WATCH NOW: September on AZPM.
Dear Friends,
As summer draws to a close, the days are getting shorter, the University of Arizona and local schools are back in session, and AZPM is preparing for an exciting fall. I’m pleased to report that July 2026 was the best July ever for AZPM’s fundraising efforts, and it was your support that made it happen.
AZPM is now completely funded by the Southern Arizona community!
With your help, we have invested in increasing our local news production, providing robust and detailed election coverage, producing more community events, and fulfilling our mission to inspire, educate and inform. Thank you for your investment in AZPM and for your vote of confidence.
A new season of drama and mystery on PBS 6 kicks off Sunday, September 6, with the season premiere of MASTERPIECE: Marlow Murder Club at 7 p.m. In the sleepy town of Marlow, three nosy neighbors join forces to uncover lies, scandal, blackmail, and murder. Their amateur investigations frustrate the local detective inspector but ultimately lead to the solutions to the crimes.
Stay with PBS 6 at 8 p.m. for MASTERPIECE: Marble Hall Murders, an adaptation of the third and final installment in novelist Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland series. As editor Susan Ryeland works on a continuation novel of the Atticus Pünd series, she gets caught up in another murder in which she finds herself a suspect. Meanwhile, the parallel story of Atticus Pünd takes the audience to the Isle of Corfu in 1955, where Pünd gets sucked into an intriguing case involving Nazi art theft, an Albanian police lieutenant, and the absolute worst family ever. The two worlds collide in Susan’s imagination, as she must untangle reality from fiction to solve both past and present crimes.
AZPM members can binge all episodes of both Marlow Murder Club and Marble Hall Murders on AZPM Passport beginning on the evening of September 6.
On September 20, Sunday night drama continues with the premiere of the four-part adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s award-winning novel Trespasses at 9 p.m. Set against the turbulent troubles in 1975 Northern Ireland, Cushla, a Catholic schoolteacher living in Belfast, embarks on an illicit affair with Michael, a married Protestant solicitor who defends IRA members. As their forbidden love deepens, the couple are pulled between duty and desire, family and freedom. Trespasses is also available to watch on AZPM Passport beginning on the evening of September 20.
A new season of NOVA begins on September 16 and continues each Wednesday throughout the month. The premiere of The Battle to Breathe on September 16 explores the medical revolution against cystic fibrosis, the most common fatal genetic disease in the U.S. Discover how decades-long scientific research led to the discovery of a three-drug combination that changed CF from a terminal illness to a manageable condition for many. On September 22, Knowledge Keepers traces how First Nations and Native Americans developed scientific knowledge rooted in generations of environmental observation, adaptation, and experimentation. On September 30, Stone Age Masterpiece explores some of the world’s oldest and best-preserved Stone Age art, upending our traditional understanding of art history and connecting us to the dawn of human creativity.
Also premiering Wednesday, September 16 is a new three-part documentary series that follows a group of scientists as they explore Earth’s coldest regions to understand how changes in ice affect our planet’s future. Ages of Ice is a story of scientific daring and discovery, grit, and human endeavor, where unlocking the mysteries of our icy worlds is key to unlocking the forces that drive our planet.
Classical 90.5 takes listeners on a groundbreaking musical fusion experience Saturday, September 5 at 6 p.m. Classical music traditions of South India meet those of the West in Sarojini, a thrilling soundscape that tells the story of India's fight for independence from the British Empire. Composed by Shruthi Rajasekar, this new music for choir and orchestra brings together a variety of artists, including the VocalEssence Chorus and Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
At this time of year, Jews around the world gather to celebrate new beginnings. On Saturday, September 12, join Classical 90.5 at 6 p.m. for Music for the Days of Awe: An Observance of the Jewish High Holidays. Host Mindy Ratner guides us in a musical observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Join NPR 89.1 for the NPR Special: 25 Years After 9/11, What Have We Learned? on Friday, September 11 at 2 p.m. It’s been 25 years since al-Qaeda attacked the United States by hijacking commercial airliners and crashing them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth was headed for the U.S. Capitol but went down into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Host Mary Louise Kelly revisits that day and the legacy of the attacks with key people who were in government and intelligence at the time.
Celebrate the 100th birthday of legendary jazz musician John Coltrane on September 23 at 5 p.m. on AZPM Jazz 89.1 HD-2. Historian and Coltrane scholar Lewis Porter talks about Coltrane’s early roots growing up in rural North Carolina and explores his story of redemption and transformation. Plus, Ravi Coltrane shares how his father’s music unexpectedly inspired him to carry on the family legacy.
Thank you again for your support of AZPM. You are the public in public media; we couldn’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
Jack Gibson
Chief Executive Officer
