Almanac (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Almanac is a weekly public-affairs television series produced by Twin Cities Public Television
(TPT) in St. Paul, Minnesota and distributed to other channels around the state via Minnesota Public Television
(MPTV). It has aired week
ly since December 7, 1984. Longtime hosts Eric Eskola
and Cathy Wurzer
are married. They have also spent time at other area stations. Eskola contributed political reports to WCCO radio until being laid off in May, 2010, and Wurzer hosts the regional portion of Morning Edition
at Minnesota Public Radio
. Eskola is noted for his fondness for scarves
, wearing a different one each week on Almanac during the cold months. A special extra political report hosted by Mary Lahammer (daughter of longtime Associated Press
political writer Gene Lahammer, now retired) has been airing for a few years when the Minnesota State Legislature is in session.
A 90-second monologue
, typically by a local humorist, was originally presented near the beginning of each edition of the show and now occurs in the middle of the program. Some "monologists" who have made many Almanac appearances include Dr. Mark DePaolis, James Lileks
, Dominic Papatola, Carol Falkowski, and J.G. Preston (an employee of the show until his departure in 2005). Members of the leadership in the Minnesota House of Representatives
and Minnesota Senate
frequently appear during their tenures. Guest political analysts include educators, lobbyists, and former legislators. Frequent panelists of recent years include David Strom
from the Minnesota Free Market Institute, former Minnesota State Senator Fritz Knaak, Republican lobbyist Sarah Janecek, former press secretary for Senator Norm Coleman
Andy Brehm, Democratic lobbyist-turned-educator Wy Spano, former Democratic legislator Ember Reichgott Junge
, and University of Minnesota
professors Hy Berman (history) and Larry S. Jacobs (political science).
The end of the show features an "Index File" trivia
question, though it often gets cut when the show runs long. Credits run over show-ending music, sometimes live but often pulled from TPT's library of musical recordings dating back to the 1970s.
A live broadcast to celebrate the series's 20th anniversary in April 2005 was transmitted in HDTV
. TPT claimed it was the first live high-definition broadcast in the area.
Twin Cities Public Television
Twin Cities Public Television is a non-profit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, that operates the Twin Cities' two Public Broadcasting Service member Public television stations, KTCA-TV and KTCI-TV...
(TPT) in St. Paul, Minnesota and distributed to other channels around the state via Minnesota Public Television
Minnesota Public Television
The Minnesota Public Television Association , also commonly known as Minnesota Public Television, is a not-for-profit trade organization of public television stations in the state of Minnesota that operates an interconnecting statewide educational television network serving residents of Minnesota...
(MPTV). It has aired week
Week
A week is a time unit equal to seven days.The English word week continues an Old English wice, ultimately from a Common Germanic , from a root "turn, move, change"...
ly since December 7, 1984. Longtime hosts Eric Eskola
Eric Eskola
Eric Eskola is a journalist and television personality well known for his coverage of Minnesota politics and government.Eskola has co-hosted the premier political/public affairs show in Minnesota, Almanac, since 1986. He was promoted from the sports desk after the death of the original co-host,...
and Cathy Wurzer
Cathy Wurzer
Cathy Wurzer is an American journalist and author. She and her husband Eric Eskola are longtime hosts of Almanac on Twin Cities Public Television. She also hosts the regional portion of Morning Edition on Minnesota Public Radio...
are married. They have also spent time at other area stations. Eskola contributed political reports to WCCO radio until being laid off in May, 2010, and Wurzer hosts the regional portion of Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
at Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
. Eskola is noted for his fondness for scarves
Scarf
A scarf is a piece of fabric worn around the neck, or near the head or around the waist for warmth, cleanliness, fashion or for religious reasons. They can come in a variety of different colours.-History:...
, wearing a different one each week on Almanac during the cold months. A special extra political report hosted by Mary Lahammer (daughter of longtime Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
political writer Gene Lahammer, now retired) has been airing for a few years when the Minnesota State Legislature is in session.
A 90-second monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
, typically by a local humorist, was originally presented near the beginning of each edition of the show and now occurs in the middle of the program. Some "monologists" who have made many Almanac appearances include Dr. Mark DePaolis, James Lileks
James Lileks
James Lileks is an American journalist, columnist, and blogger living in Minneapolis, Minnesota.- Career :Lileks has had a wide-ranging career as a columnist, radio personality, author, and prominent blogger....
, Dominic Papatola, Carol Falkowski, and J.G. Preston (an employee of the show until his departure in 2005). Members of the leadership in the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
and Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
frequently appear during their tenures. Guest political analysts include educators, lobbyists, and former legislators. Frequent panelists of recent years include David Strom
David Strom
David Strom is currently Research Director at the Emmer for Governor Campaign. Until recently he wasa Senior Policy Fellow of the Minnesota Free Market Institute. He was formerly President of the Institute, succeeded by Patricia Anderson. Prior to the formation of MFMI, David served as President...
from the Minnesota Free Market Institute, former Minnesota State Senator Fritz Knaak, Republican lobbyist Sarah Janecek, former press secretary for Senator Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
Andy Brehm, Democratic lobbyist-turned-educator Wy Spano, former Democratic legislator Ember Reichgott Junge
Ember Reichgott Junge
Ember Reichgott Junge is an attorney, radio personality, and former State Senator from Minnesota, representing New Hope and surrounding communities. A Democrat, she was elected to the Senate at age 29 and served for a total of eighteen years. She served as a majority whip from 1991 to 1994, and as...
, and University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
professors Hy Berman (history) and Larry S. Jacobs (political science).
The end of the show features an "Index File" trivia
Trivia
The trivia are the three lower Artes Liberales, i.e. grammar, rhetoric and logic. These were the topics of basic education, foundational to the quadrivia of higher education, and hence the material of basic education, of interest only to undergraduates...
question, though it often gets cut when the show runs long. Credits run over show-ending music, sometimes live but often pulled from TPT's library of musical recordings dating back to the 1970s.
A live broadcast to celebrate the series's 20th anniversary in April 2005 was transmitted in HDTV
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
. TPT claimed it was the first live high-definition broadcast in the area.