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Streamside with Don Meissner returns to WPBS

WPBS/WNPI-DT, Watertown Public Broadcasting, announces the return of Streamside with Don Meissner, on Monday nights at 7:30 pm. Streamside has been a popular show for many years, and has been seen recently on weekend re-runs.

In anticipation of Meissner’s series Fishing Behind the Lines, scheduled to premiere in the Fall of 2012, WPBS-WNPI-DT believes the return of Streamsidein a prime time slot will bring new viewers up to date on the powerful connection the host enjoys between outdoor life andthe heart of human experience.

Through 18 years of close partnership, WPBS and Don Meissner brought members of both the Canadian and American broadcast communities over 400 episodes of Streamside, knowing that the secret to the program’s success was its growth from its early start to a rich travelogue through the earth’s beauty, narrated and shared by just one man.

Since the Streamside chapter closed, however, WPBS and host Meissner have worked hard to develop a new series relevant to the needs of our present-day community.

“We feel “Fishing Behind the Lines” is the answer we have been looking for over the past few years,” said Tom Hanley, President and General Manager of WPBS-DT. “Fishing Behind the Lines” is much more than fishing, it’s a way for all of us to understand the benefits and challenges our men and women in uniform face every day,” said Hanley.

“By sharing the stories of the soldiers at Fort Drum, New York,” he added, “we tell the stories of all our returning soldiers, with the region’s beautiful outdoors as a natural backdrop.”Fishing Behind the Lines is a 13-part, 30-minute series designed to be a fishing and destinations show. Each episode will highlight a day of fishing in one of the lakes, streams or rivers in the North Country region – Jefferson, Oswego and St. Lawrence Counties, focusing on the perspective of a soldier of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. Each week will concentrate on the North Country’s outdoors, on fishing, and the interaction between host Meissner and one single soldier. In addition, part of the weekly show will be devoted to highlighting other destinations or attractions in the area. This program will do much to link the military and civilian communities, drive tourism and foster civic, community and national pride.

Don Meissneris a well-known professional angler with a vast knowledge of the American wilderness. In addition to Streamside, he also hosted Park It: Celebrating our Region’s Finest, a 30-minute production celebrating our region’s parks. Don has also participated in numerous “live” televised events and many outreach events.
Most recently, Don was named the spokesperson for FISHCAP, an international campaign to promote the St. Lawrence River Valley as the fishing capital of the region, and the world.

According to Don, “This program means more than fishing and celebrating our region. Fishing Behind the Lines gets down to highlighting the most basic forms of humanity and how we connect to people through recreation. This program will help reduce prejudices and build bridges with our military community.

Fishing Behind the Lines will also be distributed nationally to other PBS stations, a fact that the Watertown host station is eager to share.
“We believe this program will not only have a great appeal locally,” stated WPBS Director of Production, Tracy Duflo., “but since every community has soldiers just coming back and trying to connect, we think this new Meissner show will be just the ticket to helping our brave warriors come home.”.

The local transmission of Streamside with Don Meissner is sponsored in part by FISHCAP, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and North Country Savings Bank. WPBS is working with a group of funders for the local production and national distribution of Fishing Behind the Lines who have like-minded missions to highlight our region and attract attention to some of the best kept fishing secrets in the area.

WPBS-DT is a not-for-profit public television station serving approximately 650,000 households throughout Northern New York and Eastern Ontario. WPBS-DT’s mission is to educate, entertain and inform in order to enhance the lives of those it serves.