October Premieres on OETA
The Oklahoma News Report Celebrates 40 Years with a New Format
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – This October marks many new beginnings for the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA). Not only do several big dramas hit the small screen, but the station celebrates the fortieth anniversary and debuts an all-new format of its news and current affairs program, The Oklahoma News Report.
Starting Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m., The Oklahoma News Report expands its weekly newscast, which Oklahomans know and trust, from a half-hour to a full hour. In addition to its regular reporting, the new format features a panel discussion composed of the state’s top thought leaders, journalists and investigative reporters. The program will also launch a new logo, graphics and set. For more information about The Oklahoma News Report, visit OETA.tv/pressroom.
Week of September 27
Gallery America: Jason Wilson - Painter of Quilts – Thursday, October 1, 7:00 p.m. Host Robert Reid heads to McAlester, Oklahoma where he talks with artist Jason Wilson about his painting, and how those paintings inspired Oklahoma's "Quilt Collective."
Midsomer Murders (Season Premiere)– Thursday, October 1, 8:00 p.m.
In season seventeen of Midsomer Murders, DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Charlie Nelson (Gwilym Lee) investigate murder and mystery as long-lost pulp fiction and folk songs from beyond the grave stir up bitter resentments.
Week of October 4
Flesh and Blood on Masterpiece (Series Premiere)– Sunday, October 4, 8:00 p.m.
This all-new drama is an unconventional thriller about the perils of late-life romance. The lives of three adult siblings are disrupted when their recently widowed mother declares she's in love with a new man.
COBRA (Series Premiere)– Sunday, October 4, 9:00 p.m.
Follow the British Prime Minister and his Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (COBRA) committee, composed of leading contingency planners and senior politicians, as they navigate the difficulties in overcoming a major national crisis.
Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan (Series Premiere) – Mondays, October 5-19, 8:00 p.m.
Enjoy an intimate and heartfelt interview series hosted by four-time New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan. Guests include Bryan Stevenson, James Corden and Jennifer Garner.
POV: The Infiltrators – Monday, October 5, 9:00 p.m.
Meet two young immigrants who get purposefully arrested by Border Patrol and put in a shadowy for-profit detention center. Marco and Viri, members of a group of radical Dreamers, believe the best place to stop deportations is in detention.
The Hispanic Heritage Awards – Tuesday, October 6, 7:00 p.m.
Celebrate the recipients of the annual Hispanic Heritage Awards. The evening includes performances and appearances by some of the country's most celebrated Hispanic artists and visionaries.
Frontline: America’s Medical Supply Crisis – Tuesday, October 6, 9:00 p.m.
Why was the U.S. left scrambling for critical medical equipment as the coronavirus swept the country? With the Associated Press, an investigation of the fragmented global medical supply chain and its deadly consequences.
PBS NewsHour: Debates 2020 - Vice Presidential Debate – Wednesday, October 7, 8:00 p.m.
OETA Debate: 5th Congressional District Stephanie Bice and Kendra Horn – Thursday, October 8, 7:00 p.m.
OETA, Oklahoma Watch and the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma County hosts Oklahoma State Senator Stephanie Bice (R) and incumbent Congresswoman Kendra Horn (D) for a live debate. The candidates are competing to represent Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Week of October 11
Last Tango in Halifax (Season Premiere) – Sunday, October 11, 7:00 p.m.
In the final season, after seven years of marriage, Alan and Celia discover that wedded bliss isn’t always blissful—clashing politics, Alan’s new job and a wild local lad create tension. Caroline gets emotionally embroiled at work.
PBS Kids Talk About: Race and Racism – Monday, October 12, 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The half-hour program will feature authentic conversations between real children and their parents, and will include content from PBS KIDS series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Arthur andXavier Riddle And The Secret Museum. The show will feature kids and their parents talking about race and racial justice-related topics in an age-appropriate way, such as noticing differences in race, understanding what racism can look like, and embracing the role we all have to play in standing up for ourselves and each other—offering viewers ideas to build on as they continue these important conversations at home.
POV: Softie – Monday, October 12, 9:00 p.m.
After years of fighting injustice in Kenya, daring and audacious activist Boniface "Softie" Mwangi decides to run for political office. But, running a clean campaign against corrupt opponents with idealism as his only weapon proves challenging.
Finding Your Roots: Fashion’s Roots – Tuesday, October 13, 7:00 p.m.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. steps into the world of fashion and meets three icons of style: Diane Von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez and RuPaul Charles, introducing ancestors who were just as audacious as they are.
