Nat Geo WILD Rings in the New Decade and Its 10th Anniversary by Announcing Robust Slate of New Series and Specials

The Network’s Wild Look Ahead Includes Diverse Programming From Multiple Genres: Veterinary Profiles, Zoo Docs, Animal Rescue & Conservation and Sweeping Natural History

Beloved Australian Actress Naomi Watts to Narrate Franchise Series SECRETS OF THE ZOO: DOWN UNDER, Premiering March 1

Additional Key Announcements Include:

Next Season of Hit Series SECRETS OF THE ZOO (2/23)

New Series ALASKA ANIMAL RESCUE (4/11) and WORLD’S BIGGEST ZOO (Fall 2020)

New Natural History Special THE REAL BLACK PANTHER (Winter 2020) and Return of SAVAGE KINGDOM (Winter 2020)

New year, new decade, New “Roaring” ’20s — and Nat Geo WILD certainly has a lot to roar about. Celebrating its 10th year on the air, the fastest-growing network for animal lovers of all ages celebrates its wild achievements throughout the past decade by announcing its robust 2020 programming slate.

The network that made the Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan a household name has launched more than 200 series and 780 specials in its decade on air. Since the network first took to the airwaves on March 29, 2010, Nat Geo WILD has commissioned more than 2,000 hours of content and has grown by nearly 10 million households, reaching 59.3M in the U.S. Its global footprint delivers 247M international households in 131 countries in more than 40 languages.

“Nat Geo WILD has distinguished itself as the premier destination for viewers who love animals and the natural world as much as we do. Over the years, we’ve been incredibly successful in breaking through with passionate animal caregivers, experts and advocates who are the heart and soul of our biggest hit series. We’ve also transformed National Geographic into a world leader in the creation of awe-inspiring blue-chip natural history,” says Geoff Daniels, executive vice president of global unscripted entertainment for National Geographic Global Networks. “I couldn’t be more proud of our results; the real-world impact we’ve had over these past 10 years; the lives we’ve touched; and the trails we continue to blaze. This is all in service of National Geographic’s mission and commitment to inspiring family audiences everywhere to join us in making our planet a better place for all living things for generations to come.”

Following the success of network stalwarts like WILD’s top ranker and longest-running series, THE INCREDIBLE DR. POL, vet-based docuseries have developed into franchise series, including DR. K’S EXOTIC ANIMAL ER, DR. OAKLEY, YUKON VET and DR. T, LONE STAR VET.

Zoo programming has also taken off on the network with original hit series SECRETS OF THE ZOO, featuring the world-renowned Columbus Zoo in Ohio, leading to the greenlight of SECRETS OF THE ZOO: TAMPA — which is posting strong numbers after only two weeks on air. And now, we’re going bigger — MUCH bigger — to the only country in the world that’s also a continent. SECRETS OF THE ZOO: DOWN UNDER premieres Sunday, March 1, at 10/9c, and is narrated by Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and BAFTA Award-nominated Australian actress Naomi Watts (“Luce,” “Mulholland Drive,” “The Impossible”). Watts, who is recognized for her love and concern for all of Australia’s indigenous animals, especially in perilous times, will lend her voice to this 10-part series set within the one of the world’s most famous zoos — Taronga Zoo — which employs more than 240 keepers who care for 5,000-plus animals. SECRETS OF THE ZOO: DOWN UNDER provides rare, behind-the-scenes access while also bringing to focus the horrific wildfires that have killed more than a billion of the continent’s animals.

Nat Geo WILD is renowned for its cinematic, natural history portfolio, underscored by its “Wild” franchise, beginning with early titles, including WILD MISSISSIPPI, AFRICA’S GREAT RIFT and WILD ALASKA. The successful performances of these specials launched a total of nearly 70 additional titles. Looking ahead, the network sinks its teeth further into natural history with the return of the beloved epic SAVAGE KINGDOM and the premiere of THE REAL BLACK PANTHER, profiling Saya, the only black panther in India’s Kabini Forest. This saga, told in first-person narrative, builds drama around Saya and his rival, Scarface, the current king of the forest, and tells an astounding story that defies the laws of natural selection.

NAT GEO WILD UPCOMING PROGRAMMING SLATE

*Schedule and Titles Subject to Change*

VET SERIES

New Series:

CRITTER FIXERS: COUNTRY VETS

Premieres Saturday, March 7, 10/9c; 6×60

Dr. Vernard Hodges and Dr. Terrence Ferguson are two lifelong friends who own and operate Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospital, located 100 miles south of Atlanta. Together with their loving staff, these physicians bring real heart, soul and a lot of humor to their treatment and care of more than 20,000 patients a year across their two locations. Between emergency visits to the office and farm calls throughout rural Georgia, this special team is constantly bombarded with unique cases. From a police dog with cactus thorns around her eye to a potbellied pig with life-threatening lacerations, for the Critter Fixer team, there is no such thing as “normal.”

Nat Geo WILD and Sun Valley Film Festival Launch Seventh Annual Wild to Inspire Short Film Contest to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

Grand Prize Includes Festival Screening and Filmmaking Expedition Abroad

In partnership with the Sun Valley Film Festival, Nat Geo WILD announces the seventh annual Wild to Inspire short-film contest. This year, the contest is seeking short films inspired by the milestone 50th anniversary of Earth Day. National Geographic has a storied history of inspiring people to care about the planet and is now looking for films to help with this mission. Films should celebrate the natural world, inspire viewers to work toward a planet in balance in the 21st century and draw a connection to the Earth Day anniversary.

The grand-prize winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid excursion to one of the far corners of the globe to find out firsthand what it’s like to be a National Geographic filmmaker. Past winners have traveled to Africa and Peru.

U.S. residents are invited to submit a short film of three minutes or less using the submission platform Submittable™. Up to three finalists, announced in early March 2020, will receive an invitation to attend SVFF, which unites filmmakers and industry insiders from around the world, in Sun Valley, Idaho, March 18-22. At SVFF, the finalists will screen their films for festival attendees and before a panel of judges that includes Nat Geo WILD executives. The grand-prize winner will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony.

“National Geographic has always been at the forefront of storytelling excellence, having redefined the natural history genre throughout the decades,” says Chris Albert, EVP of global communications at National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD. “Which is why it’s so relevant to inspire the next generation of filmmakers who are eager to put our planet in the spotlight and encourage guardianship and sustainability through heightened awareness of our living, breathing and dynamic planet.”

Since 2012, the Sun Valley Film Festival has invited fans and filmmakers to America’s first ski resort to celebrate the magic of storytelling. The year-round Sun Valley Film Initiative develops professionals and illuminates the process of filmmaking, propelling emerging voices with grants and education. Each March, SVFF celebrates with a slate of cutting-edge films and TV premieres, industry panels, engaging Coffee Talks with entertainment luminaries, a Screenwriters Lab led by award-winning writers and a series of parties culminating with the spectacular SVFF Awards Bash. The 2020 SVFF will be held March 18-22. SVFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. (Learn more at sunvalleyfilmfestival.org.)

“Sun Valley is committed to bringing together the best and brightest in filmmaking while also celebrating the aspiring creators whose work deserves our attention,” says Teddy Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival. “Screening Wild to Inspire finalists during our annual festival is just one way this contest helps foster new talent.”

Hello, Jerry! Viacom Acquires Exclusive Cable Rights to Seinfeld From Sony Pictures Television

Viacom’s Entertainment Brands to Begin Airing Seinfeld in 2021. Select Episodes Will Also be Available to Stream on Authenticated Viacom Websites and Apps

Viacom has announced the acquisition of Seinfeld from Sony Pictures Television, in a deal that features the exclusive cable rights for all 180 episodes of the iconic series. Beginning in October 2021, the full library of Seinfeld episodes will air amongst Viacom’s entertainment brands, including Comedy Central, Paramount Network and TV Land. Additionally, catch-up episodes will be available through Viacom brands via authenticated video on demand, websites and apps. The deal was closed by Barbara Zaneri, EVP, Viacom Global Program Acquisitions, and Flory Bramnick, EVP, US Distribution, for an undisclosed sum and a loaf of marble rye after a spirited Festivus feats of strength competition.

“We’re extremely proud to bring this little-known series to our viewers. With the right programming and promotion, we believe we’ll finally get Seinfeld the recognition it truly deserves, as merely the greatest sitcom of all-time,” said Kent Alterman, President of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land and Vandelay Industries.

John Weiser, President, First Run Television for Sony Pictures Television said, “Seinfeld airing on Comedy Central and the Viacom networks brings together the greatest comedy of all time, with the best brands in cable. This was a tremendous team effort and we are delighted to be working with the first class executives at Viacom who are experts in programming and promotion. For a show about Nothing, this is really Something!”

An Emmy and Golden Globe-winner for Best Comedy Series, Seinfeld is one of the most popular, most award-winning and longest-running comedy series of all time. Jerry Seinfeld stars as a stand-up comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life’s most perplexing, yet often trivial questions. Often described as “a show about nothing,” Seinfeld mines the humor in life’s mundane situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the trials and tribulations of dating. Co-starring are Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry’s ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal, Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry’s neurotic hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry’s eccentric neighbor, Kramer.

Seinfeld is a West/Shapiro Production in association with Castle Rock Entertainment. Seinfeld was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and executive produced by Larry David, Howard West, and George Shapiro.

Sterling Vineyards Celebrates The 71st Emmy Awards As The Official Wine Of The 2019 Emmy Awards Season

For the fourth consecutive year, iconic Napa Valley winery Sterling Vineyards, known for its ‘Always Polished, Never Dull‘ lifestyle, returns to television’s most anticipated night as the Official Wine of the 71st Emmy® Awards Season.

Following the live telecast of the 71^st Emmy Awards on Sunday evening, September 22, 2019, Sterling Vineyards will invite Emmy nominees, presenters and members of the Television Academy to toast with their award-winning wines at the Television Academy’s official after-party, the Governors Ball. The evening will feature a taste of the 2015 Sterling Vineyards Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon, launched to retailers across the country last November. The Cabernet, among the finest from Napa Valley, is the winery’s newest expression of the depth, precision and intensity that is unique to the region, a testament to the craftsmanship of winemaker Harry Hansen and the winery’s tradition of producing outstanding, varietally focused wines. Chosen by the Television Academy Governors Ball Committee to showcase with the night’s menu from acclaimed Chef Joachim Splichal and Patina Catering, Sterling Vineyards Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon will be served alongside the 2017 Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and 2016 Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, paired with dishes including Paella Valenciana, Yellowfin Sashimi, Candy Striped Beet Poke, and Hand-Carved Grass-fed Tenderloin of Beef.

(PRNewsfoto/Sterling Vineyards)

Sterling Vineyards will also gift a special limited-edition, personalized bottle of the 2015 Sterling Vineyards Iridium Cabernet Sauvignon to each Emmy Award winner as they await their Emmy statuette in the Governors Ball Winner’s Circle. 2015 is just the second vintage of the winery’s premier luxury Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, named appropriately for one of the rarest elements on earth. Made in only the very best vintages with the finest and most intense expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Iridium is the pinnacle of winemaking perfection. Emmy winners who enter the Winner’s Circle will have the exclusive chance to enjoy a glass of this special wine, as they are invited to raise a glass while their Emmy statuettes are personalized.

“Sterling Vineyards is honored to share in the recognition of television excellence and outstanding creative talent, and we look forward to toasting this year’s Emmys winners with these exceptional wines,” shares Senior Vice President of Marketing at Treasury Wine Estates, Brett Scallan. “This year in particular, marks the end of some of television’s most esteemed series such as Game of Thrones, Empire, Veep, and The Big Bang Theory, making the evening even more special and giving us all the more reason to raise a glass in their honor.”

The 71st Emmy Awards will telecast live on FOX from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, September 22, 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. The Governors Ball will take place at the adjacent L.A. LIVE Event Deck immediately following the telecast.

