PBS Fall Programming Guide

PBS PROGRAMMING GUIDE

FALL 2023: SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, & NOVEMBER

 

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Schedules are subject to change as current events evolve in the marketplace. The PBS Fall Programming Guide will be updated to reflect any changes, which will be shared as they arise.

NEW PBS PRIMETIME PREMIERES

*Please Check Local Listings*

 SEPTEMBER 2023

 PROFESSOR T (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 3, 8 p.m. ET

Professor Jasper Tempest and the team untangle a series of knotty crimes ranging from an unexplained fire in a student block to the mystery of an entire family found dead in their home. Meanwhile, Professor T is dominated and perplexed by the women in his life, from his mother to the love of his life, Christina, and his new therapist, Dr. Helena.

 

UNFORGOTTEN ON MASTERPIECE (Season 5)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 3, 9 p.m. ET

DCI Jessica “Jess” James joins DI Sunny Khan to investigate the discovery of human remains in a newly renovated antique home in West London. The ghost of much-loved former colleague Cassie Stuart looms large over the team, and Jess knows there will be big shoes for her to fill. Sunny’s grief puts a strain on his relationship with fiancée Sal.

 

VAN DER VALK ON MASTERPIECE (Season 3)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Sept. 3, 10 p.m. ET

For Piet Van der Valk, it’s a new day and a new dawn as he welcomes two new sergeants to the team, the hotshot but impulsive Eddie Suleman and the technical whiz Citra Li.

 

POV “While We Watched”

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 4, 10 p.m. ET

A timely depiction of a newsroom in crisis, “While We Watched” follows tormented Ravish Kumar for two years as he battles a barrage of “fake news,” falling ratings, and the resulting cutbacks. Are there viewers for fact-based analyses anymore? Will his show survive or become a swan song of reason — drowning out in sensationalism, misinformation, and ratings-driven editorial decisions?

 

FRONTLINE “Two Strikes/Tutwiler”

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 5, 10 p.m. ET

Two criminal justice stories in collaboration with The Marshall Project. First, how a former West Point cadet ended up in prison for life under a little-known Florida law. Also, a rare and unforgettable window into the lives of pregnant women in prison, and what happens to their newborns.

AMERICA OUTDOORS WITH BARATUNDE THURSTON (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m. ET

AMERICA OUTDOORS WITH BARATUNDE THURSTON returns with a brand-new season as the best-selling writer, podcaster, and comedian travels across the U.S. to uncover more amazing stories about how we work, play, and interact with the outdoors. In a country as diverse as America, Baratunde is on a mission to see how culture, history, and the land itself are shaping what we do when we step through our front doors to embrace an outdoor way of life. From a champion climber in Utah to BIPOC mountain bikers in the Ozarks, from biologists saving snapping turtles on the Suwanee River to a scientist revealing what happens to the human body when we spend time in nature, Baratunde meets a fascinating cast of Americans with one thing in common: a passion for the great outdoors.

 

EVOLUTION EARTH

New Series Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 6, 10 p.m. ET

EVOLUTION EARTH, narrated by evolutionary biologist and host of HUMAN FOOTPRINT Shane Campbell-Staton, embarks on a global expedition to reveal the animals keeping pace with a planet changing at superspeed. Heading out across the globe to distant wilds and modern urban environments, five episodes track how animals are moving, using ingenuity to adapt their behavior, and even evolving in unexpected ways. At the front lines of this rapid change are the scientists, filmmakers, and local communities recording the animals’ stories. We follow heart-warming tales of resilience that redefine our understanding of evolution and hint at how nature can show us a path towards a sustainable future for planet Earth.

 

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The Busing Battleground”

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 11, 9 p.m. ET

On September 12, 1974, police were stationed outside Boston schools as Black and white students were bused for the first time between neighborhoods to comply with a federal court desegregation order. The cross-town busing met with shocking violence, much of it directed at children: angry white protestors threw rocks at buses and hurled racial epithets as students walked into their new schools. The chaos and racial unrest would escalate and continue for years. Using eyewitness accounts, oral histories, and rare news footage, “The Busing Battleground” pulls back the curtain on the volatile effort to end school segregation, detailing the decades-long struggle for educational equity that preceded the crisis.

 

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi’s Schools”

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 9 p.m. ET

After the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, a little more than token efforts were made to desegregate Southern schools. That changed in 1969, when the high court ordered that Mississippi schools fully and immediately desegregate. As a result, six-year-old Douglas Blackmon entered school in the fall of 1970 as part of the first class of Black and white children who would attend all 12 grades together in Leland, Mississippi. “The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi’s Schools” follows a brave coalition of Black and white citizens working to create racially integrated public schools in a cotton town steeped in a malign history of racial intolerance. It tells the extraordinary story of how that first class became possible, then traces the lives of co-director Blackmon and his classmates, capturing how the children, the town, and America were changed.

 

 

 

AMERICAN MASTERS “Jerry Brown: The Disrupter”

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 15, 9 p.m. ET

Experience the political and personal journey of Jerry Brown, the longest serving governor in California history. First elected at 36 years old and again at 72, explore Brown’s 50-year career tackling climate change and inequality.

 

POV “Bulls and Saints”

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 18, 10 p.m. ET

After 20 years of living in the United States, an undocumented family decides to return home. Little do they know; it will be the most difficult journey of their lives and reawaken an intense desire for a place to belong. Set between the rodeo arenas of North Carolina and the spellbinding Mexican town they yearn for, “Bulls and Saints” is a love story about reverse migration, rebellion, and redemption.

 

BECOMING FRIDA KAHLO

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m. ET

In a striking new three-part series, BECOMING FRIDA KAHLO strips away the myths to reveal the real Frida — a passionate and brilliant artist living through extraordinary times. The series explores the major events of Kahlo’s life, both personal and political, from her lifelong health problems to her complicated relationship with artist Diego Rivera, whom she married not once but twice. Through their parallel and separate experiences, we see the wealth and poverty of Depression-era America in a striking new light. Throughout her life Kahlo used her artwork as way to process her own emotions, producing what are now some of the most valuable — and most widely reproduced — paintings of the twentieth century.

INDEPENDENT LENS (co-presented with VOCES) “Sansón and Me”

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 10 p.m. ET

When authorities deny filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes’ request to document a young, incarcerated immigrant, Sansón’s story is shared through dramatic reenactments.

 

AMERICAN MASTERS “Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely”

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 22, 9 p.m. ET

Follow the 50-year career of First Amendment lawyer and legal expert Floyd Abrams. See how his landmark cases, from the Pentagon Papers to Citizens United, helped define free speech as it is known today.

 

POV “Uyra – The Rising Forest”

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 25, 10 p.m. ET

While traveling through the Amazon, Uýra shares ancestral knowledge with Indigenous youth to promote the significance of identity and place, threatened by Brazil’s oppressive political regime. Through dance, poetry, and stunning characterization, Uýra boldly confronts historical racism, transphobia, and environmental destruction, while emphasizing the interdependence of humans

and the environment.

 

FRONTLINE “Putin vs. The Press”

Premieres: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 10 p.m. ET

The story of one journalist’s battle to defend free speech in Putin’s Russia. With unique access, the film follows Nobel prize-winner Dmitry Muratov as he fights to keep his newspaper alive and his reporters safe amid a government crackdown.

36TH HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS 2023

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 29, 9 p.m. ET

Celebrate the recipients of the 36th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards. The evening includes performances and appearances by some of the country’s most celebrated Hispanic artists and visionaries.

 

AMERICAN MASTERS “A Song for Cesar”

Premieres: Friday, Sept. 29, 10 p.m. ET

Trace the life and legacy of labor activist Cesar Chavez. Through interviews with Maya Angelou, Joan Baez, Carlos Santana, and more, see how music and the arts were instrumental to the success of the social movement Chavez helped found, which mobilized thousands of farmworkers across the U.S.

 

OCTOBER 2023

 

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

New Episodes Premiere: Monday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m. ET

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW kicks off the month with the start of all-new fan-favorite Vintage episodes. ROADSHOW looks back at memorable objects from previous shows to discover what they are worth today and how the market and their value has changed. As a Halloween treat, ROADSHOW airs “Thrills & Chills” on October 30, which spotlights appraisals of treasures that gave our guests goosebumps, items with an unsettling past and some that are just a little odd.

 

POV “Murders That Matter”

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 2, 10 p.m. ET

How would you handle the trauma of losing a loved one? Set in Philadelphia, “Murders That Matter” documents an African American, Muslim mother Movita Johnson-Harrell over five years as she transforms from a victim of violent trauma into a fierce advocate against gun violence in Black communities. Her relentless activism exposes the emotional and psychological toll the killings take on those left behind.

 

FRONTLINE “The Astros Edge: Triumph and Scandal in Major League Baseball”

Premieres: Tuesday, October 3, 10 p.m. ET

The Houston Astros cheating scandal and what it says about baseball today. With reporter Ben Reiter, the making of one of the best teams and worst scandals in modern MLB history, the limited accountability and how it changed the sport.

 

NOVA “Ancient Earth”

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 4, 9 p.m. ET

Dive into the most dramatic events in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, from its birth to the emergence of humanity. How did a hellscape of molten lava transform into a lush, green, watery planet filled with life? With dazzlingly realistic animation based on the latest research, each of these five episodes brings to life long-lost worlds that ultimately led to the one we know today.

 

AMERICAN MASTERS “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes”

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 6, 9 p.m. ET

Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach, whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him.

