New Roster Of Independent Non-Fiction Films Join Pbs Primetime Lineup In 2003
Pasadena, Calif. – July 26, 2002 – Independent documentaries will be
presented in a series new to the PBS primetime schedule beginning
February 2003, it was announced today by Pat Mitchell, president and
CEO of PBS, at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in
Pasadena. INDEPENDENT LENS, a yearly 10-week fall series that
premiered in 1999, will now expand to 29 primetime episodes a year
and will be curated by ITVS (the Independent Television Service) and
PBS. The series is designed to complement P.O.V., PBS’s
award-winning 14-week showcase for personal documentary. Presented
on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. (check local listings), P.O.V. and
INDEPENDENT LENS will establish a consistent timeslot for
independents on PBS.
“Just as FRONTLINE WORLD and WIDE ANGLE offer differing perspectives
on contemporary global events, PBS will now have two series –
INDEPENDENT LENS and
P.O.V. – to capture more fascinating, compelling stories from the
world of nonfiction,” said Ms. Mitchell. “Multiple points of entry
for independent producers will inevitably bring a greater diversity
of voices and viewpoints to our audience.”
INDEPENDENT LENS is an anthology series that will present hour-long
(and occasional 90-minute) documentaries that showcase the best
documentary programming from the U.S. and abroad. Encompassing the
full spectrum of nonfiction film, from history to animation to shorts
to social-issue films, the series will broaden the scope for
documentary filmmakers and allow audiences access to powerful new
films. INDEPENDENT LENS is made possible by a special launch grant
from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
PBS is re-launching INDEPENDENT LENS with ITVS, which, since its
inception over ten years ago, has funded and presented the work of
some of the most creative independent producers on television. ITVS
has presented more than 200 documentaries on public television in the
last 10 years, accompanied by national outreach and award-winning Web
sites. The series will contribute to PBS’s and ITVS’s missions of
reaching people who rarely see themselves or their communities on
television, with stories that accurately reflect their lives.
INDEPENDENT LENS will be curated by PBS and ITVS with a team
consisting of Alyce Myatt, vice president, programming and Cheryl
Jones, senior director, program development and independent films
from PBS and Claire Aguilar, director of programming and Lois Vossen,
director of broadcast distribution and communications from ITVS.
“We are very pleased to be working with PBS on INDEPENDENT LENS
because it demonstrates PBS’s increased commitment to independent
filmmakers,” ITVS Executive Director Sally Fifer said. “The series
fulfills a 10-year dream on the part of ITVS and the independent
community to have a consistent place for nonfiction programming on
the national schedule. We look forward to re-launching a smart,
creative series that will include a broad range of documentaries,
from current events and historical docs to true tales that are
stranger than fiction. Think reality TV with a brain.”
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit
media enterprise owned and operated by the nation’s 349 public
television stations. Serving nearly 90 million people each week, PBS
enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and
education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and
other media. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org,
the leading dot-org Web site on the Internet.
CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967,
develops educational public radio, television and online services for
the American people. The Corporation is the industry’s largest single
source of funds for national public television and radio program
development and production. CPB, a grant making organization, funds
more than 1,000 public radio and television stations. Visit
www.cpb.org for more information.
The Independent Television Service (ITVS) presents documentaries,
dramas and series on public television, and innovative new-media
projects on the Web. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
ITVS was established by Congress to fund and present programs that
“involve creative risks and address the needs of underserved
audiences,” while granting artistic control to independent producers.
From series like THE FARMER’S WIFE and FOTO-NOVELAS to specials
including Sundance Award winner DAUGHTER FROM DANANG, Emmy Award
winners BLINK and NOBODY’S BUSINESS, and Peabody Award winners STILL
LIFE WITH ANIMATED DOGS and THE GATE OF HEAVENLY PEACE, ITVS
productions bring viewers face-to-face with the lives and concerns of
their fellow Americans. Visit www.itvs.org for companion Web sites
and more information.
Contact:
Nancy Fishman
ITVS
415) 356-8383, x226,
Nancy_Fishman@itvs.org
Cara White
Caramar Media
843-881-1480
carapub@aol.com
Michael Turner
PBS,
(212)708-3005
mturner@pbs.org