CuriosityStream™ Launches Print Ad Campaign That Positions The New SVOD Service As “the Antidote To ‘Reality’ TV”

TV Commercials To Increase Brand Awareness Will Air Concurrently On Networks Including Fox News, CNN and Bloomberg

The Independently-Owned, Ad-Free SVOD Service Created By The Discovery Channel Founder Now Offers Over 1,500 Titles In History, Science, Nature, And Technology

All Titles Are Available For Instant Access By Subscribers With Annual And Monthly Subscription Plans Available for SD, HD, and 4K Streaming

John Hendricks, the Founder of CuriosityStream and the Founder and Former Chairman of Discovery Communications, announced today that CuriosityStream, which is currently available in 196 countries worldwide, is launching its first print ad campaign with a theme of positioning the SVOD service as “the antidote to ‘reality’ TV.”

During the week of February 6, 2017, the print campaign will launch in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other major newspapers. Concurrent with the print campaign, CuriosityStream has begun to test television commercials designed to increase brand awareness. With commercials currently being tested on networks such as CNN, Fox News, and Bloomberg, the TV campaign has been created around the theme “Long Live the Curious.”

John Hendricks

Hendricks stated, “The economic realities of ad-supported linear television have understandably driven most cable networks toward ‘reality’ TV programming which appeals to the large audiences for amusement content. As a result, the curious 25% of television viewers have witnessed a dramatic loss of choice in high-quality programs in science, history, nature, and technology. CuriosityStream is now available worldwide with a mission to satisfy the demand of audiences who are eager to learn about the mysteries of civilization, recent advances in science, fascinating breakthroughs in technology, in-depth explorations of current events, and the wonders of nature.”

Lifestyle Network, Feast It Forward, Provides Major Funding for “Chefs Flight” on THIRTEEN’s American Masters Series May 2017 on PBS

“Foodie Film Festival” Will Features Four Documentaries On Iconic Chefs: James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin And Alice Waters

American Masters has announced that Feast it Forward™ has provided major funding for a “Chefs Flight” of four documentaries on culinary legends James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, and Alice Waters, premiering May 2017 on PBS as part of the series’ 31st season. New documentaries American Masters – James Beard: America’s First Foodie and American Masters – Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft will be paired with encore presentations of American Masters: Julia! America’s Favorite Chef and American Masters: Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution, respectively.

Exploring beyond the plate, bottle and guitar, Feast it Forward Network, the new online lifestyle network featuring all things food, wine and philanthropy with a taste of music, seeks to feed the soul with entertaining, inspiring and educational programming. As their Ultimate Airstream Film Lounge continues to hit the road and engage viewers while hosting unique lifestyle events, its flagship “Live Studio Showroom” will open in downtown Napa Spring of 2017. A two story experiential estate, it will feature a 16 premier vintner tasting collective, a full demonstration studio kitchen, educational outdoor entertaining space, performing music stage, interior design showroom and much more. Beyond the growing online network programming which features master chefs, actors, tastemakers, and musicians, this live studio will truly bring Feast it Forward Network to life as viewers will be able to personally experience all things food, wine and philanthropy…with a taste of music. (More information can be found at feastitforward.com)

“We are thrilled to be able to bring the savory stories behind these culinary geniuses to viewers thanks to Feast It Forward’s generous support. Collectively, they set America’s dinner table, and I think people will enjoy seeing the connections between each of these chefs and how we eat today,” said Michael Kantor, executive producer of American Masters.

“We are elated to be supporting such important programs. The food world is beyond grateful for these iconic chefs and we are indebted to them for the path they helped pave for us to walk. Our online network tells the story of people, places and experiences that connect us to one another in ways that are beyond the plate and bottle, so it was a natural fit to be part of this impressive series. Along with celebrating the work of James Beard, Julia Child, and Alice Waters, it’s a true honor to say we took part in sharing Jacques Pépin’s story. I think it is safe to say I speak for masses who grew up watching him with such admiration; this is our way of saying thank you. It’s time to give something back for all those years he shared with us,” said Katie Hamilton Shaffer, founder and president of Feast it Forward.

Chef James Beard. Credit: Dan Wynn

American Masters – James Beard: America’s First Foodie

Premieres Friday, May 19, 9-10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings)

Experience a century of food through the life of one man, James Beard (1903-1985). Dubbed the “Dean of American Cookery” by The New York Times, Beard was a Portland, Ore., native who loved and celebrated the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. He spoke of the importance of localism and sustainability long before those terms had entered the vernacular. At a time of “all things French,” Beard appreciated what America had to bring to the table, and was the first chef to go on television to teach not only women, but men, how to cook. A cookbook author, journalist, television celebrity and teacher, Beard helped to pioneer and expand the food media industry into the billion-dollar business it is today. Written and Directed by Elizabeth Federici. Produced by Elizabeth Federici and Kathleen Squires. A production of Federici Films LLC and THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC’s American Masters for WNET.

THIRTEEN’s American Masters Presents the World Premiere of Patsy Cline Documentary Beginning March 4 on PBS During Women’s History Month

Features Exclusive Access To The Cline Estate, Rare Performances And New Interviews With Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Kacey Musgraves, Wanda Jackson, Beverly D’Angelo And Others, With Narration By Rosanne Cash

Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, The late Patsy Cline (September 8, 1932-March 5, 1963) defined modern country music by using her singular talent and heart‐wrenching emotional depth to break down barriers of gender, class and genre. In her music and her life, she set a standard of authenticity towards which artists still strive. After years of hard work to overcome industry gender biases and her own personal hardships and professional missteps, she achieved success, only to have it punctured by uncanny premonitions and her untimely death at age 30. The new documentary Patsy Cline: American Masters premieres nationwide beginning March 4 on PBS (check local listings) during Women’s History Month as part of the 31^st season of THIRTEEN’s American Masters series. 2017 marks the 85^th anniversary of Cline’s birth.

Patsy Cline. Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises

Cline boldly bucked female conventions of the 1950s with her fashion sense, her decision to divorce, her support of fellow female artists, and her assertive ambition to get opportunities equal to those of her male Nashville peers, such as the same kind of headliner billing and radio airplay, particularly after breaking free of her unfavorable contract with Four Star Records. Six years after her national breakthrough on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS, 1957), she died in a plane crash returning home from a benefit performance. Her many posthumous honors include being the first solo female performer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a U.S. postage stamp. She was also portrayed in the Oscar-winning feature film Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) by D’Angelo and in Sweet Dreams (1985) by Jessica Lange.

Patsy Cline. Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises

Narrated by Rosanne Cash, Patsy Cline: American Masters examines the roots of Cline’s impact in both personal and cultural terms to illuminate how she arrived at a pivotal moment in the evolution of American culture and, with Decca Records producer Owen Bradley, synthesized country, pop and rock in a new way to create the Nashville Sound. With exclusive access to the Cline estate, the film features rare performances of such Cline classics as “Walkin’ After Midnight” “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray,” “Come On In,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Crazy,” “You Made Me Love You” and more.

Patsy Cline. Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises

The documentary also features exclusive archival interviews with Cline’s contemporaries and new interviews with a wide range of artists who have been influenced by Cline: LeAnn Rimes, Kacey Musgraves, Rhiannon Giddens, Wanda Jackson, Bill Anderson, Beverly D’Angelo, Callie Khouri, Reba McEntire, Mickey Guyton and more.

Country music singer-songwriter Mickey Guyton, who was influenced by Patsy Cline, is interviewed in “Patsy Cline: American Masters.” Credit: Peggy Sirota

Country music singer-songwriter Mickey Guyton, who was influenced by Patsy Cline, is interviewed in “Patsy Cline: American Masters.” Credit: Peggy Sirota

“It’s been such a privilege to tell the story of Patsy Cline. For me, her story exceeds her musical accomplishments. She is in a rare class of women who simply set out to achieve their dreams and through those efforts left an indelible mark,” said Emmy-nominated director and producer Barbara J. Hall.

THIRTEEN’s American Masters Presents Exclusive U.S. Broadcast Premiere of Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, February 21 on PBS During Black History Month

First Feature Documentary On The Author/Activist Features Exclusive Interviews With Dr. Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Bill And Hillary Clinton, And Others

Year-Long #InspiringWomanPBS Online Campaign Launches This Week At pbs.org/americanmasters

Dr. Maya Angelou on the set of “Oprah’s Master Class,” circa January 2011. Credit: OWN

Distinctly referred to as “a redwood tree, with deep roots in American culture,” Dr. Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928-May 28, 2014) led a prolific life. As a singer, dancer, activist, poet and writer, she inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought that pushed boundaries. Best known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Random House), she gave people the freedom to think about their history in a way they never had before. The first feature documentary about her life, American Masters – Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, premieres nationwide Tuesday, February 21 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) during Black History Month as part of the 31^st season of THIRTEEN‘s American Masters series. PBS Distribution will release the film on DVD the same day, with additional bonus features, and on Digital HD February 22. The film title is based on one of our favorite poems by Dr. Angelou, “Still I Rise” from her poetry collection And Still I Rise (Random House).

Dr. Maya Angelou, circa late 70s/early 80s. Credit: Getty Images

Dr. Maya Angelou is best known for her best-selling autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” (Random House), photo taken November 3, 1971. Credit: © WF/AP/Corbis

With unprecedented access, filmmakers Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack trace Dr. Angelou’s incredible journey, shedding light on the untold aspects of her life through never-before-seen footage, rare archival photographs and videos and her own words. From her upbringing in the Depression-era South and her early performing career (1957’s Miss Calypso album and Calypso Heat Wave film, Jean Genet’s 1961 play The Blacks) to her work with Malcolm X in Ghana and her many writing successes, including her inaugural poem for President Bill Clinton, American Masters – Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise reveals hidden facets of her life during some of America’s most defining moments. The film also features exclusive interviews with Dr. Angelou, her friends and family, including (in alphabetical order) Diahann Carroll, actress; Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State; Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the U.S.’ Common, hip-hop artist/actor; Jules Feiffer, writer/cartoonist; Nikki Giovanni, writer; Louis Gossett, Jr., actor; Guy B. Johnson, Dr. Angelou’s son; Quincy Jones, musician/producer/composer; Robert Loomis, Dr. Angelou’s editor; Don Martin, dancer/opened for Dr. Angelou; Louise Meriwether, writer; Eugene Redmond, professor of English literature; Valerie Simpson, singer/songwriter; John Singleton, director; Cicely Tyson, actress; Alice Windom, friend/roommate in Ghana (1963-65); Oprah Winfrey, global media leader/philanthropist and Alfre Woodard, actress.

Dr. Maya Angelou, circa 1970. Credit: Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Dr. Maya Angelou called Sonoma, California, home in the late 70s/early 80s. Credit: Magnum

“It was a unique privilege to be the first filmmakers to tell Dr. Angelou’s full story and exciting to uncover stories that most people hadn’t heard,” said co-director and co-producer Bob Hercules.

Louis Gossett, Jr., is interviewed in “American Masters – Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise.” He and Dr. Angelou were part of the casts of off-Broadway play “The Blacks” (1961) by Jean Genet and TV miniseries “Roots” (1977). Credit: © Timothy Greenfield-Sanders | Photo credit required at all times.

“The film reflects on how the events of history, culture and the arts shaped Dr. Angelou’s life, and how she, in turn, helped shape our own worldview through her autobiographical literature and activism,” said co-director and co-producer Rita Coburn Whack.

Dr. Maya Angelou. Credit: Getty Images

Dr. Maya Angelou. Credit: Ron Groeper

Dr. Maya Angelou, San Francisco, CA, circa 1970. Credit: Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS. Courtesy of Caged Bird Legacy

“It is bittersweet that Dr. Angelou takes her rightful place in the American Masters series posthumously,” said executive producer Michael Kantor, Co-Executive Producer and American Masters series Executive Producer. “We are fortunate that Bob and Rita captured these insightful interviews with her just prior to her death so we can all learn from her wisdom firsthand.”

Clive Davis and The Recording Academy® to Honor BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee During 2017 Grammy Week in Los Angeles

Lee is to Receive The GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons® Award at the 2017 Pre-GRAMMY® Gala

Annual Celebration Will Take Place On Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, At The Beverly Hilton Hotel On The Eve Of The 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards®

Clive Davis and The Recording Academy® will present the annual Pre-GRAMMY® Gala on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., the evening preceding the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards®. As part of the celebration, BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee will be recognized as the 2017 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons® honoree for her significant contributions to the music industry.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and recording professionals dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture.

