Vintage Eastern Airlines Commercial
Take a peek on uVu where you can dive into the past with this vintage Eastern airlines commercial from
the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives
The Beauty of Glassmaking- July 11, 2008
It is amusing to see how art is able to transcend time and adapt itself to different uses, becoming more functional. Glassblowing dates back to first century B.C.E. during the establishment of the Roman Empire, when artisans developed glasswork for purposes such as infrastructure (window glass and tableware) and containers (bottles for oils, perfumes, etc.).
The tradition of glassblowing was carried through to the Middle Ages, where its functions increased and were incorporated into different levels of medieval culture. Used for religious iconography and rose windows in many cathedrals, glass became as commonplace as to be used in the making of drinking vessels. In modern times, glass still retains its beauty in all its uses.
Continue reading "Patty's Pick" »
With the Miami Mega-Plan in the news again and the case nearing a court hearing, here is an opportunity to hear in detail, from those making the key decisions on this prroject, courtesy of WPBT's ISSUES with Helen Ferre and WPBT's video portal uVu. Do you have an opinion on the project? Let us hear yours?
Click on any title below to watch the video.
Continue reading "The Best of uVu - Miami Mega Plan" »
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!
Today is the day when being an American becomes festive with the addition of family, friends, amazing barbeques and one of my favorite activities- fireworks! While I usually shy away from being an aggressive promoter of Channel 2 programming and focus on the great videos offered on uVu, I recently discovered a great promo video on our Classics section for this year’s A Capital Fourth. Again, while I seldom like to promote featured programs, this looks like such a fun-filled, entertaining program and I wait for this year’s celebration with bated breath. Be sure that I will have my family and friends gathered round the television at 8:00 p.m. tonight to celebrate the awesome spectacle that is A Capital Fourth! WATCH A PREVIEW CLIP ON uVu
Last year’s show featured American Idol contestant Elliot Yamin alongside Grammy award-winning gospel legend Yolanda Adams and Rock ‘n’ Roll king Little Richard. To say it was spectacular would be far from an understatement. While the local Biltmore fireworks celebration is one for the books, Capitol’s display transcended television screen and made sitting indoors while one should be out celebrating well worth it!
This year’s show promises to be even greater with artists such as American Idol Taylor Hicks, Huey Lewis and the News, Rock and Roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis take the stage for amazing performances. Hosted by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jimmy Smits, I hope you will enjoy this program as much as I have in the past years!
It was one of those days, where the sweltering heat driving into your skin reminded you that summer was just around the corner. I was running a half-hour late as I dove into the uVu van with skill comparable only to Olympic divers. And off we sped towards our destination- the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society. Forty-five minutes into our drive and a few wrong turns later, we arrived at an area much too reminiscent of my childhood.
Continue reading "uVu TV at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society" »
I approached the seemingly immense bed and climbed my way up as an expert trekker would Mount Everest to find my stepmother reading a book. Extensive and daunting, it teased my small, 6-year old self. I asked my stepmother what she read and she began to tell me a story full of love, adventure and evolving circumstance. Before I allowed myself to get carried away, I asked her to stop. I wanted to read the story for myself. “You are too little to read such a lengthy book,” she replied, placing emphasis on the words “too little”. My first encounter with literature had turned out more sour than I imagined.
The words “too little” bounced off my cranial walls as I walked into my nearest Barnes and Noble demanding literature- any book, determined to prove my stepmother wrong. The sweet and delicate smell of crisp pages ready to be explored and conquered took me in without question. The Kid’s section of Barnes and Noble perpetually offered a welcoming couch to sit and read on. My first piggy bank was cracked open to a peculiar fate: it bought me my first mystery book and a brownie- the former which I devoured faster. A little seed, significantly smaller than I, was planted within me, left to blossom vigorously throughout the years. The public library became my oasis, Barnes and Noble my home.
The nearby library’s quiet solitude mixed with the magic of a few great books was enough to induce a literary trance, leaving me to read for hours on end. Library summer readings stood defeated year after year as my growing self was matched by my developing love for books. My stepmother’s unconscious challenge, being too little to read what she could, was incomparable to my voracious appetite for literature.
