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What does it take to tackle a topic as complex and controversial as evolution? Scrupulous research. Storytelling skill. The expertise to develop multimedia resources that reach millions through an eight-hour PBS series, a companion book, an expansive Web site, and a library of classroom tools for teachers and students. That, and a seasoned public broadcaster that gave America its first science documentary series (Nova) and first ongoing history series (American Experience).
"Nobody would touch evolution," says Richard Hutton, executive producer of the Evolution Project, a co-production of the WGBH/Nova Science Unit and Clear Blue Sky Productions. "It underpins all of biology, but is widely misunderstood. Evolution has had a profound impact on society and culture. We set out to encourage a nationwide dialogue and to improve the teaching of evolutionary science across the country." More than 30 percent of viewers in Greater Boston tuned in some part of the series, which also drew an impressive 14 percent of viewers nationally.
Evolution is grounded in the same rigorous science journalism that has made Nova the most-watched science program in the world and the number-one documentary series on PBS. "We begin with impeccable science investigation," says Paula Apsell, executive producer of Nova and executive-in-charge of its Science Unit productions. "But we also tell an engaging story." That means pushing the envelope with state-of-the-art production techniques. When the Science Unit teamed up with photographer Lennart Nilsson on the 1983 Miracle of Life, the result was the most popular program ever broadcast on Nova. This year, Nilsson's microimagery offered an even more stunning journey through human development in Life's Greatest Miracle. And visitors to Nova's Web site can watch the film in its entirety, explore the stem-cell debate, or learn how sex is determined.
Taking science to greater heights, WGBH's giant-screen film Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure premiered in February 2001. "Sir Ernest Shackleton's failed attempt to cross Antarctica in 1914 is one of the world's greatest adventure stories and lessons in endurance," says executive producer Susanne Simpson. "We re-enacted this tale of heroic survival, tracing Shackleton's 800-mile, open-boat journey and his trek for help through mountainous South Georgia Island." The Science Unit tells this remarkable story through three different media: a Nova Online Adventure, the IMAX film, and as part of Nova's spring 2002 television lineup.
Reaching audiences through a range of venues also is part of the fabric of American Experience. Visitors to the Web site for War Letters can share their own wartime memories or learn about the history of military mail censorship. Series executive producer Margaret Drain, who brought Andrew Carroll's New York Times best seller to television, explains, "We took individual stories that bring war, with all its pain and pathos, to life and then we offered viewers a multitude of additional resources through our Web site." Says Carroll, "As soon as I started collecting the letters, I felt they were worthy of not only a book but a bigger project. I knew that only PBS and American Experience would treat the subject with the respect it deserved."
With its first dual biography, Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided, American Experience went further still, creating not just a Web site but an interactive DVD. "We want to maximize the educational impact and longevity of our work," explains Drain. "Supplementing the film with information that lets people follow their interests makes the most of our wealth of material." Lincoln broke new ground in another way: it is the first DVD to be fully accessible for people with hearing or vision loss. "This technology gives us an exciting opportunity to bring important history to more people in new ways."
To American Experience:
This has to be the finest historical documentary yet! At my age, 70, I thought I knew my American history, but American Experience's Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided brought forth a new dimension: the graphic, still pictures of the Civil War, the intimate relationship of Abe and Mary, the depth of their tragic personal lives. What a history lesson! Keep us informed and entertained!
Mary P., Tiffin, Ohio
To Evolution:
In all my 30 years at public television I have never seen a difficult and complex subject handled more sensitively or effectively than Evolution. Congratulations to all concerned.
Bill Moyers, New York, New York
Timeline:
Seven years in the making, WGBH's 13-part Vietnam: A Television History was broadcast in 1983, when many thought it still was too soon to take a thoughtful, close-up look at this painful episode in American history. "The series examined not only what happened during that bitter conflict, but why -- exploring the character of the decision makers," says Peter McGhee, vice president for national programming. "Viewer and critical response was overwhelming, reminding us that more knowledge always is better than less. We came away determined to create a space on public television for history programs, just as we had done for science with Nova."
Continuing a tradition of tackling the big and difficult stories of our times, WGBH is hard at work developing a new multimedia initiative that will examine the history of AIDS. "We'll trace the course of AIDS from 1980, when it was first diagnosed as an immunodeficiency disease affecting young, white, gay men, up to the current epidemic, which experts estimate has killed more than 20 million people and affects another 36 million worldwide," says producer Renata Simone. "We'll explore the full range of medical, scientific, ethical, social, cultural, political, and economic issues that surround AIDS. Our goal is to look back while illuminating the way forward."
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