Sponsored by Hilton, Mastercard, JBL by HARMAN, and Delta Airlines, the invitation-only Pre-GRAMMY Gala has long been one of the music industry’s most prestigious events, having hosted the industry’s top leaders and welcomed the world’s most talented artists on its stage. For nearly 10 years, the gala has also included a presentation to honor industry luminaries through The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Award. Past recipients include Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Irving Azoff, Martin Bandier, Sir Richard Branson, Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Lucian Grainge, Doug Morris, Mo Ostin, and Antonio “L.A.” Reid.

BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee

THIRTEEN’s American Masters Kicks Off Season 31 with Exclusive U.S. Broadcast Premiere of By Sidney Lumet, Tuesday, January 3 on PBS

Exclusive Interview With Treat Williams, Star Of Lumet’s Prince Of The City, And Emmy-Winning Filmmaker Nancy Buirski Follows The Documentary

Prolific and versatile filmmaker Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) made 44 films in 50 years, earning the Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement after four Oscar nominations. Considered a quintessential New York filmmaker, Lumet frequently used New York City’s urban mettle to infuse his films with a realism and intensity that kept audiences in suspense while prodding them to consider their own morality. In American Masters: By Sidney Lumet, he tells his own story in a never-before-seen interview shot in 2008 by late filmmaker Daniel Anker and producer Thane Rosenbaum. With candor, humor and grace, Lumet reveals what matters to him as an artist and as a human being. Launching Season 31, American Masters: By Sidney Lumet premieres nationwide Tuesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and features a new, exclusive interview with Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-nominated actor Treat Williams, who starred in Lumet’s Prince of the City, afterward.

Peabody and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Nancy Buirski (Afternoon of a Faun, The Loving Story, Loving) weaves Lumet’s personal stories and commentary with scenes from his films to create a portrait of one of the most accomplished, influential and socially conscious directors in the history of cinema. Clips spanning his canon, from 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Prince of the City, The Verdict, and many more, reveal the spiritual and ethical lessons at the core of his work.

Looking back over his career, Lumet speaks intimately about the experiences that informed his work, which he loved. His Depression-era, working-class Lower East Side beginnings as a child actor with his father in Yiddish theater, on Broadway, and his gradual transition to directing live TV, informed the stories he chose and his ability to translate important stage works into film, such as The Sea Gull, The Fugitive Kind and Long Day’s Journey into Night. In clips from these films, American Masters: By Sidney Lumet underscores Lumet’s own journey: his relationship with his father mirrored in Long Day’s Journey into Night, Daniel, Running on Empty and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.

Marching for workers’ rights in the 1930s, standing up to McCarthy-era blacklist interrogation and finding ways to employ his blacklisted friends, Lumet developed an appreciation for people who question authority. His movies often featured characters fighting for justice, standing up to the crowd and questioning personal responsibility. First and foremost a storyteller, Lumet’s strongly moral tales captured the dilemmas and concerns of a society struggling with essentials: how does one behave to others and to oneself? (You can read the full biography here.)

New Mars Survey From National Geographic And Kelton Global Reveals Americans Would Prefer To Leave Behind Both Donald Trump And Kanye West On The Red Planet

Jennifer Lawrence and George Clooney Top List of Celebrities Americans Would Want as Passengers on the Interplanetary Journey

Three out of 10 Americans Dream of Going to Mars with 52 Percent of Millennials More Eager to Jump Planets After the Election

“Rocket Man” is Preferred Tune for the Journey; “Star Wars” on Top List of Movies to Kill Time During Six-month-plus Trip; Han Solo is Preferred Pilot; Twinkie Ranks as Choice Snack Food; And Significant Other Tops List of Most Desirable Companion

From Executive Producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, National Geographic’s MARS Season Finale Airs Monday, Dec. 19, at 9/8c

It’s out of this world, but massive strides have been taken toward making the maiden manned mission to Mars a legitimate possibility within our lifetimes. Now a new network survey, conducted by Kelton Global and National Geographic, uncovers attitudes toward Martian exploration, whether Americans would ever make a trip to Mars, who and what they’d like to bring along on their journey (and strand there) and what they’d miss most from Earth. National Geographic has brought this prospect to life with the six-part global event series MARS, from executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard; the season finale airs Monday, Dec. 19, at 9/8c.

Of all the planets in our solar system, none has captured our collective imagination like Mars. Follow the first human mission to Mars, set in 2033, as the crew struggles to safely land on and colonize the planet. Tracing the thrilling quest to make Mars home, National Geographic presents a new breed of programming, blending cinema-quality scripted drama set in the future with documentary sequences that features current space-technology pioneers. In the season finale, “Crossroads,” which airs Monday, Dec. 19, at 9/8c, a devastating tragedy on the colony forces everyone on Mars and Earth to question the mission. While Olympus Town tries to persevere, controlling groups back on Earth struggle with the decision of whether to end the mission.

The National Geographic Mars survey commissioned Kelton Global to sample 1,024 nationally representative Americans over the age of 18 with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. The survey was conducted between Dec. 1 and 4, 2016, and used an email invitation and online survey. (Quotas were set to ensure a reliable representation of the U.S. population. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.)

Three in 10 — or approximately 70 million Americans (29%) — admit they’ve given travel to Mars considerable thought, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of those who’d go are Millennials and male.

The recent election has spiked Mars interest with nearly half the survey respondents (44%) prepared to pack their bags:

• 52 percent of Millennials say the election results sparked their interest in the journey;

• 43 percent of Generation Xers

• 38 percent of baby boomers– all cite the recent US election as a reason to go.

Continuing on the election theme, nearly half (46%) are eager to leave behind Donald Trump on the lonely, hostile Red Planet, and more than a third (35%) agree that his opponent Hillary Clinton should join him.

Suffice it to say that barely anyone would want to colonize Mars with Kim Kardashian (10%), and even less (4%) prefer her husband, Kanye West, but Americans would be eager to ditch them in space along with the president-elect and former secretary of state.

Asked which celebrity they’d happily take on the journey, Americans are divided with more than two in 10 (22%) opting for Jennifer Lawrence and slightly fewer (18%) taking George Clooney (both of whom have been in space films). Here’s a further breakdown of all things Mars:

Making the Move

• Because passage to Mars is no ordinary vacation, nearly all Americans (95%) insist on bringing along family. If given the choice of one companion, nearly half (48%) said they’d prefer to achieve liftoff with their significant others.

• The survey reveals that nearly two-thirds (66%) of Americans would prefer to step foot on the Red Planet before Martians infiltrate our world.

• Sixty percent responded that they would rather be the first human on Mars than the last human on Earth. This finding could also explain why humans, by nature, have always been exploratory, why we discovered our “New World” in America centuries ago, why we went to the moon and why we yearn to unearth what’s life is like on Mars and beyond.

You’re Not Solo with Han Solo

• Martian travelers need a good old reliable co-pilot, and who better to guide the ship than someone from the “Star Wars” universe? Nearly half would nab Han Solo (44%), and almost a third (31%) would choose his brother-in-law Luke Skywalker.

• “Star Wars” is so relatable that approximately half of America (48%) would watch the “Star Wars” films on repeat on their trip to Mars; these movies are preferred over any other sci-fi movie, including “Star Trek” (36%) and “WALL-E” (30%).

Martian Sundries

• Traveling six to nine months to the fourth planet from the sun would be more bearable with sundries, including favorite nostalgic snacks from our early days in space travel.

• Most voyagers would opt to sink their teeth into the classic Twinkie (30%) with just as many (29%) snacking on the eponymous Mars Bar. Dippin’ Dots (24%) are appetizing, especially among Millennials who grew up with this cool alternative to ice cream.

“Rocket Man” and Other Tunes

• Space travelers require snacks, but they also want to stuff their suitcases with a favorite book (22%) and wouldn’t want to take flight without their favorite tunes (23%).

• In fact, when asked to choose one Martian theme song, most prefer a classic number: nearly half of America (44%) would “burn out his fuse up there alone” with Sir Elton John’s “Rocket Man.”

• The legendary “Starman” David Bowie split the vote but maintained second and third choices for “Space Oddity” (17%) and “Life on Mars” (16%), respectively.

• Click HERE for the Spotify list of America’s Martian theme songs.

The World-Famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® Celebrates 90 Years as the Official Start to the Holiday Season

The 90th Anniversary Spectacle Is Set To Feature A Host Of Surprises Along With Its Signature Helium Character Balloons, Floats Of Wonder, The Nation’s Finest Marching Bands, Enthralling Performance Groups, Celebrity Appearances And The One-And-Only Santa Claus

This November, America’s favorite holiday tradition will mark a milestone anniversary, once again kicking off the holidays with its signature brand of magical entertainment. On Thursday, Nov. 24, the 90th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® will march down the streets of New York City as millions celebrate with family and friends. The unparalleled spectacle is set to enthrall more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets of Manhattan and more than 50 million viewers on television, with a host of giant character balloons, dazzling floats, the nation’s best marching bands and performance groups, celebrities, and the official entrance of the one-and-only Santa Claus.

A Historic Procession, The world-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade celebrates 90 years as the official start of the holiday season (Graphic: Business Wire)

For nine decades, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a march like no other. Bringing generations an unrivaled procession filled with more than 8,000 volunteer participants dressed as clowns, strutting their stuff in a marching band or escorting the Parade’s signature giant inflatables and floats of fantasy into the hearts of millions.

“Since our historic first march in 1924, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a call to celebration. Over the years, generations have gathered to enjoy the spectacle of high-flying balloons, fantasy floats, incredible performers, and the one-and-only Santa Claus, as the annual march became synonymous with the start of the holiday season,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “This year, as we celebrate 90 years of magical moments, we are truly humbled by the unique role the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade fills in the lives of millions worldwide, and we are thrilled to celebrate this special milestone with a spectacular line-up filled with amazing new and commemorative elements that will continue our storied legacy of unparalleled holiday entertainment.”

Since its origin in 1924, the Macy’s Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season, introducing a cherished march of magic that has dazzled generations of fans. For the 90th edition, the famed spectacle’s line-up will feature 16 giant character balloons; 27 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 16 marching bands and performance groups.

LET’S HAVE A PARADE™

Originally known as the Macy’s Christmas Parade, the tradition was started by Macy’s employees who wanted to celebrate the holiday season with a grand pageant similar to the over-the-top carnivals and festivals of Europe. The first Parade featured fanciful floats, employee marching bands, clown groups and real animals from the Central Park Zoo. Stretching from Harlem at 145th Street and Convent Avenue down more than five miles to Macy’s Herald Square, the first event was such a success that it was deemed by Macy’s to be an annual event from that point forward. While many elements have grown and been adapted over time, the heart of the Parade has always involved Macy’s own employee volunteers, talented marching bands and dazzling floats – elements that have paved the way for imagination and grand spectacle. One of those jaw-dropping additions came in 1927. Replacing the live animals who some said scared children along the route, the Parade introduced its first inflatables, debuting four giant balloons filled with air and carried on sticks down the route. That inaugural balloon line-up included the first-ever, character-based balloon featuring the likeness of famed animated film star, Felix the Cat. To make the balloons lighter than air, the following year, helium was added, helping the giants float down the route.

Since its inception, the Parade has marched during tumultuous periods in our collective history. Only one event has ever caused the cancellation of the Parade and that was World War II. During a three-year period from 1941 until 1943, the event was put on hold due to the rationing of supplies such as rubber and helium and a moratorium on large public gatherings. After its brief hiatus, the Parade returned and grew in worldwide fame becoming even more synonymous with the holiday season after its starring role in the 1947 film classic, “Miracle on 34th Street.”

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars And The Weeknd To Perform On “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show”

Show Will Film In Paris For The First Time, For Broadcast Monday, Dec. 5, On CBS

Multi-Grammy Award® winners Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and The Weeknd will perform on The (2016) Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which will film in Paris for the first time, for broadcast Monday, Dec. 5 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, Which will be seen in more than 190 countries.