 

INDEPENDENT LENS (co-presented with VOCES) “El Equipo”

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 9, 10 p.m. ET

A U.S. anthropologist sets out to train Latin American students in the use of forensic anthropology. Their goal: to investigate disappearances in Argentina during the “dirty war.”

 

FRONTLINE Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover

Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 10, 9 p.m. ET

The story of Elon Musk’s long and often troubled relationship with Twitter. The award-winning team of James Jacoby and Anya Bourg (“Amazon Empire,” and “The Facebook Dilemma) chart Musk’s journey from one of the site’s most provocative users to its sole proprietor, exploring what motivated the acquisition, the changes he has implemented since taking over, the raging debate about free speech and online safety, and questions about the company’s uncertain future.

 

SECRETS OF THE DEADThe Sunken Basilica”

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 11, 10 p.m. ET

In 2014, a survey flight over Lake Iznik in Turkey, unexpectedly reveals the sunken remains of a 4th century basilica. The discovery prompts scientists to probe the elusive history and geology behind the demise of the church that was built in ancient Nicaea – now known as Iznik. When was the basilica destroyed? How did the basilica get swallowed up by Lake Iznik? And what happened to its community? Journey across the globe for an in-depth investigation with a world-renowned team in this underwater excavation. With exclusive access to the site, including critical aerial and underwater cinematography and spectacular CGI, travel through the centuries, back to the Roman and Byzantine time and at the foundation of Christianity itself.

 

LITTLE BIRD

New Series Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 12, 9 p.m. ET

In 1968, five-year-old Bezhig Little Bird was forcibly removed from Long Pine Reserve and adopted into a Jewish family in Montreal and renamed Esther Rosenblum. Eighteen years later, she embarks on a journey to unravel her history. Through this epic journey of connection and self-discovery, Bezhig Little Bird begins to find her lost family and put the pieces of her fragmented past back together.

 

LITTLE BIRD: WANNA ICIPUS KUPI (COMING HOME)

Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 12, 10 p.m. ET

LITTLE BIRD: WANNA ICIPUS KUPI (COMING HOME) is a compelling feature-length documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes of the dramatic series LITTLE BIRD and the ground-breaking movement for Indigenous narrative sovereignty. This film is a celebration of Indigenous resilience and homecoming, while delivering a hard-hitting reality check for audiences unfamiliar with the Sixties Scoop and subsequent policies created to dismantle Indigenous families.

 

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER “Robert Glasper’s Black Radio”

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 13, 9 p.m. ET

Robert Glasper, five-time Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer, and producer, invites his tightly knit community of collaborators to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his iconic, award-winning, and cross-genre revolutionary album — Black Radio. Accompanied by Lalah Hathaway, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal, and many more, Glasper reimagines his seminal album and reflects on how the album has profoundly transformed black music in the decade since its conception.

 

HOTEL PORTOFINO (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m. ET

HOTEL PORTOFINO returns for a second season set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian seaside town of Portofino during the “Roaring 20s,” starring Natascha McElhone and Mark Umbers as Bella and Cecil Ainsworth. Season 2 begins in the summer of 1927 as Bella is still devoting all her energy to making Hotel Portofino a success. Having overcome earlier blackmailing threats from a local politician, the hotel is finally starting to prosper. Aside from her hotel duties, Bella is also concerned for her children — Lucian, whose marriage to Rose might be facing trouble, and Alice, who needs a break from her responsibilities at the hotel. Bella’s husband, Cecil, has not been seen since returning to England at the end of the previous summer. With Cecil’s unannounced return to Portofino, the messy private lives of her children, and an imminent visit from a travel guide that could make or break the hotel’s future, Bella has her work cut out to keep all the plates spinning.

 

WORLD ON FIRE ON MASTERPIECE (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Oct.15, 9 p.m. ET

Telling the story of World War II through the eyes of ordinary people, following intrepid young heroes fighting for freedom, Season 2 of WORLD ON FIRE will take viewers from the war-torn streets of Britain deep into Nazi Germany, the resistance within occupied France, and the brutal sands of the North African desert. Jonah Hauer-King (“The Little Mermaid”) and Lesley Manville (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”) star.

 

ANNIKA ON MASTERPIECE (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Sunday, Oct. 15, 10 p.m. ET

Annika (Nicola Walker, UNFORGOTTEN ON MASTERPIECE) and the team return to solve more murders that wash up from Scotland’s waters. Annika shares her wry insights on the crimes while raising her teen daughter, Morgan.

 

THE AMERICAN BUFFALO

New Series Premieres: Monday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m. ET

THE AMERICAN BUFFALO, a new two-part, four-hour series, takes viewers on a journey through more than 10,000 years of North American history and across some of the continent’s most iconic landscapes, tracing the animal’s evolution, significance to the Great Plains, near demise, and relationship to the Indigenous People of North America.

 

NATURE “The Platypus Guardian”(Season 42)

New Season Premieres: Wednesday, Oct.18, 8 p.m. ET

Witness the story of an extraordinary man and a mysterious animal living on an island at the end of the world…Tasmania. Pete Walsh is a Tasmanian with no background in natural history, yet he’s become obsessed with one of nature’s least understood creatures, the platypus. Before it is too late, Pete is on a mission to observe and understand these animals and save them from urban development in the capital city of Hobart. Pete befriends one female platypus he names Zoom. She lets him into her secretive world and Pete learns more about the life of this enigmatic species, capturing unique footage of their behavior.

 

 

 

 

SECRETS OF THE DEAD “Jurassic Fortunes”

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 18, 10 p.m. ET

Discover the world of dinosaur collecting, a controversial hobby with a booming market. Hear perspectives on the fossil trade from private collectors, paleontologists, and others, as Big John—the largest Triceratops fossil ever found—is assembled in Italy and auctioned in France.

 

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER “Embracing Duality: Modern Indigenous Cultures”

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 20, 9 p.m. ET

In bridging traditions from past to present, this episode explores the subtle and complex representation of the contemporary Indigenous experience. Featuring special performances and interviews by two-spirit writer and interdisciplinary artist Ty Defoe, Native & African American singer-songwriter Martha Redbone, and electronic music duo The Halluci Nation.

 

POV “Aurora’s Sunrise”

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 23, 10 p.m. ET

At 14, Aurora Madriganian survived the horrors of the Armenian Genocide and escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Her newfound fame led to her starring as herself in “Auction of Souls,” one of Hollywood’s earliest blockbusters. Blending storybook animation, video testimony and rediscovered footage from her lost silent epic, “Aurora’s Sunrise” revives her forgotten story.

 

NATIVE AMERICA (Season 2)

New Season Premieres: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 9 p.m. ET

Season 2 of NATIVE AMERICA is a groundbreaking portrait of contemporary Indian Country.  Building on the success of the first season, this four-part Native-directed series reveals the beauty and power of today’s Indigenous world. Smashing stereotypes, it follows the brilliant engineers, bold politicians, and cutting-edge artists who draw upon Native tradition to build a better 21st century.

 

SPY IN THE OCEAN, A NATURE MINISERIES

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. ET

The latest installment of the popular “Spy in the Wild” series takes place in the ocean, the largest ecosystem on Earth. This four-part NATURE miniseries employs animatronic spy cameras disguised as marine animals to secretly record behavior in the wild. These uncanny robotic look-alikes take us to places where no spy has gone before. They will swim, float, paddle, waddle, drift, and fly into every nook and cranny to film rarely seen behavior that reveals how ocean animals possess emotions and behavior like humans – including the capacity to love, grieve, deceive, and invent.

 

SECRETS OF THE DEAD “Eiffel’s Race to the Top”

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 10 p.m. ET

Find out about the race to build Paris’ most famous landmark when two men vied to be the first to build a monument 1,000 feet tall. See how one man’s vision transformed the Paris skyline, making the Eiffel Tower a global icon. Dramatic recreations, official renderings and personal correspondence tell the story.

 

 

 

 

GREAT PERFORMANCES “New York City Ballet in Madrid”

Premieres: Friday, Oct. 27, 9 p.m. ET

New York City Ballet returns to GREAT PERFORMANCES with an evening of works recorded during company’s European tour in spring 2023. Captured in peak performance at Madrid’s Teatro Real, the program features two masterpieces choreographed by NYCB co-founder and original Artistic Director George Balanchine, “Serenade” and “Square Dance.”  Also featured is a 2017 work choreographed by current NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, “The Times Are Racing.”

 

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The War on Disco”

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 30, 9 p.m. ET

In the 1970s, disco dominated American pop music. A major stylistic departure from rock, its rise to the top of the charts signaled a cultural shift that some found threatening. Disco’s roots lay in the urban subculture, and the artists who created it were largely African American and Latino. In the gay dance clubs where it flourished, disco was much more than music – it was an expression of pride. To others, disco was anathema. Chicago DJ Steve Dahl, who lost his job when his rock radio station changed to an all-disco format, gave voice to disco-haters by holding “death to disco” rallies. On July 12, 1979, the Chicago White Sox featured Dahl at a “Disco Demolition” event that turned violent; Chicago police in riot gear were summoned to restore the peace. The event became a flashpoint in the culture wars of the 1970s. “The War on Disco” explores the movement that gave rise to disco music, and the backlash that tried to destroy it.

 

POV “Fire Through Dry Grass”

Premieres: Monday, Oct. 30, 10 p.m. ET

Wearing snapback caps and Air Jordans, the Reality Poets don’t look like typical nursing home residents. In “Fire Through Dry Grass,” these young, Black and brown disabled artists document their lives on lockdown during COVID, using their poetry and art to underscore the danger and imprisonment they feel. In the face of institutional neglect, they refuse to be abused, confined and erased.

