Here & Now
Other Resources
Collection Summary
Since 2003, Here & Now has been the weekly flagship news program of PBS Wisconsin, the only network that transmits to all corners of the state. The Here & Now Collection includes all 911, 30-minute episodes that aired between its premiere in January 2003 through June 2021. Recent episodes are available to view here: pbswisconsin.org/watch/here-and-now/
Known and respected for its non-biased approach, Here & Now presents stories from a variety of viewpoints. Each week host Federica Freyberg takes a deep and measured investigation into the major issues facing the state. Topics range from local and national politics and economics to natural resource stewardship and the impact of gun violence. Here & Now provides an insider’s view to the governorships of Jim Doyle, Scott Walker, and Tony Evers, including major state stories that made the national news: effects of the Great Recession on Wisconsin residents and businesses, including the shutdown of the Janesville General Motors plant in 2008; the divisive 2011 “Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill,” leading to months of mass protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol and recall elections throughout the state; Wisconsin’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the August 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha and the deadly unrest that followed; and the contested November 2020 election that divided the state and the nation. Guests on the show are subject experts from around the state and the nation, politicians, and local leaders, including UW Madison Chief Diversity Officer Patrick Sims; gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke; Rep. Paul Ryan; “Freedom from Religion” co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor; and Ray DePerry, Chairman of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa.
Collection Background
PBS Wisconsin, formerly WHA-TV and Wisconsin Public Television, is based in Madison and comprises all of the PBS member stations in Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee. WHA-FM began broadcasting in the 1920s, and the station added WHA-TV in 1954, becoming the first educational television station in Wisconsin. In 1986, the station took on the name Wisconsin Public Television, and in 2019 it was renamed to PBS Wisconsin. PBS Wisconsin contributed episodes of Here & Now to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting starting in 2018.
Federica Freyberg has served as the host of Here & Now since 2003. In varied roles at PBS Wisconsin, Freyberg has conducted interviews, moderated political debates, and produced documentary specials. In 2011, Freberg won a Midwest Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for News Specialty Report/Series. She is a three-time recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award for achievements in electronic journalism. In addition to the on-air broadcast, the program live streams newsmaker interviews online and on social media, expanding the reach and accessibility of this important independent journalism and produces daily news reports online at https://pbswisconsin.org/news.
