Hosted by Diane Trees, director of the Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies at 麻豆原创, Metro Center Outlook explores issues impacting Florida鈥檚 economic prosperity and development.

The new season will kick off with a two-part interview with Graham to air consecutive weeks.

Graham will discuss his novel, 鈥淜eys to the Kingdom,鈥� and war in the Middle East during the first show, which will premiere Jan. 18.

The second part of the interview focuses on homeland security and terrorism. That episode will broadcast at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Metro Center Outlook will re-air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Additional guests on this season鈥檚 Metro Center Outlook include former U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, 麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt and PBS NewsHour host Judy Woodruff.

Trees鈥� Metro Center, in partnership with other institutions and organizations, was established in 2001 to serve as a link between 麻豆原创 and the community in a regional approach that encompasses 13 Central Florida counties. It was founded by former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin.

W麻豆原创 TV is a partnership between the 麻豆原创 and Brevard Community College, created to keep PBS in Central Florida. The station launched July 1 for more than 3.5 million viewers with the promise of providing the community PBS favorites and high-quality local programs.

W麻豆原创 TV airs on Bright House Networks digital cable channels 1 and 1001 in Orange, Brevard, Seminole, Osceola, Flagler, Volusia, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.

For more on where to find and what to see on W麻豆原创 TV, go to .

Woodruff spoke at a President鈥檚 Focus on Excellence breakfast in downtown Orlando and also visited the Center for Emerging Media.

In a post on PBS鈥� 鈥淩undown鈥� blog, Woodruff called 麻豆原创 a 鈥渟tunning success story.鈥�

鈥淲ith a philosophy that encourages entrepreneurship, 麻豆原创 has helped students launch their own businesses immediately upon graduation, as well as partnered with industries to find jobs,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚ts president, Dr. John Hitt, believes in taking risks when he thinks they’re warranted: 鈥業 hire smart people and let them come to me with their ideas,鈥� he said. His decision to aim for state approval to launch the medical center and to take over a public television 鈥� operation — with very little turnaround time or funding — are just two examples.鈥�

Woodruff also noted some of the challenges that the university faces, including state budget cuts for 麻豆原创 and public television.

鈥淏ut meeting the leaders at this extraordinary school and seeing their “can-do” spirit up close gives one hope that not only will things eventually turn around, but that young people are developing the skills to see them through.鈥�

W麻豆原创 TV, a partnership between 麻豆原创 and Brevard Community College, broadcasts popular PBS programs and high-quality local shows to more than 3.5 million viewers. The station began broadcasting on July 1, just three months after WMFE announced it was ending its affiliation with PBS.

鈥淚鈥檓 very proud to say this community did not miss one second of PBS programming during the transition,鈥� Grant J. Heston, 麻豆原创鈥檚 associate vice president for Communications and Public Affairs, said at the Focus on Excellence breakfast last week.

Popular PBS Kids programming includes seven literacy series and 11 series on science, technology, engineering and math. Local shows that have premiered this fall include Metro Center Outlook with Diane Trees and Global Perspectives with Pulitzer Prize-winner John Bersia.

The channel — the primary PBS channel for nine Central Florida counties 鈥� is seeking to raise $1 million in community support this year.

Hitt encouraged viewers to share feedback about programming with W麻豆原创 TV. He also urged the community to consider investing in the station.

鈥淚 intentionally use the word 鈥榠nvesting鈥� because this is not a gift or a donation,鈥� he said. 鈥淵our investment makes it possible for everyone to enjoy all of what we love most about PBS.鈥�

To share feedback or invest in W麻豆原创 TV, go to .