By Polly Winograd Ikonen, LCI
Rick Bacigalupi is a longtime TV producer here in the Bay Area, who currently works for NorCal Public Media. LCI recently had the opportunity to work with Rick on a wonderful episode of Bay Area Bountiful, called Sempervirens Means Evergreen, that explores the impact of last year’s CZU Lightning Complex Fire on the many communities of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Two LCI clients, Save the Redwoods League and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) are featured.
1. What is your top priority at work today?
Our top priority at Northern California Public Media is to tell compelling stories that inform and inspire viewers to engage with their world, especially when it comes to social justice, inclusion and environmental awareness.
2. What is the long-term goal of the “Bay Area Bountiful” program?
The long-term goal of our signature local program, “Bay Area Bountiful,” is to establish a track record as a respected source of in-depth content about local developments in conservation, sustainable agriculture, climate change and the work of people from all communities who are leading the way in these fields.
3. What kind of stories do you most enjoy covering?
My recent assignment to produce a half-hour piece on last summer’s CZU Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains is a great example of the kind of work I enjoy best. It was an opportunity to spend a fair amount of time researching, meeting the people impacted and crafting a compelling story about the important issues highlighted by their experiences. Polly Ikonen and Landis Communications Inc. were key partners in making this happen.
4. What are you working on now?
Not every piece is earth-shattering. Currently, I am tasked with getting to the bottom of what is going on with… baby opossums! Something I love about public television is that there is room to consider the touching and gentle stories that are just fun to learn about. Who knew possums were so adorable? NorCal Public Media viewers do… or will very soon!
Rick Bacigalupi is an Emmy Award-winning producer and veteran of over 30 years in San Francisco Bay Area TV and video production. He is a staff producer at NorCal Public Media.
Feel free to comment below or tweet Rick @BaciPix.
Related articles:
California’s sequoias and redwoods can survive climate change – if we help them, National Geographic
They’re among the world’s oldest living things. The climate crisis is killing them, New York Times
Rebuilding Big Basin, Bay Nature Magazine
Rick, how nice to get re-acquainted with you on our blog. I’m proud to say that our relationship goes back to the late 80’s when we both were infants, working at KPIX TV (CBS-San Francisco). It’s nice to see you – albeit virtually – again. And thanks for your great feature for our clients, Save the Redwoods League and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). Cheers, David
Thanks so much David! It is a pleasure working with LCI and wonderful to be able to collaborate with POST and STRL in telling an environmental story. Polly Ikonen was a fantastic liaison. I know NorCal Public Media will want to return to this and related subject matter moving forward! Rick
I’m looking forward to hearing about the baby opposums – I see them in my yard all the time! Thanks for participating in our blog…
Bay Area Bountiful is a wonderful program and we are lucky to have it. Thank you Northern California Public Media!
Rick, we so appreciate the care and attention you brought to telling these important stories from the CZU fires. (And I can’t believe that area flared up again, just this weekend!) You’re a gifted storyteller – I look forward to more!
Thanks for everything, Polly!