WETA TV 26 Chronicles Arlington National Cemetery Examining National Site of Remembrance Through a Local Lens

Washington, D.C. — Arlington National Cemetery, a new local program from WETA TV 26, explores the history, mission and daily operations of this final resting place for more than 400,000 Americans. The hour-long documentary captures how this revered place that honors the dead brings so much meaning to the living and considers why the site remains a top tourist destination, drawing more than three million visitors a year. Arlington National Cemetery premieres Wednesday, February 5 at 8 p.m. on WETA TV 26 and WETA HD and airs throughout the month.

“As Washington’s leading public television station, we are honored to showcase this landmark of both great national importance and local significance,” commented Kevin Harris, vice president and television station manager of WETA. “Arlington National Cemetery is a place that links the past to the present by paying respect to those who dedicated their lives to serving the nation.”

This latest local documentary from the WETA TV 26 production team features more than twenty interviews with cemetery staff, military personnel and family members of the fallen to create a powerful and poignant look at this 624-acre cemetery. Personal and historical accounts of Arlington National Cemetery bring to focus its unique existence as a living monument to individuals and events in the nation’s history. Beyond exploring the cemetery’s well-known landmarks — including Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial; Tomb of the Unknowns; and the President John F. Kennedy Gravesite — the WETA production team takes viewers behind the scenes to meet the dedicated people who manage the cemetery’s complex daily operation and maintain its expansive grounds throughout the seasons. A comprehensive look at our nation’s most sacred final resting place, this local WETA production also covers the challenges of expansion for this active urban cemetery and the recent scandals of mismanagement and gravesite discrepancies.

With Arlington National Cemetery, WETA TV 26 continues a long tradition of celebrating the people and history of this region through local programming. Past productions include Washington in the ’60s, Washington in the ’70s, Pizza in Washington, WETA Around Town, WETA Extras and The WETA Guide. Future local productions include Washington in the ’80s and Washington in the ’90s, which will continue the popular retrospective documentary series from WETA TV 26 showcasing local Washington history.

Arlington National Cemetery is a production of WETA TV 26. Glenn Baker is executive producer and Rebecca Tulkoff is writer and producer. Doug Johncox is principal editor and Charles Anderson is principal photographer. Drew Butler and Katie Haggerty are associate producers.  

Press may obtain more information about this program and others from the WETA Pressroom online at weta.org/press. Arlington National Cemetery will be available to view online beginning on March 1st.

The complete WETA TV 26 television schedule is available at weta.org. Viewers can watch over the air on channel 26.4, and on Comcast 26, Cox 26 and 802, Dish 8076, FiOS 26 and 471, and RCN 26. WETA HD is available over the air on channel 26.1, and on Comcast 220, Cox 1026 and 1003, FiOS 526, Direct TV 26 and 26-1, and RCN 613.

WETA Television and Classical WETA 90.9 FM are public broadcasting stations serving the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia with high-quality programming. Classical WETA 90.9 FM brings classical music, concerts and specials to Greater Washington. As the leading PBS station in the nation’s capital, WETA Television broadcasts on four channels: WETA TV 26, WETA HD, WETA UK and WETA Kids. WETA Television celebrates the people and history of this region through programs such as Burgers in Washington, Washington National Cathedral - WETA All Access, and WETA Around Town, WETA Extras and The WETA Guide. For national PBS audiences, WETA produces PBS NewsHour; Washington Week with Gwen Ifill; films by Ken Burns such as the upcoming documentary The Address in April 2014, and the forthcoming series The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, premiering in September 2014; and performance specials from the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Embracing the educational mission of public broadcasting, WETA creates leading public service websites such as ReadingRockets.org, LDOnline.org, ColorinColorado.org, AdLit.org and Brainline.org; and develops community outreach programs to engage people of all ages in the joy of lifelong learning. WETA’s headquarters is located in Arlington, Virginia. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at weta.org.

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