Robert MacNeil, the veteran PBS newsman who co-founded and co-hosted the long-running PBS NewsHour and MacNeil/Lehrer Report with Jim Lehrer, died today. He was 93.
MacNeil died of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. His death was announced by PBS NewsHour broadcaster Judy Woodruff, and confirmed to the Associated Press by his daughter Alison MacNeil.
“I am devastated at the passing of a dear friend and someone who helped transform American television news, Robin MacNeil,” tweeted Woodruff, using MacNeil’s nickname. “He and Jim Lehrer were partners in creating the iconic @NewsHour on @PBS and it was the honor of my life to work with and learn from them.”
Two years after teaming in 1973 on Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings, MacNeil and Lehrer solidified their partnership in 1975 with the 30-minute PBS news program that would soon bear their names. Lehrer died in 2020 at age 85.
Unlike other newscasts,...
MacNeil died of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. His death was announced by PBS NewsHour broadcaster Judy Woodruff, and confirmed to the Associated Press by his daughter Alison MacNeil.
“I am devastated at the passing of a dear friend and someone who helped transform American television news, Robin MacNeil,” tweeted Woodruff, using MacNeil’s nickname. “He and Jim Lehrer were partners in creating the iconic @NewsHour on @PBS and it was the honor of my life to work with and learn from them.”
Two years after teaming in 1973 on Emmy-winning coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings, MacNeil and Lehrer solidified their partnership in 1975 with the 30-minute PBS news program that would soon bear their names. Lehrer died in 2020 at age 85.
Unlike other newscasts,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Television Group chairman/CEO Channing Dungey is returning to the Banff World Media Festival this June to serve as one of its keynote speakers, the event announced on Wednesday. Dungey joins a lineup that also includes Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade as a summit series keynote.
“We’re delighted to welcome back Channing Dungey as a keynote speaker,” said Banff executive director Jenn Kuzmyk in a statement. “Channing’s unparalleled expertise and insights are a key driver in shaping the future of the entertainment industry. She is a visionary whose impact transcends screens.”
Dungey’s domain includes the Warner Bros. TV Group’s scripted, unscripted, and animated series for streaming platforms, cable, and the broadcast networks. Her previous credits include serving as vice president of original series at Netflix and as ABC Entertainment president.
The Banff World Media Festival returns for its 45th edition from June 9 to June...
“We’re delighted to welcome back Channing Dungey as a keynote speaker,” said Banff executive director Jenn Kuzmyk in a statement. “Channing’s unparalleled expertise and insights are a key driver in shaping the future of the entertainment industry. She is a visionary whose impact transcends screens.”
Dungey’s domain includes the Warner Bros. TV Group’s scripted, unscripted, and animated series for streaming platforms, cable, and the broadcast networks. Her previous credits include serving as vice president of original series at Netflix and as ABC Entertainment president.
The Banff World Media Festival returns for its 45th edition from June 9 to June...
- 4/3/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade is to keynote at this year’s Banff World Media Festival.
The U.S.-based British exec will take the helm of the 45th edition of the popular fest, which is held in the mountain ranges of Canada. Past summit series have had speakers including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Paula Kerger, Pearlena Igbokwe, Bela Bajaria, Ted Sarandos and Maverick Carter.
Wade became CEO of Fox in 2022 upon Charlie Collier’s departure. He oversees the network, scripted and unscripted studios, international sales house, and partnerships with the likes of Studio Ramsay. He joined Fox seven years ago. Before that, he was showrunner on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and Head of Entertainment Development at BBC Worldwide.
“Being part of Banff’s 45th milestone year is quite an honor,” said Wade.
“This annual must-attend festival is like no other, uniting our industry in celebration of creativity and forward-thinking innovation.
The U.S.-based British exec will take the helm of the 45th edition of the popular fest, which is held in the mountain ranges of Canada. Past summit series have had speakers including Jeffrey Katzenberg, Paula Kerger, Pearlena Igbokwe, Bela Bajaria, Ted Sarandos and Maverick Carter.
Wade became CEO of Fox in 2022 upon Charlie Collier’s departure. He oversees the network, scripted and unscripted studios, international sales house, and partnerships with the likes of Studio Ramsay. He joined Fox seven years ago. Before that, he was showrunner on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and Head of Entertainment Development at BBC Worldwide.
“Being part of Banff’s 45th milestone year is quite an honor,” said Wade.
“This annual must-attend festival is like no other, uniting our industry in celebration of creativity and forward-thinking innovation.
- 2/27/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Does the Television Critics Association’s semi-annual press tour still hold value?
That topic was a frequent debate at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, California, where the TCA winter press tour wrapped Thursday after two weeks and a dizzying number of panels featuring stars, producers and the occasional executive.
TCA can still bring out the big stars (Apple had Michael Douglas, Hulu delivered Jon Bon Jovi, and Annette Bening and Snoop Dogg were highlights at NBCU) but the real value — aside from showcasing programming to a shrinking press corps that has been overwhelmed by Peak TV — comes from executive sessions that can help lay out a platform strategy that many will cover for months on end.
Before we get into the biggest takeaways from TCA, allow us to make an appeal to Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global to return to press tour. Yes, we know it’s...
That topic was a frequent debate at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, California, where the TCA winter press tour wrapped Thursday after two weeks and a dizzying number of panels featuring stars, producers and the occasional executive.
TCA can still bring out the big stars (Apple had Michael Douglas, Hulu delivered Jon Bon Jovi, and Annette Bening and Snoop Dogg were highlights at NBCU) but the real value — aside from showcasing programming to a shrinking press corps that has been overwhelmed by Peak TV — comes from executive sessions that can help lay out a platform strategy that many will cover for months on end.
Before we get into the biggest takeaways from TCA, allow us to make an appeal to Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global to return to press tour. Yes, we know it’s...
- 2/16/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s a semi-annual tradition during the PBS executive session at the Television Critics Assn.: Asking president/CEO Paula Kerger about the state of funding for the public broadcaster. And so it went on Monday, during the public broadcaster’s portion of the winter 2024 press tour — and despite the ongoing gridlock in Washington, Kerger said things, at least for now, are going “Ok.”
“We are advanced funded, and that we always have been,” Kerger told reporters. “And the idea behind it is that you need to know that when you finish a project, you’re going to actually have the funds for it. So we we actually know what our funding is right now. Now, that’s not to say someone can come in and try to rescind some of the funding, and that happened to us some years back.”
Some years, the political climate is bleak enough that...
“We are advanced funded, and that we always have been,” Kerger told reporters. “And the idea behind it is that you need to know that when you finish a project, you’re going to actually have the funds for it. So we we actually know what our funding is right now. Now, that’s not to say someone can come in and try to rescind some of the funding, and that happened to us some years back.”
Some years, the political climate is bleak enough that...
- 2/12/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
PBS has looked into the future and set a premiere date and unveiled a trailer for its latest high-profile docuseries.
The network will launch A Brief History of The Future, which comes from Drake’s DreamCrew, Kathryn Murdoch and Ari Wallach’s newly-launched Futurific Studios and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, on April 3.
Watch the trailer above.
The six-part series is hosted by futurist Ari Wallach and the idea is that it will help viewers imagine – and work toward – a better tomorrow. The series challenges the dystopian framework embraced by popular culture by offering a new take on the future exploring potential solutions to existential threats.
It features insights from thinkers, scientists, developers and storytellers including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, musician Grimes, architect Bjarke Ingels, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and soccer player Kylian Mbappé.
The...
The network will launch A Brief History of The Future, which comes from Drake’s DreamCrew, Kathryn Murdoch and Ari Wallach’s newly-launched Futurific Studios and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, on April 3.
Watch the trailer above.
