Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey

West Virginia Public Broadcasting has won the 2016 NETA Best Documentary Award for Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey.

Two WVPB documentaries took top prizes at the 52nd Annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards.

"Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey" won for best historical documentary, and "The First 1,000 Days: Investing in West Virginia's Children When It Counts" in the societal concerns category.

The Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education at Shepherd University will host a special screening of WVPB’s documentary Jay: A Rockefeller’s Journey, Wednesday, April 27, at 6:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6 p.m.).

The film, which examines the life and public career of John D. Rockefeller, IV, explores why the heir to one of the nation’s largest family fortunes would come to one of the poorest states in the nation – and stay.

Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey airs at 9:30 this evening. 

Jay: A Rockefeller’s Journey is a new television documentary from West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The film traces the 50-year public service career of John D. Rockefeller IV, while capturing much of the political history of West Virginia, his adopted home. 

It premieres tonight, June 22 at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting Television. 

The program explores why an heir to one of the nation’s largest family fortunes would come to one of the poorest states in the nation - and stay. 

Editor's Note: Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey airs on West Virginia Public Television Monday, June 22 at 9pm.

It wasn't until September 2013 after months of contacting historians, archivists, staffers and other folks associated with Jay Rockefeller that fellow producer Suzanne Higgins and I were ready to start conducting the vital on-camera interviews. 

Why would the heir of one of the wealthiest families in America come to one of its poorest states – and stay? What influenced him and who inspired him along his journey to becoming one of the state’s most influential leaders of the last 50 years?

Here are 4  moments from "Jay": A Rockefeller's Journey that describe the events that shaped the man. You can watch the broadcast premiere Monday, June 22, at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 

As part of the Rockefeller Production Blog, we've asked Charleston Production Supervisor Chuck Frostick  to talk about his work on Jay: A Rockefeller's Story, and why it was such an important project for him. 

Working on Jay over the past year-and-a-half has been thoroughly enjoyable and a learning experience.

Canvassing the State

View Images of Jay Rockefeller's life from the upcoming documentary, "Jay: A Rockefeller's Journey."

The new documentary recounts the half-century career of John D. Rockefeller IV in his chosen home of West Virginia. Why would the heir of one of the wealthiest families in America come to one of its poorest states – and stay? What influenced him and who inspired him along his journey to becoming one of the state’s most influential leaders of the last 50 years?

Watch it June 22 at 9 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Two staff members at West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) have received awards related to telling West Virginia’s story in their roles as documentarians, reporters and producers.  

John Nakashima, and Suzanne Higgins, both senior producers have been honored by the social workers of West Virginia, and the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Association (VAPB) respectively.