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September 11, 2001. Terror strikes the United States. The nation is in urgent need of reliable information. Why did it happen? Who was responsible? Millions turn to WGBH for answers and the in-depth analysis and diverse perspectives public broadcasting provides. WGBH's The World and Greater Boston suspend regular programming to focus exclusively on the local, national, and global repercussions of the attacks, while The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Morning Edition, and All Things Considered keep viewers and listeners abreast of the news.
In the days and weeks that follow, WGBH's Frontline updates Hunting bin Laden, its 1999 profile of the world's most recognizable terrorist, and produces six new reports on the roots and implications of terrorism. From Target America to Gunning for Saddam, the story is pursued. "Frontline probes, asks difficult questions, and provides context and fresh insight into the most complicated issues of our times," says David Fanning, executive producer of the acclaimed public affairs series. "We gain access to the inaccessible, often in collaboration with the world's most respected media outlets." Frontline remains the only long-form investigative series on American television today.
For a scientific perspective, WGBH's Nova filmmakers partner with the New York Times reporters behind the best-selling (and eerily prescient) Germs to produce Bioterror. Already in production before the terrorist attacks, the program is a chilling investigation of the threat of biological warfare. Nova rushes to finish the film months ahead of schedule to remain on the cutting edge of the news.
Substantive analysis of important events is a WGBH trademark every day, year-round, not just in extraordinary times. "Our mission is an extension of WGBH's long-standing commitment to international news coverage," explains Bob Ferrante, executive producer of WGBH's weekday series The World. "We launched our program as a way for American radio listeners to better understand the connection between what happens abroad and the American way of life. That's now more important than ever." A co-production of the BBC World Service and Public Radio International, The World reaches an audience of 1.5 million listeners every week.
Closer to home, Greater Boston regularly calls upon the wisdom of regional experts and authorities. "Greater Boston is uniquely positioned to respond not only to the events of the day, but also to the concerns of the community," says Emily Rooney, host and executive editor of the nightly public affairs program. "We devote time to the issues most important to our viewers," adds executive producer John Carroll. "Whether examining the President's latest speech or how the press covers a story, that extended analysis is what we do best."
People depend on WGBH for perspective -- from Vice President Dick Cheney, who requested a copy of Frontline's Hunting bin Laden, to the listener from Belmont who called to commend The World for its close-up look at Afghanistan. On radio, television, and the Web, WGBH provides thoughtful, objective coverage of the stories of our times, offering a range of opinions that reflect multiple perspectives and deepen our understanding of the world we share.
To: Frontline
Like every other program in Frontline's series about terrorism, Saudi Time Bomb? was outstanding. I have learned more about the Middle East from watching these programs than I have from 50 years of commercial television. You put events in context in such a way that it is almost impossible not to understand what is happening. This type of programming is what keeps me contributing to public television.
George S., Los Angeles, California
To: Greater Boston
Kudos to Emily Rooney et al. for a remarkable Greater Boston show last night. It was well organized and provocative. Excellent panelists and thank you, thank you for the in-depth and thoughtful analysis. So glad that someone is talking about the dangers of profiling and not jumping to the wrong assumptions. Please continue this type of show.
Bartlett G., Somerville, Massachusetts
Timeline
In 1969, WGBH launched The Advocates, a weekly public affairs series on PBS in which opposing sides, liberal and conservative, rigorously debated pressing issues, from abortion rights to capital punishment. The Peabody Award-winning series transcended partisan politics and served as a training ground for a generation of WGBH producers. "Because of the care of the research and forcefulness of the advocacy," says Peter McGhee, vice president for national programming, "whatever viewpoint producers were assigned to, they came to appreciate that there was another side to the story. It provided a grounding in the complexity of issues that is reflected in WGBH productions to this day."
At a time when the need to understand our diverse world has never been greater, Frontline/World will offer new perspectives. Building on the strength of the Frontline reputation, the series is scheduled to debut in spring 2002. "I hesitate to use the word 'magazine,'" says David Fanning, Frontline's executive producer, "but we'll present segments clustered around a single international issue or idea, from terrorism to human rights." Co-produced with KQED San Francisco, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, Frontline/World will tap the energy and vision of a new generation of journalists, Fanning says, and "give viewers a chance to look at the world with a fresh eye."
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