The six-part series is hosted by futurist Ari Wallach and the idea is that it will help viewers imagine – and work toward – a better tomorrow. The series challenges the dystopian framework embraced by popular culture by offering a new take on the future exploring potential solutions to existential threats.
It features insights from thinkers, scientists, developers and storytellers including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, musician Grimes, architect Bjarke Ingels, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and soccer player Kylian Mbappé.
The...
- 2/6/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Ken Burns, whose five decades of filmmaking have produced detailed portraits of presidents, wars, buffaloes and more, is about to take on a 21st century political lightning rod in the American Revolution.
His 6-part, 12-hour Revolutionary War project, already six years in the works, is slated to come out in 2025. While Burns encountered pockets of animus with his breakout historical work, The Civil War, in 1990, backlash at that time usually arrived via the U.S. Mail. Today, online vitriol flows freely across social media platforms, and the storm over the 1619 Project and other revisionist depictions of the birth of the country suggest that Burns could be next in the barrel.
“We call balls and strikes,” Burns replied when asked if he expects objections to be raised by right-wing viewers. The Revolutionary era offers “a really complicated narrative,” as opposed to the air-brushed image of a group of Founding Fathers creating...
His 6-part, 12-hour Revolutionary War project, already six years in the works, is slated to come out in 2025. While Burns encountered pockets of animus with his breakout historical work, The Civil War, in 1990, backlash at that time usually arrived via the U.S. Mail. Today, online vitriol flows freely across social media platforms, and the storm over the 1619 Project and other revisionist depictions of the birth of the country suggest that Burns could be next in the barrel.
“We call balls and strikes,” Burns replied when asked if he expects objections to be raised by right-wing viewers. The Revolutionary era offers “a really complicated narrative,” as opposed to the air-brushed image of a group of Founding Fathers creating...
- 12/15/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
How intense is the pressure of being CEO of HBO? You’re constantly calling Kim Cattrall, enduring the other execs at Craig’s passive aggressively asking how “Max” is going, and ever since his show ended, dealing with John Wilson filming outside your house. But the worst part of the job is that TV critics can just say whatever they want, like it’s a college campus before 2010. So who can blame the HBO head for carving out a few hours of his day to seek revenge on those critics?
But it all fell apart Nov. 1, when Rolling Stone revealed that six tweets mocking TV critics who wrote negative reviews about HBO shows were actually composed at the direction of Max CEO Casey Bloys under fake names. Most were posted by the account @KellySh33889356, who was “Kelly Shepherd,” a blond “Mom. Texan. Herbalist” who wears a tasteful black striped button...
But it all fell apart Nov. 1, when Rolling Stone revealed that six tweets mocking TV critics who wrote negative reviews about HBO shows were actually composed at the direction of Max CEO Casey Bloys under fake names. Most were posted by the account @KellySh33889356, who was “Kelly Shepherd,” a blond “Mom. Texan. Herbalist” who wears a tasteful black striped button...
- 11/11/2023
- by Joel Stein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Washington Week,” one of the nation’s most durable weekly news panel programs, is getting a new moderator, and, at the same time, a little financial aid.
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of “The Atlantic,” a media outlet devoted to analysis and long-form journalism, will become the PBS program’s new on-air leader, while “The Atlantic” will join the public broadcaster as a producer of the program. Goldberg’s tenure is slate to kick off August 11.
The show has been without a permanent moderator since Yamiche Alcindor exited the role in February of this year. Over the years, journalists including Gwen Ifill, Robert Costa, Ken Bode and Robert MacNeill have led the program.
“With this partnership, ‘Washington Week’ will remain the premier destination for viewers in search of astute analysis of the most important political and policy issues facing our nation. We are especially pleased to welcome Jeffery Goldberg as moderator,...
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of “The Atlantic,” a media outlet devoted to analysis and long-form journalism, will become the PBS program’s new on-air leader, while “The Atlantic” will join the public broadcaster as a producer of the program. Goldberg’s tenure is slate to kick off August 11.
The show has been without a permanent moderator since Yamiche Alcindor exited the role in February of this year. Over the years, journalists including Gwen Ifill, Robert Costa, Ken Bode and Robert MacNeill have led the program.
“With this partnership, ‘Washington Week’ will remain the premier destination for viewers in search of astute analysis of the most important political and policy issues facing our nation. We are especially pleased to welcome Jeffery Goldberg as moderator,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount Global executive George Cheek is set to keynote Canada’s Banff World Media Festival in June.
The president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+ will take part in the festival’s Summit Series, a premium keynote speaker lineup. Cheeks will speak on June 12.
The 44th edition of the fest will take place from June 11 to 14 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.
“George Cheeks has been an innovative business and creative force in the television industry for over thirty years,” said Kevin Beggs, chair of the board of directors for Banff and chair and chief creative officer of the Lionsgate Television Group. “We at the Banff World Media Festival are honored to have George give our keynote and share his views on the evolving industry.”
Added Banff executive director Jenn Kuzmyk: “In this liminal era of the entertainment industry,...
The president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+ will take part in the festival’s Summit Series, a premium keynote speaker lineup. Cheeks will speak on June 12.
The 44th edition of the fest will take place from June 11 to 14 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.
“George Cheeks has been an innovative business and creative force in the television industry for over thirty years,” said Kevin Beggs, chair of the board of directors for Banff and chair and chief creative officer of the Lionsgate Television Group. “We at the Banff World Media Festival are honored to have George give our keynote and share his views on the evolving industry.”
Added Banff executive director Jenn Kuzmyk: “In this liminal era of the entertainment industry,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Whenever there’s a change in Congress, public broadcasters know it’s time to make their case again, and PBS president/CEO Paula Kerger tells reporters it’s something she’s once again pondering as a new Republican-led majority takes over the House of Representatives.
Funding for public TV actually goes through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and that federal appropriation goes directly to local broadcasters. But, as Kerger told reporters Monday at PBS’ portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour, “every time there’s a change in Congress, we always try to imagine what will be the conversations that take place… The majority of that funding actually goes directly to stations and it benefits people all over the country and districts that have both Democratic and Republican representatives, or stations. I think we do an excellent job of making sure that legislators understand what the impact of that funding is for their stations.
Funding for public TV actually goes through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and that federal appropriation goes directly to local broadcasters. But, as Kerger told reporters Monday at PBS’ portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour, “every time there’s a change in Congress, we always try to imagine what will be the conversations that take place… The majority of that funding actually goes directly to stations and it benefits people all over the country and districts that have both Democratic and Republican representatives, or stations. I think we do an excellent job of making sure that legislators understand what the impact of that funding is for their stations.
- 1/16/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
In what’s being portrayed as a generational change, PBS said Wednesday that Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz will replace Washington veteran Judy Woodruff as anchors of the weeknight NewsHour at the beginning of 2023.
Woodruff, 75, is leaving the daily anchor job that she’s been doing since 2013 and embarking on a two-year reporting project on the nation’s divisions. Her last show as anchor will be Dec. 30.
Nawaz, 43, has been Woodruff’s chief substitute since joining NewsHour in 2018. She’s won Peabody Awards for her reporting on the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and global plastic pollution, and previously worked at ABC and NBC News.
The 42-year-old Bennett became anchor of the weekend NewsHour earlier this year after jumping from NBC. The Washington reporter covered the White House and Congress for NBC and, prior to that, NPR.
“You can’t understate the importance of this moment,...
In what’s being portrayed as a generational change, PBS said Wednesday that Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz will replace Washington veteran Judy Woodruff as anchors of the weeknight NewsHour at the beginning of 2023.
Woodruff, 75, is leaving the daily anchor job that she’s been doing since 2013 and embarking on a two-year reporting project on the nation’s divisions. Her last show as anchor will be Dec. 30.