Sixteen years later, I am still a book devouring, library loving, Barnes and Noble residing English major. I know what I am, but what are you?
Watch Miami Dade County Library's Summer Reading Kick-Off.
 Billy Collins. They say scent has the strongest tie to memory. I must fervently disagree. I find comfort in that I can track different stages of my life through the books I read. “No cookie nibbled by a French novelist could send me suddenly into the past”, Billy says. It is interesting how his poem, The Lanyard, provides me with the same nostalgic feeling, reminding me of wonderful memories spent during a semester dedicated to art, literature and music at the FIU Honors College. As poetic expressions escape his mouth, transcend the computer screen and permeate my subconscious, images of unanticipated friendships flood over me.
I find myself floating happily in a palpable sea of images,
recollections of my time spent as a student. A classmate taps me on the back
and we concur- Billy Collins is the
greatest treasure we have discovered recently. We make plans to be artsy and
literary; we read poetry and develop a friendship unexpected and otherwise improbably
were it not for Billy and the magic of his poetry. A short, unexpected and artistically
fulfilling friendship halts, screeching aside, and we are divided by an ocean.
If poetry has taught me anything, it is to cherish the most
minute moments in life. Billy Collins’s poetry speaks lightly about everyday
occurrences making ones life seem a little more poetic. He allows me to find
art, poetry and beauty in the things that surround me.
Does any sort of art or literature make you more aware of
your surroundings or the things that happen to you? Is there any literary,
artistic or musical work that has a deep connection to an event in your past?
Comment, write a story or create a poem. For other great poetry readings on uVu search
Keyword: Poetry.
Watch Poetry Everywhere - Billy Collins
Can't get enough of uVuTV, take a look at some of the deleted scenes from this months show on uVu. uVu host Jessy gets up close and personal with some gators (not the college football variety either).
Clip 1
Clip 2
Clip 3
Clip 4
Thanks to Janette and the staff from the Everglades Alligator Farm for the chance to see of the vanishing Florida wildlife firsthand.
Do you have a favorite Florida spot you'd like to see featured on uVuTV? Leave us a comment.
Brace yourself for chills and thrills leading up to the winter premiere of brand new wed-only series, as uVu shadows the Florida Ghost Team.
In the coming months be on the lookout for some scary new additions to the uVu website as we post short clips and bios of the Florida Ghost Team members. Webisodes beginning late this year will offer viewers a first hand look at real paranormal investigations throughout South Florida, from the East Martello Museum in Key West to Ft. Lauderdale’s Cinema Paradiso. But the spotlight will be on history, not horror. Tune in learn the background on some of the most famous and infamous Florida sites with a paranormal perspective.
Have you ever wanted to investigate the unknown? Grab your safety blankets if the answer is no; however, turn up the volume on the computer if you are ready to join the uVu crew in becoming part of the Florida Ghost team. Prepare yourself for a little mystery and a lot of history as you search for the paranormal throughout various South Florida locations.
uVu-ers beware: The terrifying trip through the unknown begins as soon as you watch this teaser trailer.
One of the most interesting strands to appear on uVu recently is the addition of the Movie Review. While reading reviews on movie critic sites can be a great preview for the movie you are about to see, I don’t think anything beats the ability to sign onto uVu and hear from locals about the movies.
Not only do the clips include reactions and reviews to the movie, these clips include trailers, teasers and interviews with the actors that will definitely leave you wanting more. Watching these videos is a must-do before your weekend trips to the theatre.
Watch Channel 2’s intern, Morgan’s, review of this summer’s newest horror movie, The Strangers, featuring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. This clip includes special features such as an interview with both actors speaking about their participation in the film, the on-screen development of the relationship between the main characters and the dynamics of the many people involved in this film project. Experience the chilling and thrilling trailer that will drive you to the theatres and away from your country homes.
Anguelique Smith hosts a visit to the South Beach Premiere party of Sex and the City: The Movie. You’ll be ready to put on your Manolos, grab your Louis Vuittons and head for the theatres after watching this video. Angelique interviews contest winners, Sex and the City aficionados and some just wanting to watch a great movie about their favorite characters, episodes and fashion ensembles in the series. Enjoy a one-on-one interview with each of the four main characters as well as the fashionable and fun trailer to the movie.
