National Geographic’s ninth annual Sharkfest will continue to focus on the science of sharks but will add a few new wrinkles -- and a new distribution partner in Disney Plus -- to keep shark fans glued to the month-long programming event that kicks off July 5. 

“It’s the most ambitious Sharkfest we’ve done yet,” said National Geographic Partners senior VP of development and production Janet Vissering. “Like every year, shark scientists and oceanic experts have pulled out all the stops for this year’s Sharkfest.” 

Vissering said that viewers’ fascination with sharks has continued to grow over the decades since the 1970s hit movie Jaws debuted and as more publicity is given to shark sightings as well as the rare and unfortunate shark attacks on people. She added that she hopes the Sharkfest programming lineup brings greater understanding and information celebrating sharks.

Also Read: National Geographic Sets '9/11: One Day in America' Documentary Series

Streaming service Disney Plus will join National Geographic in streaming this year's Sharkfest programming beginning July 9. The service will also premiere National Geographic Documentary Films’ Playing With Sharks on July 23. Vissering said the inclusion of Sharkfest content on Disney Plus helps expand the reach of the event to audiences that might not be familiar with the network’s annual programming stunt.

This year’s Sharkfest lineup on Nat Geo launches July 5 with Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth, which is a slight departure from the network’s traditional scientific-themed shark programming. The television and film star will team with shark conservationist Valerie Taylor to explore the sharks that have led to an increase in shark attacks along the east coast of Australia.

“We always have celebrities who want to do a shark show,” said Vissering, adding that Hemsworth brought to the table an affinity for and appreciation of sharks, as well as a desire to seek better understanding on how to stave off and eventually co-exist with the predators. 

Below are Sharkfest shows, descriptions and premiere dates per National Geographic. Dates are subject to change.

WHEN SHARKS ATTACK

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 8/7c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 8/7c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

The world’s beaches quickly turn deadly in this terror-filled deep-sea saga when sharks descend, shocking the local community and sending scientists reeling. What causes these spikes in activity? And how can they be prevented?

SHARK BEACH WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 9/8c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

Chris Hemsworth is on a mission to uncover the science of shark behavior and discover how humans and sharks can safely coexist. After an increase in local shark attacks along the east coast of Australia, Hemsworth seeks to understand different species of sharks and their behaviors while also exploring new preventative measures and the latest technology to help stave off shark-human encounters. The special from Nutopia (“One Strange Rock”) also features underwater conservationist and legend Valerie Taylor.

ROGUE SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

In October 2018, the remote islands of the Whitsunday in Australia were rocked by a series of shark attacks. Incredibly, all the victims were attacked in the same small patch of ocean, no larger than four football fields. Was a rogue serial killer on the loose? Or was something new drawing sharks and humans into conflict?

ORCA VS. GREAT WHITE

National Geographic — Premieres July 6, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 3, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

Off the coast of South Africa in 2017, orcas began hunting and killing great white sharks. Now, researchers in New Zealand set out to discover if it could happen again. Diving with several shark populations along New Zealand’s southern coast, they investigate this murder mystery and seek answers to this burning question: have their local orcas developed a taste for great white sharks?

SHARK GANGS

National Geographic — Premieres July 7, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 12, at 8/7c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

For years sharks have been viewed as solitary predators, but scientists have recently discovered a surprising new behavior. In this special, we reveal how this apex predator likes to hang out in gangs. So what is behind this behavior? Do sharks enjoy a social life, or are they working together to become even more effective hunters?

CROC THAT ATE JAWS

National Geographic — Premieres July 8, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 4, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 9

From mysterious severed heads and ambush attacks to mob hunts and stand-offs, what happens when two of the deadliest predators on the planet go head-to-head?

WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 9, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 5, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

The great white has a reputation for being the scariest in the sea, but Explorer Jacques Cousteau called the oceanic whitetip “The most dangerous of all sharks …” Two teams of experts dive deep into the world of the oceanic whitetip to reveal what makes this species a top contender for the title of “world’s most dangerous shark.”

SHARK ATTACK FILES

National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 9/8c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 9, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

This action-packed series is an investigation into bizarre and fascinating shark behavior. Featuring footage from actual attacks, interactions and behavior captured by both professionals and observant bystanders, every twist and turn leaves viewers sitting on the edge of their seats. Scientific experts and investigators dive deeper into the mystery of these unexplained behaviors and come to a stunning revelation that ties these extraordinary events together.

