A new season of "Barnes and...," public affairs series with host Steve Barnes, will premiere on the Arkansas PBS (AETN) on Friday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m.

 A new season of the “Barnes and…,” public affairs series with host Steve Barnes, will premiere on the Arkansas PBS (AETN) on Friday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m.

     “The concept of ‘Barnes and…’ is quite simple,” Barnes said. “Just two people interested in ideas and public policy at a table and it has offered its guest the luxury of a comparatively extended forum to express their ideas while providing its audience that rarest commodity: civil, thoughtful television.”

 “Barnes and…” will feature four interviews and air in four parts:

• “Barnes and…A Conversation With Judge Robert L. Brown” – Feb. 4, 10 at 6:30 p.m.; Feb. 13, 10:30 p.m.

Steve Barnes interviews Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Robert L. Brown about his book “Defining Moments,” which chronicles 10 Arkansas Governors from Sid McMath to Mike Huckabee and how their terms influenced the state.

• “Barnes and…A Conversation With Jay Jennings” – Feb. 11, 17 at 6:30 p.m.; Feb. 20, 10:30 p.m.

Jay Jennings discusses his book “Carry the Rock: Race, Football and the Soul of an American City.” In this interview, Jennings sheds light on the racial divide in Little Rock and uses past and current realities of the community to highlight the Little Rock Central High Football team during the 50th Anniversary of the desegregation crisis of 1957.

• “Barnes and…A Conversation With Jason Grumet” – Feb. 18, 24 at 6:30 p.m.; Feb. 27 at 10:30 p.m.

Jason Grumet, President of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington D.C., discusses the importance of bipartisanship in the United States and how the center is working to promote its efforts.

• “Barnes and…A Conversation With Dan Hurley” – Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.

Dan Hurley discusses his book “Diabetes Rising.” Hurley, who also struggles with diabetes, talks about the increase of the disease in our society and its elevation to pandemic.

     “Barnes and…,” hosted by veteran journalist Steve Barnes and in its 20th year, is a cutting-edge current affairs program featuring one-on-one conversations with a wide variety of prominent individuals from many areas of interest and backgrounds. Previous episodes have featured celebrated authors such as Arkansans Charlaine Harris and Taylor Branch, noted activists Richard Leakey and Gila Svirsky, “Washington Week” moderator and PBS host Gwen Ifill, and “New York Times Book Review” editor Sam Tanenhaus. 

The Arkansas PBS (AETN) is Arkansas’s statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visit www.aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at www.aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).