 

NOVEMBER 2023

 

SECRETS OF THE DEAD “Death in Britannia”

Premieres: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 10 p.m. ET

Uncover what happens when archaeologists study a skeleton found with an iron nail through its heel bone, suggesting the person was the victim of crucifixion in Roman-occupied Britain. Only one other skeleton with evidence of crucifixion has ever been found in the world. Who was he? What was life in Roman Britain like? And why did he receive such a gruesome punishment?

 

GREAT PERFORMANCES “Message in a Bottle”

Premieres: Friday, Nov. 3, 9 p.m. ET

Experience triple-Olivier Award nominee Kate Prince’s dance and theater show set to the songs of 17-time Grammy winner Sting. Telling the story of a migrant family, the show from London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre features a mix of dance styles.

 

INDEPENDENT LENS “Three Chaplains”

Premieres: Monday, Nov. 6, 10 p.m. ET

Upholding the First Amendment is not just part of their job description, it is highly personal. Go inside the armed forces to see how Muslim chaplains vow to protect the right of every service member to practice their faith freely.

 

NOVA “Inside China’s Tech Boom”

Premieres: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 9 p.m. ET

In the span of just a few decades, China has transformed into a science and technology superpower. But how did it get here and where is it headed? Take an insider’s tour of high-profile tech companies and labs that are driving China’s meteoric rise to the forefront of global innovation. How does China innovate? What drives its bid for technological supremacy? And what does its rise mean for the future of the global economy?

 

A TOWN CALLED VICTORIA

Premieres: Monday, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. ET and Tuesday, Nov. 14, 10 p.m. ET

A mosque in South Texas erupts in flames. Now, a quiet community reckons with what drove a man to hate.

 

NOVA “The Battle to Beat Malaria”

Premieres: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 9 p.m. ET

Malaria is one of humanity’s oldest and most devastating plagues. In many parts of the world, it remains an ever-present scourge that sickens or kills millions of people each year. What if it could finally be defeated? Now, scientists may be on the verge of a breakthrough with a promising vaccine in the final stages of testing and approval. Follow researchers on a quest to deliver humankind from one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

 

GREAT PERFORMANCES “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio”

Premieres: Friday, Nov. 17, 9 p.m. ET

Celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, which saved 18 plays from being lost. Tracing the First Folio’s story, the film also spotlights how New York City’s Public Theater presents Shakespeare’s work for today’s audiences.

 

POV “Wisdom Gone Wild”

Premieres: Monday, Nov. 20, 10 p.m. ET

A vibrant tender cine-poem, a filmmaker collaborates with her Nisei mother as they confront the painful curious reality of wisdom “gone wild” in the shadows of dementia. Made over 16 years, the film blends humor and sadness in an encounter between mother and daughter that blooms into an affectionate portrait of love, care, and a relationship transformed.

 

GROUNDBREAKERS

Premieres: Tuesday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. ET

In June 1972, Title IX, a small 37-word provision in the 1972 Education Amendments, was designed to ensure that all people – regardless of gender – have equal opportunity to federally funded programs. The historic bill opened the floodgates for young girls to participate in sanctioned sports activities. Through the eyes of women athletes who changed the system, the new two-hour documentary GROUNDBREAKERS celebrates 50 years of female excellence in sports. Hosted by tennis legend and social activist Billie Jean King, the film weaves together first-hand stories between two seminal female athletes – one from today and one whose achievements helped pave the way, showcasing the emotional and inspiring journeys of women who dared to challenge the system, defied conventional norms and changed the games we love forever.

 

FRONTLINE “20 Days in Mariupol”

Premieres: Tuesday, Nov. 21, 10 p.m. ET

An extraordinary, one-of-a-kind view of the Russian siege of Mariupol, as seen through the lens of Associated Press video journalist Mstyslav Chernov – who with two other AP colleagues were the last international journalists left in the city at the time. “20 Days in Mariupol” – a FRONTLINE/Associated Press collaboration – is a harrowing and visceral account of Russia’s invasion of the city, including the bombing of a maternity hospital, and of Chernov’s and his colleagues’ eventual escape.

 

NOVA “Lee and Liza’s Family Tree”

Premieres: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 9 p.m. ET

Many descendants of enslaved people have little record of their family’s ancestry. Follow one family’s quest to discover their lost history, and see how science and genealogy can help rebuild a family tree broken by slavery. Join filmmaker Byron Hurt at his extended family reunion as they celebrate the joy of family in the African diaspora, and discover new details of their history that they thought were lost forever.

 

SECRETS OF THE DEAD “Princes in the Tower”

Premieres: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 10 p.m. ET

Find out if one of history’s greatest cold cases—the imprisonment of two princes in the Tower of London—can finally be solved. Their disappearance led to centuries of mystery and speculation. Were the boys murdered by their uncle, the notorious King Richard III? Or was it a massive conspiracy to hide the truth?

 

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PBS LIVE STREAMING

Select local PBS stations are now available to stream live for free via PBS.org, Roku streaming devices, Android mobile, Amazon Fire, iOS, tvOS and Chromecast. Additional platforms will be added later. Currently more than 100 stations are set up for live streaming, with more to be added in the future. Viewers can access their local station’s live feed at pbs.org/livestream/. Click here for FAQs.

 

PBS STREAMING

PBS summer programming is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

 

ABOUT PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America.

 

More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, FacebookInstagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices.

 

– PBS –

 

Evolution Earth 9/13 on PBS

TUNE-IN ALERT: NEW EPISODE

“EVOLUTION EARTH: ISLANDS”

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10-11 p.m. ET

Ep. 2 Description: Islands are like miniature simplified Earths, where evolution is playing out at super speed right before one’s eyes. Journey from the Galapagos to the edge of Antarctica to seek out animals responding to the changing planet in extraordinary ways.

EVOLUTION EARTH

S1 New Episodes: Wednesday, Sept. 13 – Oct. 4, 10-11 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org & PBS App

Currently Streaming: Earth 

Series Description: EVOLUTION EARTH, narrated by evolutionary biologist and host of HUMAN FOOTPRINT Shane Campbell-Staton, embarks on a global expedition to reveal the animals keeping pace with a planet changing at superspeed. Heading out across the globe to distant wilds and modern urban environments, five episodes track how animals are moving, using ingenuity to adapt their behavior, and even evolving in unexpected ways. At the front lines of this rapid change are the scientists, filmmakers, and local communities recording the animals’ stories. We follow heart-warming tales of resilience that redefine our understanding of evolution and hint at how nature can show us a path towards a sustainable future for Planet Earth.

PRESS RELEASE

NEW PBS CLIMATE SERIES, “EVOLUTION EARTH,” UNCOVERS REMARKABLE WAYS ANIMALS ADAPT WITH CHANGING PLANET

 Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton Narrates Extraordinary Stories of Nature’s Resilience, Premiering Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON, Va. – Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023  – At the front lines of climate change, animals have a surprising story to tell in the newest PBS environmental docu-seriesEVOLUTION EARTH.  Premiering Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Appand narrated by evolutionary biologist Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton (Human Footprint on PBS), EVOLUTION EARTH embarks on a global expedition to reveal animals keeping pace with a planet changing at superspeed.

“As an evolutionary biologist and professor, I enjoy exploring new ways to help people understand and get excited about the changing world around us,” said Dr. Campbell-Staton. “I am grateful for another opportunity to share my expertise on PBS platforms and to inspire exploration into our planet’s unique and awe-inspiring ecosystems.”

Heading out across the globe to distant wilds and modern urban environments, five episodes track how animals migrate, ingeniously adapt their behavior and even evolve in accelerated, unexpected ways. Documenting this rapid change are the scientists, filmmakers, and local communities recording the animals’ stories. EVOLUTION EARTH tells a tale of resilience that redefines our understanding of evolution and hints at how nature can show a path towards a sustainable future for Planet Earth.

“PBS is committed to providing best in class environmental programming and we’re excited to explore these surprising stories of resilience and adaptation,” said Bill Gardner, Vice President, Multiplatform Programming & Head of Development at PBS. “Amplified by one of our most engaging science storytellers, Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton, this project combines the best resources in public media to explore these dynamic stories about our planet and its life.”

The debut episode “Earth” (Sept. 6) showcases the phenomena of evolution and adaptation to Earth’s extremes. From marine iguanas in the Galápagos shrinking their actual skeletons in response to extreme conditions to the Fongoli chimps living at the very edge of existence in a rapidly heating world, animals are acting as sentinels and helping to unlock the riddles of a changing planet.

The subsequent episodes of EVOLUTION EARTH focus on evolution stories at the frontiers of the changing planet forged by the forces of the environments they are set in and allows viewers to witness nature’s remarkable resilience.

A brief overview of each episode including premiere dates on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app (check local listings) is outlined below:

Series Debut/Episode 1: “Earth”

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 6, 10-11 p.m. ET

At Earth’s extremes, animals are reacting in surprising ways. With animal’s homes changing around them at superspeed, the debut episode of EVOLUTION EARTH follows remarkable stories of resilience and hope. From humpback whales to tiny butterflies to ingenious savanna chimpanzees.

Episode 2: “Islands”

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10-11 p.m. ET

Islands are like miniature simplified Earths, where evolution is playing out at super speed right before one’s eyes. Journey from the Galapagos to the edge of Antarctica to seek out animals responding to the changing planet in extraordinary ways.