Nawaz, 43, has been Woodruff’s chief substitute since joining NewsHour in 2018. She’s won Peabody Awards for her reporting on the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and global plastic pollution, and previously worked at ABC and NBC News.
The 42-year-old Bennett became anchor of the weekend NewsHour earlier this year after jumping from NBC. The Washington reporter covered the White House and Congress for NBC and, prior to that, NPR.
“You can’t understate the importance of this moment,...
- 11/17/2022
- by the Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PBS is readying a new era at its venerable “NewsHour.”
The long-running news program confirmed that anchor Judy Woodruff would step away at the end of 2022, details of which previously surfaced in May. Woodruff is expected to begin work on a two-year project that seeks to understand how the American people see their country amid deep political divisions.
“PBS NewsHour” did not specify who would replace its veteran leader, but Variety reported that plans were set last Spring for her to be succeeded by Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett.
“I have loved anchoring this extraordinary program, initially with my dear friend Gwen Ifill. To follow in the footsteps of Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil has been the honor of a lifetime,” Woodruff said in a statement. “Now, I am thrilled to be embarking on this new project to try to understand the most divided time in American politics since I started reporting.
The long-running news program confirmed that anchor Judy Woodruff would step away at the end of 2022, details of which previously surfaced in May. Woodruff is expected to begin work on a two-year project that seeks to understand how the American people see their country amid deep political divisions.
“PBS NewsHour” did not specify who would replace its veteran leader, but Variety reported that plans were set last Spring for her to be succeeded by Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett.
“I have loved anchoring this extraordinary program, initially with my dear friend Gwen Ifill. To follow in the footsteps of Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil has been the honor of a lifetime,” Woodruff said in a statement. “Now, I am thrilled to be embarking on this new project to try to understand the most divided time in American politics since I started reporting.
- 11/11/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
PBS’ “American Masters” series will chronicle the life and work of Dr. Anthony Fauci in the documentary “Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci,” PBS president/CEO Paula Kerger announced on Wednesday. The doc, which the public broadcaster revealed during its portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour, will air in spring 2023.
According to PBS, the doc followed Fauci for 14 months, starting with Inauguration Day 2021 — nearly a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, gaining access “in his office and in the corridors of power as he battles the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the political onslaught that upends his life and calls into question his 50-year career as the United States of America’s leading advocate for public health.”
“Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci” will air on PBS after a planned theatrical release.
That was one of several announcements made on a virtual TCA panel by Kerger,...
According to PBS, the doc followed Fauci for 14 months, starting with Inauguration Day 2021 — nearly a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, gaining access “in his office and in the corridors of power as he battles the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the political onslaught that upends his life and calls into question his 50-year career as the United States of America’s leading advocate for public health.”
“Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci” will air on PBS after a planned theatrical release.
That was one of several announcements made on a virtual TCA panel by Kerger,...
- 7/27/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
PBS has announced a new documentary following Dr. Anthony Fauci through the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Paula Kerger, president and chief executive officer of PBS, revealed on Wednesday morning at the virtual Television Critics Association Summer Tour.
Here is a logline: “‘American Masters: Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci’ chronicles Fauci at
home, in his office and in the corridors of power as he battles the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
and the political onslaught that upends his life and calls into question his 50-year career as the
United States of America’s leading advocate for public health. From heated discussions about
the vaccine with Black residents in downtown Washington, DC, to his explanation for how the
Nih-funded lab in Wuhan, China, could not have created a virus that made Covid-19, Dr.
Fauci is candid, truthful and passionate. Nothing Fauci had previously faced, including the impassioned activists who challenged...
Here is a logline: “‘American Masters: Tony – A Year in the Life of Dr. Anthony Fauci’ chronicles Fauci at
home, in his office and in the corridors of power as he battles the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
and the political onslaught that upends his life and calls into question his 50-year career as the
United States of America’s leading advocate for public health. From heated discussions about
the vaccine with Black residents in downtown Washington, DC, to his explanation for how the
Nih-funded lab in Wuhan, China, could not have created a virus that made Covid-19, Dr.
Fauci is candid, truthful and passionate. Nothing Fauci had previously faced, including the impassioned activists who challenged...
- 7/27/2022
- by Jolie Lash
- The Wrap
Amid numerous exits of top talent of color at fellow pubcaster NPR and ongoing backlash to the lack of diversity within its roster of filmmakers, PBS’ top exec revealed the service’s plan to make significant changes to its own operations and public broadcasting in general.
“In engaging in conversations with filmmakers, it was very clear that there were filmmakers that were having difficulty bringing their work forward,” PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger told reporters Tuesday during her executive session at the the pubcaster’s first day of virtual Television Critics Association winter press tour.
“Some of it is, in part, the structure of public broadcasting, which is very decentralized,” she said “We’re a federated system. Our stations are all independent. There are many paths into public broadcasting, so it’s confusing sometimes for filmmakers figure out, ‘Do I come to PBS? Do I go to a producing station?...
“In engaging in conversations with filmmakers, it was very clear that there were filmmakers that were having difficulty bringing their work forward,” PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger told reporters Tuesday during her executive session at the the pubcaster’s first day of virtual Television Critics Association winter press tour.
“Some of it is, in part, the structure of public broadcasting, which is very decentralized,” she said “We’re a federated system. Our stations are all independent. There are many paths into public broadcasting, so it’s confusing sometimes for filmmakers figure out, ‘Do I come to PBS? Do I go to a producing station?...
- 1/18/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
PBS on Tuesday announced several new long-term initiatives to support diversity in public media. They include a commitment to create a pipeline of diverse documentary filmmakers and a pledge to include more diverse perspectives in key production roles. PBS also said it will launch on the video-focused social media platform TikTok.
PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger announced the initiatives today during the TCA Winter Press Tour.
In a new partnership with Firelight Media, the nonprofit filmmaking organization founded by Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, PBS is committing $3.6 million over three years to support mid-career nonfiction filmmakers through the org’s William Greaves Fund. The fund, which resources talented storytellers from diverse communities in the U.S., is designed to address the persistent structural challenges many filmmakers face after producing their first films. Firelight Media and PBS will hold a joint open call for filmmakers to submit projects for potential funding by PBS.
PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger announced the initiatives today during the TCA Winter Press Tour.
In a new partnership with Firelight Media, the nonprofit filmmaking organization founded by Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, PBS is committing $3.6 million over three years to support mid-career nonfiction filmmakers through the org’s William Greaves Fund. The fund, which resources talented storytellers from diverse communities in the U.S., is designed to address the persistent structural challenges many filmmakers face after producing their first films. Firelight Media and PBS will hold a joint open call for filmmakers to submit projects for potential funding by PBS.
- 1/18/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The racial-justice uprisings that have taken place for years and engaged tens of millions of people globally in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder have forced many of our nation’s media institutions to deal with their own histories of racism.
In late August, the Columbia Journalism Review became the latest publication to acknowledge that it “has too often been deficient at covering institutional racism in the country.” PBS President Paula Kerger admitted that month that she “did not fully appreciate” the network’s deficiencies when it comes to issues of diversity. And last year, The Los Angeles Times and The Kansas City Star both ...
In late August, the Columbia Journalism Review became the latest publication to acknowledge that it “has too often been deficient at covering institutional racism in the country.” PBS President Paula Kerger admitted that month that she “did not fully appreciate” the network’s deficiencies when it comes to issues of diversity. And last year, The Los Angeles Times and The Kansas City Star both ...
- 10/8/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
As a media company that represents varied communities across the United States, PBS continues to build on its commitment to transparent reporting and accountability. On Tuesday, at its Television Critics Association (TCA) summer presentation, the public broadcasting network introduced several new initiatives and new producing partner criteria that encourage the telling of inclusive stories and promote diverse voices through its programming.
