Area public TV viewers denied great independent films
One of the great pleasures of living in the this region of the country involves having access to three public TV stations -- Maryland Public Television (MPT), Washington's powerhouse WETA, and Howard University WHUT.
But it has sadly also become one of the great frustrations for fans of independent films, as all three have taken to keeping the best and brightest independent films off the air altogether or shown only on digital channels or at times of day and night when fewest are watching. I'm using the word "frustrations," but it feels more like an outrage given that the very mandate of public TV is to be showing such fare.
This week was a case in point with the acclaimed Independent Lens series offering Doc, a revelatory biography of post-World-War-II literary figure and founder of The Paris Review, Harold "Doc" Humes. Wednesday night, the landmark P.O.V. series offered Inheritance, the searing account of Monika Hertwig (pictured above). The film details her journey to come to terms with the legacy of having a father who was a Nazi camp commandant responsible for torture, slavery and mass murders.
Baltimore and Washington area viewers saw neither unless they could access MPT digital. Good luck with that.
Here is how one Sun reader and PBS viewer, Lois Flowers, described the situation: "I simply want to view most of the P.O.V. and Independent Lens programs because of the interesting topics and in-depth coverage. I subscribe to the online P.O.V. newsletter, and it is very disappointing to read about an upcoming film only to be unable to see it on the local PBS channel. Similarly, TV Guide will describe an Independent Lens program scheduled nationally, and it will be nowhere to be found locally. As I said, IRRITATING!"I have talked to MPT and WETA several times during the last decade -- yes, decade -- about the issue, and none of their explanations have been satisfactory.
MPT is worse at preemptions, but WETA is more maddening when it tries to take credit on its Web site for carrying independent films. The facts: If they are not preempting the national airing altogether, they are airing them in outside of prime time when most viewers are available.
And here is my explanation as to why you can't find the films locally: MPT, WETA and HUT are afraid of the subject matter, which tends to be cutting edge and deal with controversial issues. But that is exactly what public television is supposed to do.
The only way to get these films carried here is to complain. One way to do that publicly is by posting a comment here. If we get enough, I will make sure the local public TV stations hear about it -- here on my blog, in the pages of the Sun and in my weekly Take on TV segments at radio station WYPR-FM.
The preemptions this week really make me mad. But the coming attractions for things area viewers WON'T see are worse: On Dec. 23, Independent Lens offers Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway. The film revisits the Maysles brothers 1975 Grey Gardens as it serves as the template for a marvelous Broadway musical. Watching a screening copy of the film last night was one of the richest and most pleasurable hours I have spent with my television all year.
But maybe I am wrong. Maybe nobody cares about seeing films that educate, challenge and provoke on public TV -- except me and Ms. Flowers. Maybe people think you should only be able to see such great documentaries if you can afford to subscribe to HBO, which has one of the finest documentary lineups in the history of television. Maybe people think it is OK for local programmers to preempt the national PBS distribution of such shows for musical fund raisers shown over and over and over again.
But if I am not wrong, post your comments on this blog, and let me know this is a situation you want to try and help change.
(Photo of Monika Hertwig, daughter of former Nazi commander, Amon Goeth. By Don Holtz.)
Comments
We may be one of the few households left that gets over-the-air TV, but we can get MPT digital most of the time (I'm still experimenting with antenna placement, etc., before over-the-air analog dissapears in February. It's not nearly as simple and wonderful as the commercials imply).
Are the rest of you that get your TV via cable, satellite, etc., unable to get the alternate sub-channels from MPT and others?
Or if the original respondent is viewing over-the-air analog TV, all I can say is get busy figuring out how to deal with the DTV cutover, as our legislators have sold us out.
Posted by: Hal Laurent | December 11, 2008 8:19 PM
One thing that has always been key about public television is its ability to push the envelope - or rather talk about issues that might not be discussed elsewhere. I find this new trend to be an utter disappointment, leading to a question of why? What is the cause? Are they trying to be politically correct? Do they worry about funding issues? The last REALLY good piece I saw on Public Television was one of Ken Burns' documentaries... Or maybe it was the one about the Jewish immigrants at the turn of the century (can't recall the name right now). At any rate, I've been less than impressed with the programming on the public television stations in Maryland and do hope to see it change.
