The history of immigration to the United States has been complex and, at times, brutal. Our country has welcomed immigrants and, at other times, excluded certain people as the new American culture has developed. Today, we often describe the United States as a melting pot, but that has been contentious. The United States is a unique experiment. What is different about our country as opposed to others with a multicultural population? With the international common language of music as a guide to our history, what can we discover about ourselves?

At the helm of PBS’ investigative documentary series FRONTLINE, Raney Aronson- Rath has overseen the production of hard-hitting investigations into everything from the global COVID-19 pandemic, to the powerful influences shaping American politics, to local news stories impacting America’s communities. She has broadened FRONTLINE’s reach by expanding the series’ reporting capacity, increasing its digital footprint, leading an initiative to bolster local journalism, and spearheading FRONTLINE’s expansion into theatrical documentaries with cinematic films like 20 Days in Mariupol, winner of the 2024 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Yet few independent news outlets like FRONTLINE remain—and amid the proliferation of misinformation, Americans are having a harder time trusting what they see. Using clips from FRONTLINE, Aronson-Rath will discuss the future of journalism in an evolving media landscape, how she is connecting FRONTLINE’s journalism with younger audiences, and the challenges she faces while running the acclaimed PBS series.

Longtime Lexington resident Raney Aronson-Rath has served as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Producer of PBS’ FRONTLINE since 2015. During her tenure, the series has received numerous TV journalism awards.