The Wounded Warrior Project has enlisted as a sponsor of History Channel’s Veteran’s Day programming, including Beyond The Battlefield.

Beyond the Battlefield has its premiere on History November 11 with two one-hour, back-to-back episodes.

The show is executive-produced by Peyton Manning and is hosted by Navy veteran Remi Adeleke.

The Wounded Warrior Project is also backing custom content elements produced by History that feature the WWP’s 20 years logo and will appear on History’s linear, digital and social platforms.

WWP will also be tagged in tune-in ads for Beyond the Battlefield and have a digital hub on History.com

“The History Channel has a long-standing commitment to veterans and organizations that support military families, not only around Veterans Day but throughout the entire year across all of our touchpoints,” Niki Mandell, VP, ad sales partnerships at History parent A+E Networks, said. “We’re pleased that Wounded Warrior Project is leveraging our multiplatform production capabilities to help bring this important programming and additional features to audiences everywhere.”

Beyond the Battlefield looks at the history of the U.S. Army Special Forces, as well as Marine and Naval Aviation.

In the first hour, Manning appears on the show, touching based with Adeleke before he heads to the the Marines’ Air Station Miramar outside San Diego.

Also appearing in the episode is Tony Hawk, talking about his father’s legacy as a Navy pilot during World War II.

“As part of our mission to honor and empower wounded warriors, it’s critical that we share the stories of veterans both past and present with the American public,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington, the Wounded Warrior Project’s CEO. “We’re excited to team up with A+E Networks and The History Channel this Veterans Day to share these incredible journeys of courage and resilience. We hope their voices inspire Americans and help pay tribute to their service and sacrifice for our country.”

Beyond The Battlefield is produced for The History Channel by Omaha Productions and Left/Right. Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Colin Campbell and Therese Andrews serve as executive producers for Omaha Productions. Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman, Anneka Jones and Divya Chungi serve as executive producers for Left/Right. Eli Lehrer and Alex Hicks serve as executive producers for The History Channel.

The History Channel will explore the greatest empires of all time in a new docuseries set to debut September 4.

The seven-hour Ancient Empires series will look at the foundations of the greatest empires of all time and the stories of the three iconic rulers who shaped them, including Alexander The Great, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, said the network.

The series, which will air over three consecutive nights, will feature expert interviews weaved around dramatic narrative sequences and premium battle scenes that will chronicle each ruler’s rise to influence and the events that eventually led to their downfall, according to the network.

Ancient Empires is executive produced by Ari Mark, Phil Lott, Joey Allen, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster.

The debut of History's limited series FDR along with the premiere of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first scripted TV series lead the list of original content premiering on streaming services and cable networks during the week leading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend.  

History's three-episode series, FDR, debuts May 29 and provides a portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as he led the U.S. through the Great Depression and World War II while dealing with his own personal fight with polio, according to the network. Co-produced  by Bradley Cooper, the series is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin Leadership: In Turbulent Times.  

Netflix on May 25 will debut drama/comedy series Fubar, starring Schwarzenegger as a CIA operative who, on the verge of retirement, discovers that his daughter also works for the agency. The two are paired together for one last undercover mission, according to Netflix. Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Gabriel Luna and Fortune Feimster also star in the eight-episode series.

Also this week, FX will debut the fifth and final season of its Sons of Anarchy biker spinoff drama Mayans M.C. on May 24. The series stars JD Pardo as Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes who runs the Mayans M.C. charter on the California-Mexico border, according to the network. JR Bourne, Danny Pino and Michael Irby also star in the series.

Here are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting during the week of May 22-29 (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

May 23, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (animation), Max

May 23, How to Create a Sex Scandal (documentary), Max

May 24, American Born Chinese (drama), Disney Plus

May 24, Platonic (comedy), Apple TV Plus

May 25, The Kardashians (returning series), Hulu

May 26, Being Mary Tyler Moore (documentary), HBO

May 26, Run The World (returning series), Starz

The A+E Networks will team with a bevy of top celebrities including Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Janet Jackson and Anthony Anderson for major television projects, the company announced Wednesday during its upfront presentation.

History Channel will partner with Costner on a new eight-episode series The West, which will capture the diverse, complex character and untold stories that defined the “Wild West” and that continue to shape our country today, according to the network.

