Hello North Carolina Woodworkers,
My name is Doug Hicks and I am Executive Editor with Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines, developer/producer of "The Woodsmith Shop" TV show, and a cast member on the show. I've been following this thread and thought I could bring a little more light into what we're up to here at the Woodsmith Shop.
Yes, we have produced the first season (13 episodes) of a brand new television show that is unlike anything else currently on the air. It's focused on woodworking techniques, tips, and tools more than projects. Our feeling is that if you learn the technques, you can apply them on any project you want.
Since our publishing company is based in Iowa, the show is coproduced by Iowa Public Television. So we started out the show by broadcasting it here in Iowa starting October 5 and 6. (We got a great position right after Norm and before This Old House!) The response from those who have seen it has been great.
Now our goal is to get the show broadcast all over the country (including North Carolina!). Public television is a little different than commercial television. Each local station decides what to carry and when it will be broadcast. Starting December 8th, each of the stations will be able to download "The Woodsmith Shop" off the satellite (through NETA, that's our distributor) and show it whenever they want.
In the next week or so we will be sending a packet of information about the show to all of the programmers at every station. I suspect that many of them will be deciding shortly what to feature after the first of the year. Here's where each of you can play a part. If you would like to see the show, contact your local public television station. For most of you I believe that would be UNC-TV. Contact information is available at:
http://www.unctv.org/aboutus/contactus.html
We have been told that if a local station hears from even a small number of people, they might consider a new show. So it is important that you contact the station if you are interested and give them your thoughts.
If you would like to find out more about the show, go to
www.WoodsmithShop.com. If you click on any of Episodes 101-104, you can now download free articles and project plans that we've featured on the show (the rest will be added as the shows come on the air here in Iowa). And you can click on a short video intro. to Episodes 101-106 to get a little sense for the show. Just click on an episode and then the photo and the video should start.
We've also received some questions about whether it will be available on DVD. Somewhere down the line we might do that, but our goal and energy right now is to get as many public television stations to carry it as possible.
If you've got other questions or suggestions about the show, please let me know either on this thread or email me at
dhicks@augusthome.com
P.S. I love North Carolina. My folks live up in the mountains near Brevard. As a matter of fact, I am flying down to Asheville tomorrow morning to spend some time with them. Hopefully the leaves will still be in their glory. (And maybe some of you remember that I was down to speak to the Triangle Woodworkers Guild in Cary in April 1996. That was a great group.)
-Doug
