BETHLEHEM, PA., September 12, 2018<\/b> – In one of the states hit hardest by the opioid crisis, public media is bringing people together to fight back. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Seven public media stations from across Pennsylvania \u2014 WLVT\/PBS39 (Greater Lehigh Valley), WHYY (Philadelphia), WITF (Harrisburg), WPSU (State College), WQED (Pittsburgh), WQLN (Northwestern PA) and WVIA (Northeastern PA) \u2014 have banded together in Battling Opioids, a project to create and share programming, convene community conversations about the opioid crisis, and direct people to state and local resources and information on where to get help.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBattling Opioids, A Project of Pennsylvania Public Media\u201d will air at 8pm Sept 27 across the networks, and will feature a 60-minute documentary to which all stations contributed. It will be followed by a live panel discussion. The program is hosted by award-winning journalist Paola Giangiacomo, host of WVIA\u2019s television series Call the Doctor.<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n View a 30-second preview<\/span> here.<\/a><\/span><\/u> <\/span><\/p>\n Stations are convening related<\/span> watch events and community conversations<\/a><\/span><\/u> <\/u>across the state this month, including a program for legislators in Harrisburg on Sept 25. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur stations\u2019 demographics across the state may differ, but the opioid crisis affects all of us,\u201d said Kathleen Pavelko, President and CEO of WITF. \u201cBy pooling our resources, we can leverage the educational and civic opportunities that public media offers to solve statewide challenges like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs public media, we have a unique ability to both raise awareness through our reporting and to convene public forums for dialogue,\u201d said Tom Curr\u00e1, President and CEO of WVIA. \u201cWe are committed to doing our part to reverse the epidemic by educating the public on how opioid addiction happens while at the same time reducing the stigma that prevents people from seeking help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In January 2018, Governor Tom Wolf issued a disaster declaration for Pennsylvania\u2019s \u201cheroin and opioid epidemic\u201d \u2014 the first such declaration for a man-made disaster.<\/span> Provisional data<\/a><\/span><\/u> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated there were 5,655 drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania in the 12-month period leading up to December 2017 \u2014 more than 15 per day \u2014 most of them from opioids. Pennsylvania\u2019s state government has set up a clearinghouse<\/span> website<\/a><\/span><\/u> and hotline [1-800-662-HELP] for anyone who wants to give or get help. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Battling Opioids initiative began in March 2018 with stations running specific programming focused on the opioid crisis, and continues to grow. A new website, <\/span>BattlingOpioids.org<\/b><\/a><\/span>, helps direct people to state resources and keep them informed of project news and local events. Battling Opioids has received major support from Geisinger and additional support from The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMany Pennsylvanians want to know what they can personally do to address this crisis,\u201d Pavelko said. \u201cBy connecting with Battling Opioids, everyone in the state can get involved to make a difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n To learn more about the Battling Opioids initiative and to view selected segments of the Sept 27 program, please visit<\/span> www.BattlingOpioids.org<\/a><\/span><\/u> and follow @BattlingOpioids on<\/span> Twitter<\/a><\/span><\/u>,<\/span> Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/u>,<\/span> Instagram<\/a><\/span><\/u>, and<\/span> YouTube<\/a><\/span><\/u>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About PBS39<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n PBS39 is a community-owned public television station licensed to Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, Pa., serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 is owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. PBS39 acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. PBS39 \u201cReporter Corps\u201d journalists are now embedded in the ten counties that make up the Greater Lehigh Valley, including Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks, Montgomery, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe in Pennsylvania, plus Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. The \u201cReporter Corps\u201d is currently creating community-focused content for the PBS39 digital platform. The new nightly, televised newscast will launch September 17. For more information, visit <\/span>wlvt.org<\/a><\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nDenise Portner on behalf of PBS39<\/p>\n
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