Also: A+E Promises Advertisers at Upfront It Will Deliver Peak Content 

Freeman will helm the upcoming documentary Black Patriots: The 761st Battalion, which will tell the true story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first Black tank unit to serve in combat during WWII. Bradley Cooper will executive produce FDR, a three-night documentary debuting on Memorial Day that will provide a portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The network is also developing projects with Dan Aykroyd and Michael Imperioli.

Lifetime will again partner with Janet Jackson on a new documentary airing on both Lifetime and A&E that focus on her new concert tour and reunion with the Jacksons, said the network. Also simulcasting on both networks is TLC Forever, a documentary celebrating one of the top-selling female groups of all time. 

A&E will follow actors Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer on a new 10-episode documentary series, Kings of BBQ, in which the two actors will work together to build their own barbeque product empire.

"Our goal within this media evolution is to meet audiences wherever and however  they consumer content, by working with great worldwide storytellers to develop and execute their vision," A+E Networks Group President and Chairman Paul Buccieri said in a statement. "Over the last four years, we have been on a journey to expand our production capabilities in both scripted and factual, and we've established key relationships in the talent management space as well as continued creating compelling content across our brands to further meet the needs of our valued partners and viewers." ■ 

A+E Networks and its History Channel have forged a partnership with the Roybal Film and Television Production Magnet Fund, which was set up by George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Bryan Lourd, co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, to help historically underrepresented students prepare to get into the film and TV industry.

Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group, has joined the Roybal advisory board. Other board members include Clooney, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria, Mindy Kaling, Don Cheadle, Nicole Avant, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Jim Gianopulos.

“One of the most powerful ways to diversify the entertainment industry is to provide a new generation with practical hands-on skills and connections, which is why I am honored to serve as a founding member of the Roybal Film and Television Magnet School Advisory Board,” Buccieri said. 

“The History Channel is proud to be a founding partner at the school to help support educators, augment curriculum, provide opportunities that inspire curiosity and empower students to excel. The Roybal school will help infuse the media and entertainment industry with an incredible new pool of creatives, and I am thrilled to play a role in this important endeavor," Buccieri said.

The first class of Roybal’s academy will be seated in the fall, starting with students from the ninth and tenth grades. 

The History Channel and A+E Networks will provide classroom resources and an innovative curriculum developed to meet the standards prescribed by the state of California and the University of California system, plus offer students access to special screenings and guest speakers, including distinguished historians. 

A+E Networks creatives and company leaders with expertise in a range of behind-the-camera roles will develop and lead learning sessions designed to give students access to practical skill-based learning.

“We welcome Paul and his shared commitment to the board’s mission. With Paul and the support of The History Channel, we are able to accelerate our collective impact on Roybal’s students,” Lourd said. “We look forward to other individuals and companies joining our efforts.” ■

The cable news networks, bolstered by coverage of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, locked in the top slots on both the primetime and total day cable charts last week, according to Nielsen.

Fox News led the pack with an average of 3.5 million viewers in primetime for the week of February 28 to March 6, reported Nielsen. Along with its Ukraine coverage, Fox News was led by its March 1 coverage of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, which drew 7.2 million viewers. CNN finished second with 1.8 million viewers for the week, followed by MSNBC with 1.6 million viewers. 

ESPN was fourth with 1.3 million viewers, followed by HGTV’s 1 million watchers. Food Network (823,000 viewers), TLC (816,000), History (810,000), Discovery Channel (796,000) and Hallmark Channel (769,000) rounded out the top 10 most-watched networks for the week. 

Fox News, CNN and MSNBC also held the top three spots on the total day chart, followed by HGTV, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, Food Network, INSP , TV Land and History, said Nielsen. ■   

History Channel has greenlit two new series from NFL great Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, including a show focusing on all-time greats across a number of categories, the network said Wednesday.

The eight-episode, History’s Greatest of All-Time with Peyton Manning countdown show will look at the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) in categories ranging from the greatest General to the greatest inventor or President, according to the network.

Also on the docket is The Einstein Challenge, in which two world-class experts will compete to see who can best explain seriously complicated concepts to a panel of kids, including how an airplane flies or how destructive the Mt. Vesuvius eruption was, the network said. 