What movies are you looking forward to this summer? Post up videos on uVu reviewing any movie you have seen recently and receive a free pass to an upcoming movie screening.
THE STRANGERS
SEX AND THE CITY
 How does it make you feel when you reminisce about a television program or an event years after you first experienced it? Are there any titles that come to mind when you think of your childhood? Is it odd seeing actors from your all time favorites years after the original episodes stops airing?
¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? does that for me. Thinking of that series brings back memories of summer lunches with my grandparents, eating sandwiches and enjoying the bitter-sweet comedy of ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.?
Whether it was Joe (Rocky Echevarria in the credits but later Steven Bauer), the son, finding some sort of trouble to get in and out of, or the ever-hilarious interactions between the grandparents, Adela and Antonio, I was never too young to understand its humor or too old to stop laughing.
Continue reading "Patty's Pick - Best uVu video of the week" »
This blog entry was made possible in part by a viewer like
you.
I treated it like a crapshoot. uVu
held a video contest asking what’s your favorite thing in the world? The winner
would have their video broadcast on air and would be invited on as a guest co-host
for uVu TV. Would you believe that the dice came up seven? uVu picked my view.
I was the grand prize winner! Me, a recent college graduate who is presently
unemployed, gets work…at least for a day.
When I told my friends and family
the good news, I was getting praise and congratulations left and right. They
all know that I’ve always wanted to do something in the field of broadcasting.
Now finally I have a chance to prove to the world what my clique has known
about me for years.
So two weeks later, after all of the commotion died down, I
was ready for my close-up. I got all dressed up in blue jeans and a dress shirt
and drove on down to the Channel 2 studios in North Miami. When I got there, I started
thinking about the long history this station has had. A channel I have been
watching a good part of my life and now I get to be a part of it.
Continue reading "Host for a Day" »
Can you remember back to time as a kid? Did anyone spend their summers and weekends by the beach like me?  Jean Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures - Kelp Forest
Having grown up in South Florida, the ocean and the beach have been an intrinsic piece of the person I have become.
As a kid, my family had a small house on the beach in Key Largo. I remember days when I would join my father and his friends, free diving and other adventures. I would fish vicariously through them, feeling very proud of myself when they came back with seemingly large hauls of fish. Many afternoons would be filled with jet ski rides headed nowhere, returning in time to see the sunset over the horizon.
While I no longer have a house there, in my mind I am called back to my days as a young girl enjoying the warm ocean breeze and the hot South Florida sun whenever I watch programs about the sea.
In this clip from Ocean Adventures, Jean Michel Cousteau explores the nature of kelp forests and the ocean critters that interact with it. Any thoughts?
Here is Jessy,  uVuTV's host, making a new friend at the taping for June's episode. Look for our uVu contest winner to make a special appearance (and no, the winner is NOT pictured in this entry).
Actor Steven Bauer, best known for his roles in Que Pasa, USA and Scarface, participated in a Q & A session during the premiere screening of “How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer” on May 7 at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The movie written by Georgina Garcia Riedel, was presented by the Women’s International Film Festival.
Watch it here on uVu.
Do you have a favorite episode of Que Pasa, USA? Use the comment space to tell us which one and why.
MDC journalism student Eli Vera had an epiphany while working as a teleprompter operator at Spanish-language television giant, Univision. A local reporter was at the station auditioning for the news program, Primer Impacto. As Vera handed a script to the talent, her intense green eyes began to water and she had trouble breathing.
“I was like, she has my script,” said Vera, who still gets emotional retelling the story. “If she’s standing here, I can stand here. Those lights can shine for me.”
Today, Vera is living her dream. She’s one of five enthusiastic MDC students who serve as the on-air talent of a revamped and fledgling cable TV show, MDC In Focus, which has found an extended life on our companion website, uVu. The segments spotlight Miami Dade College (MDC) events and programs and the student-driven stories are produced under the auspices of the college’s media relations department. For those who are unfamiliar, more than 160,000 students attend Miami Dade College, a state-supported college with eight campuses and numerous outreach centers. It is the largest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the most highly regarded colleges in the nation.
