Fight Over Fracking & More on Tonight's MetroFocus on THIRTEEN

The award-winning series MetroFocus premieres new episodes in the New York and tri-state region weeknights at 5 p.m. on WLIW21, 5:30 p.m. on NJTV and 6 p.m. on THIRTEEN. All episodes are available at metrofocus.org following the broadcast.

The epsiode description for tonight, Friday, August 12 follows below. Please note episode descriptions are subject to change. Please visit metrofocus.org for the latest information.

Friday, August 12 at 5:00 p.m. on WLIW21, 5:30 p.m. on NJTV and 6:00 p.m. on THIRTEEN

The Fight Over Fracking - Fracking: Some say that this energy revolution is turning scarcity into abundance in America, which is giving us energy independence like never before. Furthermore, proponents of fracking say the practice could decrease the price paid for energy, create high paying jobs, and reduce our carbon footprint. But the practice isn't without its opposition. According to opponents, fracking has negative effects on the health of workers and citizens, damages property, contaminates the environment and even increases earthquake activity. Director Jon Bowermaster presents the arguments surrounding fracking in his new documentary, called "Dear President Obama, The Clean Energy Revolution is Now." He joins us tonight to talk about the film and the future of clean energy.

New Faces of Hunger in NYC - About 1.4 million New Yorkers - many of them women, children, elderly and disabled - rely on food pantries and soup kitchens. Tonight's latest installment of our ongoing reporting initiative, Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America, takes a real look at hunger in our city, and the many New Yorkers who struggle to make ends meet. Photojournalist Joey O'Loughlin spent three years documenting people on food pantry lines around the city, and now some of her portraits are on display at the Brooklyn Historical Society in an exhibit titled "Hidden in Plain Sight: Portraits of Hunger in NYC." Tonight, we'll take a look at what O'Loughlin discovered about what the hungry of New York City looks like, and who they are might surprise you.

LGBT Fair Play - How far has the sports world come in terms of LGBT acceptance and equality? Co-Founder of online sports magazine Outsports, expert in LGBTQ athletics, and author of Fair Play: How LGBT Athletes are Claiming Their Rightful Place in Sports, Cyd Ziegler stops by to share his perspective. We'll take a look at key moments and issues that have transformed sports for today's LGBT athletes.

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