“We are thrilled to recruit Peyton to our team at The History Channel,” History executive VP and head of programming Eli Leher said in a statement. “To have one of the greatest in sports history educate us about the most fascinating G.O.A.T’s throughout time, coupled with him producing a smart, witty new show with kids, is unparalleled and we can’t wait to bring these new shows to our audience.”

Manning, whose Omaha Productions also produces ESPN’s Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, added that the History Channel “has long been a leader in original programming that informs and entertains audiences. As a longtime history buff, I couldn’t be more excited for Omaha to team up with great historians and producers to create these two shows that celebrate history and uncover stories in a fun way.” ■  

Veteran programming executive and former History Channel president Jana Bennett died Thursday at 66.

Bennett, in a 2019 interview with The Evening Standard, revealed that she was suffering from a brain tumor and was supporting research focusing on the disease.  

Bennett served as History Channel’s president and general manager from 2015 to 2017, overseeing the production of such hit series as Roots and Vikings. Named as a Multichannel News Wonder Woman in 2017, Bennett originally joined A+E Networks in 2013 to oversee the rebrand of BIO into FYI. Bennett also oversaw operations for TLC in the late 1990s.

Prior to A+E, Bennett ran British-based BBC Worldwide from 2010 to 2012, part of a multi-decade stint at the BBC. 

“All of us at A+E Networks deeply mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Jana Bennett,” Paul Buccieri, president & chairman, A+E Networks said in a statement. “Jana had an extraordinary career in media and her contributions to the A+E Networks family are too enormous to count. She was a groundbreaking, game-changing, generous and beautiful person. She will be terribly missed by all of us, and especially by me. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.” ■ 

NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will once again team with History Channel to develop a February documentary special focusing on heroic African-American figures of the Civil War era.

The one-hour documentary, Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War, debuts February 21 and chronicles heroic figures such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass whose bravery and selfless contributions helped define and reshape the reality of a democracy, said the network.

Also: Q&A: NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Champions U.S. Social Justice Movements In History Doc

The documentary marks the third collaboration between Abdul-Jabbar and History, following the 2020 Emmy-nominated Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution and the 2021 Fight the Power: The Movements That Changed America documentaries. ■ 

Updated on 12/15/2021:

DirecTV has restored the History Channel and three other A+E Networks to the base tier bundles of legacy customers following a subscriber backlash on social media, an A+E rep told Next TV. 

DirecTV still hasn't responded to Next TV's email inquiry, but the A+E rep said legacy DirecTV "Entertainment" tier customers who had History Channel, A&E, Vice and Lifetime Movies removed from their programming grid over the weekend had it restored by Wednesday morning.

According to a source familiar with DirecTV's operations, the recently spun-off satellite TV company was "experimenting" with a new strategy intended to reduce its program licensing costs. 

On Sunday, DirecTV said it was trimming "select" networks, including the History Channel, from the programming bundles of subscribers who aren't watching them. 

"We recently informed customers who have not actively engaged in History and other select channels that the content will no longer appear in their lineup," DirecTV said in a statement. "Any interested customers who are not seeing it yet want to add it back at no additional cost can visit www.directv.com/channel-opt-in.”

DirecTV, which was recently spun off from AT&T and is now a joint venture between the telecom and private equity firm TPG, made the admission on Sunday, when Next TV asked the company about longtime History Channel critic Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) Twitter complaint about History suddenly being removed from his DirecTV channel lineup.  

Turns out, some DirecTV customers were notified in October that History Channel, A&E Network, Vice and Lifetime Movies would be removed on Dec. 8 unless they visited the opt-in page and asked to keep them on their grids. Hat tip to longtime satellite TV business tracker Phillip Swann for unearthing customer complaints about this on Satellite Guys message boards. 

According to our inside source, the A+E channels have long resided in DirecTV's Entertainment tier, where they have "over-indexed" in audience performance. However, since A+E is a "little guy" relative to today's consolidated media landscape on basic cable, and lacks news and sports. DirecTV might have felt A+E was a good test subject to try out a new scheme to cut down on the cost of paying for subscribers who weren't watching the channels.