Episode 3: “Heat”

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 10-11 p.m. ET

Travel to the hottest and driest extremes to see animals go to extraordinary lengths to survive. From the Sahara Desert to Australia, animals provide new clues about the changing planet and what it will mean for the future of our heating world.

Episode 4: “Ice”

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 27, 10-11 p.m. ET

At the planet’s frozen extremes, shifts in animal movement and behavior reveal vital information about our future world. Examine polar bears in the Arctic, penguins in Antarctica and other animals surviving in icy worlds.

Finale/Episode 5: “Grasslands”

Premieres: Wednesday, Oct. 4, 10-11 p.m. ET

Grasslands are one of the planet’s most important, yet most overlooked habitats. In the final episode of EVOLUTION EARTH, follow scientists as they discover animal species with the power to transform and restore the grasslands, turning them into carbon sinks that could slow climate change.

For more information on EVOLUTION EARTH, including clips and episode previews, visit www.pbs.org. Viewers are also encouraged to engage in online conversation about the series by tagging @PBS and using #EvolutionEarthPBS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

EVOLUTION EARTH is produced by PASSION Planet in co-production with PBS, Love Nature and ARTE. David Allen is co-series producer; Oliver Twinch is director for “Earth” and “Islands” episodes; Charlotte Lathane is director for “Ice” and “Grasslands” episodes; Rachelle Keeling and Nick Stringer are producers and directors for “Heat” episode; and Shari De Silva is line producer for PASSION Planet. Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton narrates the series. Executive in charge for PBS is Bill Gardner.

EVOLUTION EARTH is part of a multiyear, multiplatform initiative from PBS that explores every aspect of how climate change impacts communities, countries and the entire planet. The comprehensive focus represents PBS’s biggest-ever commitment to the topic, providing a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding climate change and exploring its intersections with conservation, biodiversity and the ecosystem. PBS and its member stations will create a rich destination of storytelling that details the challenges of a changing climate while highlighting examples of hope and positive impact. More than 200 hours of climate and environmental content is currently available across PBS platforms. Learn more about PBS’s commitment to Climate, Nature & Our Planet.

About Host Shane Campbell-Staton, Ph.D.

Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton is an evolutionary biologist and assistant professor at Princeton University. His research focuses on how human history and activity drive evolutionary change in wild species across the planet. Dr. Campbell-Staton studies a wide array of animals that are rapidly adjusting to life alongside humans, from lizards adapting to survive in cities to the evolution tuskless African elephants in response to poaching. In 2022, he was named a Pew Biomedical Scholar for his collaborative research on the evolution of cancer resilience in gray wolves living within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Dr. Campbell-Staton’s research has been featured in several media outlets including the New York TimesThe AtlanticScientific AmericanScience Friday with Ira FlatowSports Illustrated and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Beyond research and academics, he is passionate about sharing his love for science with a broad audience. He has been previously featured in nature and science content for various online media outlets, the Discovery Channel and the Smithsonian Channel. He is the creator and host of The Biology of Superheroes Podcast, which explores cutting-edge scientific research using stories and characters from comic books and science fiction. Most recently, Dr. Campbell-Station hosted HUMAN FOOTPRINT, a science travelogue documentary on PBS exploring how humans transform the planet.

About PASSION Planet, a PASSION PICTURES Company

PASSION Planet, a PASSION PICTURES company, is led by five-time Emmy-Award-winning producer and Managing Director, David Allen, working with producer, Gaby Bastyra. PASSION Planet’s output ranges from authored single films, like the multi-award-winning My Life as A Turkey – described by The Times as “probably the best documentary of the year” – to feature documentaries like the Emmy-winning The Serengeti Rules, and ambitious landmark series like H2O: The Molecule That Made Us, and Earth: A New Wild. More information is available online.

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, FacebookInstagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices.

“MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE,” ARRIVES ON THE PBS DOCUMENTARIES PRIME VIDEO CHANNEL





LATEST SERIES BY RENOWNED PROFESSOR HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., “MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE,” ARRIVES ON THE PBS DOCUMENTARIES PRIME VIDEO CHANNEL

THIS OCTOBER

Stanley Nelson and Nicole London’s: “Becoming Frederick Douglass”
and “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom,” Also Added to the Channel

Arlington, VA – September 30, 2022 – Arriving this October on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video
Channel are four documentaries presenting key figures and events in American history. “Making Black
America: Through the Grapevine,” is Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s newest series highlighting the
vibrant cultural and social spaces at the heart of the African American experience. The series chronicles
the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people beyond the reach of the
“White gaze.” Two films from Academy Award®-nominee Stanley Nelson and Nicole London premiere
during the month – “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” is a rich and nuanced portrait of the
woman known as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, who repeatedly risked her own life and
freedom to liberate others from slavery, and “Becoming Frederick Douglass,” the inspiring story of
how a man born into slavery became one of the most prominent statesmen and influential voices for
democracy in American history. Also added to the channel is Nelson’s documentary “The Murder of
Emmett Till,” that prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to re-open this case. It features interviews
with Till’s mother, witnesses, friends and others who reveal how the inadvertent violation of a code in the
South cost a Black teenager his life.
The subscription rate for the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel is $3.99/month with an Amazon
Prime or Prime Video subscription. Every purchase supports public television for all.
“Making Black America: Through the Grapevine”

This four-part documentary series recounts the establishment of the
Prince Hall Masons in 1775 through the formation of all-Black towns and
business districts, Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
destinations for leisure and the social media phenomenon of Black
Twitter. Gates sits with noted scholars, politicians, cultural leaders and
old friends including Charles M. Blow (journalist and commentator),
Angela Davis (political activist, scholar and author), André Holland
(actor), Fab 5 Freddie (hip-hop pioneer and visual artist), Jason King
(chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music), and Killer Mike
(rapper and activist) to discuss this world behind the color line and what
it looks like today.

Streaming Date: October 4, 2022
Episodes: 4
Genre: Documentary
Language: English

“Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom”

Born in Dorchester County, Maryland—2022 marks her bicentennial
celebration—Harriet Tubman escaped north to Philadelphia in 1849,
covering more than 100 miles alone. Once there, she became involved in the
abolitionist movement and, through the Underground Railroad, guided an
estimated 70 enslaved people to freedom. She would go on to serve as a
Civil War scout, nurse and spy, never wavering in her pursuit of equality.
Featuring more than 20 historians and experts and grounded in the most
recent scholarship, the film goes beyond the standard narrative to explore
what motivated Tubman, including divine inspiration, to become one of the

greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history. Academy Award-
nominated and Emmy® Award-winning actor Alfre Woodard narrates.

Streaming Date: October 4, 2022
Episodes: 1
Genre: Documentary
Language: English

“Becoming Frederick Douglass”

Born in 1818 on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Frederick Douglass escaped from
slavery in 1838 and went on to become the most well-known leader of the
abolitionist movement. A gifted writer and powerful, charismatic orator, it is

estimated that more Americans heard Douglass speak than any other 19th-
century figure, Black or white. The documentary explores how Douglass

controlled his own image and narrative, embracing photography as a tool for
social justice, and the role he played in securing the right to freedom and
complete equality for African Americans.

Streaming Date: October 11, 2022
Episodes: 1
Genre: Documentary
Language: English

American Experience “The Murder of Emmett Till”

Director Stanley Nelson takes viewers back 65 years to August 1955, when a
14-year-old African American boy allegedly whistled at a white woman in a
grocery store in Money, Mississippi. Emmett Till, a teen from Chicago, didn’t
understand that he had broken the unwritten laws of the Jim Crow South until
three days later, when on August 28, two white men dragged him from his
bed in the dead of night, beat him brutally and then shot him in the head.
Although his killers were arrested and charged with murder, they were both
acquitted quickly by an all-white, all-male jury. Shortly afterward, the
defendants sold their story, including a detailed account of how they
murdered Till, to a journalist. The murder and the trial horrified the nation and the world and helped
mobilize the Civil Rights movement. Three months after his body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River, the
Montgomery bus boycott began. Nelson’s film uncovered new eyewitnesses to the crime and helped
prompt the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen the case.
Streaming Date: October 3, 2022
Episodes: 1
Genre: Documentary
Language: English

Other titles coming to the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel in October:

Tutwiler – 10/7
Computers v Crime (NOVA) – 10/12
Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March – 10/17
Michael Flynn’s Holy War (FRONTLINE) – 10/18
Running with the Beest (NATURE) – 10/19
Can Psychedelics Cure? (NOVA) – 10/19
Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes – 10/21

Putin’s Attack on Ukraine: Documenting War Crimes (FRONTLINE) – 10/25

Ocean Invaders (NOVA) – 10/26
Canada: Surviving the Wild North (NATURE) – 10/26
Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World – 10/31

About PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel
The PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel is a DTC-SVOD channel exclusive to Prime Video. This channel features over 1,500 hours of the highest
quality factual programming, including the full catalog of films from Ken Burns and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN
MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, in addition to programming from other independent producers. Follow the PBS Documentaries Prime Video
Channel on Facebook and Twitter

About PBS DISTRIBUTION
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The
company, a joint venture of PBS and GBH Boston, operates six streaming channels — PBS Masterpiece (US and CA), PBS KIDS, PBS Living, PBS
Documentaries and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products
on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions.
PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit
series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning
documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the
company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.



Coming up this October on PBS





NOVA “ENDING HIV IN AMERICA” Premieres Wednesday, October 5 at 9pm ET/8C

Almost 40 years after the discovery of HIV, could we be on the verge of ending the AIDS epidemic in America? As of 2019, in the US, there were only 34,000 new cases of the disease––a feat that once seemed near-impossible to achieve. How did scientists and the public health community tackle one of the most elusive deadly viruses to ever infect humans? Can innovative drugs bring new infections to zero? This is the story of an incredible scientific achievement and the public health work that still needs to be done to end HIV in America.