Merging fashion, fantasy and entertainment, the lingerie runway show will include pink carpet interviews, model profiles and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show in the City of Lights. The all-star line-up of Victoria’s Secret Angels will include returning favorites Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes (who will be wearing the $3 million Bright Night Fantasy Bra), Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill, as well as 37 of the world’s best known runway stars including Karlie Kloss, Bella and Gigi Hadid.

Lady Gaga. Photo Credit: Collier Schorr

Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award nominee Lady Gaga is a one-of-a-kind artist and performer. She has amassed 30 million global album sales and 150 million single sales, making her one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Gaga is also one of the biggest forces in social media, with over 61 million likes on Facebook, over 62.9 million followers on Twitter and over 18.5 million followers on Instagram. Her highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Joanne,” just debuted at #1 on iTunes in 60 countries, and includes the new hit songs “Million Reasons” and “A-YO.”

In 2012, Lady Gaga launched the Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth, embracing differences and inspiring kindness and bravery. She is also an outspoken activist and philanthropist, having been a supporter of many important issues, including LGBT rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and body image issues.

Bruno Mars. Photo Credit: Kai Feng

Multi-Grammy Award winner Bruno Mars is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer, director and musician who has sold over 170 million singles and over 26 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Mars recently released the hit single “24K Magic,” which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his highest debut to date and his 13th Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Mars is set to release his highly anticipated third album, “24K Magic,” on Nov. 18.

Television: Curtain Going Up On the 2015 Award-Winning London Production of Gypsy on PBS

Starring Imelda Staunton on THIRTEEN’s Great Performances Friday, November 11 at 9 p.m. on the PBS Arts Fall Festival

Jonathan Kent‘s award-winning production of the classic musical Gypsy – a record-breaking sellout during its acclaimed London run – comes to THIRTEEN‘s Great Performances, Friday, November 11 at 9 p.m. on PBS on the PBS Arts Fall Festival. (Check local listings.) Gypsy first appeared in 1959 on Broadway under the title Gypsy: A Musical Fable.

Rose (Imelda Staunton) in “Gypsy” Credit: ©2014 Johan Persson

The first London production to be seen for 40 years, the musical opened at England’s Chichester Festival Theatre before moving to the West End‘s Savoy Theatre. A London production had not been seen in the West End since 1973. This critically acclaimed West End production features Imelda Staunton as Rose (The role of Rose is often called the ‘King Lear’ of the musical theatre canon).

Herbie (Peter Davison) and Rose (Imelda Staunton) in “Gypsy” Credit: ©2014 Johan Persson

Following a run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, which won the Critics’ Choice Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2014, a West End revival of Gypsy opened at the Savoy Theatre on April 15, 2015, in a limited run through November 28. Directed by Jonathan Kent with choreography by Stephen Mear and set and costume design by Anthony Ward, the production starred Staunton as Rose, Peter Davison as Herbie, Lara Pulver as Louise, Gemma Sutton as June, Anita Louise Combe as Tessie Tura, Louise Gold as Mazzeppa and Julie Legrand as Electra. The London production was nominated for eight Laurence Olivier Awards at the 2016 ceremony, winning four, including Best Actress in a Musical (Staunton) and Best Musical Revival, the most awards won by a single production in that year

Louise (Lara Pulver) in “Gypsy” Credit: ©2014 Johan Persson

Gypsy is considered by many to be one of Broadway’s all-time triumphs. It tells the story of ambitious showbiz mother Rose, who treks across the country with her daughters Baby June and Louise in search of success with their homespun vaudeville act. As times change, Rose is forced to accept the demise of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, as well as her daughters’ quest for autonomy.

Baby June (Isla Huggins-Barr) in “Gypsy” Credit: ©2014 Johan Persson

With a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the show was suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical was initially a project of producer David Merrick and actress Ethel Merman (who starred as the original Rose). Merrick had read a chapter of Lee’s memoirs in Harper’s Magazine and approached Lee to obtain the rights. Jerome Robbins was interested, and wanted Leland Hayward as co-producer; (Merman also wanted Hayward to produce her next show.) Merrick and Hayward approached Laurents to write the book. As he relates, Laurents initially was not interested until he saw that the story was one of parents living their children’s lives. Composers Irving Berlin and Cole Porter declined the project. Finally, Robbins asked Stephen Sondheim, who agreed to do it. Sondheim had previously worked with Robbins and Laurents on the musical West Side Story. However, Merman did not want an unknown composer, and wanted Jule Styne to write the music. Although Sondheim initially refused to write only the lyrics, he was persuaded by Oscar Hammerstein to accept the job.

Mazeppa (Louise Gold) in “Gypsy” Credit: ©2014 Johan Persson

The score features songs that have since become show standards, and helped launch the career of Sondheim. “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Some People,” “Let Me Entertain You,” “Together, Wherever We Go” and of course “Rose’s Turn” are among the musical highlights.

Red Carpet Manicure Named Official Nail Sponsor For The 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

Victoria’s Secret Angels Will Walk the Runway with Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Looks by Celebrity Manicurist Elle

Red Carpet Manicure (RCM), global nail leader and the world’s first at-home LED gel manicure system adds another “first” – the brand is proud to announce that they’re the first nail sponsor of the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Paris, France.

RED CARPET MANICURE NAMED OFFICIAL NAIL SPONSOR FOR THE 2016 VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW

Red Carpet Manicure launched September 2011 and is the world’s first at-home professional salon LED light activated gel polish system. With over 100 shades of LED gel polish, RCM offers weeks of wear with its patented formulations. The simple three-step system has won multiple coveted beauty awards and has been worn on the red carpet by stars like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale, Katie Holmes, and more.

The Red Carpet Manicure nail team, led by celebrity manicurist and RCM brand ambassador, Elle, are working closely with the Victoria’s Secret creative team on nail looks to complement the natural beauty of each of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. The RCM nail team is set to include U.S. and U.K. based manicurists, and Elle and her team are planning to create a specially designed look for a section of the show.

“We’re honored to partner with a high-profile, globally-recognized brand like Victoria’s Secret. The iconic show has featured the most world-renowned supermodels year after year – including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Lily Aldridge to name a few – it’s the show to be part of,” said Barry Shields, Managing Partner of Red Carpet Manicure, adding, “nails are the ultimate accessory and form of self-expression – we can’t wait to see how our memorable nail looks will complement the always gorgeous Victoria’s Secret runway designs.”

The 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will be held in Paris, France and will air only on CBS on December 5th at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST.

For more information on new and existing product, visit www.redcarpetmanicure.com.

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“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” Heads To Paris For The First Time, For Broadcast Monday, Dec. 5 On CBS

For the first time, the Victoria’s Secret Angels will be filmed in Paris for THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW, yearly seen in more than 190 countries, to be broadcast Monday, Dec. 5 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. 

“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” Heads To Paris For The First Time, For Broadcast Monday, Dec. 5 On CBS (Angel Elsa Hosk) 

Merging fashion, fantasy and entertainment, the lingerie runway show will include pink carpet interviews, model profiles, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show in the City of Lights, and musical performances that will be announced at a later date.

The all-star line-up of Victoria’s Secret Angels will include returning favorites Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell, Taylor Hill, as well as new faces.

THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW is being produced by Done and Dusted, inc. Edward G. Razek, Monica Mitro, Ian Stewart and Hamish Hamilton are the executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is the director.

National Geographic Launches First Hosted Digital Video Series

“Ingredients,” with Host George Zaidan, Launches on National Geographic’s YouTube Channel and on NationalGeographic.com

National Geographic is bringing its 128 years of science, adventure and exploration to its first hosted digital video series, “Ingredients, The Stuff Inside Your Stuff,” premiering today on YouTube and on NationalGeographic.com.

Join MIT-trained chemist and science-educator George Zaidan (@GeorgeZaidan), co-host of CNBC’s “Make Me a Millionaire Inventor,” as he tries to recreate everyday household products like toothpaste, lipstick and shaving cream using only natural ingredients… and no recipe. In each episode, George will decode long lists of intimidating chemical names, figure out what they all do, try and find natural substitutes and cook up the do-it-yourself versions in his chemistry lab/kitchen. While George may or may not succeed, we’ll all learn something new and surprising about the products we take for granted every day. For more information on the series by executive producer Danielle Steinberg, visit natgeo.com/ingredients or follow National Geographic on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

“In this series, I take viewers on a journey to discover the magic behind some of our society’s most common and widely used products,” said Zaidan. “I want to understand why there are so many different ‘things’ in some of the most basic products many of us use every day, what they all do and how complicated (or in some cases, straightforward) it is to make natural consumer products in my kitchen. We’ll all learn together. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s science.”

Episodes Include:

• Toothpaste on Sept. 15: Ancient toothpaste used stuff like rocks and bones — and modern toothpaste isn’t all that different.
• Lipstick on Sept. 22: From ground-up bugs to rust, there might be some unexpected ingredients in your lipstick.
• Shaving Cream on Sept. 29: What gives shaving cream all that lathery goodness?
• Nail Polish on Oct. 6: Nail polish has a ton of ingredients. Here’s why.
• Gum Base on Oct. 13: What makes gum stay chewy for so long?
• Air Freshener on Oct. 20: Do air fresheners really purify the air? Kind of…
• Peanut Butter on Oct. 27: Crunchy vs. creamy, runny vs. solid… there’s more to peanut butter than peanuts and salt.
• Conditioner on Nov. 3: Conditioner — it makes your hair silky smooth and it’s a lot like… fat.
• Hand Sanitizer on Nov. 10: There’s more to hand sanitizer than just alcohol.
• Dry-Erase Markers on Nov. 17: What makes a dry-erase marker erasable?
• Gum Sweetener on Nov. 24: How can sugar-free gum taste sweet?

“This series offers a better understanding not just of the products themselves, but of how our world is constructed for us from afar,” said James Williams (@burningtoast), Vice President Of Digital Video for National Geographic. “We often take for granted the science behind ordinary life, but it’s fascinating when you start peeling back the layers. You’ll never look at these products the same way again, and you’ll likely appreciate them even more.”

George Zaidan is the co-host of CNBC’s new hit TV series, “Make Me a Millionaire Inventor.” He co-writes and directs MIT’s webseries “Science Out Loud.” He has also developed, written and hosted shows for TED-Ed, The Weather Channel and The Pentagon Channel. His work has been featured in Forbes, The Boston Globe, NPR’s The Salt, NBC’s Cosmic Log, Science, Business Insider and Gizmodo. Zaidan holds an S.B. in chemistry from MIT, where he won the F.D. Greene Teaching Award. He is a New Media Consortium Emerging Leader and Khan Academy Talent Search Winner. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Education and a member of the American Chemical Society. He is an avid rock climber, former single-digit-handicap golfer, beginning tennis player and recreational cook.

National Geographic Partners LLC, a joint venture between National Geographic Society and 21^st Century Fox, combines National Geographic television channels with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic Studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, catalog, licensing and e-commerce businesses. A portion of the proceeds from National Geographic Partners LLC will be used to fund science, exploration, conservation and education through significant ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

The Food Channel’s Worst Cooks In America: Celebrity Edition Returns

Anne Burrell And Rachael Ray Whip Brand-New Roster Of Cooking-Challenged Stars Into Culinary Shape.

Eight-Episode Special Series Premieres Wednesday, September 14th at 9pm

Mentors Rachael Ray and Anne Burrell with the contestants on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition – (left to right) Kenya Moore, John Henson, Barbara Eden, Loni Love, Anne Burrell, Rachael Ray, Tommy Davidson, Mindy Cohn, Matt Dallas, Nicole Sullivan, and Mike Sorrentino as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition is back for a second helping with food masters Anne Burrell and Rachael Ray each leading a team of celebrity cooking disasters through an intense culinary boot camp where the most improved cook wins $50,000 for their charity, as well as bragging rights for their team leader. The celebrity recruits are: Mindy Cohn, Matt Dallas, Tommy Davidson, Barbara Eden, John Henson, Loni Love, Kenya Moore, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Nicole Sullivan. (Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition is produced by Optomen Productions LLC, an All3 Media Company.)

