NEW BEDFORD — Could this city be shedding its image as an "undiscovered" gem? It is getting help from "Chronicle," the New England magazine program produced by WCVB-TV5 in Boston.

Wednesday's "Chronicle" is entirely about New Bedford, about all the things that are familiar to the locals but all too often are unexplored by people in the Town of the Bean.

"Chronicle" field producer Clint Conley said the Chronicle crews spent four days in the city during the past few weeks, touching upon the city's iconic images at the whaling museum and the fishing piers.

But the show's producers also took an inside look at the Sid Wainer and Sons specialty foods warehouse, which supplies chefs all across Boston, the nation and the world.

"That is an incredible organization, a sensational operation," Conley said.
He said the crew also spent time with Mayor Scott W. Lang and Economic Development Director Matthew Morrissey touring the waterfront.

On the cultural side they visited with fado singer Ana Vinagre, Conley said, and stopped in to chat with Elaine Lima at the Black Whale T-shirt emporium downtown for her insider's view of the rapidly changing downtown scene. "She's quite a character," Conley said.

"Chronicle" puts the spotlight on the city's arts community, visiting individual artists and local galleries that have taken root in the city, mostly since UMass Dartmouth's College of Visual and Performing Arts relocated to the former Star Store.

Titled "The New New Bedford," the episode airs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and will be available on the Chronicle Web site, bostonchannel.com, for some time thereafter, Conley said.

"Chronicle" sums it up this way: "Artists like the cheap lofts; chefs come from around the world to plan their menus; Marriott is building a new hotel on the harbor. Could the rough and tumble city of New Bedford actually be — dare we say it — hip?

"Tonight, 'Chronicle' discovers why some city boosters are claiming there's a new New Bedford rising. Plus, we'll see why it continues to be the highest grossing fishing port in the country. All that, and Fado, too!"

Steve Urbon is senior correspondent of The Standard-Times.
surbon@s-t.com

May 05, 2009

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