PBS Series Independent Lens Wins First Primetime Emmy

(San Francisco, CA)—The Independent Television Service (ITVS) announced today that its acclaimed anthology series Independent Lens, which airs Tuesday nights at 10:00 P.M. on PBS, has won its first national primetime Emmy award. The Independent Lens two part special presentation of A LION IN THE HOUSE, which follows six years in the lives of five families fighting childhood cancer, was awarded an Emmy for “exceptional merit in nonfiction filmmaking.” “A LION IN THE HOUSE has touched the hearts of D.C. politicos and TV industry moguls alike. We are very honored that the Academy has recognized this groundbreaking film about the pervasive realities of childhood cancer with a primetime Emmy Award,” said Series Producer, Lois Vossen. “It’s great to receive an award, but what is most important to us is how the families in the film reached out around the world to other families with cancer. That is a real testament to their generosity of spirit,” said filmmaker Steven Bognar. “It’s also wonderful that a little film from Ohio could reach so many people on a national level. Our partnership with ITVS worked really well and together we made a great team.” “Your child has cancer.” In A LION IN THE HOUSE, these four words changed five families forever, and viewers embark on an epic journey with them. From the trauma of diagnosis to the physical toll of treatment, from the stresses that can tear a family apart to the courage of children who face the possibility of death with honesty and humor, and dignity, A LION IN THE HOUSE is an unprecedented portrait of this life-altering experience. As the film compresses six years into a two-part, four-hour narrative event, it puts viewers in the shoes of parents, physicians, nurses, siblings, grandparents and social workers as they struggle to defeat an indiscriminate and predatory disease. A LION IN THE HOUSE was accompanied by an extensive national community engagement and public education campaign. Conducted in partnership with such preeminent organizations as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the American Cancer Society, the campaign worked to improve care and strengthen support systems for families fighting childhood cancer—especially those who face socio-economic challenges. Hundreds of events, including policy briefings on Capitol Hill and dozens of presentations at professional conferences and community clinics made this PBS Independent Lens broadcast into an important national tool in the battle against pediatric cancer. The primetime Emmy nomination builds on Independent Lens’ prior Emmy wins in the “News and Documentary” category, A LION’S TRAIL (2006) for Outstanding Cultural and Artistic Programming and BE GOOD, SMILE PRETTY (2004) for Best Documentary. Production and Funding Credits A LION IN THE HOUSE is a co-production of Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert and the Independent Television Service (ITVS) with funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Program for Media Artists, The Ohio Arts Council and The MacDowell Colony. A LION IN THE HOUSE is produced and directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. Executive producer for ITVS is Sally Jo Fifer. About Independent Lens Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers. Independent Lens features unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history. Independent Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS, and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts. The series producer is Lois Vossen. About the Independent Television Service (ITVS) Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Independent Television Service (ITVS) funds and presents 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 Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM on PBS. ITVS is a miracle of public policy created by media activists, citizens and politicians seeking to foster plurality and diversity in public television. ITVS was established by a historic mandate of Congress to champion independently produced programs that take creative risks, spark public dialogue and serve underserved audiences. Since its inception in 1991, ITVS programs have revitalized the relationship between the public and public television, bringing TV audiences face-to-face with the lives and concerns of their fellow Americans. More information about ITVS can be obtained by visiting itvs.org. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. About PBS PBS is a media enterprise that serves 354 public noncommercial television stations and reaches almost 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS' premier kids TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet. CONTACT: Voleine Amilcar, ITVS 415-356-8383 x 244 voleine_amilcar@itvs.org