It's Pittsburgh like you've never seen it before!
WQED PITTSBURGH PRESENTS ITS NEW ALL-AERIAL PRODUCTION PITTSBURGH FROM THE AIR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 18, 2011

CONTACT:
George Hazimanolis
Senior Director of Corporate
Communications
412-622-1366
ghaziman@wqed.org

It’s Pittsburgh like you’ve never seen it before!

WQED PITTSBURGH PRESENTS ITS
NEW ALL-AERIAL PRODUCTION
PITTSBURGH FROM THE AIR
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION

Available on DVD and Blu-ray from SHOPWQED.org for the holidays

PITTSBURGH – WQED Pittsburgh presents the premiere of its new all-aerial production Pittsburgh From the Air in partnership with United States Steel Corporation on Thursday, October 27 at 8 p.m. on WQED-TV.

“Everyone at WQED is extremely excited and proud to share this program that celebrates the majestic and stunning topography of the western Pennsylvania region we often take for granted,” said Deborah L. Acklin, President and CEO of WQED. “There will be familiar sights, like the city’s skyline and others that have never been seen from this vantage point before.”

A first-class, high-definition aerial journey through six western Pennsylvania counties including Allegheny, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland—Pittsburgh From the Air captures and preserves the cultural and natural wonders of the region forever.

“Joining together with WQED to present this program was a natural partnership,” said John P. Surma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of U. S. Steel. "We are proud to call Pittsburgh our home and believe in supporting the communities where our employees live and work, and organizations like WQED that play a role in those efforts."

Select locations in the following counties that are part of the film include:

Allegheny County
• Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
• Kennywood Park

Butler County
• Moraine State Park

Fayette County
• Fallingwater
• Ohiopyle State Park

Somerset County
• Seven Springs Mountain Resort

“I think the imagery speaks for itself, especially for native Pittsburghers,” said Stephen Stept, Director/Producer/Writer of Pittsburgh From the Air. “It’s why we decided early on to use signature music from a local composer like Jamie Peck and minimal narration from WQED’s Rick Sebak in the film.”

Production for Pittsburgh From the Air began in late 2010 at Heinz Field before the Pittsburgh Steelers’ AFC Championship playoff game began and continued throughout the summer to capture the change of seasons in the region. An AStar helicopter equipped with the Cineflex V14 (a high-definition gyroscopic camera) captured the stunning images as it swooped over mountains, valleys, rivers, gorges, skyscrapers, and towns to showcase the natural beauty of Pennsylvania.

DVD and (for the first time) Blu-ray copies of Pittsburgh From the Air will be available from SHOP WQED online or by calling 1-800-274-1307. Delivery is guaranteed for the holidays if orders are placed by December 19.

Additional support for Pittsburgh From the Air was made possible by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Howard Hanna Real Estate Services along with a “Pittsburgh Pride” sponsorship from Carlow University.

Production for Pittsburgh From the Air II has already begun and will include all of the pristine beauty of western Pennsylvania’s vivid fall imagery.

WQED Pittsburgh has a proud history of honors, including 128 National and Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards, an Academy Award, and many, many others, including two Emmy® Awards for Station Excellence. WQED was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high-definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQED Showcase; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and The WQED Education Department.

NOTE TO WORKING PRESS:
Interviews with Darryl Ford Williams, WQED Vice President of Content and Director/Producer/Writer Stephen Stept may be scheduled by contacting George Hazimanolis at 412-622-1366 or ghazimanolis@wqwed.org.

Full press-kits including a full-length DVD screener, press release, photos with captions, location list, wholesale and retail purchasing information, and related bios may also be obtained by contacting George Hazimanolis.

Additional documents:
Photo Captions - Photo Captions for Pittsburgh From the Air Photos

Stephen Stept, Director/Producer/Writer - Bio of Stephen Stept

Darryl Ford Williams, Vice President of Content - Bio of Darryl Ford Williams

Locations in Pittsburgh From the Air by county - Locations in Pittsburgh From the Air by county