Reduced federal funding for independent films and an upended schedule of the long-running “Independent Lens” and “POV” programs on PBS caused howls of protest in the film community in recent months.
Today, in advance of the PBS annual meeting, May 14-17 in Denver, the public TV network announced both series will air on Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. on PBS this fall, starting with the premiere of “Independent Lens” on October 29.
Ever since PBS decided to boot “Independent Lens” and “POV” from their longstanding Tuesday slot, film lovers and indie filmmakers have worried there would be inconsistent scheduling of the programs.
In a statement, PBS stressed the consistency and digital components of its new plan:
“In addition to the regular Monday night broadcasts of both series (“Independent Lens” October through June, and “POV” June through October), PBS plans to develop a multiplatform film festival for mid-2013.” That film festival will showcase indie works during several weeks of TV broadcasts, and connect to online and mobile content.
The new strategy met with initial approval from independent filmmakers who had feared inconsistent scheduling for the programs.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
