WETA CORE FACILITIES UPGRADE [WETA, THE FLAGSHIP PUBLIC TELEVISION AND RADIO STATION IN THE NATION?S CAPITAL, IS CONSOLIDATING ITS OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTION FACILITIES FOR PBS NEWSHOUR AND LOCAL TELEVISION PROGRAMS, AT ITS SHIRLINGTON, VA HEADQUARTERS. AS WETA RENOVATES ITS HEADQUARTERS TO INCLUDE NEW STUDIO AND PRODUCTION SPACE, IT WILL UPGRADE ITS PRODUCTION FACILITY CORE SYSTEMS TO SUSTAIN ITS HIGH-QUALITY HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING THAT REACHES BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL AUDIENCES. THIS UPGRADE WILL REPLACE SYSTEMS THAT ARE NEARING THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE AND HAVE BECOME COSTLY TO MAINTAIN. AN NEH CHALLENGE GRANT WILL LEVERAGE CRITICAL FUNDS TO INVEST IN THESE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND ENHANCE PBS NEWSHOUR, WHICH INCLUDES HUMANITIES CONTENT THROUGHOUT ITS REPORTING AND IN SERIES LIKE CANVAS; DIGITAL PROJECTS LIKE WETA?S BOUNDARY STONES BLOG; AND LOCAL PRODUCTIONS LIKE WASHINGTON IN THE 2000S, WETA ARTS, AND LOCAL EXTENSIONS OF NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS.]