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition premieres Wednesday, September 14^th at 9pm (all times ET/PT) and the winner is named during the season finale on Wednesday, November 2^nd at 9pm.

Contestant Barbara Eden as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant John Henson as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Kenya Moore as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Loni Love as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Matt Dallas as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Mindy Cohn as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Nicole Sullivan as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

Contestant Tommy Davidson as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, Season 9.

In the first episode, Burrell and Ray assess the skill of the recruits by having each celebrity cook a dish using some unique ingredients from Hollywood gift swag bags. Then, the recruits are taught to prepare a post-party simple steak and eggs dish, which proves to be much harder than expected for these clueless cooks. After each mentor pick teams, one celebrity is sent back to Tinsel Town and the recruits learn that boot camp is no walk down the red carpet. Upcoming episodes feature Oktoberfest-themed beer and sausage challenges, a Halloween Bloody Mary battle and the return of trivia game Family Food. Guests include last season’s Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition winner Jenni “Jwoww” Farley and runner-up Kendra Wilkinson, television personality Sara Gore and Cooking Channel’s Laura Vitale.

Mentors Rachael Ray and Anne Burrell pose, as seen on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America, Season 9.

“With Anne and Rachael at the helm of this star-studded cooking boot camp, the competition is fierce and the laughs are non-stop,” said Didi O’Hearn, Senior Vice President, Programming, Food Network & Cooking Channel. “The celebrities enter as comical kitchen disasters, and watching them gain culinary confidence is entertaining and ultimately inspiring.”

Viewers can watch hilarious exclusive video starring the celebs, see highlights, get culinary tips, vote for their favorite recruits and more at www.FoodNetwork.com/WorstCooks.

 

 

Amazon Prime Video Is now the Exclusive Premium Subscription Streaming Home for Family-Favorite PBS KIDS Series

Multi-year agreement includes Prime member favorites such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Odd Squad, Dinosaur Trainand more, plus new-to-Prime series including Nature Cat and Ready Jet Go!
PBS KIDS titles are available for Prime members to watch via the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices or online; in addition to streaming, Prime members can also download PBS KIDS series on iPads, iPhones, Android phones and tablets and Fire tablets for offline viewing

Multi-year agreement includes Prime member favorites such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Odd Squad, Dinosaur Train and more, plus new-to-Prime series including Nature Cat and Ready Jet Go!

Amazon and PBS Distribution today announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement that makes Amazon Prime Video the exclusive premium subscription streaming home for a broad collection of PBS KIDS series. Prime members in the U.S. can watch PBS KIDS episodes via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online at www.amazon.com/primevideo. In addition to streaming, all episodes are also available to download for offline viewing on iPads, iPhones, Android phones and tablets and Fire tablets at no additional cost—meaning Prime members can enjoy PBS KIDS titles even when they don’t have an internet connection available. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

“We are excited to announce this new deal with PBS, which will make Prime Video the exclusive premium subscription home for the great PBS KIDS series that our customers and their kids love,” said Brad Beale, Vice President of Worldwide Television Acquisition for Amazon. “From our award-winning Amazon Original Series to amazing licensed content from industry leaders like PBS KIDS, we’re committed to making Prime Video the best destination for kids and family programming that will both educate and entertain.” 

“We are very pleased to be continuing our relationship with Amazon, increasing Prime Video members’ access to our trusted, educational programming,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Children’s Media & Education, PBS. “PBS KIDS shows have been developed with the needs of today’s children in mind and focus on fundamental academic areas such as literacy, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), in addition to collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity.”

Prime members can explore a variety of PBS KIDS content, including series that support social-emotional development and literacy skills, as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. The benefits of PBS KIDS series include:    

— Developing early social-emotional skills with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Arthur
— Opening new natural history and science worlds with Dinosaur Train, Wild Kratts, Nature Cat and Ready Jet Go!1
— Inspiring curiosity in mathematics with Odd Squad and Peg + Cat
— Enriching vocabulary and developing early literacy skills with Martha Speaks and WordGirl

Programs will premiere on PBS stations and then will be made available in Amazon Prime Video after a period of time. In addition to Prime Video, PBS KIDS titles will also be available with Amazon FreeTime Unlimited—a subscription service designed from the ground up for kids and their parents.

1 Ready Jet Go! will be available on Prime Video starting August 15, 2016

About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

— Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV episodes, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, kids series Tumble Leaf, and Love & Friendship, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership
— Add-on Subscriptions: Dozens of subscriptions to networks like SHOWTIME, STARZ and more, available to Amazon Prime members as add-ons to their membership
— Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
— Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
— Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing

To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: http://www.amazon.com/prime.

Rebranded C. Wonder Debuts An Exclusive Collection For QVC Scheduled March 3

QVC just got a little more wonderful. C. Wonder, owned by Xcel Brands, Inc., is scheduled to launch on Thursday, March 3 at 11AM (ET) with an exclusive collection created especially for QVC. The line features a collection of beautiful, spirited women’s clothing, accessories and jewelry designed to transport shoppers to a place they’ve never been. Lifestyle expert, fashion stylist to the stars and panelist on the E! hit show Fashion Police, Brad Goreski lends his expertise as Creative Director for the brand.

Founded in 2011, C. Wonder was initially imagined as a retail store that offered a magical customer experience with a selection of new and unexpected products that would surprise and delight anyone who walked inside.

Brad Goreski, Creative Director of QVC’s exclusive C. Wonder collection launching on March 3. (PRNewsFoto/QVC, Inc.)

The C. Wonder collection, which is inspired by the exploration of global travel, possesses a sophisticated preppy-chic aesthetic embodied with a modern worldly spirit. Ranging in price from $26 to $236, the line of classic pieces with a fresh spin includes a variety of apparel, bags, belts, shoes, scarves and jewelry – all of which feature luxurious details such as tassels, bright colors, bohemian prints and patterns and more.

“C. Wonder was celebrated for its design aesthetic of easy and covetable on-trend pieces that are iconic yet fashionable,” said Rachel Ungaro, Vice President, Fashion and Beauty Merchandising, QVC. “We are excited to bring this beloved brand to QVC and provide shoppers with an opportunity to discover C. Wonder. Brad’s fashion and lifestyle expertise will shine through as he showcases the collection and shares styling tips on how to incorporate the products into an everyday wardrobe.”

As C. Wonder arrives on QVC, the brand mirrors the excitement and whimsy of the store experience, while offering amazing products at great prices.

“I can’t wait to share my fashion knowledge and bring this renowned brand to QVC,” said Goreski. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase a new C. Wonder collection to loyal customers, while introducing the beautiful product to those new to the brand.”

Tune in to “C. Wonder – Fashion & Accessories” on March 3 at 11AM (ET) for a firsthand look at the collection as Brad offers styling tips and tricks. Beginning March 3, the full collection is scheduled to be available through QVC.com, the QVC apps or by calling 800.345.1515 FREE, while supplies last.

QVC, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation , is the world’s leading video and ecommerce retailer. The company is committed to providing its customers with thousands of the most innovative and contemporary beauty, fashion, jewelry and home products. Its programming is distributed to approximately 340 million homes worldwide through operations in the U.S., Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France and a joint venture in China. Based in West Chester, Pa. and founded in 1986, the company’s website,QVC.com, is ranked among the top general merchant Internet sites. 

(QVC, Q, and the Q Ribbon Logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.)

Hamilton’s America: PBS’s Great Performances to Air Behind-The-Scene’s Documentary on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway Blockbuster Hit, Hamilton

A Behind-the-Scenes Look At Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway Musical Hamilton Coming to GREAT PERFORMANCES in Fall 2016 as Part of PBS Arts

Produced by Radical Media, The Performance Documentary Features Scenes From “Hamilton” And Interviews With Key Thinkers And Artists

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger announced at the recent Television Critics Association Press Tour that it will air HAMILTON’S AMERICA, a feature film documentary providing intimate access to Lin-Manuel Miranda and his colleagues during the two years leading up to the Broadway opening of the blockbuster hit musical Hamilton. A contemporary perspective of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s revolutionary musical based on the life of United States Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, HAMILTON’S AMERICA will come to GREAT PERFORMANCES in the fall 2016, and will be a highlight of PBS’s Arts programming.

Hamilton The Musical Official Broadway Poster

Hamilton was a poor immigrant who built himself up from nothing to become the architect of modern finance and one of the nation’s most vital authors, but his story was cut short by scandal and untimely tragedy. He was killed in a duel by Vice President Aaron Burr, and his contributions to modern society have largely been forgotten by today’s general public.

Today, Hamilton’s fan club is vocal and growing, and at the center of it is Tony®, Grammy® and Emmy®-winning composer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Screenshot from Hamilton! The musical

Hamilton opened on Broadway on August 6, 2015 to rave reviews and unprecedented advance ticket sales. The show is redefining how audiences learn about history–a history rife with issues as relevant today as they were during Hamilton’s era.

Based on Ron Chernow’s biography, Hamilton has book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is directed by Thomas Kail, choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with musical direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.

HAMILTON’S AMERICA is being produced by Academy Award® and Emmy®-Winning producers Radical Media (What Happened Miss Simone?, Keith Richards:Under The Influence, In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams for PBS).  The documentary combines interviews with experts and prominent personalities, new footage of the production in New York, and cast-led expeditions to DC, Philadelphia and New York.  Audiences will sit with Miranda as he composes songs in Aaron Burr’s Manhattan bedroom. They’ll take a trip to Virginia with Chris Jackson – the African-American actor who portrays George Washington – and watch him place a wreath on Washington’s grave, as he discusses the difficulty of grappling with our founders’ legacy of slavery.  Back in New York, Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr. – who plays Aaron Burr – visit the Museum of American Finance to get their hands on some 19th-century dueling pistols and stage a quick re-enactment.

“PBS is thrilled to give viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at this sensational—and sold out—Broadway musical,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS.  “With this level of access to Lin-Manuel Miranda and his team, PBS continues to live up to our mission of giving viewers a backstage pass and a front row seat to the arts.” 

“Since we presented ‘In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams’ in 2009, we’ve been taken by Lin-Manuel’s unique talents and we’re honored to collaborate with him again on ‘Hamilton’s America’,” said David Horn, Executive Producer, “Great Performances.”  “The film will offer audiences a fascinating point of view as we witness first-hand Lin’s inspiration and creative process, as well as the lasting impact of Alexander Hamilton on our society today.”

“On behalf of the entire Hamilton cast and creative team, many of whom are In The Heights alumni, we are overjoyed to be returning to PBS in partnership with RadicalMedia with this project,” said Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator, writer and star of Hamilton.  “We invited filmmaker Alex Horwitz into ‘the room where it happened’ a few years ago, and he’s captured parts of this journey no one has seen.  We can’t wait to share it, thanks to PBS.”

Produced by Radical Media in association with Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET and PBS, HAMILTON’S AMERICA is directed by Alex Horwitz and produced by Nicole Pusateri, with Jon Kamen, Justin Wilkes, Dave Sirulnick, Jeffrey Seller and Lin-Manuel Miranda as executive producers. For GREAT PERFORMANCES, Bill O’Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer.

GREAT PERFORMANCES is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Rosalind P. Walter, The Agnes Varis Trust, The Starr Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, the Lenore Hecht Foundation, and PBS. 

Visit Great Performances Online at www.pbs.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs.

Long Island University Announces 67th Annual George Polk Awards In Journalism

Coverage of Heroin Addiction, Human Rights, and Sexual Assault Among 17 Winners in 16 Categories

On February 14^th, Long Island University (LIU) announced the winners of the 67th annual George Polk Awards in Journalism, honoring reporters who advanced vital national conversations on race and gender relations with their masterful investigative reporting in 2015. The George Polk Awards are conferred annually to honor special achievement in journalism. The awards place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results. They were established in 1949 by Long Island University to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war.

The winners of this year’s George Polk Awards reported on such momentous stories as the deadly use of force by police, the re-segregation of America’s public schools, and the difficulties women face in pursuing accusations of rape, subjects that made headlines across the country this past year. 