NOVA “COMPUTERS v. CRIME” Premieres Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS

In police departments and courts across the country, artificial intelligence is being used to help decide who is policed, who gets bail, how offenders should be sentenced, and who gets parole. But is it actually making our law enforcement and court systems fairer and more just? This timely investigation digs into the hidden biases, privacy risks, and design flaws of this controversial technology.

RISING AGAINST ASIAN HATE: ONE DAY IN MARCH Premieres Monday, October 17 at 9pm ET on PBS (check local listings)

Explore the fight against Asian American hate following the March 2021 mass shootings at three spas in Atlanta. Examine how this critical moment of racial reckoning sheds light on the struggles, triumphs and achievements of AAPI communities. Narrated by Emmy nominated actress Sandra Oh with music byAcademy and Grammy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste and Grammy nominated musician Cory Wong,Rising Against Asian Hate pays tribute to the lives lost, examines the rise of anti-Asian racism and documents a growing movement to fight back and stop the hate.

NOVA “CAN PSYCHEDELICS CURE?” Premieres Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS

Hallucinogenic drugs—popularly called psychedelics—have been used by human societies for thousands of years. Today, scientists are taking a second look at many of these mind-altering substances—both natural and synthetic—and discovering that they can have profoundly positive clinical impacts, helping patients struggling with a range of afflictions from addiction to depression and PTSD.

NOVA “OCEAN INVADERS” Premieres Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS

Lionfish—long prized in home aquariums—have invaded the Atlantic, and are now one of the ocean’s most successful invasive species, wreaking havoc in waters across the globe. Join ocean explorer Danni Washington on a journey to find out how they took over, why they’re doing so much damage, and what can be done about it. These fascinating creatures are a window into the impacts of invasive species in a globalized world where human activity is an increasingly powerful evolutionary force.



TWO NEW FILMS FROM NOVA, “SAVING VENICE” AND “REBUILDING NOTRE DAME”





TWO NEW FILMS FROM NOVA, “SAVING VENICE” AND “REBUILDING NOTRE DAME,” EXPLORE THE FEATS OF CULTURAL RESTORATION TO PRESERVE SOME OF EUROPE’S GREATEST LANDMARKS

— “SAVING VENICE” chronicles the fight to save the historic Italian city from sea level rise, while “REBUILDING NOTRE DAME” offers unique insight into the reconstruction of the famed French cathedral —

SAVING VENICE Premieres Wednesday, September 28 at 9pm ET/8C Followed by

REBUILDING NOTRE DAME Premiering December 14 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS

Films will be Available for Streaming at PBS.org/nova, NOVA on YouTube, and on the PBS Video App

@novapbs

Boston, MA; September 27, 2022—The PBS science series NOVA, a production of GBH, will premiere two new one-hour specials: SAVING VENICE on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C followed by REBUILDING NOTRE DAME on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS. Both films, which will also be available for streaming online at PBS.org/nova, NOVA on YouTube, and on the PBS video app, highlight the fight to preserve beloved sites of European cultural heritage. They chronicle the efforts of engineers, scientists, and craft professionals working at the intersection of history and technology, as they battle against fire and flood to save some of the continent’s most iconic sites.

SAVING VENICE shows both technical and natural methods scientists and urban planners are utilizing to preserve the historic city. REBUILDING NOTRE DAME rejoins the team from NOVA’s 2020 film SAVING NOTRE DAME to discover what innovations the restoration crew have implemented as they push towards the 2024 completion date. In races against the clock, these preservation projects showcase the richness of these sites that have made them so iconic. The teams are working to preserve the historic city and medieval cathedral for centuries of visitors to know and understand.

“These programs highlight how fragile some of our cultural heritage sites truly are. The teams in both cities give a lot of perspective into not only how much effort goes into maintaining these iconic locales, but also bring us an opportunity to appreciate the artistry, skill and vision of those who built and maintained these sites over the centuries,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer, Chris Schmidt.

“This is an amazing story to continue to watch and see the evolution of preservational techniques and the team’s dedication to their craft,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer, Julia Cort about REBUILDING NOTRE DAME. “This topic really resonated with viewers of the program we aired back in 2020, SAVING NOTRE DAME, and we are happy to be catching up with this saga now.”

SAVING VENICE chronicles the fight to preserve the Italian city from rising sea levels and the increasingly frequent extreme flooding events. Venice is an ancient city whose architecture, design, and way of life transcend the tourist hype, and is home to famous sites such as the Rialto Bridge, the Doge’s Palace, and the Basilica San Marco. Even more iconic than those sites are Venice’s waterways—comprising 150 canals. Being built so close to the water line, Venice is now one of the cities most at risk from rising sea levels. Scientists and engineers work together to create protective barriers to battle forces of nature, to save the historic city for future generations.

After nearly 20 years of construction and some $8 billion dollars, the city has created a system of enormous flood barriers called the MOSE, designed to stop rising water levels before they reach the city. Seventy-eight individual gates are arranged in four barriers that each stretch over 1,100 feet across the inlets to the lagoon. The enormous gates, each the size of two tennis courts, join to block the high tide. The MOSE is still in its testing phase and it needs to work perfectly in order to save the city from any flooding. Oceanographer Georg Umgiesser, who has been studying Venice’s tides for almost 40 years, is responsible for tracking conditions that could cause sudden, extreme floods, known as Acqua Alta, and alerting Venice officials when such tides are on the way.

During the past 150 years, Venice has experienced 18 of these exceptional high tide events—classified as water level higher than 140 centimeters–seven of which hit the city in the past three years. As weather patterns change around the planet, the storm systems that drive these events are becoming more frequent. Umgiesser and his team remain vigilant as he says, “Venice is a special city. We have to protect it because otherwise generations will lose their history.”

In addition to the efforts of engineers, Venice has natural methods of protection that are also being fortified to work alongside the MOSE. The salt marshes, which naturally grow along the barrier islands, are home to certain plants that help keep the soil higher. Historically, Venetians had a close relationship with the environment. Now, Venice’s shallow tidal lagoon, mudflats and salt marshes are in decline due to erosion from ships. Two-hundred years ago there were nearly 70 square miles of salt marsh, but now there are just 16. Coastal researcher Luca Zaggia is worried about the city and its lagoon, saying, “We must be correct with the environment because we inherited it from the past … and this is what protects Venice from further damages.” Since the 1970s, erosion has caused the lagoon to become more than three feet deeper, causing the threat of flooding to rise.

“Throughout our filming we met scientists and engineers who were all so profoundly passionate about saving the city—even if many originally hailed from far-off cities or countries. That sense of determination was evident, refreshing, and contagious. The overriding message we got from them is that there is no one single solution, rather that saving the city requires many different approaches all working together,” says Director and Producer of SAVING VENICE, Duncan Bulling. “For me that is the lesson that Venice can give to the rest of the world—our best chance of dealing with rising sea level is to embrace nature, and understand how our salt marshes, mangroves and barrier islands are vital in helping us repel the threat of flooding and rising sea level.”

REBUILDING NOTRE DAME takes viewers behind the scenes of the historic restoration process of Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, as architects, engineers, masons, and timber workers race to rehabilitate the Gothic landmark following the 2019 fire that almost destroyed the building. The structure was left significantly weakened, with concern for the entire cathedral collapsing. The program traces the dramatic human and technical challenges of the project’s first three years, with a behind-the-scenes look at carpenters shaping lumber for the new roof and spire, stone masons repairing gaping holes in the vault, and artisans using traditional techniques to restore stained glass windows.

“It has been a great privilege to document the next chapter of Notre Dame’s astonishing restoration and to spend time with the inspirational scientists, historians and architects who are working to reopen the cathedral in 2024,” said Joby Lubman, Director and Producer of REBUILDING NOTRE DAME.

The film follows Logger Ahmet Cirpan and team as they comb public and private forests around France for 2,000 oak trees that could be used to reconstruct the so-called “forest” structure of the roof. It took huge imagination and levels of engineering to create this exceptional architecture, and the spire became the embodiment of the building and of the Paris skyline. “I only have one goal—repair and rebuild the cathedral, put the rooster on top of the spire and say, ‘mission accomplished,’” says Chief Architect of Historic Monuments, Philippe Villeneuve.

As art historians work on accurately restoring Notre Dame, they discover new complexity to the original site. The team pieces together the restoration process of Architect Eugène Viollet Le Duc, who led the 19th century restoration after the church was ransacked during the French Revolution, discovering that previous restoration projects were motivated not only by mere aesthetics, but also sophisticated engineering decisions.

SAVING VENICE premieres Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS. REBUILDING NOTRE DAME premieres Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS. Both films will also be available for streaming online at PBS.org/nova, on NOVA’s YouTube channel, and on the PBS video app, and available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries, and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

SAVING VENICE is a NOVA Production by Lion Television Limited (an All3 Media Company) for GBH in association with ARTE France. Directed by Duncan Bulling. Produced by Elena Mortelliti and Marco Gangarossa. Executive Producers for Lion Television are Richard Bradley and Tom Watt-Smith. Executive Producers for NOVA are Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt. NOVA is a production of GBH.

Original funding for SAVING VENICE is provided by Brilliant Worldwide, Inc., Consumer Cellular, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. Additional funding is provided by the NOVA Science Trust with support from Roger Sant.

