Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 242

Chicago area overflows with public-TV programming Mill I MOM 7 it! i It 17V MMk, By Harlene Ellin Special to the Tribune When Chicagoans think public television, most think WTTW-Ch. 11, which on Wednesday will extend its broadcast day to 24 hours. But Chicago also boasts two other public television stations: WYCC-Ch. 20, which is owned and operated by the City Colleges of Chicago, and WYIN-Ch. 56, which serves Northwest Indiana and Chicago's southern metropolitan area.

Broadcasting in powerhouse WTTW's territory can have its disadvantages. For example, WYIN is designated as a PBS "overlap station," because it reaches an area already served by a PBS affiliate, WTTW. Therefore, it must operate on a delayed schedule. If WTTW airs a regular PBS series, WYIN has to wait eight days before broadcasting it. And it must delay airing timely PBS programs or specials such as news shows- for 12 hours.

In some cases, if a program is particularly time sensitive, such as a 4th of July concert or a Christmas Day special, there is no delay. But WYIN doesn't let its overlap designation hold it back, says Gordon Sroufe, program director. Instead, it sees itself as an alternative to WTTW. The station airs only 10 percent of PBS' schedule WTTW broad casts approximately 70 percent filling the rest of its air time with locally produced shows, exclusive programming and college and high school sports. "Because we're an overlap station we have to be very creative," Sroufe says.

"If you tag us with anything in the parlance of the television industry, we are an "independent" public television station." Anders Yocom, WTTW's vice president of broadcasting, says there is room for all three public television stations in Chicago. "By and large, I think each one has its own mis-dnn to fulfill. Our mission is quality pro gramming, and the thing we strive to do most Harry TruYnan is the focus of a two-part WTTW series running Oct. 5-6. 'The American Experience" highlights 20th Century presidents.

is serve our local aucnence. WYCC is Chicago's PBS educational station. The bulk of its schedule is telecourses fnr mlleee credit and adult education shows It also features some PBS specials and previ Yocom said the station's move to a 24-hour format will "give us added opportunities to broadcast our local programming." The extra four hours will include encore presentations of its acclaimed nightly news analysis show, "Chicago Tonight with John Callaway" (7 p.m., then rebroadcasting at 10 p.m., 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday).

The station also will offer a blend of television series, miniseries and specials during its day and evening hours. tary from acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns Civil This year's offering is "Lewis Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery" (Nov. 4-5, 8 p.m.). It tells the story of explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's Missouri River journey. The two-part, four-hour film features readings from letters, newspaper accounts and Lewis and Clark's journals, and interviews with scholars, writers and the descendants of expedition members.

"None of the Above" (Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m.), a Continued on page 42 Page 3 ously aired series ana cnnuren snows, as well as locally produced programming. Carole Cartwright, WYCC's general manager, says her education-intensive station complements Chicagoland's other PBS affiliates. "We all feel we have a separate identity," she says. "We all program to different markets and different types of people." Here's a look at what each station has to offer this fall.

Sept. 28 -Oct. 4, 1997.