Raney Aronson-Rath, Frontline executive producer, has been named editor-in-chief of the investigative series, in addition to her executive producer role and title. Based at WGBH Boston, Frontline documentaries run on PBS.

Aronson-Rath has been in her current role for seven years, executive producing more than 25 documentaries per year. 

“Raney’s title recognizes her editorial and creative leadership not just running Frontline but evolving it into a multiplatform publisher that continues to expand audiences, partnerships and platforms,” said John Bredar, GBH VP of national programming. “On a more personal level, the change recognizes GBH’s deep respect for the quality of Raney’s work and her commitment to the editorial legacy of a series that continues to do so much on behalf of our common purpose as Americans.”

Aronson-Rath joined Frontline in 2007 as a senior producer after directing documentaries for the series. She was named executive producer in 2015 by David Fanning, who created the series in 1983 and was executive producer for 32 years. 

Aronson-Rath has expanded the Frontline brand into podcasts, theatrical films and interactive digital reporting. “Frontline’s storytelling has always relied on one guiding principle: journalism first,” said Aronson-Rath. “I hope that this change reinforces our deep commitment to reporting, to the craft of documentary filmmaking, and to public media’s mission—and I am honored to have a title that is in line with my editorial counterparts at news organizations across the globe.”

PBS presented its new projects July 27 as part of TCA press tour. ■

TechNet has named Peter Chandler director of federal policy and government relations, tapping a veteran House Democratic staffer as that body prepares to shift from Republican to Democratic control in January.

He will head up the group's advocacy with Democratic policymakers beginning Dec. 5.

Chandler has been chief of staff to Rep. Debbie Dingell, who succeeded her iconic husband, Rep. John Dingell, as a Democratic rep from Michigan and joined the House Energy & Commerce Committee in her second term.

TechNet members are an eclectic group that includes Oracle, Comcast-NBCU, AT&T, Google, Paypal, Microsoft, GM and WGBH TV Boston. The group promotes pro-tech innovation policies in Washington.

Related: Groups Petition Trump for Infrastructure Boost

The group has pushed back on President Trump's tech-related tariffs on Chinese goods, for example, and a return to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but backed the corporate tax cut and R&D tax credit and other parts of the President's tax reform bill.

It also supports using vacant broadcast spectrum between TV channels for unlicensed use, a big priority for member Microsoft.

"With over two decades of experience in public policy and campaigns, Peter Chandler has cemented himself as a strong leader who knows how to build coalitions and advance policies that improve peoples' lives," said TechNet president Linda Moore. "Peter will be a great asset to TechNet as we work to preserve the tech industry's indispensable role as an engine for job creation, economic growth, and innovative solutions to the world's biggest challenges."

Even as some critics of Donald Trump have been using the "I" word (impeach), the Library of Congress and WGBH Boston announced Friday (Nov. 3) that "one of the most popular series in public broadcasting" is now available for online viewing: the 1973 Watergate hearings that resulted in the impeachment of President Richard Nixon.

Related: Pew Survey Finds Trump Approval Rating at 34%

The move marks the first time in 44 years that the broadcasts will be available for viewing, this time online.

Public TV covered the Watergate hearings gavel-to-gavel and they were must-watch TV for many Baby Boomers. Noncommercial station WETA Washington donated the tapes, which have been digitized and are available as part of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (americanarchive.org/exhibits/watergate). All 51 days of coverage are included.

WGBH and the Library of Congress jointly oversee the archive.

The Senate Watergate Committee hearings ran from May 17 to Nov. 15, presided over by the ironically Southern and avuncular committee chairman, Sam Ervin (D-N.C.), who became a national celebrity. 

Related | pbs.org: 15 Figures Who Made Watergate an American Epic

The Library of Congress noted that the hearings marked the first uniting of Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer as anchors of the coverage, which it said "became a model for public television and, later, C-SPAN."

Americans are split over how technology is impacting society as a whole, with 49% of those surveyed saying tech makes individuals less intelligent and 46% saying technology makes people smarter. And just 51% of Americans say the benefits of technological advances outweigh the risks.

That’s according to the results of a Point Taken-Marist poll, commissioned by WGBH Boston for its late-night PBS debate series Point Taken, hosted by Carlos Watson, co-founder and CEO of OZY Media. The episode tackling the results of the poll will air June 21 at 11 p.m. ET.

Perhaps surprisingly, the younger the survey respondent, the less likely they are to give technology the benefit of the doubt: Millennials (53%) and Gen Xers (53%) were more likely than Baby Boomers (48%) and the Silent/Greatest generation (38%) to say technology makes us less intelligent.

“If you think younger people are all in for technological revolution, think again,” said Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, in a statement. “This national survey shows surprising differences among generations and their appreciation for innovation.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.