"They were basically trying a la carte distribution," the source said.

We circled back with DirecTV Monday and find out more about the policy, but again, we didn't hear back. DirecTV is no longer offering the four A+E Networks in its $64.99-a-month base "Entertainment" bundle for new customers. But they are included in the $69.99 Choice packages, the $84.99 Ultimate and $134.99 Premier bundles. 

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who has publicly criticized The History Channel for years, alleging that it's bereft of actual, well, history, took to Twitter Saturday to blast DirecTV for downgrading the channel out of his service tier. 

In his Saturday Twitter rant that appears to start in the early morning hours and culminate in the afternoon, Grassley seems to have accused DirecTV, now a joint venture between majority owner AT&T and private equity company TPG, of removing History Channel from his pay TV package because he's been so critical of the channel in the past. History Channel is part of A+E Networks, a JV between Disney and Hearts Corp. 

After a DirecTV rep invited him to a direct-message conversation, Grassley appeared to convey frustration that he'll have to upgrade his DirecTV tier at an added monthly expense of $34, if he wants the channel he supposedly hates. Grassley then pondered switching his pay TV service to Dish Network. 

Updated: A DirecTV spokesperson told Next TV's Jon Lafayette that Grassley should still have access to the History channel. “History has not moved for current customers. We recently informed customers who have not actively engaged in History and other select channels that the content will no longer appear in their lineup," the spokesperson said. "Any interested customers who are not seeing it yet want to add it back at no additional cost can visit www.directv.com/channel-opt-in.”

We're not sure what A+E means by "actively engaged," either. Do they pull the channel if the customer doesn't ever watch it? We're waiting back for an explanation. 

Also notable: Grassley has taken campaign finance money from both AT&T and Dish Network in the past, according to Open Secrets. The longtime Iowa Senator also sat on key committees that examined AT&T's $49 billion purchase of DirecTV, which was approved in 2015. ■

The Wounded Warrior Project is sponsoring special Veterans Day-related content on A+E Networks starting Thursday with the airing of the History Channel’s Hidden Heroes: The Nisei Soldiers of World War II.

History Channel will follow Hidden Heroes with a Salute to Service one-hour special highlighting extraordinary veterans. 

Hosted by Robin Roberts, the special shows how veterans make the transition from military to civilian life and use their skills and experiences to chart a new path when they are no longer in uniform.

“The History Channel is committed to supporting veterans and military families and this year we are honored to tell the relatively unknown but incredible story of the Japanese American WWII soldiers,” said Eli Lehrer, executive VP and head of programming for The History Channel. “These veterans and American barrier breakers have made significant contributions to the fabric of U.S. society and their inspiring, courageous stories deserve to be told.”

Hidden Heroes tells the little-known story of the Japanese American soldiers of WWII who fought for American democracy and became the most decorated military unit for its size and length of service In U.S. history.

The Nisei, a term describing second-generation Japanese Americans, made up the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service, a group of Nisei linguists and translators. They faced fierce racism and discrimination at home in the U.S. 

From the Category Six Media group and Will Packer Media, the show features sit-down interviews with experts and historians, and rarely seen first person interviews with the soldiers themselves.

The Wounded Warrior Project will also be sponsoring a World War II themed episode of the History This Week podcast. The episode had its premiere on Monday. Ads from The Wounded Warrior Project will run through Sunday.

Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers, helping them achieve their highest ambition.

History Channel will mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with four new documentaries.

The first, Revealed: The Hunt of Bin Laden, is set to premiere May 2, on the 10th anniversary of the capture of the elusive terrorist. The documentary was co-produced by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

The other three documentaries will premiere on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. 

“Over the last 20 years, The History Channel has been committed to never forgetting the events of September 11 that changed this world forever by honoring the heroic individuals who perished or played an important role in that tragic time in our history,” said Eli Lehrer, executive VP and head of programming for The History Channel. “Our mission as archivists of history is to continue to offer powerful documentaries with untold, poignant stories that provide a different perspective to that horrific day.”

The documentaries airing in September are: 

9/11: Four Flights tells the stories of the people aboard the jets that crashed during the terrorist attack with personal narratives from family and friends.

Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center looks at the towers through an architectural and engineering lens. It features the stories of the people who planned and built the complex and tells the story of the first 1993 attack on the World Trade Center and examines in detail how they fell.

9/11: From the Ground Up (working title) offers an account of the day from people who picked up video cameras that day and features previously unseen pictures and unheard audio, without interviews or commentary.

The May 2 documentary, Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden features interviews with unnamed intelligence officers, SEAL operators and Army pilots who carried out the raid that got Bin Laden, as well as President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Secretary Robert Gates, CIA Director Leon Panetta, and Admiral William McRaven.

 The History Channel will team with NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook to develop a documentary focusing on the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, the network announced Thursday during its Television Critics Association tour presentation.

The two-hour documentary, Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre, will launch this spring and will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the event in which more than 300 African-Americans were killed in one of  the worst acts of racial violence in American history, according to History. The documentary takes an in-depth look at the events of a century ago, from the birth of Black Wall Street to its catastrophic downfall over the course of two bloody days, and finally the fallout and reconstruction.

Westbrook will serve as executive producer of the documentary while Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders) and Marco Williams (Two Towns of Jasper) will direct the series. 

Read Also: Beyond Black History Month

“The Tulsa Race Massacre was not something I was taught about in school or in any of my history books, Westbrook said in a statement. “It was only after spending 11 years in Oklahoma that I learned of this deeply troubling and heartbreaking event. This is one of many overlooked stories of African Americans in this country that deserves to be told. These are the stories we must honor and amplify so we can learn from the past and create a better future.”

History will also partner with Westbrook to develop an educational and experiential campaign focused on the history and legacy of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. 

“The History Channel is committed to educating our audience about the past, its impact on the present and its role in shaping the future,” said Eli Lehrer, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming for History. “Nearly 100 years later, the emotions from the Tulsa Race Massacre are still embedded in the fabric of our society and this poignant piece of our history is sadly relevant now more than ever, as racially charged events unfold before us during our present history. I am honored to partner with Russell, Stanley and Marco to tell this harrowing story with an authenticity and dignity only they can bring.”

The History Channel is partnering with culinary-based, non-profit organization The James Beard Foundation to create an initiative to help preserve restaurants in America that are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Also: A+E Networks Leans into Linear

The #SaveOurRestaurants initiative will provide resources and financial aid to historic, landmark restaurants that are struggling to keep their doors open due to the pandemic. The first recipient is Washington D.C.’s Ben’s Chili Bowl, which during the Civil Rights movement fed protesters who marched on Washington D.C. in 1963, as well as hosted several American presidents, according to History. Funds from the initiative will go towards restoring the restaurant’s interior and historic photos.

Other restaurants will be selected for the #SaveOurRestaurants initiative in the future, said History.

“With the launch of The History Channel’s series The Food That Built America, we have witnessed the nostalgic connections people hold close to their hearts and stomachs when it comes to food, and the restaurants they cherish,” said Kimberly Gilmore, SVP, Corporate Outreach & Chief Historian at A+E Networks in a statement. “The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted restaurants across the country, and some long-standing, iconic and historical establishments need a boost. Everyone can help play a role in preserving their favorite historic eateries like Ben’s Chili Bowl -together let’s unite and help save our local restaurants.”

Related:MCN Review: 'Roots'

History on Memorial Day is launching its eight-hour Roots miniseries based on Alex Haley’s classic novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. History general manager Jana Bennett says the network’s four-night Roots miniseries is more of a revision than a remake of ABC’s groundbreaking 1977 Roots miniseries that will feature a more definitive historical retelling of African Warrior Kunta Kinte and his family’s struggle over many generations to survive slavery and eventually regain freedom.

Here’s what Bennett and History want you to know about Roots.

This is not your father’s Roots: “If you think back to 1977 when the first Roots television series was launched and then think about now 39 years later, there’s a lot more scholarship that’s gone on about the history of Africa and the history of the middle passage – there hasn’t been a lot of historical examination of it including the numbers involved, the uprising of the slaves on the ship, and the nature of the trade economically. There’s a lot more about the culture and the cities in Africa, so we’ve been able to add a lot more scholarship to this new vision of Roots. It’s an update – not just in terms of television technique and a whole new generation of actors -- but actually new scholarship woven into the narrative. We are telling Kunta Kinte’s story as well as his descendants’ stories, but we’re also bringing in fresh eyes to the story. Every night has a different director to reflect their vision. It’s new on alot of levels.”

