C-SPAN2′s Book Bus Rolls in to Yuma

By Darin Fenger, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

Feb. 22–A TV studio on wheels rolled into Yuma on Wednesday.

Cable network C-SPAN2 sent its special bus here to promote “Book TV” and teach local folks just how a television show is made.

The 45-foot mobile production studio visited the Yuma County Library, as well as Barnes and Noble Booksellers. The bus is traveling the nation, stopping at local libraries, bookstores, and book festivals along the way. It came to Yuma for a quick visit between Tucson and San Diego.

“I thought it was wonderful that they wanted to stop in Yuma,” said librarian Sarah Wisdom. “They actually approached us on visiting, too, which is great.”

“Book TV” features 48 hours of non-fiction book programming, hitting a variety of topics ranging from history and biographies to politics and current events. The programming runs every weekend, from early Saturday to early Monday.

Wisdom said the network created the Book TV Bus to help the public learn more about television production, plus to get more material for the show from the cities and towns of America. Local authors and readers are often interviewed, but that was not the case Wednesday.

“I think they will record a little bit to show them on location, but not show people per se,” Wisdom said. “So we might get a little nationwide attention. That’s nice.”

The bus was parked along Main Street during its library visit, attracting quite a crowd with its unusual spectacle.

“People have been really curious and excited,” Wisdom said. “There’s been a pretty steady stream of people.”

For more information on the Book TV Bus, go to www.booktv.com.

Darin Fenger can be reached at dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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