– Specials on Climate Debate and Campaign Finance Join “The Choice 2012” as Part of FRONTLINE’s October Elections Programming –
ARLINGTON, VA; October 4, 2012 – PBS announced today that the award-winning documentary series FRONTLINE has added two election-themed programs to its lineup in October, as part of the PBS Election 2012 programming initiative. “Climate of Doubt,” which premieres October 23, 2012, at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings) and “Big Sky, Big Money,” airing October 30, 2012, at 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings), join FRONTLINE’s previously announced program, “The Choice 2012,” which airs October 9, 2012, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) and re-airs October 18 at 8 p.m. ET, October 26 at 9 p.m. ET, and November 2 at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings).
“FRONTLINE has a robust line-up of films to offer this election season,” says FRONTLINE deputy executive producer Raney Aronson. “Along with ‘The Choice 2012,’ we’re digging into the big money behind the election and analyzing the political discourse on climate change. It’s the type of hard-hitting and important investigative reporting for which FRONTLINE is known.”
“Climate of Doubt” follows FRONTLINE correspondent John Hockenberry, of PRI’s “The Takeaway,” as he explores the dramatic political shift around climate change. Four years ago, climate change was a hot topic, with politicians from both parties poised to act. Today, public opinion about the issue has cooled, and politicians either ignore the issue or loudly proclaim their skepticism of scientific evidence that human activity imperils the planet. Hockenberry goes inside the organizations that fight scientists, environmental groups and lawmakers, hoping to shift the direction of the climate debate and redefine the politics of global warming.
In “Big Sky, Big Money,”FRONTLINE correspondent and host of PRI’s “Marketplace” Kai Ryssdal travels to the remote epicenter of the campaign finance debate for a tale of money, politics and intrigue. The special explores how the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision affected political campaigns by focusing on the state of Montana, which challenged the ruling in court. Montana is investigating alleged campaign abuses in the midst of a bitter statewide race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate. Also in this hour, PBS NEWSHOUR correspondent Hari Sreenivasan examines how the Romney and Obama campaigns are collecting data from millions of Americans to precisely target potential voters in an effort to get out the vote and ultimately shape the November election.
FRONTLINE’s award-winning presidential election special, “The Choice,” goes far beyond the headlines into the candidates’ worlds — interviewing and moving among their friends and families, critics and closest colleagues — to understand what drives these men. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney have sharply different backgrounds, views and prescriptions for fixing the country’s problems. The two campaigns have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to tell their candidates’ stories, but FRONTLINE’s authoritative profiles, based on dozens of new interviews and hundreds of hours of research, emerge as portraits of America in an era of uncertainty.
“Producing ‘The Choice’ is a serious responsibility that FRONTLINE has been taking on for a quarter-century,” says FRONTLINE executive producer David Fanning. “Over the years people have come to rely on the program for fresh insights about the two candidates on the eve of the election. This year our team has once again brought intellectual rigor and insightful reporting to their life stories.”
“The Choice 2012” will be broadcast in both Spanish and English and will be available on YouTube in both languages. All three programs can be viewed online and through mobile devices following their on-air broadcasts at pbs.org/frontline and video.pbs.org/program/frontline. The PBS Election 2012 programming initiative includes programs from PBS NEWSHOUR, WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL, FRONTLINE, NEED TO KNOW and several specials. A large library of web-exclusive, elections-focused content is also available online, including an extraordinarily detailed and interactive digital map center from PBS NEWSHOUR that allows viewers to dig deeply into demographic data in their own communities and across the country. For more information, visit pbs.org/election2012 and follow #pbsElection on Twitter.
CREDITS"Climate of Doubt" is a FRONTLINE production with the The Documentary Group. The producer and writer is Catherine Upin. The correspondent is John Hockenberry. The executive producer for The Documentary Group is Tom Yellin. "Big Sky, Big Money" is a FRONTLINE production with American University School of Communication's Investigative Reporting Workshop. The writer, producer and director is Rick Young. The correspondent is Kai Ryssdal. Emma Schwartz and Fritz Kramer are associate producers. "Digital Campaign” (working title) is a FRONTLINE production with Left/Right Docs. The producer is Ryan Miller, the co-producer is Catherine Rentz, and the writer is Frank Koughan. The correspondent is Hari Sreenivasan. The executive producers for Left/Right Docs are Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver. The deputy executive producer for FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath. The executive producer for FRONTLINE is David Fanning.
About PBS PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 123 million people through television and more than 21 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. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website,pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by followingPBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
– PBS –
MEDIA CONTACTS Meghan Newton / Marissa Lyman, Goodman Media International, 212-576-2700; PBSElections@goodmanmedia.com
Jennifer Byrne, PBS, 703-739-5487; jrbyrne@pbs.org
For images and additional up-to-date information on this and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom.
