To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbé

To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbé
GenreNews
Analysis
Newsmagazine
Talk show
Created byBonnie Erbé
Presented byBonnie Erbé
Narrated byRita Foley
Theme music composerMark Roumelis
Don Barto
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons34
No. of episodes(over) 800
Production
Executive producersCarol Wonsavage (1992-1995; Seasons 1-3)
Cari W. Stein (1995-present; Seasons 4-present)
Production locationsMaryland Public Television (1992-1998; Seasons 1-6)
KPBS (1998-2006; Seasons 7-14)
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesPersephone Productions (1996-present; Seasons 5-present)
Original release
NetworkPBS
ReleaseApril 3, 1992 (1992-04-03) –
present

To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbé is an American half-hour, all-women news-analysis newsmagazine talk show that aired on PBS stations in the United States, and it also aired in Canada, and internationally on Voice of America TV. Award-winning journalist Bonnie Erbé served as the show's host and moderator, with Rita Foley serving as the announcer. To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbé was first produced by Maryland Public Television in Owings Mills, Maryland from its 1992 debut until 1998 for Seasons 1-6. It was then produced by KPBS in San Diego, California from 1998 to 2006 for Seasons 7-14. Since Season 5 (1996-1997), it has been produced by Persephone Productions. The show's first executive producer was Carol Wonsavage, serving from its premiere in 1992 until 1995 for Seasons 1-3. Cari W. Stein became the executive producer of To the Contrary starting with Season 4 (1995-1996).

Format

Each season of To the Contrary consisted of 52 half-hour episodes, each running 30 minutes in length. The show featured four female panelists and the host and moderator discussing women's issues, focusing on women-related news and topics to present a variety of perspectives, such as politics, diversity, domestic violence, women's health, religion, education, business, and family. Each half-hour episode consisted of two 15-minute segments: one covering major women-related news stories of the day, and the other featuring an interview with a newsmaker to stimulate panel discussion on the topic. In 1994, during Season 3 (1994-1995), To the Contrary won a Peabody Award for the segment "Women's Pivotal Role," which covered the U.N. Conference on Population and Development. The show's host and moderator, Bonnie Erbé, went on location in Cairo, Egypt. In 2016, To the Contrary was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Journalism - Newsmagazine.

Production

When To the Contrary premiered on April 3, 1992, it was taped at the studios of Maryland Public Television in Owings Mills, Maryland for the first six seasons of the show's run, from the show's debut in 1992 until 1998. In addition to producing To the Contrary, Maryland Public Television also produced other PBS shows during that time, including Wall Street Week, which premiered nationally on January 7, 1972, and MotorWeek, which premiered on October 15, 1981. From 1992 to 1998, during the first six seasons, To the Contrary, produced by Maryland Public Television, used the MotorWeek theme music for its opening and closing credits, composed by Mark Roumelis.[1]

In 1996, starting with Season 4 (1995-1996), To the Contrary became available online on PBS Online. The online content featured material from its episodes, as well as new features designed for the World Wide Web, such as interactive elements and content focusing on women's values. The show is available on the PBS website:[2] Starting in Season 5 (1996-1997), Bonnie Erbé moved To the Contrary to her newly formed production company, Persephone Productions, which purchased the show from Maryland Public Television. From Season 7 (1998-1999) to Season 14 (2005-2006), To the Contrary was produced by KPBS in San Diego, California.

Set design

Premiere episode

To the Contrary premiered on PBS on April 3, 1992, with funding in part from the Sun Company, makers of Sunoco and Atlantic products. The panelists were economist Julianne Malveaux, Dorothy Gilliam of The Washington Post, Kate O'Beirne of The Heritage Foundation, and commentator Linda Chavez. Bonnie Erbé of NBC/Mutual Radio served as host and moderator. Erbé worked for United Press International from 1975 to 1989 and served as a mutual correspondent for NBC/Mutual Radio from 1989 to 1998. The first show featured topics such as "The State of the Economy" and "Right Direction?: Supreme Court, Wrong Track?".[3]

References

  1. ^ Patricia Brennan. "'TO THE CONTRARY'; Women's Views of the News". The Washington Post, August 12, 2001. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/2001/08/12/to-the-contrary/adbb9744-c0ac-4131-80fd-7c1a9f1e00ab/
  2. ^ To the Contrary
  3. ^ Peter Johnson, Matt Roush and Jefferson Graham. "Panel of women offers 'Contrary' view of news". USA Today, 4/2/1992.
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