REBUILDING NOTRE DAME is a NOVA Production by Windfall Films Ltd. (part of the Argonon Group) for GBH in association with BBC. Executive Producer for Windfall Films is Carlo Massarella. Produced and Directed by Joby Lubman and Alessandra Bonomolo. Executive Producers for NOVA are Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt. NOVA is a production of GBH.

Original funding for REBUILDING NOTRE DAME is provided by Brilliant Worldwide, Inc., Consumer Cellular, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers. Additional funding is provided by the NOVA Science Trust with support from Margaret and William Hearst.

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About NOVA

NOVA is the most popular primetime science series on American television, demystifying the scientific and technological concepts that shape and define our lives, our planet, and our universe. The PBS series is also one of the most widely distributed science programs around the world, and is a multimedia, multiplatform brand reaching more than 55 million Americans every year on TV and online. NOVA’s important and inspiring stories of human ingenuity, exploration, and the quest for knowledge are regularly recognized with the industry’s most prestigious awards. As part of its mission to make the scientific enterprise accessible to all, NOVA is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in all its work, from the production process to the range of stories we tell and the voices we amplify. In addition, science educators across the country rely on NOVA for resources used in the classroom as well as in museums, libraries, and after-school programs. NOVA is a production of GBH Boston; more information can be found at pbs.org/nova, or by following NOVA on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

About PBS

PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a new 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

About GBH

GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. It is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Arthur and Molly of Denali, as well as WORLD Channel and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR®; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® station. Dedicated to making media accessible to and inclusive of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide with PBS LearningMedia and has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at wgbh.org.



PBS Announces New Premiere Date for “Next at the Kennedy Center”





PBS Announces New Premiere Date for “Next at the Kennedy Center,” A Multi-Year Partnership
The first five-episode season will premiere with “Let My Children Hear Mingus” on Friday, October 14 at 9:00/8:00c (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video app.
[via press release from PBS]
PBS Announces New Premiere Date for NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, a Multi-Year Partnership

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, premiering Friday, Oct. 14 on PBS, features cultural leaders from the worlds of hip hop, jazz, comedy, modern dance, and more.

PBS Announces New Premiere Date for NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, a Multi-Year Partnership with the Kennedy Center Highlighting the Contributions of Artistic Changemakers and Their Continued Impact on Contemporary Artists

Showcasing a Diversity of Art Forms and Genres, the Inaugural Season of New Performing Arts Series Premieres Friday, Oct. 14, 9 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON, VA, SEPT. 15, 2022 — PBS set a new date for the upcoming premiere of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, the public broadcaster’s recently announced collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to spotlight critical contributions to the arts that continue to inspire contemporary artists. Over the next three years, this primetime series of performance specials will explore the enduring influence of artistic changemakers across art forms, genres, and backgrounds. The first five-episode season of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER will premiere with “Let My Children Hear Mingus” on Friday, Oct. 14, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video app.

Captured to match the unique style of the artists, each episode of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER will weave together performances filmed live at the Kennedy Center with intimate backstage moments and first-person commentary. The debut episode, “Let My Children Hear Mingus,” celebrates the legacy of composer, bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus (1922-1979), a seminal figure in American culture – a leader who spent his life pushing against musical norms and social injustice – during the centennial anniversary of Mingus’ birth.

Anchored by a performance from the Mingus Big Band in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, “Let My Children Hear Mingus” showcases performances and interviews with legendary musicians, record producers, historians and activists across generations, including Charles McPherson, Jason Moran, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Robert Glasper, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Keki Mingus and Christian McBride. These artists share their personal experiences playing with Mingus and growing up with his music. Together, through the lens of music and history, NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER offers a picture of Mingus’ outsized personality, unique style and tender heart. This portrait of the entire man gives context to his music and a deeper understanding of how he fused classical styles of jazz with the gospel and world music, pushed musical and cultural boundaries, and influenced future generations of artists in the worlds of contemporary jazz, R&B, soul and beyond. In the words of James Newton, Mingus’ music is “art created at the edge of a cliff.”

The second episode of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, “A Joni Mitchell Songbook,” premieres Friday, Nov. 18, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video app. This special highlights the timeless and genre-defying influence of Joni Mitchell with an all-star lineup that includes Renée Fleming, Lalah Hathaway and Raul Midón, accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Grammy Award winner Vince Mendoza.

Additional information and the remaining three episodes will be announced later.

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER is a production of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Matthew Winer is the showrunner and executive producer for the Kennedy Center. Kristin Fosdick directs the series with her team in the Kennedy Center’s multimedia department. Elizabeth O’Neil is the associate director of content and strategy for PBS.

NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER was made possible, in part, by The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation and by contributions from public television viewers.

About the Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is America’s living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, attracting millions of visitors each year to more than 2,000 performances, events, and exhibits. With its artistic affiliates, the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera, the Center is one of the nation’s busiest performing arts centers dedicated to providing world-class art, powerful education, and outstanding memorial experiences to the broadest possible constituency. Across all its offerings, the Kennedy Center is committed to increasing accessible, inclusive opportunities for all people to participate in, and learn through the arts, including more than 400 free performances each year and a variety of specially priced ticket programs for students, seniors, persons with disabilities, and others. On Sept. 7, 2019, the Kennedy Center inaugurated the REACH, its first-ever major expansion. Designed by Steven Holl Associates, the REACH provides visitors with new opportunities to interact and engage with the Center as the nation’s premier nexus of arts, learning, and culture. On Sept. 8, 2022, the Kennedy Center unveiled Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy, a new 7,500-square foot permanent exhibit exploring Kennedy’s presidency and his commitment to the arts.

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints, and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirm that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.

– PBS –



WOMEN LEAD THE INVESTIGATIONS THIS OCTOBER WITH TWO NEW MASTERPIECE DRAMAS





WOMEN LEAD THE INVESTIGATIONS THIS OCTOBER WITH TWO NEW MASTERPIECE DRAMAS:

“MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE,” SEASON 2 AND “MAGPIE MURDERS”

STREAMING ON THE PBS MASTERPIECE PRIME VIDEO CHANNEL

Three International Programs from Walter Presents:

“St. Maik,” “Dignity,” and “The Good Apprentice” also added to the Channel

Arlington, VA – September 15, 2022 – This October, two new mysteries from MASTERPIECE
arrive on the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel. The new season of “Miss Scarlet and The
Duke,” which follows Eliza, played by Kate Phillips (“Peaky Blinders”), as the female private
detective who makes her mark in the male-dominated field during London’s Victorian Era, and
“Magpie Murders,” the adaptation of the New York Times Best-Seller by Anthony Horowitz,
starring Oscar®-nominee Lesley Manville (“Phantom Thread”, “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”),
who plays the editor and informal investigator of the mysteriously deceased best-selling
mystery author Alan Conway. Also available to stream on the channel is “St. Maik, Season 2”
the German dramedy that follows petty criminal Maik as he continues to impersonate the local
church’s pastor. Other Walter Presents titles include: “Dignity” and “The Good Apprentice.”
The PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel consists of binge-worthy British and international drama
series and movies from producers like, MASTERPIECE, Walter Presents and other critically acclaimed
producers. The subscription rate for the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel is $5.99/month with an
Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription. Every purchase helps support public television for all.
Information about each of the programs is below:

MASTERPIECE: Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Season 2

Season 2 opens a few months after the conclusion of
Season One: Eliza, played by Kate Phillips (Peaky
Blinders, Wolf Hall) has solved her father’s murder, her
relationship with William (the “Duke”), played by Stuart
Martin (Jamestown) continues to slowly simmer, and
she continues to face the challenges of being a female
private detective in male-dominated Victorian London.
Viewers can also catch up on Season 1 which is also
available to stream on the channel.

Streaming Date October 16, 2022

Episodes 6
Genre Crime-Drama, Mystery
Language English

MASTERPIECE: Magpie Murders

A mystery author dies under suspicious
circumstances, with his last book seemingly
unfinished. This leaves two mysteries: What
happened to him? And how does his latest
potboiler end? Oscar®

-nominee Lesley Manville
(The Crown, Phantom Thread) stars as the
author’s editor, Susan Ryeland, who assumes the
role of detective in the case. Meanwhile, Tim
McMullan (Patrick Melrose) plays the fictional
sleuth in the incomplete novel, whose
investigation parallels Susan’s. Based on Anthony
Horowitz’s (Foyle’s War) ingenious bestselling
novel, the six-part series also stars Conleth Hill, Michael Maloney, Alexandros Logothetis, and Claire
Rushbrook. “There is true satisfaction in watching the pieces of Horowitz’s puzzle click into place,”
applauded The Telegraph (London) and The Sunday Times (London) declared, “Yikes, this is excellent.”
Streaming Date October 16, 2022
Episodes 6
Genre Crime-Drama, Mystery
Language English

Walter Presents: St. Maik, Season 2

On the run from the police, trickster Maik Schäfer
exchanges his fake conductor uniform for a real
cassock. Not baptized and anything but innocent,
the Berlin criminal suddenly becomes the Catholic
pastor of the Apostle Church Läuterberg.
But he and his partner Kevin are still trying to
execute their getaway and they need a new plan
to raise enough money to finance their dream of
running a bar on a beach in Panama. Believing the Catholic Church has the money, Maik and Kevin want
to fraudulently repair the “damaged” roof of the church, however it’s more complicated than they
thought; there’s still a body stashed in the church and Maik has to continue to perform his duties as the
pastor to the lively and demanding needs of his parishioners…
Streaming Date October 21, 2022
Episodes 10

