UNC-TV has announced changes to their Sunday schedule to accommodate a live broadcast of funeral services for George Beverly Shea, a gospel singer from Montreat who was a longtime associate of Billy Graham.
The funeral will air at 3 p.m.

Shea died on Tuesday at the age of 104.

UNC-TV will also broadcast two original documentary specials celebrating the life and work of Shea on Saturday, April 20. "The Wonder of it All," a documentary about Shea's life, will air 6:00 p.m., to be followed immediately at 6:50 p.m. by "George Beverly Shea and Friends," featuring musical performances by Shea and other gospel musicians and singers.

Regularly scheduled UNC-TV programs will be pre-empted by these special presentations.

Having huge soft spots for both real animals and pretend ones (Curious George, in particular), there's no way I can't post this.

In an upcoming episode of "Curious George" airing on UNC-TV, the lovable cartoon monkey will teach children about animal shelters and the importance of keeping pets safe and happy. The episode, "Where's the Firedog?", airs at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 4, on UNC-TV, with multiple repeats on UNC-KD (search the UNC-TV schedule).

In the episode, George's canine friend, Blaze, keeps running away from the firehouse and eventually ends up at an animal shelter. George and firefighter Sam learn to keep Blaze safe by putting a tag on her collar, walking her on a leash, and making sure she's never lonely. Awwww.

According to PBS Kids, "Curious George" is the #1 TV program for preschoolers. It's currently in its seventh season.

UNC-TV received seven awards at the Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards ceremony in Nashville, Tn., last night. The public television station was nominated for 20 awards.

The shows honored are listed below.

INTERSTITIAL
North Carolina People with William Friday: 40th Anniversary, Robert Dobbs, UNC-TV

MUSIC COMPOSER/ARRANGER
Rembrandt In America, Fred Story, Concentrix Music and Sound Design

DOCUMENTARY/HISTORICAL
Birth of a Colony: North Carolina, Scott Davis, Tim Finkbiner, Donna Mitchell, UNC-TV/Horizon Productions

INFORMATIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES
In the Garden with Bryce Lane, Sonya Williams Harris, Bryce Lane, Simone Keith, North Carolina State University

MAGAZINE PROGRAM
Soldier's Stories/Trail of Trust, David Hardy, Morgan Potts, Mike Burke, Mike Milstead, Amy Pasquini, Brian Faulkner, Pete Bell, Jay Cartwright, UNC-TV

MAGAZINE SERIES
Our State, David Hardy, Morgan Potts, Mike Burke, Mike Milstead, Amy Pasquini, Brian Faulkner, Jay Cartwright, UNC-TV

PHOTOGRAPHER/PROGRAM
Keys to the Past, Mike Burke, UNC-TV

Pioneers of Television: Primetime Soaps (8pm, UNC-TV) - This wonderful series puts the spotlight on primetime soaps of the 70s and 80s, including "Dallas," "Dynasty," and "Knots Landing," as well as their antecedent "Peyton Place." The late Larry Hagman is among the notables interviewed.

The Abolitionists (9pm, UNC-TV) - The conclusion of this three-part series focuses on John Brown's 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry, the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation and the passing of the 13th Amendment in December of 1865.

Edge of America (9pm, Travel) - Two back-to-back new episodes in the debut of this new series in which host Geoff Edgers travels across America taking part in wacky festivals and contests. We really like it. There are repeats at midnight.

The Mindy Project (9:30pm, Fox) - Mindy's attempted one-night stand with Brendan hits a snag when his brother and Morgan drop by. Also, Danny goes on a date with Eye Patch Girl.

Parenthood (10pm, NBC) - In the Season 4 finale, Kristina gets ready for her next round of treatment, Jasmine and Crosby receive exciting news, Amber and Ryan discuss the future, and Sarah (Lauren Graham, left) must choose between Mark (Jason Ritter, left) and Hank (Ray Romano). (Mark! Mark! Mark!)

Frontline: The Untouchables (10pm, UNC-TV) - A look at why major Wall Street players haven't been criminally prosecuted for wrongdoing related to the 2008 financial meltdown.

Justified (10pm, FX) - Raylan finds himself in trouble with the FBI, and the church strikes back at Boyd.

UNC-TV programs have received 20 Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards nominations. Getting the most attention from Emmy is the historical documentary "Birth of a Colony: North Carolina," which received five nominations. "North Carolina People with Bill Friday" also received a nomination. The full list of nominations, courtesy of UNC-TV, is below. Winners will be announced on January 26 at a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.

UNC-TV, WRAL, WTVD, WNCN (NBC-17), and News 14 Carolina will all carry a live broadcast of the memorial service for former University of North Carolina President William Friday from the UNC campus in Chapel Hill at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.

UNC-TV and WRAL will repeat the broadcast Wednesday evening at 7.

Friday died on October 12 at the age of 92. He was president of the UNC system for 30 years, from 1956 to 1986, a nationally-recognized leader in higher education, and was the host of UNC-TV's longest-running program, "North Carolina People with William Friday," which went on the air in 1971 and has been on the air weekly ever since. Friday had just launched the 42nd season of the show in August.

UNC-TV will air a special block of "Biographical Conversations with Bill Friday" tonight from 7 to 10.

92-year-old Friday, in his 42nd season of the show, passed away today.

When the new season of his interview show debuted in August, Friday was excited about the work ahead, particularly about putting a focus on the issue of children in poverty in North Carolina. Friday had no plans to stop working.

“If I can do a little something by presenting people who really know what they’re talking about, that’s why I keep doing it,” he said.

Below is the statement issued this morning by Steve Volstad of UNC-TV:

Martha Stewart's latest weekly series, "Martha Stewart's Cooking School," debuts on UNC-TV Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Each half-hour episode of the series, based on Stewart's eponymous best-selling book, will focus on tips and techniques for mastering basic cooking challenges. Sunday's premiere episode is about eggs. Hard-boiled, soft-boiled, scrambled ... it's all here. Next week's episode will teach basic sauces, like marinara, hollandaise, etc.

Other episodes throughout the end of the year -- October 21: vegetables; October 28: stocks; November 4: butchering; November 11: rice; November 18: dressings and emulsions; November 25: steaming; December 2: roasting; December 9: braising; December 16: poaching; December 23: frying; December 30: pan searing.

This is a great one for the DVR.

Call the Midwife
Sundays at 8 on UNC-TV

Fans of soapy British dramas will want to reserve an hour between 8 and 9 over the next six Sunday evenings for this charming new BBC series about young midwives in London in the 1950s.

"Call the Midwife," which aired in the UK earlier this year and which drew more viewers there than the first season of "Downtown Abby," is told from the perspective of young midwife Jenny Lee, who fresh out of training goes to work at a nursing convent in an impoverished area of East London.

Beginning in October, each of the state's 58 community colleges will be profiled in a series of weekly reports on UNC-TV's nightly public affairs program, "North Carolina Now."

The series is being made possible through a production partnership between UNC-TV and the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation.

The reports will kick off with a profile of Wake Tech on the October 10th broadcast of "North Carolina Now," which airs Monday through Friday at 7:30 p.m.  Most subsequent profiles will air on Thursday night broadcasts. Each profile will focus on a different campus, covering its history and role in meeting the community's various needs.

UNC-TV says independent producer Rick Sullivan will oversee the series.

North Carolina's community college system celebrates its 50th anniversary in October.