Cecilia Loving — who comes from the New York City Fire Department (Fdny), where she served as Deputy Commissioner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer — has been named the new SVP of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at PBS, reporting directly to President and CEO Paula Kerger. Among Loving’s duties will be the development of new strategies and cultivation of future partnerships. She will also work with the public television system to support ongoing efforts around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Dei).
“Cecilia is an accomplished leader who has extensive experience driving inclusive and equitable strategies,...
Cecilia Loving — who comes from the New York City Fire Department (Fdny), where she served as Deputy Commissioner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer — has been named the new SVP of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at PBS, reporting directly to President and CEO Paula Kerger. Among Loving’s duties will be the development of new strategies and cultivation of future partnerships. She will also work with the public television system to support ongoing efforts around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Dei).
“Cecilia is an accomplished leader who has extensive experience driving inclusive and equitable strategies,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger admitted on Tuesday that the public television network was “not as strong as we could be” on diversity and inclusion.
“These are important moments to to pause and look at ourselves very carefully,” Kerger told reporters at the Television Critics Associate press tour. “For an organization like PBS that has a long legacy of attempting to reflect our country and the diversity of it, we don’t always look as carefully in the mirror and recognize that there may be areas where we are not doing our best.”
Kerger said her previous response denying the criticism laid against PBS “did not fully appreciate” the situation, but, through conversations with filmmakers and internally at PBS, she eventually grew to realize “that there are areas where we’re not as strong as we could be.”
PBS recently came under fire for allotting a disproportionate amount of...
“These are important moments to to pause and look at ourselves very carefully,” Kerger told reporters at the Television Critics Associate press tour. “For an organization like PBS that has a long legacy of attempting to reflect our country and the diversity of it, we don’t always look as carefully in the mirror and recognize that there may be areas where we are not doing our best.”
Kerger said her previous response denying the criticism laid against PBS “did not fully appreciate” the situation, but, through conversations with filmmakers and internally at PBS, she eventually grew to realize “that there are areas where we’re not as strong as we could be.”
PBS recently came under fire for allotting a disproportionate amount of...
- 8/10/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
PBS is entering the cooking competition kitchen.
The public broadcaster has ordered eight-part series The Great American Recipe from The Cube producer Objective Media Group America.
The “uplifting” series is hosted by chef and Today Show contributor Alejandra Ramos with judges set as Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry and Graham Elliot.
The series will give talented home cooks from different regions of the country the opportunity to showcase their beloved signature dishes and compete to win the national search.
It will premiere in 2022 and comes out of Virginia’s public media Vpm.
The series was announced by PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger during her TCA panel.
“PBS is proud to partner with Vpm to bring this comforting, uplifting and uniquely American food competition series to our audience,” said Sylvia Bugg, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. “When it comes to food, everyone has a favorite dish,...
The public broadcaster has ordered eight-part series The Great American Recipe from The Cube producer Objective Media Group America.
The “uplifting” series is hosted by chef and Today Show contributor Alejandra Ramos with judges set as Leah Cohen, Tiffany Derry and Graham Elliot.
The series will give talented home cooks from different regions of the country the opportunity to showcase their beloved signature dishes and compete to win the national search.
It will premiere in 2022 and comes out of Virginia’s public media Vpm.
The series was announced by PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger during her TCA panel.
“PBS is proud to partner with Vpm to bring this comforting, uplifting and uniquely American food competition series to our audience,” said Sylvia Bugg, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. “When it comes to food, everyone has a favorite dish,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS on Tuesday introduced several new funding initiatives, revealed updated producing partner criteria and announced that it has hired an SVP Diversity Equity and Inclusion.
The moves, revealed on the first day of the pubcaster’s TCA summer press tour slate, come as PBS faced questions at the last TCA tour in March about its record presenting content from Bipoc filmmakers, via a letter signed by more than 100 filmmakers involved in the Beyond Inclusion coalition. They were responding to PBS boss Paula Kerger’s comments of the pubcaster’s commitment to Ken Burns, who has created hundreds of hours of docuseries about American history on topics ranging from the Civil War and baseball to Muhammad Ali and jazz.
The new initiatives unveiled today will support research and development, production, and mentorship opportunities for producers and filmmakers from underrepresented groups, the pubcaster said. In addition, it hired Cecilia Loving, formerly New York City Fire Department...
The moves, revealed on the first day of the pubcaster’s TCA summer press tour slate, come as PBS faced questions at the last TCA tour in March about its record presenting content from Bipoc filmmakers, via a letter signed by more than 100 filmmakers involved in the Beyond Inclusion coalition. They were responding to PBS boss Paula Kerger’s comments of the pubcaster’s commitment to Ken Burns, who has created hundreds of hours of docuseries about American history on topics ranging from the Civil War and baseball to Muhammad Ali and jazz.
The new initiatives unveiled today will support research and development, production, and mentorship opportunities for producers and filmmakers from underrepresented groups, the pubcaster said. In addition, it hired Cecilia Loving, formerly New York City Fire Department...
- 8/10/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS has instituted new diversity, equity and inclusion disclosure requirements for production talent and staff and committed $11 million to new initiatives, the public broadcasting network announced Tuesday.
Under the new criteria, producers will be required to “create and share their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Dei) plans for all new agreements, describe how their project aligns with PBS’s Dei principles, and disclose representation data for production team members for both above-the-line talent and below-the-line positions.” The requirements will apply to all new agreements, series renewals and direct-to-pbs programs on all platforms, including children’s programming and digital.
PBS recently came under fire for allotting a disproportionate amount of its airtime and funding to programs from Ken Burns. Back in March, more than 130 filmmakers signed an open letter criticizing PBS for what they described as a “systemic failure to fulfill a mandate for a diversity of voices.” In response to the letter,...
Under the new criteria, producers will be required to “create and share their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Dei) plans for all new agreements, describe how their project aligns with PBS’s Dei principles, and disclose representation data for production team members for both above-the-line talent and below-the-line positions.” The requirements will apply to all new agreements, series renewals and direct-to-pbs programs on all platforms, including children’s programming and digital.
PBS recently came under fire for allotting a disproportionate amount of its airtime and funding to programs from Ken Burns. Back in March, more than 130 filmmakers signed an open letter criticizing PBS for what they described as a “systemic failure to fulfill a mandate for a diversity of voices.” In response to the letter,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Erika Dilday, who earlier this year became the first Black executive director of American Documentary Inc., oversees various ventures for the nonprofit, including management of the long-running “Pov” series on PBS and “America ReFramed,” a showcase of independent documentaries on the World Channel. Formerly executive director of the Maysles Documentary Center, where she produced Albert Maysles’ final film, “In Transit,” she joined AmDoc from Futuro Media Group, a nonprofit that produces programming including “Latino USA,” where she had been CEO since 2017. She spoke with Variety about the 34th season lineup of “Pov,” which she executive produces and kicked off July 5, along with the recent PBS-Ken Burns controversy about diversity and competing with streaming services such as Netflix.
You most recently were CEO of Futuro Media Group and before that executive director of Maysles Documentary Center. What do you expect to carry over from those experiences into your new role...
You most recently were CEO of Futuro Media Group and before that executive director of Maysles Documentary Center. What do you expect to carry over from those experiences into your new role...
- 7/6/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Peabody has added six more members to its West Coast board of directors, including Lorrie Bartlett, co-head of talent, ICM; Channing Dungey, chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group; Alix Jaffe, executive VP of television, Village Roadshow Entertainment Group; Tilane Jones, president of Array; Charles D. King, founder and CEO of Macro; and Josh Sapan, president and CEO of AMC Networks.
