There’s a saying in the public television system – “If you’ve seen one public television station, you’ve seen…one public television”. It’s a nod to the fact that every station in the system is an independently operated local organization. PBS is made up of member stations, not affiliates controlled by a central authority. That means each station is run by local folks living in the communities we serve. And, based on the needs of those communities, each local station has different areas of focus. 

At OPT, we focus our local production efforts on storytelling. Through OzarksWatch Video Magazine and our local documentary projects, we tell the stories of the Ozarks. This month, we’ll debut a new local documentary, Shad Heller: Master of His Craft. Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, many folks throughout the Ozarks will be able to conjure an image of Shad, the longtime blacksmith at Silver Dollar City. This documentary explores Shad’s story – which goes far, far beyond his blacksmithing. His involvement in multiple Branson performance projects and his generous mentorship of other crafters throughout the area made his impact on the Ozarks widespread and long-lasting. You can catch the premiere of Shad Heller: Master of His Craft on Monday, June 9 at 8pm. 

OPT can tell the stories of our region because we’re here – serving the Ozarks as a locally-operated organization. Community support put OPT on the air 50 years ago, and it’s what keeps OPT local today. Thank you for helping keep local storytelling alive in the Ozarks. 

Rachel Knight
General Manager