The ancient Greeks referred to planets as “wandering stars” for the peripatetic way the celestial bodies moved across the night sky. That’s just the sort of factoid you might learn on a TV show that, in its own way, risked becoming a wandering star: “It’s Academic.”
“It’s finally where it probably should have been all along,” said Miguel Monteverde, senior vice president and general manager of WETA Greater Washington.
While “It’s Academic” has been on WRC (Channel 4) since its debut in 1961, over the last few years the show has confronted a passel of pesky problems that seemed to put its future in — to use the name of another quiz show — jeopardy. When WRC began renovations on its studios, “It’s Academic” had to find a new place to tape. Then longtime sponsor Giant Food pulled out. Then the pandemic forced producers to revamp the show, pitching students against one another via Zoom.
Now, producers are looking forward to stasis (a state of equilibrium or inactivity) at WETA.
“We share the same goals, in terms of education and valuing students and teachers,” said Susan Altman, an executive producer (and daughter of the show’s late creator, Sophie Altman). “It’s a perfect fit.”
David M. Rubenstein joins Altman as an executive producer. Mitre — which stepped in after Giant’s departure — is the sole corporate funder.
Monteverde joined WETA three years ago, after earlier stints at media companies including Discovery. Part of his mandate, he said, has been to create programming that appeals to people in the Washington area.
“This was always on my short list of local shows,” he said. “I think it was my first month on the job when I tracked down Susan and said, ‘Hey, if you’re ever looking for a new home, think about WETA.’ ”
Monteverde is a graduate of Oakton High School in Fairfax County — Class of 1986 — but isn’t a D.C.-area native. He was an Army brat.
“I didn’t have the joy of growing up in one place,” he said. “When somebody says, ‘Where are you from?’ that’s still a difficult question for me to answer. I’ve literally lived here since 1984. The more I know about this area, the more I feel like I’m from here, the more I feel like a part of it.”
That’s a sentiment he shares with many WETA viewers — and potential viewers.
“When I started, we did a fairly exhaustive research study,” Monteverde said. “We did a dozen focus groups — surveyed thousands of local viewers — and asked what they wanted from their local television station.
“The context is this is an incredibly competitive television landscape. Why tune into local public television when everything is on Netflix and Hulu?”
Or, indeed, on PBS.
“In addition to having the highest quality programming from PBS, we thought there was a need for local programming you’d never find on other services,” Monteverde said. “That was the theory. We tested the theory by talking to consumers, to local viewers. What they told us was they wanted to know more about the D.C. area.”
Since Monteverde’s arrival, WETA has introduced “If You Lived Here,” a house-hunting show that also conveys a sense of neighborhood history, and “Signature Dish,” which profiles local restaurants. A weekend getaway travel show — currently shooting in Charlottesville — is in the works.
And soon there will be “It’s Academic.” Teams are still competing on Zoom, but producers hope to get back in the studio soon, taping first at Montgomery County’s cable studios and eventually at WETA’s offices in Shirlington. As it happens, those studios are also being renovated.
Host Hillary Howard will helm the WETA debut of the show’s 62nd season, which will be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. and repeated that evening. Teams from Herndon, Washington-Liberty and W.T. Woodson high schools will compete.
“It was a show that I grew up with and it’s persisted to be an iconic show,” Monteverde said. “Others have disappeared or gone away. Susan and her team have managed to keep that one going.”
Altman said the past few years have been pretty hectic.
“That’s the nature of television,” she said. “That’s the nature of a lot of things. You have to move forward.”
Television may change — new technology, new platforms, new content — but there’s something that doesn’t. Said Altman: “One thing that never changes is teenagers.”