The board of directors, separate from the board of jurors that decide the annual Peabody Awards, is made up of “prominent executives from leading media companies and networks,” the organization said. “The board provides expert counsel and stewardship, and advances Peabody’s commitment to outstanding and transformative storytelling.”
The board was first launched in 2015 to support the Peabody organization, which is based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. It’s comprised of an East Coast and West Coast arm.
“We’re extremely proud...
The board of directors, separate from the board of jurors that decide the annual Peabody Awards, is made up of “prominent executives from leading media companies and networks,” the organization said. “The board provides expert counsel and stewardship, and advances Peabody’s commitment to outstanding and transformative storytelling.”
The board was first launched in 2015 to support the Peabody organization, which is based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. It’s comprised of an East Coast and West Coast arm.
“We’re extremely proud...
- 5/26/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Plans to celebrate PBS’ 50th anniversary last year with programming and events were scuttled by the pandemic. As it turned out, the tough environment of the past 14 months reinforced the value of public TV in more significant ways than any marketing campaign could achieve, as PBS president Paula Kerger tells Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast.
“In many ways (2020) was the most important year ever for PBS,” Kerger says. The public’s need for information and credible news coverage of the global pandemic and social upheaval in the U.S. was in the PBS sweet spot reflecting “so much of what we’ve been able to do in our 50-year history.”
Kerger said the noncommercial network dug into its mission of being of service to the information and entertainment needs of the American public. PBS’ flagship “NewsHour” saw big viewership gains during an extraordinary news cycle. Behind the scenes, numerous PBS...
“In many ways (2020) was the most important year ever for PBS,” Kerger says. The public’s need for information and credible news coverage of the global pandemic and social upheaval in the U.S. was in the PBS sweet spot reflecting “so much of what we’ve been able to do in our 50-year history.”
Kerger said the noncommercial network dug into its mission of being of service to the information and entertainment needs of the American public. PBS’ flagship “NewsHour” saw big viewership gains during an extraordinary news cycle. Behind the scenes, numerous PBS...
- 4/29/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
More than 130 filmmakers have signed an open letter calling out PBS for its close relationship with Ken Burns, which the signatories argue comes at the expense of filmmakers of color.
The letter, dated March 29 and addressed to PBS chief executive Paula Kerger, was organized by Beyond Inclusion, a collective of Bipoc filmmakers, executives and other industry figures. It argues that PBS, in its programming and previous comments on this same issue in the past, has shown a “systemic failure to fulfill a mandate for a diversity of voices.”
“As you know, PBS has an exclusive relationship with Burns until at least 2022 … How many other ‘independent’ filmmakers have a decades-long exclusive relationship with a publicly-funded entity?” the letter reads. “Public television supporting this level of uninvestigated privilege is troubling not just for us as filmmakers but as tax-paying Americans.”
Among those who signed their name to the letter are filmmaker Grace Lee,...
The letter, dated March 29 and addressed to PBS chief executive Paula Kerger, was organized by Beyond Inclusion, a collective of Bipoc filmmakers, executives and other industry figures. It argues that PBS, in its programming and previous comments on this same issue in the past, has shown a “systemic failure to fulfill a mandate for a diversity of voices.”
“As you know, PBS has an exclusive relationship with Burns until at least 2022 … How many other ‘independent’ filmmakers have a decades-long exclusive relationship with a publicly-funded entity?” the letter reads. “Public television supporting this level of uninvestigated privilege is troubling not just for us as filmmakers but as tax-paying Americans.”
Among those who signed their name to the letter are filmmaker Grace Lee,...
- 3/31/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick are promising a “nuanced” portrait of Ernest Hemingway in their three-part, six-hour documentary on the Nobel Prize-winning author coming to PBS in April.
Speaking at the PBS Winter Press Tour session Tuesday, Burns said the film deconstructs Hemingway’s image as a “hyper-masculine” archetype. “We were drawn at trying to get at a real Hemingway and I think the persona of the wild man, the drunk, the bar guy, the big game hunter, the big sea fisherman is sort of what we inherit, the baggage we carry. But almost immediately we began to see how thin and frail that was, not just for him but in fact.”
“The public persona…became such a burden for him, Novick noted. “And it becomes kind of exhausting, someone said in the film, to be Hemingway after a while. So it was especially wonderful to discover him young...
Speaking at the PBS Winter Press Tour session Tuesday, Burns said the film deconstructs Hemingway’s image as a “hyper-masculine” archetype. “We were drawn at trying to get at a real Hemingway and I think the persona of the wild man, the drunk, the bar guy, the big game hunter, the big sea fisherman is sort of what we inherit, the baggage we carry. But almost immediately we began to see how thin and frail that was, not just for him but in fact.”
“The public persona…became such a burden for him, Novick noted. “And it becomes kind of exhausting, someone said in the film, to be Hemingway after a while. So it was especially wonderful to discover him young...
- 2/3/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger responded to criticism of the public television network’s “overreliance” on Ken Burns as “America’s Filmmaker,” asserting that PBS’s longstanding relationship with the documentarian does not come at the expense of other diverse voices.
“We create lots of opportunities for many filmmakers,” Kerger told reporters during a Television Critics Association panel on Tuesday. “Ken himself … mentors a number of filmmakers who now have quite established careers have all come up through his shop, and he has a deep commitment to mentoring diverse filmmakers.”
Kerger’s comments came in response to a question about an essay published by documentary filmmaker Grace Lee in Current last October. In the piece, Lee, who served as a producer on PBS’s “Asian Americans” series, criticized PBS for devoting dozens of hours of programming to Burns, which she argued took opportunities away from filmmakers of color.
“The decades-long interdependence of PBS decision-makers,...
“We create lots of opportunities for many filmmakers,” Kerger told reporters during a Television Critics Association panel on Tuesday. “Ken himself … mentors a number of filmmakers who now have quite established careers have all come up through his shop, and he has a deep commitment to mentoring diverse filmmakers.”
Kerger’s comments came in response to a question about an essay published by documentary filmmaker Grace Lee in Current last October. In the piece, Lee, who served as a producer on PBS’s “Asian Americans” series, criticized PBS for devoting dozens of hours of programming to Burns, which she argued took opportunities away from filmmakers of color.
“The decades-long interdependence of PBS decision-makers,...
- 2/2/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Public broadcaster PBS is looking to get involved in British dramas at an earlier stage to deal with the increasing competition from the streamers.
President and CEO Paula Kerger, speaking at PBS’ virtual press tour, told Deadline that it is eyeing new ways to keep the pipeline open that brought shows such as Downton Abbey, All Creatures Great and Small and Call The Midwife to the States.
“There’s more competition clearly for British drama. I actually think it’s a good thing that there is a deepening appetite for British drama and and we’re very much a part of why that that exists. We’re getting involved a little earlier, upstream in some productions and bringing those to our audience. We have a big audience because we’re a broadcaster. I think for many properties that’s appealing. It’s a dynamic environment and we look always to...
President and CEO Paula Kerger, speaking at PBS’ virtual press tour, told Deadline that it is eyeing new ways to keep the pipeline open that brought shows such as Downton Abbey, All Creatures Great and Small and Call The Midwife to the States.
“There’s more competition clearly for British drama. I actually think it’s a good thing that there is a deepening appetite for British drama and and we’re very much a part of why that that exists. We’re getting involved a little earlier, upstream in some productions and bringing those to our audience. We have a big audience because we’re a broadcaster. I think for many properties that’s appealing. It’s a dynamic environment and we look always to...
- 2/2/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Speaking with TV press for the first time since President Joe Biden was sworn into office, PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger appeared to be in good spirits about her platform’s overall health — after four years working under an administration the often echoed rhetoric about eliminating federal funding for public media.
