Philipsburg’s TV spotlight on the Today Show postponed til Monday (hopefully) – National spotlight focuses on historic Montana town’s perseverance. Philipsburg:

Philipsburg’s day in the spotlight wasn’t canceled, just delayed.

The Granite County town was scheduled to be featured on NBC’s “Today” show Thursday morning, but the segment was bumped, initially to Friday and now – perhaps it would be wise to insert the word “tentatively” – to Monday, according to a spokesperson for KECI-TV, the NBC affiliate in Missoula.

The show airs from 7 to 10 a.m. The KECI representative didn’t know the approximate time the Philipsburg piece would run Monday.

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/12/23/news/mtregional/news08.txt

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Bob Dotson makes his living finding the extraordinary in ordinary life and telling stories.

National spotlight focuses on historic town’s perseverance decorate the town for Christmas.

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The segment did not air on Thursday so we’re expecting it to appear on Friday. Hope you can watch and share in the success story that is Philipsburg. Russ

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The national news correspondent for NBC’s Today Show says he found that earlier this month in Philipsburg http://www.philipsburgmt.com/ . Dotson’s special report in his award-winning American Stories series is scheduled to air on Dec. 23. (See breakout.) “It’s a nice moment for Philipsburg,” said the town’s mayor, Anne Fillmore. “It’s a story that came about because of the attitude of the people here and the fact that we pull together to get things done.” Camera crews from New York roamed the streets in early December as townsfolk went about their business. They filmed a ranch operation, the Sapphire Gallery, the restored historic school, Opera House and town skating rink.

They filmed children sledding on snow piles and caught on film citizens at work decorating for the holidays, hanging wreaths and lights around town.

“They came at the best time to catch Philipsburg as it really is,” Fillmore said. “They got three days of snow and ice and realized that when people live in an out of the way, and sometimes chilly place, it tends to bring out the best in neighbor helping neighbor.” While typical news storytelling takes reporters to obvious outposts, like the trail of Hurricane Katrina, Dotson seeks other ways to depict resilience, heroism and strength of spirit in everyday life.

The Sweet Palace http://www.sweetpalace.com/

The Sapphire Gallery http://www.sapphire-gallery.com/

The Broadway Hotel http://www.broadwaymontana.com/

By Vera Haffey of The Montana Standard

Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/12/18/newsanaconda/hjjeihibjaicfh.txt

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Philipsburg on NBC’s Today Show

By Vera Haffey of The Montana Standard

The historic mining town of Philipsburg will be spotlighted Friday on the Today Show in a special report by Bob Dotson, NBC’s national news correspondent, in his American Stories series.

NBC film crews worked for two days in early December to capture the spirit of Philipsburg in a four-minute segment expected to air on Friday.

Dotson’s reports are generally aired during the second hour of the three-hour Today Show that begins at 7 a.m.

However, “We’re live TV, so you never know for sure,” Dotson said.

Dotson, whose stories tend to bypass the cliché and address topics from unique perspectives, says he’s pleased.

“It’s lovely,” he said of the filming. “It turned out great.” And if four minutes doesn’t seem like a lot of airtime, “For network TV, that’s “Gone With the Wind” length,” Dotson added.

— Vera Haffey, The Montana Standard

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/12/18/newsanaconda/hjjeihibjaidga.txt

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NBC’s ‘Today’ puts Philipsburg in the spotlight

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian

Philipsburg will use up a chunk of its allotted 15 minutes of fame Friday morning.

NBC’s “Today” show will feature the small Granite County town during its 7 to 10 a.m. broadcast.

“We’re pretty excited they chose our town,” said Mayor Anne Fillmore. “We’re looking forward to watching it.”
NBC News national correspondent Bob Dotson and producer Amanda Marshall were in Philipsburg with a camera crew in late November and early December to do the story.

Philipsburg came to Dotson’s attention earlier this year after he saw a story about the community in Montana Living magazine called “The Little Town that Could.”

“It’s not a promotion so much as it is about a small town working to get things done,” Fillmore said.

http://missoulian.com/articles/2005/12/21/news/mtregional/news06.txt

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Philipsburg: A town in transition http://www.matr.net/article-11777.html