MAKE: television debuts on public television this weekend

I'm really excited that MAKE: television is premiering on public television this weekend. It's based on MAKE magazine, and is produced by Twin Cities Public Television. I've seen the first four episodes, and they really capture what MAKE magazine is about.

SHOW DESCRIPTION
Make: is the DIY series for a new generation! It celebrates "Makers" -- the inventors, artists, geeks and just plain everyday folks who mix new and old technology to create new-fangled marvels. The series encourages everyone to invent, revent, recycle, upcycle, and act up. Based on the popular MAKE magazine, each half-hour episode inspires millions to think, create, and, well, make.

Make: premieres nationwide on Public Television stations and online at makezine.tv in January 2009. It's produced by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) in St. Paul, Minn. Full episodes will be available at makezine.tv as well as PDFs of all the DIY projects on the show. (Makers can submit their own videos for the Maker Channel segment of the show at makerchannel.org)

AIRDATES
Broadcast feed starts January 3, 2009, at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Television premiere is January 3 on some stations, but air dates differ (see list below). See your local public television station for air dates and times.

Web premiere is January 3 at 7 a.m. Eastern time at makezine.tv

PROGRAMS
Season 1 consists of 10 half-hour episodes; all will be available at makezine.tv and also on iTunes. MAKE author John Park hosts the Maker Workshop (DIY) segment, and MAKE author Bill Gurstelle is the technical consultant for the show. Preview video is available at makezine.tv.

SPONSORSHIP
Major funding is provided by Geek Squad.

MAKE: televsion

• [Bonnie]

  Congrats to all! Can’t wait to tune in! Yay for Makers!

• [pt]

  @styrofoam – not at all… the CEO of geek squad was part of maker faire and also checked out the show during production. having a brand do something cool like for the maker community is an excellent way for them to show that they’re more than just a service for fixing computers. geek squad also does a lot of kids education event/efforts and this (i think) is an excellent way to get the word out about it. disclosure, i’m senior editor of MAKE – but i’d say the same thing about any company that spends their money this way, what’s better? a shotgun approach to advertising where 99.99% of never works and no one ever sees it? -or- support a public television show that hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers – all the videos will be available forever in HD (no DRM) on our site(s). i hope other companies see how “good” this is and considering sponsoring season 2.

• [Takuan]

  now I’m really pissed I’d didn’t do this idea years ago when I had it. Ah well, might as well participate grudgingly.

• [DaveX66]

  I’ve bee looking forward to this for a long time and, being from St. Paul I have to admit a small bit of pride. however, it apparently isn’t airing here. I did a search on my Dish guide and it didn’t come up. I then checked the TPT site and there is no mention of it on their schedule nor does it come up in any kind of search. Maybe it will air later but I find it odd that it’s not airing immediately on the channel that’s producing it! Oh well, I can watch it online at least!

• [styrofoam]

  Yay TPT!
  This is almost enough to make me forgive them for their recent reshuffling of their digital channels here in the twin cities. But not quite.

  Does association of Geek Squad taint the show in any way?

• [DaveX66]

  Whew! Apparently it’s on on the 10th here in the Twin Cities. I found that info at Make. Weird that there’s no mention on TPT’s site though.