September 17 marks one-year since the debut of PBS39 News Tonight, powered by PBS39 Reporter Corps® journalists.

Bethlehem, PA. – September 12, 2019 – PBS39 News Tonight, a nightly newscast serving the Greater Lehigh Valley, debuted on September 17, 2018. This 30-minute news program offers in-depth, solution-based journalism.

“I am proud of what our team has accomplished in our first year,” Tim Fallon, Chief Executive Officer of PBS39 said. “Every week I receive notes and calls from members of the community who have been profoundly moved and are grateful for a story we have covered.”

Launched in 2018, the PBS39 Reporter Corps® initiative marked one of the most significant journalistic hirings in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in decades. Journalists serve 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. PBS39 has aired more than 250 newscasts and reporters have produced more than a thousand stories and talked to hundreds of people who had never interacted with a journalist before.

“PBS39 News Tonight is not your traditional newscast,” Yoni Greenbaum, Chief Content Officer of PBS39 said. “We do not report on weather, traffic, crime or sports. We focus on the why and how these stories directly impact our community.”

According to Nielsen data, PBS39 News Tonight performed extremely well, often number one at 11 p.m. In addition to news stories, the nightly program features interviews with members of the community and weekly segments surrounding arts & culture and digital literacy. In the past year PBS39 broadcast live news coverage on election night and a live special from Washington D.C. during the swearing-in of the 116th United States Congress. In the first year, PBS39 Reporter Corps journalists have already garnered four Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® Award nominations.

“While we do not do this for the accolades, it is still affirming to be recognized by our peers,” Tim Fallon, Chief Executive Officer of PBS39 said. “The entire team at PBS39 has helped make this initiative a huge success. We will continue our commitment to local journalism and work to make our community a better place.”

PBS39 News Tonight airs weeknights at 6:30 and again at 11 p.m. on PBS39/WLVT. Catching up with PBS39 News Tonight, a weekly recap of the week’s top stories, airs Sundays at 4:30 p.m. Check your local listings to find the correct channel number for your cable or satellite provider. View the latest PBS39 Reporter Corps stories online and follow PBS39 News Tonight on Instagram for a look behind the scenes. If you have a story idea, please e-mail news@wlvt.org.

About PBS39
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 Reporter Corps® journalists are embedded in the ten counties that make up the Greater Lehigh Valley. The PBS39 Reporter Corps creates community-focused content for PBS39 News Tonight and for the PBS39 digital platform. PBS39 and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley are partnering to fund and fulfill the regional literacy initiative Lehigh Valley Reads. This campaign is working to ensure all Lehigh Valley students read on grade level by the end of third grade by 2025. Battling Opioids: A Project of Pennsylvania Public Media is a collaborative, multi-media, effort undertaken by all seven PA Public Media stations. This initiative uses public media’s combined resources of TV, radio, online, social, digital, and community outreach events for one common good – to save lives. PBS39, part of Greater Lehigh Valley Public Media, is a community-owned public media station serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 is licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. For more information, visit PBS39.org.