America ReFramed Returns for a New Season Featuring Compelling Stories of an Transforming America Tuesday, September 10, 2013, on WORLD Channel (Check Local Listings)

DATELINE (September 4, 2013) – WORLD Channel’s exclusive, independent film showcase America ReFramed kicks off its second season with a special presentation of Building Babel on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (check local listings). Building Babel follows a year in the life of Sharif El-Gamal, developer of the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque," a Muslim-led community center two blocks from the World Trade Center. With unlimited access to his home and office, the film paints a portrait of a Muslim-American businessman up against impossible odds. 

"Building Babel provides a portrait of American identity ten years on from September 11th,” says filmaker David Osit. “Who are Muslims, and who are Americans? Where does the line get drawn, and who gets to draw it?" 

Now airing on Tuesdays, America ReFramed tells the many stories of a transforming American culture and its broad diversity through the lens of independent films. In these weekly 60- or 90-minute independent films, hosted by Natasha Del Toro, the series takes an unfiltered look at relevant domestic topics (healthcare, immigration, the workplace, and politics) with personal storytelling tied to programming social themes. Each new episode examines the film and its subject matter using a roundtable discussion moderated by the host and featuring an array of guest commentators, including award-winning documentary filmmaker Shola Lynch. 

“America ReFramed continues to showcase films that will give viewers a “snapshot” of the transforming American life -the guts, the glory, the grit of a new and changing America,” says WORLD executive producer Chris Hastings. “We are excited to be able to continue into a new season, sharing more independent stories from a range of emerging makers and beyond.” 

Tune in to the second season premiere of America ReFramed Tuesday, September 10, 2013, on WORLD Channel. 

For continuing episode highlights and related content visit: WORLDchannel.org/ 

About Natasha Del Toro
Natasha Del Toro, an independent documentary producer and journalist, will bring these films to viewers each week, leveraging her journalistic background with filmmaker interviews and bringing her interpretations to the films with independent commentary. Del Toro has produced videos for public television's WORLDchannel.org, The Daily, TIME.com, and PBS' FRONTLINE World, covering a range of topics, including the environment, immigration and politics. She has been honored at the New York Press Club for her achievements. 
Born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in North Carolina, she feels she's a healthy mix of Hispanic and Southern, which proves to be beneficial when reporting on different backgrounds and covering the growing population of Hispanics in the United States. She brings an urban, young and energetic voice to the series, weaving the diverse stories together with her journalistic approach. 

About WORLD Channel 
WORLD℠ is a 24/7, full service multicast channel featuring public television’s signature nonfiction documentary, science and news programming complemented by original content from emerging producers. Launched in August 2007, WORLD is produced and distributed by WGBH/Boston, American Public Television (APT) and WNET/New York in association with Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). WORLD is distributed by APT and is broadcast with coverage reaching nearly two-thirds of the United States. 

About American Documentary, Inc. 
American Documentary, Inc. (www.amdoc.org)
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public culture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. These activities are designed to trigger action, from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and community participation. 

About WGBH 
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Curious George, and more than a dozen other prime-time, lifestyle, and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBH 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black, High School Quiz Show, and Neighborhood Kitchens. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston Public Radio; 99.5 WCRB, Classical New England; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of programs for public radio (among them, PRI’s The World®), a leader in educational multimedia (including PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content), and a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org. 

ABOUT ITVS The Independent Television Service (ITVS) funds, presents, and promotes award-winning documentaries and dramas on public television, innovative new media projects on the web, and the Emmy® Award-winning weekly series Independent Lens on Monday nights at 10 PM on PBS. Mandated by Congress in 1988 and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, ITVS has brought more than 1,000 independently produced programs to American audiences to date. For more information about ITVS, visit itvs.org 

Contacts: 
Martha Waldron, National Marketing WGBH 617.300.5470 martha_waldron@wgbh.org
Mike Wood National Marketing WGBH 617.300.5334 mike_wood@wgbh.org