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PBS Preempts Primetime Schedule for In-Depth Coverage and Analysis of Terrorist Assault, "America Responds"

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"The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer," Specials with Gwen Ifill and Bill Moyers, Updated "Frontline" Documentary on Osama bin Laden and PBS.org Site Explore Background and Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks

Alexandria, Va., September 12, 2001 - PBS will provide nightly coverage and analysis of the terrorist attacks on the United States with "America Responds," including THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER; special live reports from Gwen Ifill, host of WASHINGTON WEEK, and Bill Moyers; a Town Hall Meeting hosted by Ms. Ifill, Mr. Moyers, Charlie Rose, Louis Rukeyser (WALL $TREET WEEK WITH LOUIS RUKEYSER) and ABC News Nightline's Michel Martin (host of LIFE 360); and an updated FRONTLINE special on Osama bin Laden.

THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER follows its regular schedule each evening at 6 p.m., and again at 7 p.m. Tonight and Thursday at 8 p.m., PBS will air a special hour of programming with a WASHINGTON WEEK SPECIAL REPORT with Gwen Ifill (8-8:30p.m.), and MOYERS IN CONVERSATION with guests from the humanities and faith communities (8:30-9 p.m.). On Friday, September 14, PBS presents a two-hour town hall meeting from locations around the country, including New York (Thirteen/WNET), Washington, D.C. (WETA) and Los Angeles (KCET). THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER will conclude tonight's primetime schedule.

In addition PBS.org will offer a comprehensive, continually updated Web site tying together numerous local and national resources for general audiences as well as parents, educators, and families from many programs and sites, including THE ONLINE NEWSHOUR, WASHINGTON WEEK, FRONTLINE, MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD and more. This Web site will be available by 5 p.m. ET at http://PBS.org/americaresponds/.

The schedule follows. (Check local listings):

Wednesday, September 12
6 - 7 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER
7 - 8 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER (updated if news warrants)
8 - 8:30 p.m.   WASHINGTON WEEK SPECIAL REPORT (with Gwen Ifill: guests TBA)
8:30 - 9 p.m.   MOYERS IN CONVERSATION (with Bill Moyers: guests TBA)
9 - 10 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER (possibly updated)

Thursday, September 13
6 - 7 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER
7 - 8 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER (updated if news warrants)
8 - 8:30 p.m.   WASHINGTON WEEK SPECIAL REPORT with Gwen Ifill (guests TBA)
8:30 - 9 p.m.   MOYERS IN CONVERSATION with Bill Moyers (guests TBA)
9 - 10 p.m.   FRONTLINE SPECIAL REPORT "Hunting bin Laden"

Friday, September 14
6 - 7 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER
7 - 8 p.m.   THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER (updated if news warrants)
8 - 10 p.m.   Town Hall Meeting with Gwen Ifill, Michel Martin (Washington) and Bill Moyers, Charlie Rose and Louis Rukeyser (New York)

 

FRONTLINE will present an updated version of the 1999 program "Hunting bin Laden," a collaboration with The New York Times, with a new introduction by Bill Moyers. The documentary provides an in-depth look at Osama bin Laden and his aggressive, well-organized global terrorism network.

FRONTLINE executive producer David Fanning stated: "Public television has the most comprehensive program on Osama bin Laden to date. It's important to air this updated FRONTLINE now because the U.S. government has quickly begun pointing fingers at bin Laden's organization as a major suspect in yesterday's terrorist attacks on America. The bottom line is that people need to know who this man is, and understand what kind of threat he poses to our country."

Please note that regularly scheduled programming will be offered to stations as an alternative feed on these evenings. The alternative schedule (starting at 8 p.m.) follows. (Check local listings):