Other winners among the 17 awards in 16 categories showed how companies sidestep class action suits by consumers and how foreign workers inAsia are brutally conscripted to work in the seafood industry on ships and on a remote island.

Reporting by the recipients also upended claims from a new, heavily invested company about an innovative blood test, exposed a drug lab’s profiteering from deceptive marketing of dubious pain creams and highlighted the agonizing situation of heroin addicts denied access to a proven treatment. Still other winners documented little control or accountability in a celebrated American military unit and snapped front-line photos of damage done to an Afghani hospital by a U.S. airstrike.

Winners of the 2015 awards will be honored at a luncheon ceremony at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan on Friday, April 8. The journalist and author Charlayne Hunter-Gault, who will read the award citations, will also moderate this year’s David J. Steinberg Seminar of the George Polk Awards, “Reporting on Race in America,” Thursday evening, April 7 at LIU Brooklyn’s Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts. She will be joined by three 2015 George Polk laureates, Wesley Lowery, national reporter for The Washington Post covering law enforcement, justice, race and politics; Nikole Hannah-Jones, a reporter specializing in education who won the award for a report on “This American Life” and is now on the staff of The New York Times magazine, and Jamie Kalven, writer and human rights activist who has reported extensively on police abuses in Chicago. The seminar, which starts at 6:30, is free and open to the public.

“We received a record 580 nominations from news organizations,” said John Darnton, curator of the George Polk Awards. “Many were about police killings and police misconduct across the board.” Darnton also noted, “Another striking element common to several of the winners was that the story they came up with was not the one they set out to find. A reporter following up on the death of a man in police custody in Baltimore is diverted to an investigation of ‘structured settlements.’ Another trying to discern why heroin addiction is so prevalent in a small town in Kentucky winds up with a national story about how addicts are denied effective treatment. And a TV producer checking back on a pharmacy scandal tied to unsafe injections stumbles on another involving fraudulent profiteering. These awards speak well of journalists who ply their craft with open eyes — and open minds.“

Below are the winners of the 2015 George Polk Awards:

The award for Foreign Reporting will be shared by a team of four reporters from the Associated Press,Margie Mason, Robin McDowell, Martha Mendoza and Esther Htusan, for a series on the Thai fishing industry, “Seafood from Slaves,” and Ian Urbina of The New York Times for “The Outlaw Ocean,” a six-part series that portrayed a largely unchecked pattern of lawlessness on the high seas.

The AP reporters documented the plight of impoverished men from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailandlured into captivity, locked in cages, beaten, and forced to perform dangerous work with little sleep to catch and process seafood destined for U.S. consumers and their pets. They found the graves of some workers who did not survive, buried on a remote island under false names. As a result of the AP reporting, more than 2,000 captives were released, ships were seized, and businesses closed, American companies faced calls to cease selling slave-tainted seafood, and authorities in Washington, at the United Nations, and across Asia began seeking new ways to confront and control the abuses. 

During the year and a half reporting the stories, Urbina traveled through Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, much of that time spent on fishing ships, chronicling a diversity of crimes offshore, including murder of stowaways, intentional dumping, illegal fishing, stealing of ships, stranding of crews, and murder with impunity. Talking his way onto fishing ships at considerable risk, he also related firsthand stories of the plight of indentured Cambodian boys, a deckhand shackled by the neck, and Filipinos living in squalor who endured beatings, lost fingers to infection, and were forced to swallow amphetamines to work longer hours. Urbina secured and investigated a video of four men shot to death at sea before dozens of witnesses, including some who then celebrated and posed on camera. The reporting also took readers aboard a ship operated by environmental activists in the culmination of a 10,000-mile chase leading to the sinking of a notorious pirate trawler that had eluded Interpol and other authorities for a decade. The series spurred Congressional hearings and testimony, class-action litigation against the seafood industry, and, abroad, a criminal investigation and convictions. 

The award for National Reporting will go to The Washington Post for an exhaustive study of killings by police officers. The project found that 990 people were shot and killed by on-duty police officers in the U.S. in 2015 and also produced a trove of original data. After discovering that FBI statistics on deaths at police hands were unreliable and incomplete, the Post assigned staffers from across the newsroom to compile and analyze their own list. Post reporters found that most of those who died were armed white men shot under threatening and sometimes heroic circumstances, but also uncovered some troubling indicators. A quarter of those killed were suicidal or had a history of mental illness, more than 50 of the officers had killed before and while only 9% were not armed, unarmed black men were seven times more likely to die at police hands than unarmed whites.

Jamie Kalven of Invisible Institute will be honored with the award for Local Reporting for “Sixteen Shots,” published online by Slate Magazine last February. Operating on a tip about the October 2014 police shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, Kalven located a witness who said McDonald was not lunging at them with a knife as Chicago police reported but “shying away” and that an officer repeatedly fired into his immobilized body. After learning from a source close to the medical examiner’s office that McDonald had been shot 16 times, Kalven obtained the boy’s autopsy report and pressed for release of a video of the incident. “An autopsy tells a story,” his 2,000-word story began, concluding with great prescience: “The McDonald footage will come out, but a great deal turns on how it comes out… If the city resists releasing the video until legally compelled to do so, outrage at what it depicts will be compounded by outrage that the city knew its contents (and the autopsy results) in the immediate aftermath of the incident yet withheld that information from the public. The fate of Laquan McDonald — a citizen of Chicago so marginalized he was all but invisible until the moment of his death — has thus become entwined with that of Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel. It presents his administration with a defining moment.”

2016 SAG Awards: ‘Spotlight’, DiCaprio, Larson Take Top Film Honors. Now On to The Oscars

Last night, the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® honored outstanding performances from 2015 in film and television, including the distinctive ensemble awards. The coveted Actor® statuettes was handed out at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center during a live simulcast on TNT and TBS.

Art Photo Credit ©- 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2015 SAG Life Achievement Award to Carol Burnett. The comedic trailblazer, actor, singer, dancer, producer and author received the SAG 52nd Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. It is presented annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession.” The SAG Life Achievement Award joined Burnett’s record of preeminent industry honors, which includes a Peabody Award, the Television Critics Association’s Career Achievement Award, multiple Emmy Awards®, five Golden Globe Awards, five American Comedy Awards, 12 People’s Choice Awards, an Ace Award, a Horatio Alger Award, both Crystal and Lucy Awards from Women in Film, the TV Land Legend Award, the Jimmy Stewart Museum’s Harvey Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a special Tony®, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and both a Kennedy Center Honor and its Mark Twain Prize for Humor.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Honoree Carol Burnett poses in the press room during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_015 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner)

Previous SAG Life Achievement recipients include Debbie Reynolds, Rita Moreno, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Ernest Borgnine, Betty White, James Earl Jones, Charles Durning, Julie Andrews, Shirley Temple Black, James Garner, Karl Malden, Clint Eastwood, Edward Asner, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Elizabeth Taylor, Angela Lansbury, Robert Redford and George Burns, among others. A complete list of the 51 previous Life Achievement Award recipients can be found at www.sagawards.org.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, winner of the Male Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘The Revenant’ poses in the press room during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_015 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner)

HERE’S THE COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films)

Cast: BILLY CRUDUP / Eric MacLeish; BRIAN D’ARCY JAMES / Matty Carroll; MICHAEL KEATON / Walter “Robby” Robinson; RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer; MARK RUFFALO / Michael Rezendes; LIEV SCHREIBER / Marty Baron; JOHN SLATTERY / Ben Bradlee, Jr. and STANLEY TUCCI / Mitchell Garabedian

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: (L-R) Actors Billy Crudup, John Slattery, Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d’Arcy James and Rachel McAdams accept the Cast in a Motion Picture award for ‘Spotlight’ onstage during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_021 (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox)

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actress Brie Larson accepts the Female Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘Room’ onstage during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_021 (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series”: DOWNTON ABBEY (Masterpiece/PBS)

Cast: HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham; LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley; JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson; RAQUEL CASSIDY / Baxter; BRENDAN COYLE / Mr. Bates; TOM CULLEN / Anthony Gillingham; MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley; KEVIN DOYLE / Mr. Molesley; JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna Bates; LILY JAMES / Lady Rose; ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas Barrow; ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson; PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes; ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham; SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy; LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore; JULIAN OVENDEN / Charles Blake; DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson; MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham and PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actor Kevin Spacey, winner of the Male Actor in a Drama Series award for ‘House of Cards’ poses in the press room during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_015 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actress Viola Davis, winner of the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for “How to Get Away with Murder,” poses backstage at the The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_014 (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Turner)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: IDRIS ELBA / DCI John Luther – “LUTHER” (BBC America)

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actress Queen Latifah, winner of the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries award for ‘Bessie,’ poses in the press room during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_015 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: QUEEN LATIFAH / Bessie Smith – “BESSIE” (HBO)

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actor Idris Elba, winner of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for ‘Beasts of No Nation,’ and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for ‘Luther,’ poses in the press room during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_015 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner)

THIRTEEN’s Nature Exposes the Sly Tricks of Natural Born Hustlers

When it comes to the most important goals in the animal kingdom, learning how to survive and raising the next generation are right at the top of the list. This may seem clear cut, but the lengths to which some animals go to achieve these objectives can often be downright devious. To illustrate the point, we see a shady squirrel, double-crossing cuttlefish, a conniving orchid mantis and a deceitful bird called a drongo use mimicry, disguise, and trickery to get what they want. Throughout the episodes, scientists studying animal con artists pull back the curtain on their deceptions, using their latest research to demonstrate how each of them hustles their mark.

Picture Shows: Mmamoriri the Bearded Lioness. Scientists believe because Mmamoriri the bearded lioness mimics a male, that other rivals believe there are more lions in the pride, than there actually are. © BBC/Chadden Hunter

This three-part series reveals the modus operandi of some of nature’s greatest animal con artists as they outwit predators, line up their next meal, and get the girl. Natural Born Hustlers airs Wednesday, January 13, 20 & 27, 2016 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). After each broadcast, the episode will be available for online streaming at www.pbs.org/nature.

Picture Shows: Cuttlefish ingeniously transform their entire bodies to match their surroundings, nature’s answer to an invisibility cloak. © Richard Whitcomb/Shutterstock

The first episode, Staying Alive, offers stories about unusual survival techniques. Cuttlefish, for example, elude their many predators with a kind of invisibility cloak. They completely transform themselves to match the colors and patterns of their surroundings. But what is truly remarkable is that they do this despite being color-blind. The secret to how they do it is hidden in their skin, which can sense and possibly even “see” color using a protein usually found only in eyes. And these great illusionists have another trick that no other animal can do. Their skin can also morph from a flat surface to a three dimensional one in order to complete the camouflage. Other ruses revealed include: why burrowing owls, who live underground, mimic the sounds of rattlesnakes; how imitation may not just be the sincerest form of flattery, it can also save your life; and what deception the regal horned lizard employs as a last resort to keep a menacing coachwhip snake at bay.

Picture Shows: Drongo. The Drongo is the ultimate animal hustler, tricking many different animals with confidence tricks to cheat them out of a meal. © BBC/Victoria Buckley

The duplicitous ways in which animals try to secure their next meal is the subject of the second episode, The Hunger Hustle. Singled out is the devious drongo, a South African bird. In winter, he has to rely on grubs and insects that live underground, but other animals are far better equipped to dig them up, so the drongo devises a con. He serves as lookout while vulnerable social weaver birds are on the ground digging up food. If a predator is spotted, he sends out an alarm call and the weavers head for safety until they get an all clear call from him. But the drongo also issues fake alarm calls, allowing him to eat food the weavers have dug up before issuing an all clear to return.

Looking just like a flower, orchid mantises use aggressive mimicry to lure in their prey; in fact, they are even more attractive to insects than flowers themselves. © Sebastian Janicki/Shutterstock

Among other segments: the orchid mantis, which attracts insects by mimicking a flower and why it is even more successful than the real thing; how killer whales use sound to manipulate the behavior of herring to their advantage; and how and why gray squirrels practice sleight of hand to protect the nuts they’ve gathered to get them through the winter.

