The Most Watched Shows of 2014

December 31, 2014 PBS Wisconsin Leave a Comment

The year’s end always brings on an abundance of “top 10” and “best of” lists. With thousands of videos streamed this year, we thought it’d be fun take a nostalgic look at some of the most popular videos on wpt.org this year.

By the numbers, here are some of the videos you watched most in 2014.

Without a doubt, Sewing With Nancy was the most streamed show, due, in part, to a loyal audience that extends far beyond Wisconsin. Among the hundreds of videos, “Sew Simple With Rectangles and Squares, Part 1” was the favorite in 2014.

30-Minute Music Hour ranked among the favorites this year thanks to Charlie Parr. The Duluth singer/songwriter performed his mix of steel guitar country and bluegrass for a live audience in Madison last summer.

Several films in the WPT Documentaries series made the list of favorites this year. “Jerry Apps: A Farm Story” and “A Farm Winter With Jerry Apps” continued to log views, as did “Being Hmong Means Being Free” as well as “Menominee History,” which is part of WPT’s new collection of Tribal Histories.

From state legislative races to the race for governor, Here and Now and WisconsinVote.org kept viewers informed throughout the election season with weekly reports and statewide candidate statements. And, fracking continued to make headlines in Wisconsin. Frederica Freyberg’s 2012 report on the booming sand mining industry in Western Wisconsin remained among the most viewed in 2014.

At the start of the year, WPT introduced the new TV series Wisconsin Life in partnership with Wisconsin Public Radio. The series showcases Wisconsin’s most interesting people and places. Some of the favorite stories were “State in Law,” “Milwaukee Gymnast,” and “Barn Quilts.”

And in December, WPT premiered another new film that invited viewers to soar over Wisconsin’s treasured landscapes. Wisconsin From the Air delighted viewers during the recent winter membership drive. The response from WPT viewers was overwhelming and resulted in a most successful membership drive. Thank you to all for your gifts of support!

University Place continued to spread education across the state and beyond by adding over 100 new videos to its collection this year. The most popular video in 2014 featured “Miracle on the Hudson” co-pilot Jeff Skiles sharing his story of the successful landing of a U.S. Airways flight on the Hudson River.

We said farewell to The Wisconsin Gardener’s Shelley Ryan this year and remembered her legacy as viewers gained knowledge – from identifying wild parsnip, to fighting tree and shrub disease and attracting hummingbirds – for growing in Wisconsin.

On Wisconsin Foodie, eager viewers dined with host Kyle Cherek at Ishnala in Wisconsin Dells. A new season of “Foodie” adventures premieres Jan. 8 on WPT, with new episodes already available to watch online. Also in the food and travel category, Around the Farm Table gained popularity in its second season this year as host Inga Witscher made egg soufflé with guest Michael Perry.

If you missed any of the above videos, don’t worry…all these and more are available to watch for free at video.wpt.org. Ring in the New Year by watching some of your favorites. And, if you don’t see your favorite video on the list, tell us what it is in the comments.

Thanks for watching, and happy New Year!

Here and Now University Place Around the Farm Table Wisconsin Life A Farm Winter With Jerry Apps 30-Minute Music Hour Wisconsin Foodie The Wisconsin Gardener Sewing with Nancy