CPB Support for Education, History, Science and Public Affairs Programming

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) highlighted its investments in upcoming public media series and specials.

Specifically, CPB investments supported the development and production of new programming for 2012 including: "The Dust Bowl," "Slavery by Another Name" and "Finding Your Roots." It also supported the acquisition of “The Interrupters,” which will air on FRONTLINE, and the development of specials on signature series including Nova (“Hunting the Elements”) and Nature (“Cracking the Koala Code”). In addition, CPB supported the expansion of online educational content through PBS KIDS GO! – making sure that succeeding generations of children, regardless of their background or means, will continue to have a safe place to learn, free of commercial strings, quality compromises and editorial influence.

In "The Dust Bowl," Ken Burns will present the oral histories of Americans who lived through our nation’s greatest ecological disaster, which coincided, in part, with America’s greatest economic collapse. "The Dust Bowl" is the story of Americans who clung to their homes and way of life for almost a decade as they endured devastating wind and dust storms that brought drought, disease and death. It is also the story of Americans who left behind everything they had and headed west in search of work and a better life. Above all, it is a quintessentially American tale of stamina, resilience and hope – both false and real – and of the unbeatable spirit of plain folk who made their way through hard times.
In 2012, CPB will build on its initial $14 million investment in PBS KIDS GO! with an additional $4 million investment that will allow PBS to expand its educational activities to older children, ages 6-9. An enhanced website will serve as one of the primary multi-media tools, along with children’s television content, that teaches kids basic literacy and math skills. The PBS KIDS GO! experience will be completely customizable, allowing students to rearrange the site according to their own interests and tailor games and activities to their individual skill level to make learning more engaging and relevant.