Collaboration to Provide Cable Network with Original Topical Documentaries, Forging Current Events and Legislative Issues with the Entertainment Industry
First Project to Examine Movie Filtering Technologies and the Sanitizing of Hollywood
New York, New York, March 14, 2005 – Combining the global resources and journalistic integrity of ABC News with AMC’s inside access and passion for the world of entertainment, the two networks announced a joint news production partnership to create a series of topical documentaries, addressing relevant current events within the Hollywood culture. The collaboration will launch with “BLEEP: CENSORING HOLLYWOOD?” examining the controversy and legality surrounding the practice of sanitizing DVD versions of popular films in order to block out potentially questionable content for viewers. The one hour show will premiere on April 26 at 10 pm ET/PT. Four additional documentaries associated with this news partnership will be announced in coming months, all airing exclusively on AMC.
“AMC is committed to being an authentic editorial voice on movies,” said Rob Sorcher, AMC’s Senior Vice President of Original Programming and Production. “Our new partnership with ABC News continues this mission, adding to a strong slate of AMC Originals. We look forward to exploring a board range of diverse topics with ABC News Productions providing balance and journalistic credibility.”
“ABC News Productions is delighted to combine our resources and commitment to hard-hitting storytelling with AMC’s deep understanding of Hollywood and the film industry,” said Lisa Zeff, Executive Producer and General Manager, ABC News Productions. “This exciting new venture is an opportunity to tell timely and provocative stories about an industry with seemingly limitless viewer appeal.”
“BLEEP: CENSORING HOLLYWOOD?,” the first of a series of original documentaries from AMC and ABC News Productions, will profile major players in the “film sanitizing” business, such as CleanFlicks and ClearPlay, and explore the broader debate of censorship vs. artistic freedom in the digital age. The hour-long documentary will address the motives and passions of various political and entertainment advocates involved in this ongoing debate. In addition, current legislation addressing the issue and consumer demand for the practice will be showcased.
On February 1, 2005, The Senate unanimously passed The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act (FECA). Included in the legislation was the Family Movie Act, which permits use of certain, specified technology to skip or mute content that may be objectionable to certain viewers when watching a DVD movie at home. Studios worry that the act could infringe on copyrighted material, while others within the entertainment industry are concerned with the potential for censorship. The legislation awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.
The documentary is executive produced by AMC’s Jessica Shreeve and ABC News Production’s Lisa Zeff. Those interviewed for the project include a diverse group representing all areas of the issue, including; Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, author of Family Movie Act; Jack Valenti, former President of the MPAA; Ray Lines, President, CleanFlicks; Sandy Teraci, President, FamilyFlix; Bill Aho, President, ClearPlay; Academy® Award-winning Director Steven Soderbergh; Academy® Award-nominated Director Taylor Hackford; and Director and DGA President Michael Apted.
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of previously announced AMC documentary projects such as Daniel Anker’s Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust, Robert Stone’s Hollywood Vietnam, Barak Goodman’s Good Cop, Bad Cop and the success of 2004 projects such as Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood and Hollywood and the Muslim World. These documentaries and AMC’s commitment to original programming have helped AMC increase audience and ratings delivery to record heights over the last year.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media’s Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women’s Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 86,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry’s highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is “TV for movie people.”
About ABC News Productions
ABC News Productions is the cable arm of ABC News with access to all the division’s resources, bureaus, and archives. This has made ABC News Productions an award-winning leader in providing factual programming for cable channels, international broadcasters, and home video. With over 500 hours of programming already produced, ABCNP’s roster of clients comprises the top cable channels, including AMC, Discovery Channel, A&E, Lifetime, the History Channel, TLC, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Times Channel, Travel Channel, Weather Channel, Court TV, as well as PBS. Over the past several years, programs produced by ABCNP have received scores of awards from the major film and television awards organizations both in the U.S. and internationally. Its programs have also been selected for the permanent collections of major museums of broadcasting. With a staff of more than 50 producers, AP’s and editors, the unit is managed by Lisa Zeff, a television veteran with more than 20 years experience in both network and cable.