PBS Shines Light on Independents at 2012 Annual Meeting

By Lois Vossen
Senior Series Producer, Independent Lens 

Lois Vossen, Senior Series Producer of Independent Lens

Each spring, PBS hosts its Annual Meeting, an opportunity for people from across the public television landscape to come together and see what worked the year before and look ahead to what the coming year holds.  The PBS Annual Meeting is attended by public television station staff including general managers, programmers, outreach and publicity staff, along with members of the minority consortia, series producers, presenting organizations, and staff from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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Tags: annual meeting, denver, Independent Lens, indies, lois vossen, P.O.V., PBS, simon kilmurry

Preview: POV’s 25th Season

Launched in 1988 to showcase new and challenging point-of-view documentaries on PBS, POV (Point of View) has grown to become American television’s longest-running series dedicated to contemporary nonfiction programming.

Watch POV Season 25 Preview on PBS. See more from POV.

POV launches its 25th season on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 10 PM (check local listings) with award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Fox’s My Reincarnation, the story of a father’s spiritual persistence and a son’s spiritual awakening. The regular season runs through Thursday, Oct. 18 and continues with two special presentations in the fall and winter.

Click here to see the full broadcast schedule.

Tags: documentary, P.O.V., PBS, Point of View, preview

RECAP: Doc U — The Future of Docs on PBS

By Katharine Relth

On Thursday, May 10th, Independent Lens Senior Series Producer Lois Vossen sat on a panel for “Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS” in Los Angeles, CA. The event was presented by the International Documentary Association.

In preparing for last night’s Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS, each one of the panelists (and probably most of the audience) thought that they would be gearing up for some major mobilization. Up until Wednesday, May 9, the IDA and other proponents of quality independent programming like Kartemquin Films had joined together to release a public campaign against PBS’s recent decision to move its exemplary series for independent documentaries, Independent Lens and POV, from their long-established slots on Tuesday night to Thursday night, a slot reserved for local programming. But the day before this panel was set to mobilize the documentary community to support IDA and Kartemquin’s PBS Needs Indies campaign, the Public Broadcasting Station announced that both Independent Lens and POV would find a new home on Monday nights. This was an incredible victory for everyone involved. The IDA was so pleased with this announcement, hoping it will mean a renewed viewership for the programs affected by the earlier change. › Continue reading

Tags: Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS, Independent Lens, international documentary association, P.O.V., PBS, schedule shift

New Primetime Home for Indie Series Emerges From Independent Strategy Task Force Meetings

ITVS President and CEO Sally Jo Fifer Applauds Year-Round Monday Slot on PBS Core Schedule to Help Meet First-Order Mission of Public Broadcasting

I’m pleased to report that the Independent Strategy Task Force has emerged from months of conversation to deliver a new 10 p.m. primetime slot on Monday nights for Independent Lens and POV.  This is great news for our series filmmakers and audiences, but more importantly it affirms the partnership and mission that independents and public broadcasting steward together: amplifying diverse voices to strengthen our democracy.
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Tags: Independent Lens, indies, ITVS, P.O.V., PBS, primetime, Sally Jo Fifer

Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS

On Thursday, May 10th, Independent Lens Senior Series Producer Lois Vossen will be speaking at the panel “Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS” in Los Angeles. The event will be presented by the International Documentary Association.

Independent Lens and POV have continually provided a broadcast slot of independent documentary films on PBS. In May 2011, due to schedule changes in PBS’s prime-time schedule, both programs were moved to Thursday evening – a time traditionally reserved for stations’ local and syndicated programming. The inconsistent time slot has been problematic for Independent Lens, with a significant drop in viewership since the schedule change.

Since then, both shows have been the topic of much debate and the documentary community has rallied in support, resulting in PBS’s public announcement to reconsider another schedule shift and together with a newly formed Independent Strategy Task Force, work together in order to rectify the issue. Paired with the significant cuts to PBS’ nonfiction programming from the National Endowment for the Arts, the future remains unclear as to what is in store for independent documentary films and public broadcasting.
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Tags: doc u, Doc U: The Future of Docs on PBS, Independent Lens, international documentary association, P.O.V., PBS, schedule shift

How to Get Your Film on Public Television

POV Series Producer Yance Ford will be hosting a Twitter chat this Wednesday, April
25, 2012, at 7 PM ET/ 4 PM PT, answering questions about how to get your film on public television.

How does a filmmaker navigate the public television submission process? What do series’ look for in a film? Should I wait until I have a fine cut to submit? A public television broadcast can be a homerun for independent filmmakers hoping to expand their audience and raise awareness around certain social issues, but often filmmakers find themselves plagued with questions about the process.

POV Series Producer Yance Ford will be on the #docchat Twitter chat this Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT, answering questions about getting your film on public television. POV encourages documentary filmmakers to ask Ford, who will be tweeting from @povdocs, questions beforehand using the hashtag #docchat or in a comment on their website. In addition to general questions about public television submissions, Yance will also answer specific questions you might have about POV’s Call for Entries. To learn more about the event, http://itvs.images.s3.amazonaws.com/btb/btb_povtwitterchat.jpg

Tags: P.O.V., public television, Twitter Chat, Yance Ford

POV’s 2012 Documentary Lineup Revealed

POV has just announced the slate of documentaries for its 25th season on PBS, starting in June.

Since POV went on the air in 1988, it has championed the documentary art form, offering filmmakers a venue to take creative risks. It’s where you’ve seen work from documentary greats including Errol Morris, Jonathan Demme, Albert and David Maysles, Michael Moore, Freida Lee Mock, and Frederick Wiseman.

This year’s films reveal humanity’s faith, courage, and resilience. Remarkable individuals challenge authority and their own limitations to indict a dictator, keep investigative journalism alive, rebuild after Katrina, and find strength in love.

Explore the films and the 2012 broadcast schedule here.

Tags: 2012 season, documentary, P.O.V., PBS, public television, schedule

ITVS in the News

Coverage of ITVS and Independent Lens from Monday’s edition of The New York Times.

Tags: Independent Lens, ITVS, New York Times, P.O.V., PBS

Joint Task Force Working to Boost Audience for Indies on PBS

ITVS, POV, and PBS Leadership Meet Weekly to Develop New Indies Strategy

During most of the past decade, Independent Lens and POV together have provided a year-round broadcast slot of independent documentary films, airing on Tuesday nights at 10 PM, with POV running June to October with special presentations in other months and Independent Lens airing October through June.

In May 2011, changes in PBS’s prime-time schedule moved Independent Lens and POV to 10 PM on Thursdays, a night traditionally reserved for stations’ local and syndicated programming. For Independent Lens, the move has resulted in a significant decline in both station carriage and viewership.
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Tags: current, Independent Lens, indie film, ITVS, P.O.V., PBS, public media

Live Chat with Filmmaker Marshall Curry

POV invites you to join filmmaker Marshall Curry (If a Tree Falls, Racing Dreams) for a live chat today at 11AM PT / 2PM ET.  Follow this link to participate in the live chat.

Participating in the live chat will be Marshall Curry, director of Racing Dreams and the Oscar-nominated film If a Tree Falls, along with a special guest, driver Annabeth Barnes, who was featured in Curry’s POV documentary Racing Dreams. Join the chat TODAY for a chance to ask both Marshall and Annabeth your questions at 11AM PT / 2PM ET!

Tags: academy awards, Annabeth Barnes, If a Tree Falls, live chat, marshall curry, P.O.V., racing dreams