FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Eat! Drink! Italy! With Vic Rallo
Debuts Season Two on Create® TV Premieres Nationally
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. (check local listings)

Launch Marks Multicast Channel’s First Original Programming Premiere

(Boston, May 21, 2014) – Create TV ®, the multicast channel featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programs, announced today that the second season of Eat! Drink! Italy! with Vic Rallo will premiere nationally Tuesday, July 22 at 6:30 p.m. (check local listings). Season two features 13, new half-hour episodes showcasing Italian regional cuisine and wine. The premiere of Eat! Drink! Italy! with Vic Rallo season two marks the first time episodes of a public television series will debut on the national multicast channel before being distributed by American Public Television (APT) to local public television stations for over the air broadcast. Leading up to the season two premiere, Create TV will air the entire first season of Eat! Drink! Italy! - as the weekend marathon programming on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday June 22 (check local listings).

In his series, Vic Rallo takes viewers on a culinary adventure throughout Italy to explore the concepts of “la materia prima” – the finest quality of ingredients – and the phenomenon known as “kilometer zero” – the commitment to, and benefits of, using local ingredients. Rallo introduces the audience to the men and women creating traditional Italian food and wine, and the process behind the best preparations of these culinary joys. Vic serves as tour guide as he energetically moves from ground to table, whether working in the kitchen alongside local chefs or wandering among the grapes with vintners whose families have dedicated their lives to the art of winemaking. From cheese to fish, from homemade pastas and soups to vegetables and meats, each episode will satisfy foodies with unique takes on traditional recipes, and the bonus of some of the best scenery Italy has to offer.

The second season of Eat! Drink! Italy! delves more deeply into the northern regions of Italy, cities whose very names make the mouth water: Verona, Undine, Turin, Lake Como, Parma, Modena and Alba, to name a few. The itinerary also includes quintessential vineyards in Sicily, the Veneto and San Felice.

Wine connoisseur Anthony “Tony” Verdoni returns for season two. Noted for his historic knowledge of Italian wines and winemakers, Verdoni is known as Il Professore (“The Professor”) for his mastery of the industry and the generations of families who have made Italian wines famous.

“Create viewers are hungry for more culinary-focused programs, and we have expanded our primetime cooking programs as a direct result of that feedback,” says Chris Funkhouser, APT’s vice president of Exchange programming and multicast services. “Vic personifies the passion our audience has for learning about the origin and preparation of great dishes, and we are excited to bring them the first look at his new adventures.”

“Vic brings the viewer as close as he can to giving them a taste of what he is tasting, to experience the sensory excitement he is enjoying,” explained executive producer and director Mark Ganguzza. “For centuries our ancestors used the food outside their doors,” added Rallo. “In Italy, that practice continues – whether from the earth or the sea, the freshness of the food produces flavor like no other.”

“We are excited to bring Create their first original programming premiere, and Vic Rallo is such a great fit for the channel,” said WLIW21 General Manager Diane Masciale. “His food philosophy and his on-camera presence make a fresh approach the priority, and Create viewers are sure to enjoy this new season of shows.”

Vic Rallo is the owner of Basil T’s Brewery and Italian Grill in Red Bank, New Jersey, and Undici Taverna Rustica in Rumson, New Jersey. A noted expert on Italian wine, his reviews and recommendations are much sought after by the public and his colleagues in the culinary business.

CreateTV.com will feature several of the recipes presented in the series. Food and wine pairings, wine reviews, archives of recipes from season one and more are available at eatdrinkitaly.org.

Drawing from more than 60 public television series from the cooking, travel, home improvement, gardening and arts & crafts genres, Create is now in its ninth year and reaches more than 76% of USTVHHs. The channel has become the destination for fans of the DIY/how-to genre, airing longtime favorites and marathons of themed episodes. Eat! Drink! Italy! with Vic Rallo is a production of Sunburst Creative Group. The series is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET and is distributed by American Public Television. Diane Masciale is executive in charge of production for WLIW21.

Eat! Drink! Italy! with Vic Rallo Season Two episodes air as follows (check local listings):

201 - “Kilometer Zero” Taglioni with Clams in Sicily with chef Emanuele Scarello; Rice Pasta with Fresh Vegetables in the Veneto with chef Gabrielle Ferron; Mount Etna winemaker Giuseppe Tasca; Vic prepares his Calamari with Prosciutto and Peas.

202 - “Closer and Closer” Culatello sandwich with charcuterie master Mark Buzzio; the Pugnitello grape with winemaker Leonardo Bellacini in San Felice; Italian Cheese 411 in Sicily; Pasta with Swordfish and Eggplant with chef Massimo Bianco.

203 - “Simple and Fresh” Amarone Wine Risotto with Pumpkin with chef Maria Cartillone in the Veneto; all about corks with Alessandro Cellai in Sicily; a tour of the Spilimbergo Mosaic School and Museum in Friuli; Pomegranate and Porcini salad with chef Debbie Cesari in Mount Etna.