Driving While Black – Tuesday, October 13, 8:00 p.m.
Discover how the advent of the automobile brought new mobility and freedom for African Americans but also exposed them to discrimination and deadly violence, and how that history resonates today.
The Age of Nature – Wednesdays, October 14-28, 9:00 p.m.
Explore humanity’s relationship with nature and wildlife, as scientists and conservationists from all over the world examine ways we can restore our planet. This documentary series asks whether newfound awareness of nature could bring about a new chapter in the human story.
PBS NewsHour: Debates 2020 - Presidential Debate – Thursday, October 15, 8:00 p.m.
The Oklahoma News Report – Friday, October 16, 7:00 p.m.
The Oklahoma News Report is a weekly in-depth exploration of news and issues affecting all Oklahomans, featuring topical information and meaningful stories that provide context and meaning to educate and engage every citizen across the state. Tune in for the launch of the all-new hour long format.
Week of October 18
The Trouble with Maggie Cole (Series Premiere) – Sunday, October 18, 7:00 p.m.
See what happens when idle gossip escalates out of control and starts to affect people’s lives. Set in a picturesque fishing village, the series centers on Maggie Cole, the self-appointed oracle of this close-knit community.
Independent Lens: Feels Good Man – Monday, October 19, 10:00 p.m.
Follow artist Matt Furie, creator of the comic character Pepe the Frog, as he begins an uphill battle to take back his iconic cartoon image from those who use it for their own purposes.
Frontline: Whose Vote Counts – Tuesday, October 20, 9:00 p.m.
Allegations of voter fraud and disenfranchisement in the lead up to the 2020 election. With Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb investigates how the pandemic is being used to sway turnout.
Nature: Pandas - Born To Be Wild – Wednesday, October 21, 7:00 p.m.
In the season 38 premiere of Nature, professionals unlock the mysteries of wild pandas whose counterparts in captivity are known for their gentle image. Journey through the steep Qinling Mountains with filmmakers, scientists and rangers to witness pandas' startling courtship and aggression behaviors.
PBS NewsHour: Debates 2020 - Presidential Debate – Thursday, October 22, 8:00 p.m.
American Masters: Michael Tilson Thomas - Where Now Is – Friday, October 23, 9:00 p.m.
Discover the Grammy-winning conductor, pianist and composer. A National Medal of Arts recipient and longtime music director of the San Francisco Symphony, he helped set the standard that an American orchestra should champion modern American music.
Week of October 25
Generation Nation: A PBS American Portrait Story – Monday, October 26, 8:30 p.m.
Explore how people in different age groups see themselves and their place in America. Through self-shot video, they share common experiences that bind age groups together and generational differences that put them at odds with one another.
Independent Lens: Represent – Monday, October 26, 9:00 p.m.
Leading up to the 2018 midterm elections in the heart of the Midwest, three women take on entrenched local political networks in their fight to reshape politics on their own terms.
Not Done: Women Remaking America – Tuesday, October 27, 7:00 p.m.
Chart the last five years of the women’s movement and its re-energized, intersectional fight for equality. Activists, journalists, entertainers, athletes, and politicians report from the frontlines of the feminist tidal wave.
Nature: Australian Bushfire Rescue – Wednesday, October 28, 7:00 p.m.
Meet the people rescuing and caring for the animal survivors of Australia's devastating bushfires. Iconic species like koalas, kangaroos and wombats face a series of hurdles to recover from their trauma.
NOVA: Can We Cool the Planet? – Wednesday, October 28, 8:00 p.m.
As global temperatures rise, scientists look to geoengineering solutions, from planting trees to sucking carbon out of the air, as a means to cool the planet.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration – Friday, October 30, 9:00 p.m.
Enjoy a celebration of the music of Sesame Street with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Big Bird, Elmo and other Sesame Street favorites sing the show's songs alongside the world-renowned orchestra and artistic director Wynton Marsalis.
Programs are subject to change. Please check OETA.tv for the latest programming information.
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About OETA
OETA provides essential educational content and services that inform, inspire and connect Oklahomans to ideas and information that enrich our quality of life. We do this by consistently engaging Oklahomans with educational and public television programming, providing educational training and curriculum, outreach initiatives and online features that collectively encourage lifelong learning. For more information about education curriculum and programs, local productions, digital television, community resources and show schedules explore OETA.tv.
Contact Aaron Morvan with any press inquiries - amorvan@oeta.tv.