performed include "Mandy," "Copacabana," and "I Write The Songs," interspersed with stories and chats with fans.
Neil Diamond: Hot August Night/NYC
Monday, November 30th 9:30pm
Considered by many to be his best work, Hot August Night NYC is a compilation of Neil Diamond's biggest hits, performed across his four sell-out shows at Madison Square Garden during his 2008 tour. As he invigorated his back catalogue with new energy, it shows his skills as a performer and consummate showman. This is Diamond the icon in full glory.
Science & Nature
Alzheimer's: What You Can Do
Sunday, November 1st 7pm
ALZHEIMER'S: WHAT YOU CAN DO is an hour-long documentary that delves into the research that shows how our social interactions, diet, sleep patterns, exercise, stress levels, and other daily health habits have dramatic effects on our cognitive abilities as we age. With scientific data and personal stories about holistic treatment approaches, the film explores the discoveries that are changing the medical profession's view of dementia.
Nova - Evolution: The Mating Game
Wednesday, November 4th 9pm
In episode four of this five-part series, discover how the rise of sexual reproduction -- with each new generation a roll of the genetic dice -- fuels staggering diversity, pushing life to specialize and shaping everything from tiny single-celled organisms to towering ostriches.
Nova - Evolution: On the Run
Wednesday, November 11th 9pm
In episode five of this five-part series, the twitch of the first muscle cells ignited a revolution of purposeful movement billions of years ago. Take a wild evolutionary ride from these early aquatic ancestors to highly-optimized runners like the horse, whose story is linked to our own.
Nature - Christmas in the Alps
Wednesday, November 25th 8pm
In the Alps, December transforms the mountains and valleys into a winter wonderland. Spruce and fir forests glisten with sparkling frost as goldcrests dart across in search of their feast. Marmots retreat to cozy underground homes, chamois race across the highest peaks, while deer and wolves trot through deep snow. Catch a glimpse into the Alps' most enchanting time of year.