getting dot OLDER

getting dot OLDER

A public television series and museum exhibition by Roberto Mighty

"getting dot OLDER'' is a new, 'docu-talk' PBS Passport, Public Television and Museum series, talkin' 'bout my generation – Baby Boomers!

Background

Award-winning filmmaker, TV Producer and Multimedia Artist Roberto Mighty is a Baby Boomer. With support from Harvard University, The Institute for Museum and Library Services, The National Science Foundation, The National Trust for Historic Preservation and other funders, he has created acclaimed TV, museum, and online projects. Roberto conceived "getting dot OLDER '' after noticing how much he had in common with people around his age, regardless of their backgrounds.

Series History

Initial development of a proposed museum exhibit began in 2014 – by interviewing friends about their experience of aging. The project grew over the next four years. In 2018, development of a proposed TV version began in earnest. Season 1 debuted on public television to nationwide acclaim in January, 2022. By May, our broadcast presence was enhanced with online streaming 24/7 on PBS Passport. We are now in production on thirteen new episodes for Season 2, slated to premiere in April, 2023. Distributed by American Public Television. Presented by Northern California Public Media.

Museum Exhibit

In Fall, 2022, Milton Academy, a distinguished independent school in Boston, premiered Roberto's six-screen, interactive multimedia presentation "getting dot OLDER: The Exhibit" in their Nesto Gallery. The exhibit is now available for museums, libraries and other large-scale public venues through 2025.

Format

"getting dot OLDER" features engaging, heartfelt, funny and poignant zoom interviews from around the country with our host and "regular people" – diverse Boomers from every walk of life. Excerpts from these interview clips are interspersed with brief commentaries by experts from Harvard University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins Medical School, and other respected institutions.

Season 2 New Features

New features for Season 2 include on-location reports with Boomers pursuing their "Hobbies, Pastimes and Passions", including animal rescue; civil war reenactment; choir singing; community volunteering; and other activities. Boomer artists and musicians share their post-retirement pivots in our "Visiting Artist" short segments. In addition to tell-all interviews, the episodes also feature lighthearted, Boomer-centric content, including quizzes and calls for viewer input.

Multi-platform

"getting dot OLDER" was designed from the start as a multi-platform project. It is broadcast on TV; streamed on PBS Passport; there is a multimedia website; and starting this fall, we are piloting our first museum exhibit. Viewers are encouraged to visit our website and fill out our unique, 27-question survey; upload their own photos and videos; and comment on episodes. For Season 2, the site will also feature web-only video shorts and bonus content that complements our broadcasts. Plans for a podcast are also in development.

Vision

We believe in an expanded concept of inclusiveness. Our goal is to include every kind of American in this series. Taken together, our content underscores the common humanity of aging. Our vision includes partnering with medical schools, geriatric programs, gerontology researchers, community organizations, developing teachers' guides, and creating an internship program to help train diverse, emerging filmmakers to focus on older subjects.

Impact

"getting dot OLDER" viewers are raving about the series. Please see our website for press clips and viewer quotes. Season 1 metrics exceeded our expectations, including total PBS TV market coverage reaching 83.93%, of the USA, with the series airing in 45 of the top 50 markets – 247 TV stations coast-to-coast.

Future Seasons

This series highlights 4 interviews per episode. As of this writing, over four hundred people have filled out our lengthy online survey, with more signing up every week. We have more than enough compelling Baby Boomer stories for several additional seasons.

Viewer Reviews for "getting dot OLDER" Season 1

(WNET-TV 13 NYC) "Just caught today's show. It's great seeing and hearing your interviewees, how comfortable they are telling their stories/answering your questions." - Dan Z.

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(Blue Ridge PBS in SW VA and OETA in Oklahoma City) Hi, I love your show and hearing everyone's stories and answers to the questions! Love and Light to you all - Lori

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(Facebook) The series shows how remarkable "normal" people are. Such a variety of people with diverse backgrounds. Thanks for expanding our sense of community. J. Johnson

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(KRCB Berkeley, CA) Bro. Roberto Mighty YOU ARE FANTASTIC!!! YOU ARE A BLESSING!!! My husband and I often say there isn't any thing on television that is relevant to us, to our age group, to our racial background (Black African-American) nor to our gender in being over 60 years old. Thank you again, Lee and Derek H.

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(WQED, Pittsburgh, PA) I enjoyed this program , it gave me some positive things to think of and surviving my stroke at 60 and realizing I still have Life and dreams !!! - Carla W.

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(Social Media - Anchorage, Alaska) Joe and I watched the show today. We really liked it. It was so great. We loved the way you put the interviews together. So revealing and relevant. Thanks so much for all you do. - Martha J.H.S.

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