“We had a great relationship with the Bidens — first as Senator and then as Vice President,” Kerger told reporters, during a Tuesday Q&a with the Television Critics Association. “We are, i would say, cautiously optimistic.”
Biden has yet to release his planned federal budget, but Kerger ...
“We had a great relationship with the Bidens — first as Senator and then as Vice President,” Kerger told reporters, during a Tuesday Q&a with the Television Critics Association. “We are, i would say, cautiously optimistic.”
Biden has yet to release his planned federal budget, but Kerger ...
Speaking with TV press for the first time since President Joe Biden was sworn into office, PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger appeared to be in good spirits about her platform’s overall health — after four years working under an administration the often echoed rhetoric about eliminating federal funding for public media.
“We had a great relationship with the Bidens — first as Senator and then as Vice President,” Kerger told reporters, during a Tuesday Q&a with the Television Critics Association. “We are, i would say, cautiously optimistic.”
Biden has yet to release his planned federal budget, but Kerger ...
“We had a great relationship with the Bidens — first as Senator and then as Vice President,” Kerger told reporters, during a Tuesday Q&a with the Television Critics Association. “We are, i would say, cautiously optimistic.”
Biden has yet to release his planned federal budget, but Kerger ...
As the Covid-19 pandemic approaches its one-year anniversary of ravaging the globe and disrupting workflows, PBS is coming into 2021 strong with a robust slate for what network president and CEO Paula Kerger calls one of its “brand-defining programs”: “Masterpiece.”
“When you ask people what they think about when they hear ‘PBS,’ many people will say ‘Masterpiece’ and in fact consistently it’s one of the most popular programs from an audience size standpoint on public television,” says Kerger. “A lot of people plan their Sunday nights around watching ‘Masterpiece’ live. In this era of on-demand, the fact that people think of ‘Masterpiece’ as not only a lovely viewing experience, but more of an event also speaks to the place that it holds in our schedule.”
Kicking off the new year with “Elizabeth Is Missing” on Jan. 3, Glenda Jackson’s first “Masterpiece” project since “Elizabeth R” in 1972, and moving into a new flagship series,...
“When you ask people what they think about when they hear ‘PBS,’ many people will say ‘Masterpiece’ and in fact consistently it’s one of the most popular programs from an audience size standpoint on public television,” says Kerger. “A lot of people plan their Sunday nights around watching ‘Masterpiece’ live. In this era of on-demand, the fact that people think of ‘Masterpiece’ as not only a lovely viewing experience, but more of an event also speaks to the place that it holds in our schedule.”
Kicking off the new year with “Elizabeth Is Missing” on Jan. 3, Glenda Jackson’s first “Masterpiece” project since “Elizabeth R” in 1972, and moving into a new flagship series,...
- 1/6/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
When Sylvia Bugg rejoined PBS for a third stint in February 2020, the public broadcaster faced a conventional set of challenges. Then March happened, and everything became very unconventional.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and the summer of social upheaval that followed had a dramatic effect on PBS. Now Bugg — who last month was promoted to chief programming executive and Gm of general audience programming — is drawing inspiration from the last few months as she charts a forward-looking content strategy for the organization.
“The real lesson and revelation in all of this was how we had to pivot over the summer, dealing with everything from a pandemic to conversations about race and racism in America, and now an election,” says Bugg. “For me, it is continuing the work of ensuring that our core content strategy remains strong in terms of audience appeal and an audience engagement.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and the summer of social upheaval that followed had a dramatic effect on PBS. Now Bugg — who last month was promoted to chief programming executive and Gm of general audience programming — is drawing inspiration from the last few months as she charts a forward-looking content strategy for the organization.
“The real lesson and revelation in all of this was how we had to pivot over the summer, dealing with everything from a pandemic to conversations about race and racism in America, and now an election,” says Bugg. “For me, it is continuing the work of ensuring that our core content strategy remains strong in terms of audience appeal and an audience engagement.
- 11/26/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
PBS has promoted Sylvia Bugg to the role of Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming – replacing Perry Simon who left this summer.
The public broadcaster has expanded the top content role with the appointment of Bugg, who was previously VP of General Audience Programming at PBS.
Bugg will report to PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger and will oversee all non-children’s content and lead PBS’s programming strategy across its broadcast and digital platforms. She will also be responsible for the acquisition and development of programming for PBS and its member stations.
This comes as PBS lines up a raft of new programming including new titles to celebrate its 50th anniversary of the Masterpiece strand, which will launch series including Glenda Jackson’s Elizabeth Is Missing and All Creatures Great and Small in 2021.
In her previous role, Bugg oversaw the PBS editorial team and led the strategy across all genres,...
The public broadcaster has expanded the top content role with the appointment of Bugg, who was previously VP of General Audience Programming at PBS.
Bugg will report to PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger and will oversee all non-children’s content and lead PBS’s programming strategy across its broadcast and digital platforms. She will also be responsible for the acquisition and development of programming for PBS and its member stations.
This comes as PBS lines up a raft of new programming including new titles to celebrate its 50th anniversary of the Masterpiece strand, which will launch series including Glenda Jackson’s Elizabeth Is Missing and All Creatures Great and Small in 2021.
In her previous role, Bugg oversaw the PBS editorial team and led the strategy across all genres,...
- 10/20/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS has promoted programming executive Sylvia Bugg to chief programming executive and general manager of general audience programming.
In her new position, Bugg will oversee all non-children’s content and lead programming strategy across all broadcast and digital platforms. She will also be responsible for the acquisition and development of programming for PBS and its member stations, “with a particular focus on sharing important stories that reflect the diversity of our country,” according to PBS.
She will report directly PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger.
“At a time when the work of public television is more important than ever, Sylvia is the ideal leader to take on this critical role,” Kerger said in a statement. “Throughout her impressive career, she has brought an extraordinary portfolio of programming to audiences across America, and she has been a passionate champion for PBS and our member stations.”
Bugg previously served as vice president of general audience programming.
In her new position, Bugg will oversee all non-children’s content and lead programming strategy across all broadcast and digital platforms. She will also be responsible for the acquisition and development of programming for PBS and its member stations, “with a particular focus on sharing important stories that reflect the diversity of our country,” according to PBS.
She will report directly PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger.
“At a time when the work of public television is more important than ever, Sylvia is the ideal leader to take on this critical role,” Kerger said in a statement. “Throughout her impressive career, she has brought an extraordinary portfolio of programming to audiences across America, and she has been a passionate champion for PBS and our member stations.”
Bugg previously served as vice president of general audience programming.
- 10/20/2020
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
PBS Distribution will launch PBS Documentaries, a subscription channel on Amazon’s Prime Video with 900 hours of content from Ken Burns’ entire oeuvre to Nova, Frontline, American Masters, American Experience, Nature, Independent Lens and Pov. The channel — which goes live August 4 for $3.99 a month with an Amazon Prime or Prime vide subscription — is public television’s latest push to leverag signature content in a bid for fresh revenue and a broader audience. PBS Distribution (Pbsd), the broadcaster’s expanding distribution arm, launched PBS Masterpiece in 2017 and the channel, also on Amazon Prime, helps fund Masterpiece co-productions. PBS CEO Paula Kerger was set to unveil the channel with Burns as the broadcaster kicks’ off its Summer Virtual Press Tour at 1 pm Et Tuesday. Burns’ films for PBS over the decades, from The Civil War (1990) to Country Music (2019) have provided the network with some of its highest rated content ever. Feature docs...
- 7/28/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
PBS’ 50th year is also its 14th with Paula Kerger at its helm. She is now the longest-serving top executive in PBS’ history — and has guided it through a period of accelerated change.
“I don’t think I have words to express how much I feel that Paula’s been the perfect leader for the perfect time for PBS,” says the documentarian Ken Burns. “I have in my long tenure there dating back to the early ’80s been through many, many presidents, and she is far and away the best chief executive that we’ve ever had.”
