Milwaukee PBS
Press Release

America’s Favorite PBS TV Auction Returns to the Airwaves

Milwaukee PBS’ Great TV Auction Returns to Charm, Inspire and Raise Much-Needed Funds to Educate, Entertain and Stimulate Imaginations

By - Apr 18th, 2019 09:05 am

MILWAUKEE; April 18, 2019 – Viewers in southeastern Wisconsin have delighted in the Great TV Auction for over 50 years. It returns to the airwaves with new items, an updated format and more opportunities to participate online. Milwaukee PBS viewers have embraced this unique, live, on-air fundraiser, and the Great TV Auction is the nation’s #1 PBS fundraising auction, both in net revenue raised and in prime-time ratings.

The 2019 Great TV Auction will be held over two consecutive weekends – Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28, and again on Thursday, May 2 to Sunday, May 5. The Auction is broadcast live on Milwaukee PBS 36, from 4:00 to 10:30 p.m. each day of the two weekends.  Viewers can place bids by telephone at (414) 297-6081 while the Auction is on-air. Also, online bidding will be open every day, 24 hours a day, throughout April 26 to May 5. Bids can be conveniently made online at MilwaukeePBS.org/Auction.

Some of viewers’ favorite features of the Great TV Auction will return this year, including:

  • Milwaukee PBS EATS ‒ certificates and great merchandise from great restaurants, wineries, brewers and artisan food producers and merchants from across the state.
  • John Was Here – Around the Corner with John McGivern™ fans can bid on a variety of great items from businesses around Wisconsin visited by John while John hosts the Great TV Auction on May 2.
  • Explore Our State – Wonderful travel destinations across Wisconsin including restaurants, lodging, arts and cultural events, and attractions that make them special.
  • Silver and Gold Gavel Gifts – Very special highly valued travel packages like an African Safari and trip to the 2019 Country Music Awards, rare Leroy Nieman print, exquisite diamond jewelry, mint Faroe Island stamp collection, and a hand-built cedar canoe.

The funds raised through the Great TV Auction are vital to continue the programming and related community services of Milwaukee PBS. As the region’s premier public television broadcaster, Milwaukee PBS offers southeastern Wisconsin national programming such as Nova, Sesame Street, Masterpiece and PBS Newshour. Also, local productions are a significant focus for Milwaukee PBS, so that the station can provide viewers a local perspective and give a voice to our community. These locally-produced programs include 10thirtysix, Around the Corner with John McGivern and Outdoor Wisconsin.

The Great TV Auction is still accepting donations and recruiting volunteers. For information on volunteering or donating, (414) 297-7036 or visiting MilwaukeePBS.org/auction.

About Milwaukee PBS

Milwaukee PBS is southeastern Wisconsin’s premier non-commercial media organization.  Milwaukee PBS consists of two high-definition television stations, WMVS and WMVT, and four additional digital television services.  The Milwaukee PBS stations are the area’s only over-the-air source for PBS and other national public television programs. The stations are watched by over 627,770 viewers each week throughout southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Milwaukee PBS is a viewer-supported service of Milwaukee Area Technical College. MATC is a two-year vocational-technical college based in Milwaukee, WI offering day, evening and weekend classes on four campuses. For more information, visit www.MilwaukeePBS.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

Recent Press Releases by Milwaukee PBS

Milwaukee PBS

Violent Femmes 40th Anniversary with the Milwaukee Symphony to Air Nationally on PBS December, 2024

MILWAUKEE; October 30, 2024 – On December 13, 2024, the Milwaukee PBS production of the Emmy nominated Violent Femmes 40th Anniversary with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra will air nationally on PBS stations across the country. This concert is a celebration of the Violent Femmes iconic debut self-titled album and greatest hits including “Blister in the Sun,” “Kiss Off,” “Add It Up” and “Gone Daddy Gone” along with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band who began playing acoustic punk on the streets of Milwaukee. They were discovered in 1981 while busking outside the Oriental Theatre where the Pretenders were playing later that evening. The lead singer, Chrissie Hynde invited them to play a brief acoustic set after the opening act. Gordon Gano, the lead vocalist & guitar player was still in high school when he wrote all of the songs for the Violent Femmes’ first album. Today, the Violent Femmes consist of founding members Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie, joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza and drummer John Sparrow. This concert with the Violent Femmes and the Milwaukee Symphony was produced and recorded by Milwaukee PBS at the Bradley Symphony Center on October 3, 2023. It will air on Milwaukee PBS on Friday, December 13, 2024 at 8pm, with an encore broadcast the same evening at 9:15pm on Milwaukee PBS Channel 10. “We’re excited to share this incredible concert with our audience as well as PBS stations around the country” said Debbie Hamlett, General Manager of Milwaukee PBS. “Listening to this amazing music with a “backup” symphony is an experience I hope you’ll never forget!” There will be a public sneak preview at the Oriental Theatre, where it all began, in Milwaukee on December 3rd.  The screening is free and open to the public but you must reserve your seat, register at MilwaukeePBS.org/events. Doors open at 6:30pm About Milwaukee PBS Milwaukee PBS is southeastern Wisconsin’s premier non-commercial media organization. It consists of two high-definition television stations, WMVS and WMVT, and four additional digital television services. Milwaukee PBS is one of the most-watched public television stations in the nation. For more information, visit www.MilwaukeePBS.org.

Milwaukee PBS Premieres Al Capone – Prohibition & Wisconsin

Filmmakers Bring Light to New Angle for Documentary

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us