Genre Dramedy
Language German with English

Subtitles

Other titles coming to the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel in October:

Walter Presents: Dignity – 10/7
Walter Presents: The Good Apprentice – 10/14

About PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel
MASTERPIECE has been setting the standard for exceptional British drama in the US for 50 years and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel continues this legacy and has expanded to include award-winning TV series and movies from around the world.
Follow the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel on Facebook

About MASTERPIECE
Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys® and 18 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday night viewing for millions of
fans since 1971. Susanne Simpson is the executive producer and Rebecca Eaton is the executive producer-at-large for the series.
Series funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking Cruises, Raymond James, The MASTERPIECE Trust, and public television
viewers. Produced for PBS by GBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for hits such as All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock,
Downton Abbey and Victoria, and beloved classics such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.
About WALTER PRESENTS
Walter Presents launched January 2016 in the U.K. as a video-on-demand service, founded by Jason Thorp, Walter Iuzzolino and
Jo McGrath. Dedicated to showcasing award winning foreign language drama, the service is named after its curator, Walter
Iuzzolino, a passionate drama fan. In March 2017, Walter Presents launched as an SVOD platform in the U.S., with the New York
Times hailing it as a “chic TV boutique with a foreign accent.” Walter Presents launched in Italy September 2018, its first roll-out
in mainland Europe, on Discovery’s Nove, Giallo and Dplay channels. In October 2018 Walter Presents partnered with PBS
Distribution in the US, to make premium foreign language drama available on PBS Masterpiece on the Amazon Prime Video
channel. Additionally, select top-tier titles chosen by PBS are also broadcast on PBS stations and streaming on PBS Passport, a
digital member benefit available through local stations. In February 2019 Walter Presents increased its US distribution further
launching on Comcast Xfinity X1 and later in June Walter Presents launched on the Roku Channel. In 2019 Walter Presents teamed
up with Medialaan to make the service available to Flemish audiences on their newly launched digital channel StreamZ, and
also joined forces with S4C to make its dramas available in Welsh. In 2020 we partnered with TVNZ on their VOD service,
launched Walter Presents in Russia exclusively on Start, Russia’s fastest growing SVOD platform, and launched our channel on PBS
Masterpiece in Canada. In 2021 Walter Presents partnered with Australia’s largest streaming service, Stan, and launched in Latin
America with market leader DMD’s streaming service Cindie. From 2022 we will be available on C More in Scandinavia with over
500 hours of content.
Follow Walter Presents on Facebook and Twitter on

About PBS DISTRIBUTION
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The company, a joint venture of PBS and GBH Boston, operates six streaming channels — PBS Masterpiece (US and CA), PBS KIDS, PBS Living, PBS Documentaries and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions. PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.



NOVA “ENDING HIV IN AMERICA” EXAMINES THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS SCIENCE HAS MADE





NOVA “ENDING HIV IN AMERICA” EXAMINES THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS SCIENCE HAS MADE AGAINST HIV AND HOW CLOSE WE MAY BE TO ENDING THE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN THE U.S.

New film from NOVA, Global Health Reporting Center, and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios reveals how scientists and affected communities are partnering to deliver new advances to those still struggling on the front lines of the crisis

Premieres Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS

Also available for streaming at pbs.org/nova and via the PBS Video app

pbs.org/nova | @novapbs

BOSTON, MA; September 9, 2022—ENDING HIV IN AMERICA, a one-hour special from NOVA—a production of GBH—explores the extraordinary scientific progress that has been made in the fight against HIV, highlights the activism and commitment of communities that are still hard hit by the virus, and reveals how close we may be getting to what once seemed unthinkable—the end of HIV in America. The film follows the unexpected twists and turns that HIV treatment has taken since scientists identified the virus almost 40 years ago, against the backdrop of two American cities—San Francisco, California and Birmingham, Alabama—that represent the real-world challenges of getting that treatment to the people who need it most. ENDING HIV IN AMERICA, a production by Global Health Reporting Center and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with NOVA/GBH, premieres Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS. The film will also be available for streaming at pbs.org/nova and via the PBS Video app.

What began as a mysterious and ferocious plague that frustrated scientists at every turn, led to a long—and global—scientific quest that produced a string of extraordinary discoveries. Yet to deliver those discoveries to the people most in need, equally innovative partnerships had to be created between the public health community and communities who were often neglected or discriminated against by health authorities. ENDING HIV IN AMERICA examines many important questions, including: How did scientists gain the upper hand on one of the most elusive and deadly pathogens ever known? Could innovative drugs and treatment regimens eventually bring new infections to zero? The U.S. government set a bold target in 2019: to cut new infections by 90% by the year 2030. But can we conquer the final hurdles in defeating the virus and address the deep-rooted challenges of accessibility and stigma that communities across the country face?

“HIV is a uniquely challenging virus to fight, and the scientific journey over the last four decades has been a dramatic roller-coaster filled with hope and frustration and some truly remarkable discoveries,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer Julia Cort. “All leading to today, when public health experts say ending HIV transmission in America is within our grasp.”

Mutating faster than any known virus, HIV, which causes the disease known as AIDS, at first seemed invincible. Yet an unprecedented global scientific effort is gradually unraveling most of the virus’s secrets. The resulting breakthroughs have turned an HIV diagnosis, once a death sentence, into a chronic but manageable condition for most infected Americans. The use of antiviral therapy has proven more than 99% effective in preventing transmission, leading many experts to believe that it is possible to end the epidemic.

“Public awareness of the continuing havoc wreaked by HIV has declined over the years. This important film provides some welcome news and a timely examination of the current state of the AIDS epidemic and how we got to this point,” said NOVA Co-Executive Producer Chris Schmidt. “It also reveals how scientific advances in the battle against COVID-19 originated from pioneering research into HIV vaccines—including treatments like Remdesvir and Paxlovid—and how the many years of scientific research around HIV and AIDS have benefited us all in the long run.”

As with any disease, the final cases are the hardest to stamp out, but the so-called last mile looks different in different parts of the country. San Francisco—home of Ward 86, the country’s oldest HIV/AIDS clinic—vowed to be the first city to fully eliminate the virus, rolling out its plan in 2013. By focusing on its most vulnerable residents, the city managed to cut new infections by more than 60%, even as the COVID pandemic brought new challenges. The film introduces viewers to health workers who are bringing medical care to the streets and running clinics that deliver not just HIV care, but other services tailored to the city’s homeless and transgender communities. Viewers will also meet HIV-positive activists like Cecilia Chung, who have lived through the HIV/AIDS pandemic’s different eras over the last four decades.

In Birmingham, Alabama, the last mile feels a lot longer. For many residents the cost of the highly effective preventative treatment, known as PrEP, is prohibitive because the state doesn’t provide the same level of support as in San Francisco. The film follows a core group of staff at the 1917 Clinic, run by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, helping patients to navigate various challenges. Among this group are chaplain Chris Hamlin, formerly pastor at the city’s historic 16th Street Baptist Church, and Tommy Williams, who connects clients with the clinic’s services. Williams shares a bond with many patients—he too is HIV-positive—and his tireless efforts to combat the stigma surrounding HIV are a central element of the film.

With unforgettable portraits and interviews with pioneers of HIV science and community leadership—Drs. Michael Saag, Lawrence Corey, John Mascola, Monica Gandhi, Myron Cohen, Cecilia Cheung, and the Reverend Christopher Hamlin—ENDING HIV IN AMERICA is a story of both struggle and triumph, showing how the fight against HIV reshaped the world of science and medicine, as healthcare providers confront the challenge of getting treatments to the people who need them most.

“Tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic has been one of the greatest scientific and societal challenges of the past four decades, and that effort contributed mightily to our preparation for COVID,” said Head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Sean B. Carroll. “Now we can see the light at the end of that long tunnel. We’re proud to help bring this important story to audiences and to bring hope to the communities most affected by this terrible disease.”

The Global Health Reporting Center, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, and NOVA/GBH, will lead an impact campaign tied to the film that will include additional HIV-related content, film screenings and panel discussions in key cities, and a program to get the film and associated educational materials to medical students nationwide.

“What both Covid and HIV teach us is that no virus can be conquered without both great science and great public health,” said Global Health Reporting Center Co-founder and President Janet Tobias. “In the fight against HIV-AIDS, there has been a groundbreaking collaboration between patients, activists, and scientists. It is because of extraordinary leadership by all of these groups, that it is now possible to imagine ending HIV in America.”

ENDING HIV IN AMERICA premieres Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 9pm ET/8C on PBS and will be available for streaming at pbs.org/nova and via the PBS Video app.

ENDING HIV IN AMERICA is a production by Global Health Reporting Center and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with NOVA/GBH. Written and Produced by Caleb Hellerman. Directed by Shayon Maitra. Executive Producers for Global Health Reporting Center are Janet Tobias and Rogger Lopez. Executive Producers for HHMI Tangled Bank Studios are Jared Lipworth and Sean B. Carroll. Executive Producers for NOVA are Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt. NOVA is a production of GBH.

ENDING HIV IN AMERICA is made possible (in part) by the George D. Smith Fund, Inc.

NOVA original production funding was provided by Consumer Cellular, the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.

