PBS has an astounding reputation for producing informative documentaries on a variety of subjects. The network is responsible for bringing unique, original content to viewers that watch it through traditional television services. Even though a poll among its viewers would suggest that the company is producing great works, there are many filmmakers who would agree and also assert that there needs to be more diversity within the films produced and broadcasted on PBS. Over 140 documentary filmmakers have signed a petition to give to PBS executives to include more diverse content in order to decrease the “systemic failure to fulfill (its) mandate for a diversity of voices.”
The petition has an official name- “A Letter to PBS From Viewers Like Us”. The title is a play on words that PBS often uses to promote its projects on public access television. The petition indicates that the company is giving too much airtime to Ken Burns, who is probably PBS’ most popular filmmaker who has created works like Baseball, Jazz, The Civil War and the upcoming highly-anticipated six-hour program Hemingway. Burns has produced about 211 hours of broadcasted television on PBS over the last 40 years through a contract that is set to expire in 2022.
The filmmakers would like to see more productions from women and people of color, who may find it more challenging to gain access to funding for their projects and platforms to display their work. These filmmakers believe that creators from minority groups are just as capable as anyone else to develop documentaries and other forms of visual art that can be an asset for PBS.
“How many other ‘independent’ filmmakers have a decades-long exclusive relationship with a publicly-funded entity?” the letter with the petition asks. “Public television supporting this level of uninvestigated privilege is troubling not just for us as filmmakers but as tax-paying Americans.”
The letter and petition were sent to PBS President Paula Kerger and PBS’ ombudsman Michael Getler. Who co-signed the petition with several other popular filmmakers including Oscar-nominated director Garrett Bradley, Oscar-winning director Laura Poitras and Emmy winning director and editor Sam Pollard. The signatures were collected by Beyond Inclusion a collection of non-fiction creators, executives and industry producers.
PBS released a statement that asserted that 35 percent of the 200 hours of non-fiction programming planned to air during primetime this year will be created by diverse filmmakers. Over the last five year, PBS has 58 hours of content by Burns and 74 hours of projects by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a popular African-American scholar. Even though the numbers are reflective of the content aired by PBS, Kerger suggests that more funding and airtime can go to those projects.
“This is an important moment for all of us to really take a hard look at what we’re doing and make sure that we are pursuing all opportunities,” says PBS’ president, adding that she hopes to meet with the filmmakers and discuss their concerns and ideas. “What is it going to take … particularly for those mid-career filmmakers, so there is a solid place (for them) in public broadcasting?”