The reboot is relevant to today’s issues: “There’s shared history, which is something that should be understood and appreciated by people living in America today. It’s also an international story because it’s a very big piece of history in terms of how America was made and how it affected Africa, so there’s a universality to the story, which makes it relevant now and going forward. We tell stories in history, but also history doesn’t stand still, so there’s always new things to say. When we decided to do Roots, we didn’t know how this would fit with current events at the time. We didn’t know about #BlackLivesMatter rising as a movement, nor about the debate about race in this country and the forms that it has taken this year. But as time has gone by since we decided to make this revision of Roots I have to say it lands right in the middle of very current debates about the nature of this society, so I think its even more relevant than we would have thought it was going to be. It was already going to be a universally epic story shared by all Americans, but it’s even more relevant in terms of the current debates happening about society today.”

Roots is focused on historical authenticity: “What we’ve been able to achieve is a high level of authenticity which is obviously fitting for the History Channel to be able to offer that to viewers. That includes bringing in archeologists and historians to tell us how to depict the towns and kingdoms in Africa, but also [costume designer] Ruth Carter’s costumes and designs are absolutely wonderful. The color indigo you’ll see every night was drawn from what dyes we knew were being used then. Also, women’s roles are really powerful and even more vividly drawn and upfront.  You’ll see that from the roles of Matilda and Kizzy – they really put women more into the forefront because they do play a historical role in the story of Roots, and were very resilient. They literally brought through the next generations, so from all those respects we brought in a lot of historical resources to the telling of Roots. It enhances our understanding in a lot of different ways.”

Tremendous! Entertainment, which produces Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern (Travel Channel), Ghost Asylum (Destination America) and Rock the Park (The CW), said it has expanded its development team with the hiring of Liz Alderman as director of development (pictured, right) and Brandy Crawford as senior manager of development (pictured, left). Alderman joins from Soshefeigh Media where, TEI said, she spearheaded casting for a high-concept new format now in development at a major cable network. Crawford joins from History, where she was senior manager of development and one of the founding members of the new scripted department there, TEI said.

Both will be based in TEI's newly opened New York office and will work with VP of Development Andy Meyer to create new television programming as well as branded content. CEO Colleen Needles Steward said in a release: “Liz has a unique ability to find those great characters that leap off the screen, and from her tenure at History Channel, Brandy has an excellent grasp of how to develop content that meets network needs.”

In addition to developing series like Barmageddon while at truTV, Alderman’s casting and production credits include Fashion’s Night Out (CBS), Abducted: The Carlina White Story (Lifetime), Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (Bravo), Moving Up, What Not to Wear, One Week to Save Your Marriage, Fashionably Late with Stacy London, Real Estate Road Test and Paycheck Showdown (TLC). She also co-created and produced Bravo’s NYC Prep, a docu-soap about privileged Manhattan youth, TEI said.

During her five-year tenure at History, Crawford produced the Emmy Award-winning documentary Gettysburg as well as hit series Swamp People, Pawn Stars and Vikings, TEI said.

The three-night scripted mini-series of America's fight for freedom, Sons of Liberty, is set to air Jan. 25-27 at 9 p.m. on History, the channel announced today. 

The series will follow radicals, Sam Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren as they band together to make America a nation. Starting out as young men looking for a purpose, they ultimately find independence in their quest for equality. 

Produced by A+E Studios in connection with Stephen David Entertainment for History, Kari Skogland will direct with the Title theme by Hans Zimmer. Written by Stephen David and David C. White, Stephen David and Matthew Gross serve as executive producers, along with Russ McCarroll and Elaine Frontain Bryant for History. 

Stars include, Ben Barnes as Sam Adams, Ryan Eggold as Dr. Joseph Warren, Michael Raymond-James as Paul Revere, Rafe Spall as John Hancock and Henry Thomas as John Adams. Additional actors include, Marton Csokas, Emily Berrington, Jason O’Mara as George Washington and Dean Norris as Benjamin Franklin.