PBS Western Reserve presents a collection of stories that are singularly focused on the region that we all call home. Explore the people, places, history and events that make Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania so special.
About Our Region — June 2025
Published on
Presented by PBS Western Reserve
Forum 360
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
First Monday of every month at 5 PM and 5:30 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Mondays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 5 PM
This public affairs series provides a local viewpoint on global topics. Subjects covered are both educational and entertaining, and are hosted by a Northeast Ohio community member who assists in determining the show’s content.
A PBS Western Reserve Production
By Nature’s Design: Exploring Our Native Wildlife, Welcome to the Wetlands
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Thursday, June 5, at 3 AM
Saturday, June 7, at 12:30 PM
Monday, June 9, at 5 PM
Sunday, June 15, at 11 AM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Saturday, June 14, at 4:30 PM
Discover an ecosystem under threat and the people and forces working to save it — the fascinating world of the wetlands. Exploring Ohio’s diminished wetlands, this episode examines the dangers wetlands are facing and what can be done to preserve them with the help of local experts.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve and Akron Children’s
More Childhood, Please
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Friday, June 6, at 5 PM
Sunday, June 15, at 9 AM
Saturday, June 21, at 8 AM
Created and produced for kids (and parents), MORE CHILDHOOD, PLEASE is a series that blends aspects of reality TV, video challenges and helpful information from experts at Akron Children’s. Watch as kids and families tackle tricky topics like screens and screen time, emotions, the outdoor world and sports.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve, Ideastream Public Media and the
University of Akron’s Media Studies program
Akron Roundtable
Mayor Shammas Malik, The State of the City
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Wednesday, June 11, at 5 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Saturday, June 14, at 2 PM
Mayor Shammas Malik gives his second State of the City Address. The event is planned for Tuesday, June 3, at the newly renovated Lock 3 Park. Park gates will open at 4 PM and the public address will begin at 5 PM. This event is free, open to the public, and will take place outdoors — weather permitting. A contingency is in place for inclement weather, and will be shared by the city of Akron by 9 AM on the day of the event.
Mayor Malik was sworn in as Akron’s 63rd Mayor on Jan. 1, 2024. He was born and raised in Northwest Akron, graduated from Firestone High School, and went on to attend The Ohio State University and Harvard Law School. Mayor Malik began a career in public service in 2016, first serving as an assistant director of law for the city, then winning a seat on Akron City Council, before taking on his current role as Akron’s Mayor. He is Akron’s youngest mayor and first mayor of color.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve
Gathered in Darkness
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Saturday, June 14, at 10 PM
Sunday, June 15, at 2 AM
Friday, June 20, at 8:30 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Saturday, June 21, at 1:30 PM
Monday, June 30, at 9:30 PM
For thousands of years, total solar eclipses have captivated humanity. They are also great for science. The Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse (CATE) 2024 brought amateur and professional scientists into partnership to gather data on our Sun’s corona, its outermost atmosphere, during the 2024 total solar eclipse. Explore perspectives of the community participants in this documentary.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve and The Summit FM
Studio C Sessions
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Saturdays at 10:30 PM (Preempted June 7)
Sundays at 2:30 AM (Preempted June 1 & 8)
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Sundays at 8 PM
Enjoy live performances that capture artists and audiences connecting in the closest of confines. To experience these unique concerts live, you have to be a member of The Summit FM, a public radio station serving Akron, Canton and Youngstown. This series allows you to watch these intimate music moments on PBS Western Reserve.
The Amish Dilemma
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Sunday, June 15, at 11 PM
Monday, June 16, at 4 AM
Saturday, June 21, at 2 PM
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Friday, June 20, at 7 PM
Three generations of Amish make a rare decision to tell their stories after months of reflection and debate with their pastors. How can they live between an ancestral ideology and a civilization of consumption pushed to the extreme? This documentary raises questions about the notion of individual freedom, belonging to a minority, economic and social norms, as well as the place of women.
A PBS Western Reserve Production in collaboration with Akron 200
Akron 200: Forgotten History Forum Series, Lost Cinemas in Akron
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Thursday, June 19, at 6 PM
AKRON 200: FORGOTTEN HISTORY FORUM SERIES explores lesser-known chapters of Akron's history, from urban renewal and the story of deaf rubber workers to the local history of the African American church and much more. Presented in collaboration with the city’s bicentennial commission, the series is more than expert lectures, it is an invitation to foster dialogue that shines a light on the influential and at times challenging corners of Akron’s 200-year lifespan.
A PBS Western Reserve Production
City Centric
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2:
Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 PM
PBS Western Reserve presents an inspiring series highlighting passionate individuals who reflect the fabric of their cities. Each city’s episode reveals the stories of six trailblazers who define the essence of their community and possess unique roles including business leader, revitalizer, artist, humanitarian, historian, educator and visionary.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve
A Higher Law: The Oberlin-Wellington Rescue of 1858
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Thursday, June 19, at 8 PM
PBS Western Reserve presents the inspiring rescue story of an enslaved Black man named John Price and the 37 abolitionists from Oberlin, Ohio, whose bravery changed the trajectory of the abolitionist movement in the years leading up to the Civil War. The production is the work of filmmakers Christina Paolucci and Scott Spears of Production Partners Media in Columbus, Ohio.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve
The Remember Balloons
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Wednesday, June 25, at 2 PM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Saturday, June 28, at noon
A heartwarming dance-theater production that brings families together through storytelling and movement. Inspired by the award-winning children’s book, the show uses dance, music and multimedia to explore memory, loss and intergenerational connections, making difficult conversations about Alzheimer’s disease accessible for audiences of all ages.
Presented by PBS Western Reserve, Ideastream Public Media and the
University of Akron’s Media Studies program
Akron Roundtable
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Thursday, June 26, at 6 PM
Since 1976, the Akron Roundtable has brought new ideas to Akron. Now, PBS Western Reserve, Ideastream Public Media and the University of Akron’s Media Studies program are partnering with the Akron Roundtable to bring those ideas to our region at large. The Akron Roundtable’s signature series delivers thought-provoking presentations on a wide range of topics from speakers of global, national and regional importance.
This episode: Reimagine Akron after the Innerbelt with speakers Siqi Zhu, director of planning and urban technology at Sasaki; Mordecai Cargill, the co-founder and creative director of ThirdSpace Action Lab; and Esther Thomas, the city of Akron's director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
