NBCer goes public

Bret Marcus has been news director of Channel 4's ... WRC in Washington and WNBC in New York. Now he's running "California Connected," the weekly newsmag produced by ... four public TV stations in the Golden State.

This item reminds me to remind you to set your TiVos for "California and the American Dream," a terrific four-parter airing now on better PBS stations. (In Kansas City an auction is delaying the premiere till May 8.)

CALIFORNIA CONNECTED NAMES EMMY WINNER BRET MARCUS
AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Former NBC News executive producer and nine-time Emmy winner Bret Marcus
has been named executive producer of public television’s statewide
newsmagazine California Connected, it was announced today by KCET
president and CEO Al Jerome. The award-winning weekly series — produced by
four PBS stations: KCET/Los Angeles, KPBS/San Diego, KQED/San Francisco
and KVIE/Sacramento — begins its fifth broadcast season on Friday, May 5.

California Connected’s unconventional format is hosted by broadcast
journalist Lisa McRee, former anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America and
World News Now, and anchor at KABC-TV in Los Angeles. Each week McRee
travels directly to the state’s communities and newsmakers, reporting on
the ideas and the people that drive California, introducing a fresh
perspective, broader context and possible solutions to key dilemmas.

“California Connected is a signature series for California public
television,” says Jerome. “We have great pride in its innovative approach
and its positive exploration of the issues that affect us in this complex,
dynamic state. I’m delighted to have Bret on board to carry the torch.
He brings a wealth of outstanding experience to the series, and I look
forward to seeing his ideas in action.”

Describing his vision for the series, Marcus explains, “California
Connected is a unique broadcast with a unique mission. We want to retain
that special character, while at the same time building upon its success
with changes in both its format and its content.~ We plan on making the
program newsier and more topical while still keeping it a vehicle for
great storytelling. These changes should engage our viewers even more and
give the program a higher profile.”

Marcus’ distinguished career has spanned more than two decades of
award-winning news production. Most recently he was executive producer
for special projects at NBC News where he conceived, developed and
coordinated projects for NBC News. Prior to that, he was executive
producer of The News with Brian Williams on MSNBC and CNBC.

His credits as senior executive producer also include CNBC Primetime,
where he helped create Upfront Tonight with Geraldo Rivera. At ABC News,
Marcus was executive producer of World News Now and Good Morning America
Sunday as well as the broadcast producer of the highly acclaimed
documentary series, Turning Point. Prior to moving over to network news,
Marcus ran the news departments at WNBC TV, the network’s flagship station
in New York, and WRC TV, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Washington
D.C.

In addition to his five National Emmy Awards and four New York Emmy
Awards, Marcus has earned two duPont-Columbia Awards, the George Foster
Peabody Award, and a first place National Headliner Award for outstanding
coverage of a major news event. He has also won numerous AP and UPI
awards.

Since its creation in 2002, California Connected has won numerous awards,
including the 2006 Gracie Award for Outstanding Documentary–Short Length
and a 2006 National Headliner Award, placing third for best News Magazine
program after ABC’s Prime Time Live and 20/20. Other awards include three
Emmys, two Golden Mikes, six Los Angeles Press Club awards, and four
previous Gracie Allen Awards from American Women in Radio & Television, as
well as being a Scripps Howard Foundation’s National Journalism Finalist.

Joining Marcus as part of the California Connected production team are
senior producer Justine Schmidt and line producer Ellen Raphael. Schmidt
has won four Emmy Awards and two Associated Press Awards, including one
for investigative journalism. She recently produced a documentary about
child slavery in India. She was also Chicago bureau chief for The Fox News
Channel. Prior to that, she was executive producer of the investigative
unit for Chicago’s CBS affiliate WBBT-TV. Raphael joins California
Connected from KCET’s A Place of Our Own. Mary Mazur, KCET’s executive
vice president of programming and production, returns as the executive in
charge of production. Joyce Campbell, KCET’s executive director of
production, returns as California Connected’s production executive for
KCET.

California Connected’s award-winning website (californiaconnected.org)
continues to be produced by KQED, under the direction of Marc Phu.
California Connected has been funded by The James Irvine Foundation, The
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Annenberg Foundation and The
California Endowment. The program, available throughout California, is
broadcast on the following public television stations:

*KCET/Los Angeles
KCSM/San Mateo
KEET/Eureka, KIXE/Redding
KOCE/Huntington Beach
*KPBS/San Diego
*KQED/San Francisco
KRCB/Rohnert Park-Cotati
KTEH/San Jose
KVCR/San Bernardino
*KVIE/Sacramento
KVPT/Fresno

*California Connected producing station