Our Most Popular Programs: Streaming Now at wpt.org

February 17, 2012 Wisconsin Public Television Leave a Comment

Did you catch Frontline this week? Neither did I because that thing called Valentine’s Day got in the way of it. But I’m not here to rail about Valentine’s. My point is that there’s a lot of great television out there, and watching all of it in real time just isn’t possible. Luckily though, most of it’s streaming online at wpt.org, which means I can still watch Frontline “The Interrupters” this weekend.

There’s plenty of other great videos that you can watch whenever you want. A new tool for finding those programs is WPT’s Program A-Z page. All you have to do is filter your results by checking “online video” and you’ll see a bunch of programs that are streaming online. Check it out at your leisure. For now, here’s just a sampling of some of the more popular programs streaming now.

Here and Now “Wolf Hunting in Wisconsin”
Why this video matters:
At the end of January the federal government officially removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list, meaning people can now hunt them legally. For most of you, myself included, this action might pull at the heartstrings a little, but in reality, it likely has little direct impact on your life. But that’s not the case for people like Meg Thoreson who was recently attacked by a wolf pack while walking with her dogs. This report from Here and Now’s Zac Schultz takes you beyond the politics surrounding the wolf debate and introduces you to the people like Meg who live in the Northwoods and actually have wolves for neighbors. You’ll discover how they feel about their sudden lawful right to defend themselves, their pets and their livestock from Wisconsin’s wolves.

Watch Wolf hunting in Wisconsin on PBS. See more from Here and Now.

Nova “Extreme Cave Diving”
Why this video matters:
First, the diving part of this title means these caves are submerged, and everyone knows video becomes infinitely more interesting when it’s shot underwater.
Second, these “extreme” cave divers don’t use a traditional breathing apparatus. They use something called a rebreather, akin to the type astronauts use. They’re so technical that as many as 1 in 10 of them can fail. That means certain death when you’re hundreds of feet deep in a maze of stalactites.
And finally, the research gathered from the cave diving expeditions reveal some startling data about climate change. Without giving away too much, the divers find evidence that suggests a major shift in the global climate could occur far quicker than previously anticipated. Even within our own lifetime.

Watch Extreme Cave Diving on PBS. See more from NOVA.

Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey, Season 2”
Why this video matters:
The entire nation is ablaze with Downton Abbey fervor. Nearly every major news outlet has run a story on the popular series – it even made the cover of TV Guide. But this video is important in another context – You can only watch it until March 6! That’s right, most videos on wpt.org expire after a couple of years, but Downton Abbey expires after just a couple of months. So watch it now, or you’ll have to wait ’til we air it again. If you ever want to see when a video expires, there’s two ways to find out. First, the thumbnails in the video player tell you. Second, you can click the details tab below the video’s title for the expiration date. Click on the thumbnail image at right for a visual.