Kerger entered public broadcasting through the nonprofit sector, joining New York’s Wnet in 1993 as head of development — not a programming role, but a fundraising one. She was shortly thereafter named general manager of the station. Kerger had no prior media experience. But she had been successful in firming Wnet’s financial footing...
“I don’t think I have words to express how much I feel that Paula’s been the perfect leader for the perfect time for PBS,” says the documentarian Ken Burns. “I have in my long tenure there dating back to the early ’80s been through many, many presidents, and she is far and away the best chief executive that we’ve ever had.”
Kerger entered public broadcasting through the nonprofit sector, joining New York’s Wnet in 1993 as head of development — not a programming role, but a fundraising one. She was shortly thereafter named general manager of the station. Kerger had no prior media experience. But she had been successful in firming Wnet’s financial footing...
- 7/16/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
PBS’ 50th anniversary wasn’t supposed to be quite so interesting.
What the public broadcaster had expected was a forward-looking celebration of a half-century of service. But as with any other organization, PBS was forced to change plans in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, PBS has seen its mission made as clear as ever as it has spent its 50th year doing exactly what it was created to do — serve viewers of all ages with an array of programming designed to educate, enlighten, and yes, entertain.
“In many ways I feel that everything that we’ve done over the last 50 years has prepared us for this moment, for everything that we’ve done,” says PBS CEO Paula Kerger. “And so in a strange way, I can’t think of a better way to mark our 50th anniversary than to really be in deep service.”
Every institution...
What the public broadcaster had expected was a forward-looking celebration of a half-century of service. But as with any other organization, PBS was forced to change plans in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, PBS has seen its mission made as clear as ever as it has spent its 50th year doing exactly what it was created to do — serve viewers of all ages with an array of programming designed to educate, enlighten, and yes, entertain.
“In many ways I feel that everything that we’ve done over the last 50 years has prepared us for this moment, for everything that we’ve done,” says PBS CEO Paula Kerger. “And so in a strange way, I can’t think of a better way to mark our 50th anniversary than to really be in deep service.”
Every institution...
- 7/16/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
Industry presidents, executives, actors, showrunners and more joined Variety’s virtual TV Summit to discuss how they are navigating the ever-changing business, especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic and as America, and Hollywood, addresses its history of systemic racism. During the three-day event, network presidents discussed handling the representation of police on-screen, showrunners addressed returning to production and ViacomCBS president Chris McCarthy sat down for a keynote conversation about how the company has successfully turned some of its channels into brands.
Here are seven takeaways from the event:
Turning channels into brands can lead to content franchises
The merger of Viacom and CBS late last year has led a shift toward transforming channels into brands and building those brands into content franchises that can generate growth across multiple platforms.
“We actually just need experts in the content genre, not really in the channel lead anymore,” said Chris McCarthy, president of entertainment...
Here are seven takeaways from the event:
Turning channels into brands can lead to content franchises
The merger of Viacom and CBS late last year has led a shift toward transforming channels into brands and building those brands into content franchises that can generate growth across multiple platforms.
“We actually just need experts in the content genre, not really in the channel lead anymore,” said Chris McCarthy, president of entertainment...
- 6/26/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
The 33rd season of PBS’ documentary series Pov will launch July 20 with the broadcast premiere of Linda Goldstein Knowlton’s We Are The Radical Monarchs. The film which premiered at SXSW 2019, follows a group of young girls of color on the frontlines of social justice in Oakland, and kicks off a lineup of 13 docs that focus on stories of hope and shared humanity.
Pov’s season premiere will be preceded in June by Pov’s first-ever miniseries, And She Could Be Next. The multi-part documentary, to air June 29-30 a a special presentation, follows a defiant movement of women of color fighting to transform American politics from the ground up. It is produced by and all-women-of-color crew.
The pubcaster said Wednesday in announcing the lineup that 80% of the new season’s films were directed by women, and more than two thirds by filmmakers of color. More than half of the...
Pov’s season premiere will be preceded in June by Pov’s first-ever miniseries, And She Could Be Next. The multi-part documentary, to air June 29-30 a a special presentation, follows a defiant movement of women of color fighting to transform American politics from the ground up. It is produced by and all-women-of-color crew.
The pubcaster said Wednesday in announcing the lineup that 80% of the new season’s films were directed by women, and more than two thirds by filmmakers of color. More than half of the...
- 4/29/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
As the Los Angeles Unified School District (Lausd) prepares to shut its doors for two weeks starting Monday, a unique partnership with local PBS stations will offer students tailored educational programming on three over-the-air broadcasts and a range of digital options.
Kcet and PBS SoCal – the Southern California flagship PBS organizations that merged two years ago – have been working closely with Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner for the past week to create three local educational broadcasts: for Kcet, PBS SoCal and Klcs, a smaller PBS station owned by Lausd.
More from DeadlinePresident Donald Trump Tested For Coronavirus After Contact With Infected, Contridicts Physician Statement On FridaySony Halts Production On Kevin Hart's 'Man From Toronto', 'Shrine' & 'The Nightingale'Coronavirus: First New York Death As State Surges To Lead As Most Virus-Infected
The La stations also brought in San Francisco PBS member Kqed to lead the development of digital...
Kcet and PBS SoCal – the Southern California flagship PBS organizations that merged two years ago – have been working closely with Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner for the past week to create three local educational broadcasts: for Kcet, PBS SoCal and Klcs, a smaller PBS station owned by Lausd.
More from DeadlinePresident Donald Trump Tested For Coronavirus After Contact With Infected, Contridicts Physician Statement On FridaySony Halts Production On Kevin Hart's 'Man From Toronto', 'Shrine' & 'The Nightingale'Coronavirus: First New York Death As State Surges To Lead As Most Virus-Infected
The La stations also brought in San Francisco PBS member Kqed to lead the development of digital...
- 3/14/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Tavis Smiley was found by a jury to have violated PBS’ morals clause, and the network will be awarded $1.486 million from a countersuit of its former host.
“We are pleased with the jury’s decision,” a PBS spokesperson said in a statement. “PBS expects our producing partners to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect. It was important for us to ensure that the courageous women who came forward were able to share their stories, and we continue to uphold the values and standards of our organization.”
“With this jury verdict for PBS, companies now have another tool in their arsenal to ensure a safe and respectful workplace culture,” said Grace Speights, PBS’ lead attorney. “Especially in the entertainment industry, the enforcement of the morals clause in contracts hadn’t been previously tested in courts. This decision could impact the next wave of litigation in the #MeToo movement.
“We are pleased with the jury’s decision,” a PBS spokesperson said in a statement. “PBS expects our producing partners to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect. It was important for us to ensure that the courageous women who came forward were able to share their stories, and we continue to uphold the values and standards of our organization.”
“With this jury verdict for PBS, companies now have another tool in their arsenal to ensure a safe and respectful workplace culture,” said Grace Speights, PBS’ lead attorney. “Especially in the entertainment industry, the enforcement of the morals clause in contracts hadn’t been previously tested in courts. This decision could impact the next wave of litigation in the #MeToo movement.
- 3/4/2020
- by Tony Maglio and Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
The Netflix chief content officer will feature in the event’s Summit Series.
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos has been set as the first keynote speaker at this year’s Banff World Media Festival Summit Series.
Sarandos will feature in a June 15 ‘fireside conversation’ at the TV event, which this year runs from June 14 to June 17 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada.
The Summit Series is a curated lineup of keynote sessions whose previous participants have included Quibi’s Jeffrey Katzenberg, PBS chief Paula Kerger, AMC Networks’ Sarah Barnett and director-producer-writer Paul Feig.