Posted by: Abby L | December 11, 2008 8:52 PM
Hard to believe us over-the-air hold outs, who are forced to use Netflix to watch cable shows, are actually better off when it comes to PBS. Between WETA and MPT I've had no problems watching the shows you mention - might be on .2 or .3 or .4, but they come in fine for me. Yet another argument for refusing to give money to the cable people.
Posted by: a parent | December 12, 2008 2:21 PM
I cannot afford cable, but I contribute to MPT and depend upon it and Netflix for quality programs. If I know something good is coming up on MPT, I 'll watch it regardless of the time. Lately, however, "pledge week" seems to be interminable, with apparently endless replays of Do Wop, Celtic Women, etc. The 5:30 BBC world news has fallen victim to "pledge week"; I hope the News Hour is not far behind.
Hi Mary,
I cannot believe any respectable public TV station would pre-empt Jim Lehrer's "NewsHour." If one does, I promise they will hear from me -- for whatever that is worth. But I agree about the endless fund raising and, yes, how many times can they show "Doo Wop" and "Celtic Women"? Thanks so much. Z
Posted by: Mary Geer | December 12, 2008 4:57 PM
Dave, you're absolutely right! WETA and MPB have been neglecting their audience for years by not airing these shows. I've looked on the Independent Lens website and found out that viewers in Alabama and Arkansas and South Dakota get these series every week - but not cosmopolitan, mediacentric DC?? It's ridiculous and I plan on calling these stations...
Hi, Thank you so much for the comment. What a great point: That folks in Alabama, Arkansas and South Dakota can see these Emmy-Award-winning and cutting edge films, but not residents of DC and Baltimore. Not so easy to think of your city as cultured and cosmopolitan when you are denied access by the scheduling of your public TV stations to the best independent films in the country. And, yet, no one seems to care. Maybe they do not know what they are missing. Let me urge readers of this blog to go to the Independent Lens Website to read more about the films they are NOT SEEING. Please go to: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/
Posted by: avasimone | December 13, 2008 9:04 AM
The need for great independent films is two fold for the younger generation. Our generation is not interested in the intellectual stimulation presented in indy films, but rather the representation of big name actors/ actresses. In the same token, high costs productions involving explosions and sexual exploitation are more important and independent films do not suffice those urges. It is a shame, but I think that for the most part independent films, although thought provoking and entertaining do not grab the attention of the modern day viewer.
Posted by: chris herting | December 13, 2008 7:04 PM
Wow! I have been getting P.O.V.'s program guide for the past several years, only to have my hopes dashed by the requisite 'check local listings' disclaimer next to the airdate for almost every important film they list. I'm not in the market for the 'decimal point' broadcast stations, and I won't be anytime soon. Thanks for shedding light on this!
Hi Shannon, thanks for your comments. I like the "decimal point" stations term. The same thing happens to me as a reviewer as it does you bas a viewer -- and I am still falling for it after a decade in this area. Independent Lens and POV send me screeners, and I open them and think, "wow, this is great." Then, I look up MPT and WETA schedules, and I realize I cannot write about the films, because the readers can't see them. I am getting mad all over about this. Anyway, thanks. Tell you friends to post comments. Maybe if enough folks do, we can make a difference -- or at least embarrass the stations about the way in which they are NOT serving their public mission. Z
Posted by: Shannon | December 14, 2008 11:05 AM
Thank you David for this article. I too am frustrated with our local stations lack of support for documentaries. I am friends with two film producers based in Washington, Patty Kim and Chris Sheridan, who made a documentary about North Korean agents kidnapping a young Japanese girl and keeping her abduction a secret for many years. The movie was called "Abducted: The Megumi Yokota Story" and was available last year to PBS stations through the P.O.V. series. It played in movie theaters across the US and in Japan, and was shown on the BBC in Britain and the CBC in Canada. Do you think WETA would support two local documentary filmmakers by showing their film at a normal time? No, they showed it on one of their digital subchannels on a random Friday night at 11PM. I was happy to let my parents down south know about it, because their PBS affiliate in South Carolina showed it at 9PM.
Posted by: Michael Wright | December 16, 2008 9:52 PM
For years I have puzzled over the fundraising technique of MPT and remain mystified. They pre-empt the regular programming that draws us to pbs and play endless repeats of corny schlock. As a long standing cable resister I was thrilled to discover my new digital ready tv and antenna picked up all these extra PBS channels. AND THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDRAISING!
Posted by: Amanda | December 17, 2008 9:43 PM