204 - “Try These At Home” Gnocchi Di Soave with chef Mara Marcazzan in Verona; Cheeses of Valpolicella with Corrado Benedetti; Sicilian winemaker Marc deGrazia discusses the Mount Etna region and its impact on wine; Zuppa di Mare with chef Salvatore Giordano in Sicily.

205 – “Less Is More… Lots More!” Shrimp and Green Apple Salad with Chef Massimo Bianco in Sicily; Pasta with Zucchini and Prosciutto with chef Elia Bulgarelli in Verona; Sicilian winemaker Vinzia Novara discusses ancient vineyards.

206 – “Think Local, Drink Local” Calmari with Porcini Mushrooms with chef Michele Zuchiatti in Sicily; Risotto with Smoked Trout with chef Gabriele Ferron in Verona; Countess Aleghieri, descendent of Dante Aleghieri, discusses wine and other passions in Siena; Vic prepares his Cacio e Pepe pasta.

207 – “Prime Examples” Copicollo Two Ways with charcuterie master Mark Buzzio; Tagliarini with Cuttlefish, Sea Urchin and Sardines with chef Massimo Belliteri in Sicily; Friuli winemaker Gianfranco Gallo discusses the Green Harvest and Batonage methods of winemaking; Bruscetta with Sausage and Mozzarella with fashion designer Antonio Moretti in Siena.

208 – “Local Knowledge” Agli Amici Bottarga with chef Emanuele Scarello in Udine; Rigatoni with Fresh Anchovies and Fennel with chef Salvatore Giordano in Sicily; winemaker Roberto Pighin discusses Pinot Grigio and the Collio region of Friuli.

209 – “Easy to Master” Making organic, handpicked olive oil in Sicily; Tortellini di Soave with chef Mara Marcazzan in Verona; winemakers Luca Sabatini and Giancarlo Piubelli discuss the Soave region; Cantucci cookies with Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti (daughter of cooking pioneer Lorenza de Medici) and chef Andrea Gagnesi in Chianti.

210 – “Two Pastas” Macaroni Bastardo with chef Massimo Belliteri in Mount Etna; coffee roasting with expert Alessandro Hausbrandt in Trieste; Vic prepares the classic Pasta alla Norma.

211 – “In the Details” Artichoke and Arugula Salad with Chef Massimo Bianco in Sicily; the art of the simple sandwich -- Sopressata and Mozzarella on Foccacia; all about wine closures; Pasta with Shrimp and Shaved Artichokes with Chef Massimo Bianco.

212 – “More Than the Sum of the Parts” Pairing Italian wines with sandwiches; the history of the Palmento, the Sicilian communal wine press; an old method makes a new wine in the Veneto; Vic makes Pasta alla Carbonara.

213 – “Italian Soul Food” Italian wine word association; Stuffed Sardines with Chef Salvatore Giordano in Sicily; more Italian wine 411.

About Create®:

Create® is public television’s premier lifestyle channel featuring the most popular how-to series, including cooking, travel, home improvement, gardening and arts and crafts. Create is produced and distributed by APT, WNET and WGBH Boston in association with National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) and PBS.

About the Entities That Make Create TV Possible:

About American Public Television:

American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations since 1961. Among its 300 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Rick Steves’ Europe, Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, Nightly Business Report, Moyers & Company, NHK Newsline, Lidia’s Italy in America, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home join numerous documentaries including Ripple of Hope, Eye on the Sixties, Afropop and Pacific Heartbeat and performance programs popular with public television viewers, including Live From the Artists Den, Crosby Stills & Nash 2012 and Paul McCartney& Wings: Rockshow. Now in its 9th year, Create® TV — featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming — is distributed by APT. APT also distributes WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

About WNET

As New York’s flagship public media provider and the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mike Schneider and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. WNET is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the THIRTEEN Explore iPad App where users can stream PBS content for free.

About WGBH Boston

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Curious George, and more than a dozen other prime-time, lifestyle, and children's series. WGBH's television channels include WGBH 2, WGBH 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region's diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black, High School Quiz Show, and Neighborhood Kitchens. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH Boston Public Radio; 99.5 WCRB; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of programs for public radio (among them, PRI's The World®), a leader in educational multimedia (including PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation's educators with free, curriculum-based digital content), and a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.

National Educational Telecommunications Association:

The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association that serves public television licensees and educational entities in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. NETA serves by connecting people and ideas, by providing quality programming, educational resources, professional development, management support and national representation. For more information, visit www.NETAonline.org.

Public Broadcasting Service:

PBS is a media enterprise that serves 355 public noncommercial television stations and reaches nearly 73 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites.

Contacts:

For WLIW21: Susan Hellman - 631-421-1141 - susan@hellmancommunications.com

For Create: Jamie Haines - 617-338-4455 ext 129 - Jamie_Haines@APTonline.org

Press materials: www.wliw.org/pressroom or www.aptonline.org Website: www.eatdrinkitaly.org