Sarandos commented: “Great stories can come from anywhere,...
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos has been set as the first keynote speaker at this year’s Banff World Media Festival Summit Series.
Sarandos will feature in a June 15 ‘fireside conversation’ at the TV event, which this year runs from June 14 to June 17 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada.
The Summit Series is a curated lineup of keynote sessions whose previous participants have included Quibi’s Jeffrey Katzenberg, PBS chief Paula Kerger, AMC Networks’ Sarah Barnett and director-producer-writer Paul Feig.
Sarandos commented: “Great stories can come from anywhere,...
- 2/25/2020
- by 31¦John Hazelton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
As it celebrates 50 years as an institution, PBS has been making aggressive moves in future-proofing — especially for the 300-plus member stations that rely on it for much of their content.
That’s why December’s news of PBS’ streaming move to YouTube TV, the first “skinny bundle” play in its growing streaming strategy, hinged on the inclusion of over 100 local PBS affiliates and not just one monolith channel bearing the PBS brand.
“The hardest thing in that negotiation was wanting to have our local stations streamed, not just PBS,” said CEO Paula Kerger ...
That’s why December’s news of PBS’ streaming move to YouTube TV, the first “skinny bundle” play in its growing streaming strategy, hinged on the inclusion of over 100 local PBS affiliates and not just one monolith channel bearing the PBS brand.
“The hardest thing in that negotiation was wanting to have our local stations streamed, not just PBS,” said CEO Paula Kerger ...
- 1/28/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Jim Lehrer, the longtime anchor of PBS NewsHour who moderated a dozen presidential debates, has died at the age of 85. PBS reported that Lehrer died “peacefully in his sleep at home” Thursday.
“On behalf of all of us at PBS, we are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Lehrer’s passing,” PBS President Paula Kerger said in a statement.
“From co-creating the groundbreaking MacNeil/Lehrer Report to skillfully moderating many presidential debates, Jim exemplified excellence in journalism throughout his extraordinary career. A true giant in news and public affairs, he...
“On behalf of all of us at PBS, we are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Lehrer’s passing,” PBS President Paula Kerger said in a statement.
“From co-creating the groundbreaking MacNeil/Lehrer Report to skillfully moderating many presidential debates, Jim exemplified excellence in journalism throughout his extraordinary career. A true giant in news and public affairs, he...
- 1/23/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Jim Lehrer, the longtime anchor of “PBS NewsHour,” died Thursday, the network confirms. He was 85.
Lehrer rose to prominence in the 1970s anchoring “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report” with colleague Robert MacNeil. The program was renamed “PBS NewsHour” in 2009. Lehrer filled the anchor role for nearly four decades.
“It is with great sadness that I share the news that co-founder and longtime anchor of the ‘PBS NewsHour’ Jim Lehrer died today, Thursday, January 23, 2020, peacefully in his sleep at home,” Judy Woodruff, Lehrer’s colleague and current “PBS NewsHour” anchor, wrote in a statement.
“I’m heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life, a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I’ve cherished for decades,” Woodruff added. “I’ve looked up to him as the standard for fair, probing and thoughtful journalism and I know countless others who feel the same way.”
Lehrer, born May...
Lehrer rose to prominence in the 1970s anchoring “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report” with colleague Robert MacNeil. The program was renamed “PBS NewsHour” in 2009. Lehrer filled the anchor role for nearly four decades.
“It is with great sadness that I share the news that co-founder and longtime anchor of the ‘PBS NewsHour’ Jim Lehrer died today, Thursday, January 23, 2020, peacefully in his sleep at home,” Judy Woodruff, Lehrer’s colleague and current “PBS NewsHour” anchor, wrote in a statement.
“I’m heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life, a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I’ve cherished for decades,” Woodruff added. “I’ve looked up to him as the standard for fair, probing and thoughtful journalism and I know countless others who feel the same way.”
Lehrer, born May...
- 1/23/2020
- by Lindsey Ellefson
- The Wrap
PBS boss Paula Kerger admitted that the upcoming presidential election will likely be one of the most hostile in history. However, she said PBS intends to remain focused on the facts and the biggest issues facing Americans in its coverage.
Speaking during her executive session at the network’s Television Critics Association press tour day, Kerger discussed how the network’s Democratic debate and election coverage sets it apart from the other networks.
“What we have always tried to do in organizing the debates is not to be based on what everyone else is doing, but to, as we look at the news coverage, step back and think about what are the issues that we hope will come forward,” Kerger said. “Our debate really did try to get more information in front of the public so they could make better, informed decisions.”
In terms of how PBS is approaching its coverage from the upcoming year,...
Speaking during her executive session at the network’s Television Critics Association press tour day, Kerger discussed how the network’s Democratic debate and election coverage sets it apart from the other networks.
“What we have always tried to do in organizing the debates is not to be based on what everyone else is doing, but to, as we look at the news coverage, step back and think about what are the issues that we hope will come forward,” Kerger said. “Our debate really did try to get more information in front of the public so they could make better, informed decisions.”
In terms of how PBS is approaching its coverage from the upcoming year,...
- 1/10/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger on Friday at the TCA Winter Press Tour focused on the celebration of the public broadcaster’s 50th anniversary and creators like Carl Sagan, Julia Child, Fred Rogers, Gwen Ifil, Ken Burns and Skip Gates who have helped build its legacy as she looked to the future.
“The future of PBS is multi-platform and experiential, guided by mission and storytelling,” she said in the pubcaster’s executive session. “Everyone should be able to see the diversity of their perspectives reflected on the screen. You want to be able to talk about where that takes you moving forward: looking at our legacy, at our history and how it informs what we’ll do moving forward.”
One of the most ambitious projects for PBS is “American Portrait,” which Kerger described as “a digital-first, national storytelling project that invites everyone into the conversation.” PBS “will gather video...
“The future of PBS is multi-platform and experiential, guided by mission and storytelling,” she said in the pubcaster’s executive session. “Everyone should be able to see the diversity of their perspectives reflected on the screen. You want to be able to talk about where that takes you moving forward: looking at our legacy, at our history and how it informs what we’ll do moving forward.”
One of the most ambitious projects for PBS is “American Portrait,” which Kerger described as “a digital-first, national storytelling project that invites everyone into the conversation.” PBS “will gather video...
- 1/10/2020
- by Diane Gordon
- Deadline Film + TV
For its 50th anniversary, PBS is painting a portrait of America through diverse stories and several features on inspirational women.
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger discussed the network’s upcoming year during Friday morning’s executive session at the Television Critics Association 2020 Winter Press tour in Pasadena. Chief among PBS projects is “PBS American Portrait,” which will gather first-person narratives from Americans throughout the country. Kerger said that PBS would leverage the broadcaster’s numerous local stations to connect with everyday Americans and share their stories.
“American Portrait is a digital-first national storytelling project that invites people to participate in a conversation about what it really means to be an American today,” Kerger said during her executive session. “PBS will gather the stories through photo, video, and written submissions. We will then share and amplify those stories through digital platforms, events, and educational resources for classrooms, as well as...
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger discussed the network’s upcoming year during Friday morning’s executive session at the Television Critics Association 2020 Winter Press tour in Pasadena. Chief among PBS projects is “PBS American Portrait,” which will gather first-person narratives from Americans throughout the country. Kerger said that PBS would leverage the broadcaster’s numerous local stations to connect with everyday Americans and share their stories.
“American Portrait is a digital-first national storytelling project that invites people to participate in a conversation about what it really means to be an American today,” Kerger said during her executive session. “PBS will gather the stories through photo, video, and written submissions. We will then share and amplify those stories through digital platforms, events, and educational resources for classrooms, as well as...
- 1/10/2020
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
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