Continue reading "MDC In Focus and uVu" »
uVuTV episode 5 is in the can and it marks the first time that uVuTV was shot entirely on location. The uVu crew visited the beautiful city of Surfside yesterday in an effort to get out into the community and bring a more youthful look to the show. Since we have never shot a broadcast show on location, we were eager to play with the new equipment provided to us by production. Our new gadgets included a HDV camera, a lavalier microphone, a wireless lavalier microphone, and our favorite: the boom microphone. Because it was so windy by the beach (gusts of 20 mph) the production crew gave us a special wind proof boom mic, which coincidently looked a lot like a koala bear.
Continue reading "It's a wrap!" »
We want to know what drives So Flo residents wild! What’s your favorite food, place, hobby, etc…? We want to know!! Make a one to five minute video about your absolute favorite thing in the world, upload it to our website, uVu and if your video is chosen it will be broadcast on air and you will be invited on as a guest host for uVuTV, which is seen each week on Digital Channel 2-2 (click here for cable information).
Deadline to submit videos is April 17th, 2008. Open to South Florida residents only. Remember no nudity or graphic content please! And see uVu website for terms of use. Windows Media or QuickTime video formats are preferred. Want more info, watch this clip from uVu.
Any questions? Email: contest@uvu.channel2.org
As uVu approaches the first anniversary of the launch, this seemed to be a good time to take a look at recent comments about the site from around South Florida and around the internet
From iFocos.org
Another iFocos mention
From My Florida History Blog
Soundings from Solares Hill
Around Town Miami Blog
In the business of broadcasting, there is nothing that gets you more excited than statistical analysis. As an industry, we live and die with ratings and demographics and the science of how these numbers are determined is as fascinating as any reality program for those of us who "crunch" them for a living. In much the same way, pollsters use a similar approach to determine our tendencies and peculiarities. At times (New Hampshire's primary for example) even the best of this information can be difficult to interpret and in the end the real question is "what does it tell us about ourselves?"
This morning was a rare opportunity to go behind the numbers a bit and hear from a man who has dedicated his live to compiling and interpreting the collected data, John Zogby. He released the Second Quarterly Survey for South Florida and on the heels of this week's election, it was interesting to hear from an expert what it all means for South Florida today and how we can use this information to build a future for the region. The event was sponsored by Bank of America and Argent Ventures and was a co-presentation by Zogby International and South Florida CEO Magazine.
You can watch the entire presentation courtesy of uVu, WPBT's video sharing website by clicking here.
Thanks to our video sharing site, uVu, I had the chance to spend some time in Key West last week. While this is hardly a tough assignment it wasn't a vacation either. Due to the remarkable confluence of The Key West Literary Seminar, The 2008 Sculpture Key West installation and exhibition and the first TSKW (The Studios of Key West) artist-in-residence, Curt Richter who presented his photograph series, Faces & Voices at The Studios Key West, there was an awful lot of interesting material to record and presented on our online site.
My trip from Miami was relatively short, certainly shorter than Curt's travel from Helsinki or the replica Loch Ness Monsterâs road trip from the swamps of Brooklyn, but in the end, you can actually catch up on much of the action from your own desktop. The focal point of the week was The Studios of Key West, in the Armory on White Street. TSKW has emerged as a real catalyst for the arts and an incubator for artists all the way from Mallory Square to Helsinki
Continue reading "Loch and Keys" »
Our final uVu category is the Classics, these are segments or stories that may have originally been created for broadcast, such as Star Gazer, but have quickly become online favorites as well. Many of these segments originally appeared on the long running New Florida series or our recently entires, Wild Florida and Art 360. There are even a few sneak peeks at Check Please! South Florida coming in January.
According to our viewers, her are the five favorite stories in the Classics:
Bonnet House
Explore the history and artistry of this historic Florida landmark.
Robert the Haunted Doll
Robert, a voodoo cursed doll, spooks residents and museum goers of Key West for almost a century.
Continue reading "uVu: A Year in Review (The Classics)" »
Exploring another category for our uVu content brings us to The Exclusives, these are segments created specifically for the web. 2007 continued a trend of greater time spent viewing video online for many of the audience we used to consider "traditional" Television viewers. To reach you, WPBT and uVu recognizing that you still want the rich content that Channel 2 has always delivered, we have begun creating stories that might have had a place on our broadcast channels at one time, but we have developed these segments with web viewing in mind.
