John Muir expert shares the spotlight

09/30/09 17:05:38

Lee Stetson has portrayed naturalist and author John Muir for the National Park Service for 27 years.

Until now, the only way you could see his work was to travel to Yosemite National Park or attend one of his tour stops.

Stetson has taken his performance to a national level in the new Ken Burns documentary series "National Parks: America's Best Idea." The series started Sunday on KVPT (Channel 18.1) and continues through Friday.

Although he was a history and American studies major in college, Stetson didn't become interested in Muir until more than a quarter-century ago after being given a biography about the naturalist. He turned that newfound interest into a full-time career.

Stetson was interviewed three years ago because he is a Muir expert.

"Then I got a call about a year later asking me if I would go to New York to record the voice of Muir," Stetson says.

Along with being part of the documentary, Stetson has appeared at events in connection with the film, including one in front of thousands of people at Central Park.

Stetson turned the tables on Burns at a Dallas promotional stop when he interviewed the documentary maker for his own film about how art is being used to deliver environmental messages.

The final two parts of Burns' documentary air 8 p.m. tonight and Friday.

If you prefer to enjoy the series and the park at the same time, head up to Yosemite where Stetson and Shelton Johnson, the Yosemite National Park ranger also featured in the documentary, are hosting nightly presentations of the documentary.

Sharper image

KMPH (Channel 26.1) was scheduled to make the switch Wednesday night to broadcasting its 10 p.m. newscast and morning news program "Great Day" in high definition. The local Fox affiliate joins KFSN (Channel 30.1) as the only local TV stations to make the visual upgrades for its newscasts.

Jack L. Peck, KMPH general manager, says station staff members have been "intensely working the past six weeks to get everything ready."

Because of this year's mandate for all high-power TV stations to convert from analog to digital, the big expense of a transmitter already had been handled. Adding studio equipment, a weather-tracking system and digital control room completed the transition.

The new HD signal is available over the air or on Comcast channel 906. Anyone with an HD digital box with the Dish Network satellite cable service can see the Fox HD signal on channel 5263. DirecTV didn't return phone calls inquiring about the channel.