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About NOVA

NOVA is the most popular primetime science series on American television, demystifying the scientific and technological concepts that shape and define our lives, our planet, and our universe. The PBS series is also one of the most widely distributed science programs around the world, and is a multimedia, multiplatform brand reaching more than 55 million Americans every year on TV and online. NOVA’s important and inspiring stories of human ingenuity, exploration, and the quest for knowledge are regularly recognized with the industry’s most prestigious awards. As part of its mission to make the scientific enterprise accessible to all, NOVA is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in all its work, from the production process to the range of stories we tell and the voices we amplify. In addition, science educators across the country rely on NOVA for resources used in the classroom as well as in museums, libraries, and after-school programs. NOVA is a production of GBH Boston; more information can be found at pbs.org/nova, or by following NOVA on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

About PBS

PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a new 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

About GBH

GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. It is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Arthur and Molly of Denali, as well as WORLD Channel and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR®; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® station. Dedicated to making media accessible to and inclusive of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide with PBS LearningMedia and has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at wgbh.org.

​​About HHMI Tangled Bank Studios

HHMI Tangled Bank Studios is a mission-driven production company that seeks to shine a light on some of the most significant scientific challenges and breakthroughs of our time. Recent films include Emmy Award-winners The Serengeti Rules and The Farthest – Voyager In Space; Emmy-nominated Nature’s Fear Factor; Peabody Award winner Inventing Tomorrow; and All That Breathes, the only film to win best documentary at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. To extend the reach and impact of each film, the studio undertakes educational and public outreach efforts in partnership with mission-aligned organizations. For more information, please visit WWW.TANGLEDBANKSTUDIOS.ORG.

About Global Health Reporting Center

The Global Health Reporting Center (GHRC) is an independent, nonprofit newsroom committed to producing in-depth health journalism, documentary films and other nonfiction content about the vital health challenges of our time. The GHRC reports from every continent, bringing local expertise and a global perspective. Recent and current projects include the award-winning documentary film “Race For the Vaccine,” and “Vitals,” PBS Digital Studios’ flagship show about health and medicine. The GHRC also produces regular content for the PBS NewsHour, CNN and other news outlets. For more information, please visit For more information: ghrc.org



PBS LEARNINGMEDIA TO PRODUCE FREE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR “THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST”





PBS LEARNINGMEDIA TO PRODUCE FREE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR “THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST,” DIRECTED BY KEN BURNS, LYNN NOVICK AND SARAH BOTSTEIN

Lesson Plans for Middle and High School Classrooms Will Be Available on Ken Burns in the Classroom Timed to Film’s Sept. 18 Premiere on PBS and PBS.org

Arlington, VA; September 7, 2022 – PBS LearningMedia, the educational arm of PBS, today announced the partial release of free lesson plans for middle and high school classrooms for the new documentary, THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST, directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. The full collection of educational materials will be available Sept. 18 on the Ken Burns in the Classroom hub on PBSLearningMedia.org, the same day the film premieres on PBS and PBS.org.

The materials were announced at an event at the U.S. Holoaust Memorial Museum with filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein, who were joined by Gretchen Skidmore, Director of Education Initiatives at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Daniel Greene, President of the Newberry Library in Chicago and curator of the Museum’s ‘Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibition.

These lesson plans, developed by PBS LearningMedia with historical and archival support from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, will help middle and high school teachers utilize the three-part, six-hour film to teach students about the Holocaust and how the United States responded to one of the greatest crises of the 20th century. The lesson plans are available on the PBS LearningMedia Ken Burns in the Classroom site.

The educational resources include eight comprehensive lesson plans, each drawing upon clips from the film, covering the following topics: the impacts of Nazi ideology; U.S. immigration policy from 1924-1941; U.S. media coverage of the Holocaust; the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of American values; an examination of how individuals make choices during times of crisis; how U.S. public opinion influenced the country’s response to the Holocaust and the refugee crises; a photography analysis activity; and a lesson about World War II and the Holocaust. Each of the eight lessons include activities to engage students in critical media analysis and resources to support middle and high school educators teaching these topics.

“Education is a life-long pursuit and it begins in the classroom, where our extraordinary teachers inspire us to think and learn. We are fortunate that our films broadcast on PBS where we have extensive educational materials that accompany them” said co-directors Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. “Working with teachers and historians on the content for this series was a real privilege, and we could not be more honored to partner with our colleagues at PBS and to benefit from the historical expertise of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and hope that the lesson plans will be included in a variety of classrooms utilized by students for years to come.”

In addition to the eight lesson plans, PBS will also offer a self-paced professional development course for educators in partnership with Florentine Films, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and Echoes & Reflections. This interactive course, designed to instruct educators on how best to utilize the content of the film in the classroom, integrates historical footage from the film into a single pedagogical narrative, offering resources and strategies to teach about the Holocaust and World War II to promote critical thinking and reflection.

The PBS lesson plans will help introduce both contemporary research and historical perspectives that can be utilized by multiple disciplines and grade levels across the country. Video components will be uploaded timed to the broadcast of the film.

“We’re proud to work with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to bring these important lessons to teachers and students across the country,” said Lori Brittain, VP of PBS LearningMedia. “We know that educators value Ken Burns in the Classroom resources, and this content has been thoughtfully designed to help broaden students’ perspective, knowledge and understanding of this critical time in our history.”

PBS LearningMedia provides educators access to the best of public media and delivers free, research-based, classroom-ready digital learning experiences to engage students in exploring curriculum concepts that align with the National and Common Core State Standards. Nationwide, more than 1.5 million monthly users access tens of thousands of digital resources available through PBS LearningMedia.

PBS, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Association of Holocaust Organizations will host a series of live events for educators leading up to the documentary’s premiere on Sept. 18. On Wednesday, Sept. 7, filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein joined Gretchen Skidmore, Director of Education Initiatives at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Daniel Greene, President of the Newberry Library in Chicago and curator of the Museum’s ‘Americans and the Holocaust’ exhibition, for an in-person panel discussion about the film and Holocaust education at the museum in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, educators nationwide are invited to join filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein for a virtual preview of the film, followed by a virtual panel focused on using the film in the classroom, moderated by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Gretchen Skidmore. Teachers can sign up for the virtual preview and panel conversation here. Additional educator events with Holocaust survivors and educators will take place in October and February.

“We are honored to work with Ken, Lynn and Sarah to help prepare materials that will allow educators to utilize this exceptional educational resource in their classrooms,” said Gretchen Skidmore from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. “As with our initiative on ‘Americans and the Holocaust,’ their film will help students to consider what Americans knew about the rise of Nazism and the Holocaust, what they did in response and what those decisions mean for us today. We are very proud to have worked with them and to provide support to PBS LearningMedia, to ensure that the educational materials developed for this film will reach teachers around the country.”

THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST will air September 18, 19 and 20, at 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app. THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST will be distributed internationally by PBS International. The series will be available to stream for free on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view the documentary via PBS Passport as part of a full collection of Ken Burns films. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

ABOUT PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS PressRoom on Twitter.

ABOUT PBS LEARNINGMEDIA
PBS LearningMedia, a partnership of PBS and GBH, is an online destination that offers free access to thousands of resources from PBS stations and partners. These digital tools are designed to complement classroom instruction — from videos, images and interactives, to lesson plans, articles and primary sources. Available for free to all educators pre-K through 12th grade, PBS LearningMedia offers classroom-ready content aligned to state and national standards, compatible with the tools teachers use most, such as Google Classroom, and contextualized with supporting materials. Each month, more than 1.5 million unique users visit PBS LearningMedia to enhance teaching practice and support student learning. Learn more at pbslearningmedia.org.



PBS KIDS SHOWS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN CHILDREN AS THEY GO BACK TO SCHOOL!





PBS KIDS SHOWS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN CHILDREN AS THEY GO BACK TO SCHOOL!

Streaming now on the PBS KIDS Prime Video Channel

As children head back to school, a special Back-to-School themed carousel has launched on the PBS KIDS Prime Video Channel. These easy to stream, Back-to-School themed programs, featuring children’s beloved PBS KIDS characters, will help kids learn and grow as they confidently transition from summer break into the classroom. In ARTHUR: Arthur’s First Day they will watch Arthur experience his first day of 4th grade, in DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD: Daniel Goes to School, kids will play along with Daniel as he experiences all the excitement of going to school, and in HERO ELEMENTARY: First Day of School, they will watch as the heroes meets each other for the very first time!

Also, in PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC: School Rules!, Pinkalicious is chosen to sing a solo in the class concert. In SUPER WHY! Super School Stories, join Whyatt and his friends as they use their superpowers to teach spelling and vocabulary.

The subscription rate for the PBS KIDS Prime Video Channel is $4.99/month with an Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription. Every purchase helps support public television for all.

Back To School Titles featured on the PBS KIDS Prime Video Channel Special Section Include:

Hero Elementary: First Day of School
Arthur: Arthur’s First Day
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Goes to School
Super WHY!: Super School Stories
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Welcome to School
Pinkalicious & Peterrific: School Rules!
PBS KIDS: Love Math & Science

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. As the number one educational media brand for kids, PBS KIDS helps children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Through media and community-based programs, PBS KIDS wants children to see themselves uniquely reflected and celebrated in lovable, diverse characters who serve as positive role models, and to explore their feelings and discover new adventures along the way. Families can stream PBS KIDS for free anytime, no subscription required. A large collection of mobile apps and pbskids.org provide accessible content that spark kids’ curiosity. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn and grow – including their teachers and caregivers, parents, and community – providing resources accessible anytime and anywhere. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About PBS DISTRIBUTION
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The company, a joint venture of PBS and GBH Boston, operates six streaming channels — PBS Masterpiece (US and CA), PBS KIDS, PBS Living, PBS Documentaries and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions.

PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.