Here are the TOP TEN, the first five are according to you, our viewers:
Experience Aviation:
A brief look inside Experience Aviation and at pilot Barrington Irving who will become the first African American to pilot solo around the world.
Georgia O’ Keeffe: Circling Around Abstraction:
The Norton Museum of Art’s Chief Curator Roger Ward takes us through the first exhibition to examine Georgia O’Keeffe’s unique approach to abstraction. The exhibition was organized by Jonathan Stuhlman.
Continue reading "uVu: A Year in Review (The Exclusives)" »
Continuing with the TOP TEN lists for uVu, today we will look at the most popular videos (according to our South Florida viewers) in the Speaker's Corner category. This category is the one that is closest to the heartt of our traditional mission as a public broadcaster. Videos in this group general reflect a public service on some level, although the top grouping probably couldn't be more diverse in nature, and here they are.
Make A Wish Beetle Boy
Sometimes, a villain is really just a hero in disguise. The Make A Wish Foundation helps Beetle Boy, aka 6-year-old Michael become a wish kid
Continue reading "uVu: A Year in Review (The Speaker's Corner)" »
In 2007, which videos were our South Florida users most interested in watching? Here are your Top 5 most watched in this category:
Generation X Carnival
The carnival band Generation X gets ready to cross the stage at the Bicentennial Park during Miami Carnival on October 8th.
Continue reading "uVu: A Year in Review (The Vlogger Cafe)" »
 Although our video sharing site, uVu, is not quite a year old, it seems obligatory at this time of year to offer a recap of where we have been and where we hope to go with the site. Over the next few days, I’ll pick my Top Ten videos in each of the categories, but to kick off this exercise, I’d like to single out one of our earliest and most celebrated stories, a profile with a young man who would go on to make history this year, Barrington Irving.
If you haven’t heard Barrington’s story, you probably haven’t been paying much attention to the news this past year.
Barrington became both the youngest pilot and the first African American to make a solo flight around the world.
At uVu, we were able to form an interesting and unique relationship with Barrington. He allowed us the opportunity to discuss both his dream project and his aspirations for his future. But beyond that, Barrington gave our uVu viewers a chance to see and hear from him at several of his stops along the way.
You can see our profile of Barrington by clicking here and revisit some of his triumphs and disappointments during his trip by clicking here.
Come back tomorrow for my personal favorite videos from the first year of uVu.
I'm always a little suspicious of any politician who says they don't ever intend to seek higher office, it seems to run counter to the motivation of most elected officials. In this case, while I won't accept it as a given, I'm willing to at least wait and see.
The official in question is Weston Mayor Eric Hersh and in the spirit of full disclosure, he happens to be my mayor.
But it is in his self described role as a concerned, private citizen that I had a chance to hear him speak at a League of Women Voters of Broward County "Hot Topics" luncheon yesterday. Mr. Hersh explained the reasoning for his recent and successful suit to stop a proposed tax reform ammendment from making it on the January ballot.
While I'm not advocating a position on this issue, I agree with the Mayor on this point, it is an issue with which voters need to be better informed. While there is coverage of the ongoing special sessions to discuss new proposals, it seems to me there is little detailed explanation of what Mr. Hersh was seeking in his original suit and why. That is the reason I'd like to direct anyone who is interested in what the Mayor had to say to visit our video site, uVu and hear from Mr. Hersh in his own words.(search Keyword: Hersh or look in the Speaker's Corner section)
You can read about the afternoon in the Sun-Sentinel if you'd like to get a recap, but you now have the opportunity to watch the entire conversation with Mr. Hersh on our site, the important thing is that you become better aware of the deeper issues so we can all make the best decisions for the future of our region. It is one of the reasons we developed uVu, so that there is a place for South Floridians to come and gather details missing in the normal course of news coverage...and hopefully you will leave some thoughts of your own.
Please, take a look at what Mr. Hersh had to say and share your thoughts with us here, whether you agree or not, if we take the steps necessary to stay informed we have a chance of creating a better tomorrow. Uvu is our little part of the process.