Television: New Staging of Verdi’s Masterpiece Otello Debuts On Great Performances at the Met Sunday, February 21 at 12 p.m. on PBS

Conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Directed by Bartlett Sher, Aleksandrs Antonenko, One Of The World’s Leading Interpreters of Otello, Sings His First Met Performances Of The Role, Opposite Sonya Yoncheva as Desdemona and Željko Lučić as the Villainous Iago

Verdi’s late masterpiece based on Shakespeare’s tragic drama of jealousy and deceit, Otello, airs on THIRTEEN’S Great Performances at the Met Sunday, February 21 at 12 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.) (In New York, THIRTEEN will air the opera at 12:30 p.m.)

Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher‘s acclaimed new production is led by dynamic conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin with Aleksandrs Antonenko in his first Met performance as the tormented Moor of Venice, with Sonya Yoncheva in her role debut as his innocent wife, Desdemona. Bass-baritone Eric Owens hosts the broadcast.

Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role Željko Lučić as Iago in Verdi’s “Otello”. Photographed by Ken Howard/ Metropolitan Opera

Also featuring Željko Lučić as Otello’s sinister rival, Iago, Dimitri Pittas as Cassio, and Günther Groissböck as Lodovico, this staging also marks the Met debut of set designer Es Devlin, whose previous designs include the 2014 revival of Machinal on Broadway and numerous opera productions for Covent Garden, La Scala, and other leading companies.

Otello was originally seen live in movie theaters on October 17, 2015 as part of the groundbreaking The Met: Live in HD series, which transmits live performances to more than 2,000 movie theaters and performing arts centers in over 70 countries around the world. The Live in HD series has reached a record-breaking 18 million viewers since its inception in 2006.

Sonya Yoncheva as Desdemona and Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role of Verdi’s “Otello”. Photographed by Ken Howard/ Metropolitan Opera

Often cited as Italian opera’s greatest tragedy, Otello is a miraculous union of music and drama, a masterpiece as profound philosophically as it is thrilling theatrically. Shakespeare’s tale of an outsider, a great hero who can’t control his jealousy, was carefully molded by the librettist Arrigo Boito into a taut and powerful opera text. Otello almost wasn’t written: following the success of Aida and his setting of the Requiem mass in the early 1870s, Verdi considered himself retired, and it took Boito and publisher Giulio Ricordi several years to persuade him to take on a major new work.

ACT I

Cyprus, late 19th century. During a violent storm, the people of Cyprus await the return of their governor and general of the Venetian fleet, the Moor Otello. He has been fighting the Muslim Turks and guides his victorious navy to safe harbor. In his absence, the young Venetian Roderigo has arrived in Cyprus and fallen in love with Otello’s new wife, Desdemona. Otello’s ensign Iago, who secretly hates the governor for promoting the officer Cassio over him, promises Roderigo to help win her. While the citizens celebrate their governor’s return, Iago launches his plan to ruin Otello. Knowing that Cassio gets drunk easily, Iago proposes a toast. Cassio declines to drink, but abandons his scruples when Iago salutes Desdemona, who is a favorite of the people. Iago then goads Roderigo into provoking a fight with Cassio, who is now fully drunk. Montano, the former governor, tries to separate the two, and Cassio attacks him as well. Otello appears to restore order, furious about his soldiers’ behavior. When he realizes that Desdemona has also been disturbed by the commotion, he takes away Cassio’s recent promotion and dismisses everyone. Otello and Desdemona reaffirm their love.

Günther Groissböck as Lodovico in Verdi’s Otello. Photo by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.

ACT II

Iago advises Cassio to present his case to Desdemona, arguing that her influence on Otello will secure his rehabilitation. Alone, Iago reveals his bleak, nihilistic view of humankind. He makes dismissive remarks about Desdemona’s fidelity to Otello, whose jealousy is easily aroused. Otello’s suspicious are raised when Desdemona appears and appeals to him on Cassio’s behalf. Otello evasively complains of a headache, and Desdemona offers him a handkerchief, which he tosses to the ground. Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s maidservant, retrieves it, and Iago seizes the handkerchief from her. Left alone with Otello, Iago fans the flames of the governor’s suspicions by inventing a story of how Cassio had spoken of Desdemona in his sleep, and how he saw her handkerchief in Cassio’s hand. Seething with jealousy, Otello is now convinced that his wife is unfaithful. The two men join in an oath to punish Cassio and Desdemona.

THIRTEEN’s Nature, Raising the Dinosaur Giant, Hosted by Sir David Attenborough, Unearths a New Species in Patagonia, Wednesday, February 17, 2016, on PBS

Paleontologists Believe They Have Discovered The Largest Known Dinosaur And Reconstruct Its Skeleton Model

A few years ago in the Argentinean desert, a shepherd was searching for one of his lost sheep when he spotted the tip of a gigantic fossil bone sticking out of a rock. When the news reached paleontologists at the MEF Museum in Trelew, Argentina, they set up camp at the discovery site to examine it and look for more bones. By the end of the dig, they had uncovered more than 200 other huge bones. As the program reveals, these fossils came from seven dinosaurs, all belonging to a new species of giant plant-eating titanosaur whose name will be announced soon.

Sir David Attenborough with a new giant titanosaur find – a thigh bone (femur) fossil. Paleontology Museum, Trelew, Argentina February 2015. © Robin Cox

“When we learned that early signs at the dig site suggested this new species was the largest land animal ever known and experts were discovering such valuable information about the life of such giants millions of years ago, we were keenly interested,” says Fred Kaufman, executive producer of Nature.

Nature pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry. Throughout its history, Nature has brought the natural world to millions of viewers and has been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television.

Dig site of a new giant titanosaur find at La Fletcha Farm. Dig team from the Paleontology Museum in Trelew, Chubut Province, Argentina. Over 200 fossil bones found. April 2015. © William Hicklin

Sir David Attenborough, the film’s host and narrator, takes us through the twists and turns of the forensic investigation to find out more about this new animal. He talks to paleontologists studying the fossils, along with comparative anatomy experts, and with the help of 3D scanning, CGI visuals and animation, looks at what the bones reveal about the lives of these dinosaurs. He’s on location at the dig site and in the MEF Museum labs in Trelew, and present when a life-size skeleton of the dinosaur, built by a Canadian and Argentinean team of model makers, is completed. Raising the Dinosaur Giant airs Wednesday, February 17, 2016, at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). After the broadcast, the episode will be available for online streaming at pbs.org/nature.

A new giant titanosaur find – a whole reconstructed skeleton. Paleontology Museum, Trelew, Argentina February 2015. © Robin Cox

As Attenborough explains, dinosaurs roamed what is now the rocky desert of Patagonia during the Cretaceous Period, around 145 to 66 million years ago. The largest of these were plant-eaters known as titanosaurs. Among the fossils unearthed during the two-year excavation were bones from the giant’s front and back legs, which are vital in determining its body mass or weight, and those from its spine, which helped establish its identity. Dr. Diego Pol, chief paleontologist on the project, was pleased that the femur (or thigh bone), found by the shepherd, was well-preserved because it was of great value to the scientific study. At 2.6 yards in length, it also turned out to be the largest dinosaur bone ever discovered. To protect the fossils, weighing more than half a ton or so, on their journey to the museum lab, the team had to apply plaster casts on each limb. A road was even built to transport them.

Sir David Attenborough with a new giant titanosaur find – a thigh bone (femur) fossil. Paleontology Museum, Trelew, Argentina February 2015. © Robin Cox

According to Attenborough, scientists dated these fossils to precisely 101.6 million years old by examining the ash deposits in the rock layers surrounding them. He shares the team’s discoveries gleaned from meticulous forensic work and makes comparisons to the biology of living creatures. Among some early findings are that the giants are thought to have eaten plants such as fern, cycads and conifers without chewing them; it’s estimated that its heart weighed just over 500 pounds to pump blood around its massive body and is thought to have had four chambers; and this largest titanosaur measured 121 feet from head to tail and weighed just over 77 tons.

The film also follows Attenborough as he visits the largest known dinosaur nesting ground 500 miles north of the Patagonian dig site, where the remains of their eggshells can be seen scattered for miles. He discloses that hundreds of buried titanosaur eggs, originally laid on an old river plain, have also been found intact. The unhatched ones were preserved in mud when the river flooded, providing clues to what a baby titanosaur may have looked like.

Dr. Jose Luis Carballido (right) and Dr. Diego Pol (left) measure the femur bone of a new giant titanosaur find at the dig site on La Fletcha Farm near Trelew, Chubut Province, Argentina, April 2015. © William Hicklin

“Like so many people, young and old, I am fascinated by dinosaurs,” says Attenborough. The subsequent confirmation from Dr. Pol that they believe they had discovered the largest dinosaur ever known was like icing on the cake. But the research continues as the fossils contain many secrets yet to be revealed.

THIRTEEN’s ‘American Masters’ Presents the World Premiere of the New Documentary ‘Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl’ March 4 on PBS

Bio-Doc Features Never-Before-Seen Performances And New Interviews With Lynn, Jack White, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Sissy Spacek and Others

“You either have to be first, best or different.“ – Loretta Lynn

Inducted into more music Halls of Fame than any female recording artist to date, Loretta Lynn (b. April 14, 1932) has earned four Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and sold more than 45 million records worldwide. Still going strong after more than 50 years, “The Queen of Country Music” is now the subject of the new documentary American Masters – Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl, premiering Friday, March 4 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) during Women’s History Month as part of the 30^th anniversary season of THIRTEEN‘s American Masters series. The world premiere broadcast is the same day as the release of Lynn’s first new studio album in over 10 years, Full Circle (Legacy Recordings).

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“You couldn’t make up a better example of the American Dream than Loretta Lynn’s astonishing rags-to-riches story. Her 48-year marriage to Doo and their rare partnership is also one of the great love stories of our times,” said executive producer Elliott Halpern of Yap Films Inc.

With unprecedented access to Lynn, her family and archives, Still a Mountain Girl features never-before-seen home movies, performances and photos, as well as insightful interviews with her friends and fellow musicians, including Jack White (producer of Lynn’s Grammy-winning album Van Lear Rose), Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Bill Anderson. The documentary also features never-before-seen footage of Lynn in the studio with producer John Carter Cash, as she records Full Circle and other new songs at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tenn. Filming with Lynn, her family and business team also took place at her ranch and other locations in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., the community she formed as a re-creation of her Appalachia birthplace, Butcher Hollow, Ky., where she was raised in poverty. Other interviews include Sissy Spacek, who starred as Lynn in the Oscar-winning biographical film of her life, Coal Miner’s Daughter (based on Lynn’s 1976 autobiography), and its director Michael Apted.

Legacy Recordings will release FULL CIRCLE, the first new studio album in over ten years from American music icon Loretta Lynn, on March 4, 2016. (PRNewsFoto/Legacy Recordings)

“She’s written anti-war anthems, songs about birth control, pregnancy and divorce, all with a sincerity and honesty that transcends music genres, politics and gender,” said executive producer Elizabeth Trojian of Yap Films Inc.

American Masters – Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl explores Lynn’s hard-fought road to stardom, her struggles to balance her marriage to Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn and six children with her music career, her friendships and collaborations with Spacek, Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash and music producer Owen Bradley, along with her life on the road, her Nashville and Hurricane Mills communities, her songwriting inspirations and her music’s lasting impact on her peers and fans.

“You don’t have to know country music to love Loretta Lynn,” said Michael Kantor, executive producer of American Masters. “Somehow the Lynn family makes you feel like there is a little country in all of us.“

Thirteen’s American Masters Celebrates 30 Years of Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking in 2016

Thirteen‘s American Masters has announced the preliminary lineup for its 30th anniversary season on PBS featuring Mike Nichols, B.B. King, Carole King, Fats Domino, Loretta Lynn, Janis Joplin, The Highwaymen, Norman Lear and Maya Angelou. American Masters, THIRTEEN’s award-winning biography series, celebrates our arts and culture. Awards include 70 Emmy nominations and 28 awards — 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series since 1999 and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special — 12 Peabody Awards; three Grammys; an Oscar; two Producers Guild Awards for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television; and the 2012 IDA Award for Best Continuing Series.

