::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

PBS News Hour host Yamiche Alcindor stands at the door of her White House office on May 10, 2021. (The Slice): White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor of PBS has been named host of "Washington Week." The Georgetown grad says filling the seat once occupied by the late Gwen Ifill is both a source of pride and pressure. Robert Costa is the immediate previous host of Washington Week making Yamiche the youngest at age 34. A member of the same sorority as VP Kamala Harris, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alcindor will continue to represent PBS in her role in the Brady Press Briefing Room. She is a New York Times and USA Today alum who started her career in print media. Despite having won awards for her work, Yamiche is known for demonstrating determination and professionalism when former Pres. Donald Trump berated her. Mrs. Alcindor' rise has been impressive considering the moves she has made as a national journalist in a decade. On the other hand, the rise has not come witho...

PBS has released its schedule for Black History Month programming.  Throughout the month of February the history of Black americans will be celebrated with various streaming and televised specials, although the company airs Black history programs all year.  This month Henry Louis Gates, Jr. host and executive producer   will kick off the celebrqtion with a feature on the role of religion in the African American experience form the preached word, to the music to social justice called 'The Black Church: This Is Out Story, This Is our Song" on February 16 at 9/8c.   A summary of the documentary from PBSfurther says it  "traces  the 400 year-old story of the Black church in America, all the way down to its bedrock role as the site of African American survival and endurance, grace and resilience, thriving and testifying, freedom and independence, solidarity and speaking truth to power." The PBS website also features briefs on 28 black history makers (...

PBS will bring all star entertainment to the nation this July 4th. in a different format.  For the 40th anniversary of the Capitol Fourth, performances were pre-recorded out of caution over the spread of the Coronavirus.  Fireworks will be broadcast live, however.   Organizers say the event will be just as special as ever, but will reflect on the unprecedented moment we are experiencing as a nation. Said Executive Producer Michael Colbert in a statement.  “This year, our broadcast will reflect what we as a country have faced and the challenges ahead, while showcasing our message of inclusion, patriotism and love.”  The 90-minute production will be co-hosted by John Stamos and Vanessa Williams.   Performers from various musical genres include Patti Labelle, Trce Adkins, The Temptations, Renee Fleing, Yolanda Adams and more.  Tune in tonight for a spectacular display of patriotism at 8/7/ central on PBS.   

buzzz worthy. . . Austin City Limits Showcases Music For the Soul: Gospel Legend CeCe Winans & St. Paul & The Broken Bones New Episode Airs February 4th on PBS Austin, TX— Austin City Limits  (ACL) presents a soul-stirring hour of high voltage gospel with the legendary  CeCe Winans  and soul sensations  St. Paul & The Broken Bones .  The new installment premieres  Saturday, February 4 at 8pm CT/9pm ET  as part of the series’ Season 42.  ACL’s season finale airs February 11, featuring UK alt-rockers Foals along with Texas legend Alejandro Escovedo.  The series just announced the first taping of the upcoming Season 43, with rock icons The Pretenders taping their ACL debut on March 13th to air later this year.  ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide  (check local listings)  and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at pbs.org/austincitylimits  immediately following the i...

buzzz worthy. . . PBS is now doing an internal investigation into Ben Affleck covering up he had a slave owning ancestor in "Finding Our Roots," hosted by Henry "Skip" Louis Gates.  In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the actor-director apologized, writing he was "embarrassed"  by the discovery. He admitted to influencing the edit, but claims the host was ultimately responsible for the final edit that aired. “I didn’t want any television show about my family to include a guy who owned slaves. I was embarrassed. The very thought left a bad taste in my mouth,” Affleck wrote. “Skip decided what went into the show. I lobbied him the same way I lobby directors about what takes of mine I think they should use. This is the collaborative creative process."  The episode in question aired last October, but the news that Affleck asked the show to hide his ancestor came out through hacked Sony emails made public last week by WikiLeaks.