There is an awful lot of new material on uVu this week and from a very wide range of topics and perspectives. As the site continues to grow, I hope you get to visit it often and go back through some of the older inventory too.
We try to move stories to the main page if they become topical again as we did last week with our series of South Florida WW II segments in conjunction with the Ken Burns series, THE WAR, which continues this week. Although the segments are no longer on the main page they are still available to screen at any time or click here for a quicker link. You can search the uVu site quickly by selecting a key word in the search bar for uVu and if you would like to see those WW II segments search for the phrase World War.
As for the new material, in the EXCLUSIVES category we have new clips from Jamie Foxx's visit with Tavis Smiley, short promotional pieces from the upcoming season of Independent Lens (KEYWORD: Independent Lens) and segments from the latest episode of WPBT/Channel 2's own Art 360.
Continue reading "New this week on uVu" »
 Take a little preview of the new season on Independent Lens, courtesy of WPBT/Channel 2's video site, uVu.
You can see the promotional spots for the first three programs in the new season, all coming up in October.
Continue reading "Independent Lens on uVu " »
Noting the six month anniversary of the launch of South Florida's own video sharing website, uVu, the Sun-Sentinel wrote the following review.
If you haven't seen uVu yet, take a look for yourself and tell us what you think.
If you like WPBT/Channel 2's broadcast, extend your experience with video clips from uVu. With the premiere of Ken Burns' epic series THE WAR about WWII, uVu highlights South Florida's role in the that struggle with these web only exclusives:
Continue reading "uVu in the News" »
As one of the proud parents of a bouncing new baby "web site," and there are many here at WPBT, I couldn't let the six-month birthday of uVu go by without some pronouncement.
Over the first half year of existence, we have seen alot of growth, some emotional moments and marveled at the hope and promise for the future of a video sharing website with a very singular and distinct purpose. Unlike much of the video sites that continue to develop (and thrive) online, with uVu we have tried to create an atmosphere that mirrors the mission of our traditional broadcast channels, to educate, entertain and enlighten our users with the sort of quality that WPBT/Channel 2 has stood for for over 50 years and beyond that to focus the target of our content on South Florida, highlighting the arts and culture, exploring what is both good and sometimes not so good about this region we all share.
More importantly, uVu was built to be an interactive archive of who we are as a community and possibly help shape what we will become and that is the true potential, uVu is for everyone to build together, the ideas of user generated content, citizen journalism and viewer interaction combining to create a running conversation on the state of our part of the state.
If you haven't visited the site yet, please take a look around and share your comments, add your voice or best of all add a video. Help us celebrate the six month anniversary by becoming our newest viewfinder and leaving a message of best wishes to uVu.
This week, uVu takes a tour of the Keys and enjoy a One Night Stand with some inventive playwrights.
The Miami Herald issues an artist's challenge Miami Beach welcomes the Biscayne Corridor and U of M bids farewell to the O.B.
Continue reading "New This Week on uVu" »
Take a look at some of the new video clips on uVu, including Bill Moyers look at the legacy of Karl Rove and a preview of ART 21, which will air in October.
There is also the newest installment of South Florida Communities as we visit Coral Gables.
And as the tropics begin to heat up, you can take a look at a preview of Anatomy of a Hurricane, WPBT's own peak inside the National Hurricane Center.
Finally, uVu was there when Miami Mayor Manny Diaz addressed the young members of Generation Engage on the matter of building Miami-Dade's Green Economy.
Once you have seen them tell us what you think.
 The newest addition to WPBT/Channel 2's digital content platforms, uVu, continues to grow and surprise.
The latest collection of video runs the gamut from politics to puppetry and everywhere in between.
From the recent
National Council
of La Raza
held
at the Miami Convention Center, we have Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton addressing the audience.
Continue reading "New This Week on uVu" »
The uVu team here at WPBT is currently working on a series for that part of our website. We see it as a way for people in different areas of South Florida to know what’s going on in other parts, we will be going to a different neighborhood every other week to talk to residents, find out about community issues, and any other relevant topics we come across.
Continue reading "Exploring North Bay Village" »
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