“American Masters,” THIRTEEN’s award-winning biography series, explores the lives and creative journeys of America’s most enduring artistic and cultural giants. With insight and originality, the series illuminates the extraordinary mosaic of our nation’s landscape, heritage and traditions. Watch full episodes and more at http://pbs.org/americanmasters. (PRNewsFoto/WNET)

Launched in 1986, the series is the gold standard for documentary film profiles, accruing widespread critical acclaim. This prolific series has produced an exceptional library*, bringing unique originality and perspective to illuminate the creative journeys of our most enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers and those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape. Balancing a broad and diverse cast of characters and artistic approaches, while preserving historical authenticity and intellectual integrity, these portraits reveal the style and substance of each subject.

The series’ individually crafted films reflect the specific attention deserved by American Masters subjects, including such great talents as Arthur Miller (the series’ first subject), Georgia O’Keeffe, James Baldwin, Diego Rivera, Martha Graham, F. Scott Fitzgerald, I.M. Pei, Leonard Bernstein, Sidney Poitier, Judy Garland, John James Audubon, Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, Johnny Carson, Zora Neale Hurston, Albert Einstein, Rod Serling, Bill T. Jones, Lucille Ball, Paul Simon, Richard Avedon, John Cassavetes, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Gehry, Woody Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Edward Curtis, Julia Child, Walter Cronkite, Woody Allen, and Billie Jean King, as well as influential cultural institutions and eras such as the Actor’s Studio, the Algonquin Round Table, the Negro Ensemble Company, the Juilliard School, 60 Minutes, the Joffrey Ballet, and a century of Chinese American cinematic history in Hollywood Chinese.

Fascinating in their individuality as well as in the whole, American Masters has become a cultural legacy in its own right, producing and presenting the extraordinary mosaic of our creative heritage and broadening viewer appreciation of our nation’s traditions and character. An artist’s work can capture, reflect and even shape a society’s experience. Without art, we would lack an identity, a soul and a voice. American Masters exists to give life to that voice.

For this celebratory 30^th anniversary season, the offerings are no less fascinating. The season opens with Mike Nichols and concludes with Maya Angelou. How can it get any better than that?

Mike Nichols: American Masters

Season 30 premiere: Friday, January 29 at 9 p.m. Meet one of America’s late, great directors Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Angels in America), who discusses his life and 50-year artistic career, from the comedy duo Nichols and May to his final film, Charlie Wilson’s War. Winner of an Oscar, a Grammy, four Emmys, nine Tonys, three BAFTAs and many other awards, director, actor, writer, producer and comedian Mike Nichols (November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an artistic trailblazer. As the legendary comedy duo Nichols and May, Nichols and his partner Elaine May revolutionized comedy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Now, May has directed the first documentary about her former partner, Mike Nichols: American Masters, premiering Friday, January 29, 2016, at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) to launch the 30th anniversary season of THIRTEEN’s American Masters series.

With charm and wit, Nichols discusses his life and 50-year career as a performer and director. Mike Nichols: American Masters features new interviews with his friends and colleagues, including Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Paul Simon, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Bob Balaban, Tony Kushner, Neil Simon, Frank Langella, James L. Brooks and many others, conducted by film, TV and theater producer Julian Schlossberg (Bullets Over Broadway, American Masters — Nichols & May: Take Two, American Masters: The Lives of Lillian Hellman). Schlossberg also conducted an exclusive interview with Nichols for the film. The documentary features insights and highlights from Nichols’ acclaimed films, including The Graduate, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Catch 22, Silkwood, Biloxi Blues, Working Girl, Angels In America and Charlie Wilson’s War, as well as his theatrical productions Barefoot in the Park, Luv and The Odd Couple. Directed by Elaine May. Produced by Julian Schlossberg.

American Masters: B.B. King: The Life of Riley

Photo Credit: B.B. King performs on stage at the Royal Albert Hall. Photo: Kevin Nixon

Friday, February 12 at 9 p.m. in honor of Black History Month. Explore B.B. King’s challenging life and career through candid interviews with the “King of the Blues” filmed shortly before his death and fellow music stars, including Bono, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Ringo Starr, and more.

American Masters — Carole King: Natural Woman

Carole King. Photo: Joseph Sinnott / ©2015 THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC. All rights reserved.

Friday, February 19 at 9 p.m. Delve into the hit singer-songwriter’s life and career from 1960s New York to the music mecca of 70s LA to the present. Carole King joins collaborators and family in new interviews, while rare home movies, performances and photos complete the tapestry. The year 2016 marks the 45th anniversary of King’s landmark, four-time Grammy-winning album Tapestry, which was released February 10, 1971.

American Masters: Fats Domino and the Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Singer-songwriter Fats Domino (b. Feb. 26, 1928), 1970. Photo: Getty Images.

Friday, February 26 at 10 p.m. in honor of Black History Month and Fats Domino’s birthday. Discover how Fats Domino’s brand of New Orleans rhythm and blues became rock ‘n’ roll. As popular in the 1950s as Elvis Presley, Domino suffered degradations in the pre-Civil Rights South and aided integration through his influential music.

American Masters — Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl

Loretta Lynn. Photo: David McClister

Friday, March 4 at 9 p.m. in honor of Women’s History Month. Explore the country legend’s hard-fought road to stardom. From her Appalachian roots to the Oscar-winning biopic of her life, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta Lynn struggled to balance family and her music career and is still going strong after more than 50 years. The documentary premieres the same day Lynn’s first new studio album in over 10 years, Full Circle (Legacy Recordings), is released.

PBS KIDS to Premiere All-new One-hour NATURE CAT Special

Grounded in a Natural Science Curriculum, Special From PBS KIDS’ Newest Series Debuts Monday, January 18, Kicking Off a Week of New Episodes; Related Digital Content Will Also Be Available

On Monday, January 18, 2016, PBS KIDS will premiere a one-hour special from its newest series NATURE CAT. The special will repeat throughout the week of January 18 and will be available free on both pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App, which is accessible on a variety of mobile devices and platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. Additional new episodes from NATURE CAT will also debut throughout the week (check local listings). New related games, clips and full episodes will also be available on PBS KIDS’ digital platforms throughout the month.

Grounded in a natural science curriculum, NATURE CAT, is designed to encourage children ages 3-8 to go outside and explore the outdoors, while learning about a variety of scientific topics along the way. The NATURE CAT special will include four 11-minute stories with Nature Cat (voiced by Saturday Night Live’s Taran Killam), along with his pals Squeeks the mouse (Kate McKinnon), Hal the dog (Bobby Moynihan) and Daisy, a pet rabbit (Kate Micucci, The Big Bang Theory), as they embark on action-packed adventures, perilous missions, nature investigations and “a-ha” discovery moments. In each story, the characters model age-appropriate reasoning skills and explore natural science concepts, such as the role seeds play in plants’ life cycles and the types of wildlife found in various environments.

“When the weather turns colder in January, kids may be more reluctant to explore their surroundings, but with an all-new NATURE CAT special from PBS KIDS, their curiosity will be sparked to turn to outdoor adventures,” said Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children’s Media, PBS. “PBS KIDS is proud to offer new, free, engaging media content across multiple platforms that will give kids a chance to recreate the adventures of Nature Cat and his friends and learn about the natural wonders that abound in their own backyard or local park.”

Premieres Monday, January 18, 2016 (check local listings). Four all-new 11-minute stories are packed into a super special hour:

“Stream and Shout” − Nature Cat goes to his Nature Curiosity List for inspiration and finds number 73: “Where do streams begin?” This seemingly simple question leads the gang on an action-packed adventure, as they follow the stream uphill, exploring new environments and meeting all sorts of friendly critters. When they finally find out where the stream begins, they are whoa-ho-ho amazed!

Curriculum: Streams start out as runoff from rain or snow and flow into larger and larger bodies of water, eventually reaching the ocean.

“Hal’s Day Off” − After a silly mishap leaves Hal alone in the big city (well, he does have his chew-toy Mr. Chewinsky with him), it’s up to Nature Cat, Squeeks and Daisy to make their way to the city and find Hal! Tally ho! Even though Hal is having so much fun sightseeing, he will need to get home somehow. When Nature Cat, Squeeks and Daisy can’t locate Hal, they turn for help to animals that they never even knew lived in the city!

Curriculum: Different kinds of wild animals can survive and even thrive in city neighborhoods.

“Tally Ho! A Rainbow” − After a rainstorm (Nature Cat is sure glad it’s over!), Daisy wants to capture a picture of a rainbow for her Granny Bunny, who just loves rainbows! But finding a rainbow is easier said than done, as the four friends trek all over in search of it!

Curriculum: Just after a rainstorm, when the sun comes out, you can stand with your back to it and look for a rainbow in the sky.

“Travelin’ Seeds” − When Daisy finds a beautiful flower in her garden that she didn’t plant, it’s up to Nature Cat and his pals to find out where the flower came from. Their investigation leads them through the park and into the woods, where the clues show them that seeds can actually travel far distances and grow where they land. 

Curriculum: Some plants make seeds that will travel to new growing places to continue the plants’ cycle of life.

Julie Andrews Returns as Host of “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2016,” Conducted by Mariss Jansons

Featuring the Vienna Boys’ Choir, On THIRTEEN’s Great Performances Friday, January 1 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET on PBS

The Vienna Philharmonic And Soloists Of The Vienna State Ballet Return For The Beloved Annual Tradition Against The Joyful Backdrop Of The Scenic City

Stage and screen legend Julie Andrews returns for the seventh time to host the festive annual New Year’s celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic, under the direction of Mariss Jansons, from Vienna’s Musikverein. From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2016, featuring the infectious melodies of the Strauss Family and their contemporaries, airs on Great Performances, Friday, January 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings) with an encore performance that evening at 7:30 p.m.

Vienna Philharmonic. Photo Credit: Terry Linke

Maestro Jansons is returning for the third time to conduct the ever-popular concert. The Vienna Boys’ Choir and soloists of the Vienna State Ballet also return for the gala evening.

This is the largest worldwide event in classical music reaching millions of people annually through radio and television in over 80 countries. The Vienna Philharmonic’s traditional New Year’s program has showcased Viennese musical culture at the highest level, and since the first television broadcast in 1959, sent the world a New Year’s greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship and peace. (The telecast marks the 32nd broadcast of the event on PBS.)

The musical program is as follows:

Johann Strauss – “A Night in Venice” Overture

Eduard Strauss – Out of Control, Quick Polka

Josef Strauss – Music of the Spheres, Waltz

Johann Strauss – Singers Joy, French Polka (with Vienna Boys’ Choir)

Josef Strauss – On Holiday, Quick Polka (with Vienna Boys’ Choir)

Johann Strauss – “Princess Ninetta” – Entr’acte between Acts 2 and 3

Emil Waldteufel – España, Waltz (after Chabrier)

Johann Strauss, Sr. – Sighs Galop

Josef Strauss – The Dragonfly, Polka Mazur

Johann Strauss – Emperor Waltz

Johann Strauss – On the Hunt, Quick Polka

Johann Strauss – Double-time! Quick Polka –

Johann Strauss – On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Waltz

Johann Strauss, Sr. – Radetsky March

Julie Andrews’ role as host of these New Year’s broadcasts continues to be a cherished tradition for viewers and the beloved singer, actress, and author herself: “Vienna is a magical city…rich in culture and history. The glorious music it has brought to the world is a gift. I look forward to hosting another New Year’s celebration and sharing some of the incredible sights and sounds that are uniquely Vienna.“

As is customary with these broadcasts, Ms. Andrews will travel from her home base in the Musikverein hall itself to visit multiple picturesque Vienna landmarks, including The Imperial Summer Palace of Schönbrunn, and The Kaiserloge in the Royal Enclosure at Austria’s Freudenau racetrack; The Winter Riding School in the Hofburg; the Imperial Carriage Museum; Vienna’s first public park, The Volksgarten; and the Volksgarten Club Disco (once Petro Corti’s Kaffeehaus where the Strausses performed); and the historic Tirolerhof farmhouse.