In search of the next new science series, PBS will premiere three pilots on New Years Day via streaming video on pbs.org, with the television broadcasts kicking off January 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS member stations. Audiences nationwide will be invited to weigh in on their favorite, and the ultimate choice will become a 10-week series projected to debut next fall.
This is the first time PBS has introduced full specials online in advance of the television broadcast, offering a unique interactive dialogue with viewers about the programs they are seeking from their public television stations. Technology is not only allowing PBS member stations more opportunities to provide viewers even greater access to the best content available, but also new ways to interact with our audiences, delivering a level of value and engagement that only a public service media environment can, said John Boland, chief content officer, PBS.
The three new pilots include Wired Science, a production of KCET in Los Angeles in association with Wired magazine; Science Investigators, from WGBH Boston and Lion TV; and 22nd Century, a co-production of Boston Science Communications and Towers Productions in collaboration with Twin Cities Public Television.
Each special will be available via free streaming video on pbs.org and as free video podcasts on Apples iTunes player. The PBS television broadcasts begin Jan. 3 for three consecutive Wednesdays; on-air promos will invite the audiences to submit reviews of the shows online at each of the program sites. Viewer feedback, as well as additional audience-based research, will help determine which of the three pilots will be picked up for a 10-week run.
Popular, long-running shows like NOVA and specials such as The Elegant Universe have proven that the American public has a rich appetite for science-related programming, and research has told us that they are looking for more high-quality choices from PBS, said John F. Wilson, PBS senior vice president and chief TV programming executive.
The science pilots were funded by a special grant co-managed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS. The initiative was inspired by the results of a CPB primetime research study that indicated strong viewer interest in PBS science-related programming. From an initial request for proposals that yielded more than 19 submissions, PBS winnowed the field to the three finalists.
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