John G. McGrath

Multimedia Producer

John McGrath hails from Ottawa, Kansas, and attended the University of Kansas where he majored in film. A filmmaker since the age of 10, John has written and directed a number of short films he is always eager to show you or talk about. If it's film related, he's your go-to guy. With more than 15 years experience in journalism at two local television stations, he is eager to lend his skills to Flatland.

Stories by John G. McGrath

Show Me | Porter Teleo

Kelly Porter and Bridgett Cochran combine fine art and high design to create custom hand-painted wall coverings and fabrics for their company, Porter Teleo. Made in their studio in Merriam, Kansas, their products garner national attention, with showrooms in LA, Miami and Chicago. They also have installations all around the world, including Egypt, Spain and…

A baseball player slides into home plate for "Call of the Sandlot."

Home Plate: Play Ball

In the fourth and final episode, rediscover the magic of sandlot baseball during a visit to Sam and Ana Beckett’s neighborhood game, and see how the Urban Youth Academy is helping revive baseball’s future in Parade Park, a place of baseball’s past. Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played until…

A catcher warms up to catch the baseball for "Call of the Sandlot."

Third Base: Fielder’s Choice

The sandlot of yore has disappeared, and we’re uncovering why. See what it takes to keep a game going in today’s age and the impact of the $19 million investment Kansas City and the Royals are making with the Urban Youth Academy. Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played…

A boy hits a baseball for "Call of the Sandlot"

Second Base: Around The Horn

In this week’s episode, get to know Kansas City’s long and dynamic history of sandlot baseball. Learn about it from Royals’ historian Kay Cee, and discover a hidden modern sandlot game in Kansas City. Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played until their mothers called them in for dinner….

A little leaguer runs to first base for Call of the Sandlot

First Base: Get Your Glove

Call of The Sandlot takes you back to the time when kids played until their mothers called them in for dinner. Flatland looks back into the city’s baseball history to tell you why sandlots disappeared and how Sam and Ana Beckett, a Kansas City couple, and the Kansas City Royals are looking to bring the tradition…

However You Say It, Kansas City is Home

Whether they speak Nepali. Spanish, French, Bermese or another language, these Gladstone Elementary students call Kansas City home. The Kansas City Public School District is home to more than 55 languages, and some children speak more than two. Hear them introduce themselves in their native langauge, followed by a phrase in English. — Follow “Take…

The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5

Get an insider’s look at what’s being done to improve the region’s public transit system and increase access to jobs in “The Cost of Our Public Transit | Episode 5,” the final of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the state of…

"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Public Transit | Preview

If you’ve ever thought about the importance of the city’s public transit system, follow The Cost of Public Transit, the final in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 5. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project online…

If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, "The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3" checks out what's being done to preserve the life of the city's bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure.

The Cost of Our Bridges | Episode 3

If you’ve ever wondered about the safety of the bridges you drive across everyday, “The Cost of Bridges | Episode 3” looks at what’s being done to preserve the life of the city’s bridges in the third of a five-part digital series looking at our city’s aging infrastructure. Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath…

"Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure. "

The Cost of Our Bridges | Preview

If you’ve ever thought about the safety of the bridges you drive over everyday, follow The Cost of Bridges, the third in a five-part general overview series on our city’s aging infrastructure. Here’s a preview in advance of Monday’s Episode 3. All five overview episodes culminate in a 30-minute documentary at 7:30 p.m., March 2 on KCPT. — Follow the entire project online…