SHARK ATTACK INVESTIGATION: THE PAIGE WINTER STORY 

National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 6, at 10/9c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

Paige Winter was only 17 years old when she lost a leg and portion of her hand to a shark. Experts unpack the details of Paige’s attack to determine what kind of shark is responsible and what can be done, if anything, to avoid this happening again. Despite all Paige has lived through, this inspirational teen remains an advocate for sharks and, with the guidance of professionals, takes brave steps to overcome her greatest fears.

WORLD’S BIGGEST BULL SHARK?

National Geographic — Premieres July 13, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 10, at 9/8c

Disney+ — Beginning July 16

It was a freak encounter that broke all the records. In 2012, off the coast of Florida, shark scientist Dr. Neil Hammerschlag caught the mother of all bull sharks—it stretched more than 10-feet long and weighed over 1,000 pounds! They named her Big Bull and set her free. Bull sharks in Florida patrol the beaches, terrifyingly close the swimmers, and feast on seasonal migrations of baitfish. Many long thought these sharks were just well-fed, but now some scientists believe that Big Bull is the matriarch of a unique population of giants. There is only one way to find out ... and you gotta get close.

KILLER SHARK VS. KILLER WHALE 

National Geographic — Premieres July 15, at 10/9c

Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 9/8c

Disney+ — Beginning Aug. 6

The mystery of orcas attacking great white sharks for their livers leaves scientists baffled. This unusual predatory behavior has been witnessed in three parts of the world: California, South Africa and Australia. But the most shocking outcome is the disappearance of the other sharks after the event. How are they communicating with their kin and getting out of dodge when the killer whales move in?

PLAYING WITH SHARKS

Disney+ — Premieres July 23

A true pioneer in both underwater filmmaking and shark research, Valerie Taylor is a living legend and icon in the underwater world whose life’s work has become the basis for much of what we know about sharks today. Through remarkable underwater archival footage, along with interviews with Valerie herself, PLAYING WITH SHARKS, from National Geographic Documentary Films and twice Emmy®-nominated director Sally Aitken, follows this daring ocean explorer’s trajectory from champion spearfisher to passionate shark protector. From the birth of cage diving to “Jaws” hysteria to the dawn of cageless shark diving, Valerie became a trailblazing advocate for the ocean’s most maligned and misunderstood creatures.

National Geographic Channel will air Oscar-winning documentary film Free Solo on Sunday, March 3, at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. central time) commercial free, followed by a global rollout across 172 countries and 43 languages, the programmer said.

Directed by documentary filmmaker Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin (who directed the Oscar-shortlisted film Meru), Free Solo is "a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of the free soloist climber Alex Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock ... the 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park ... without a rope," per Nat Geo.

Both a thriller and an inspiring story about an athlete's quest to triumph over the impossible, Free Solo posted the highest per screen average of any documentary during its opening weekend (Sept. 28, 2018) and the highest box office for a documentary in its 19th weekend in release, according to the programmer. Now, as it enters its 20th week in release, the National Geographic Documentary Films offering also won a BAFTA award for best documentary in addition to Critics Choice and Cinema Eye awards, among several other industry recognitions.

“When we were making this film, we could not have imagined the response we have received,” directors Vasarhelyi and Chin said in a release. “While most of us wouldn’t dream of free-soloing 3,000 feet, Alex’s story of courage, dedication and determination is very relatable. We’re grateful to be working with National Geographic and Fox Home Entertainment, and thrilled that Alex’s journey will continue to inspire others to dare to dream.” National Geographic Documentary Films and Nat Geo Channel are in the National Geographic Partners joint venture of National Geographic and 21st Century Fox.

Pictured: Alex Honnold climbs through the enduro corner on El Capitan's Freerider. (National Geographic/Jimmy Chin).

The Columbia University Journalism School has named its 2018 Alfred I. duPont - Columbia University Awards recipients, with Netflix new to the winners circle.

Five of the awards, given for journalistic excellence, went to local TV stations, including two for Tegna-owned stations; three to commercial broadcast networks; two to PBS; and two to cable networks. Streaming service Netflix's award was for 13TH, the critically acclaimed documentary about the targeting of African Americans by the legal system as criminals, directed by Ava DuVernay.

The annual juried awards recognize excellence in broadcast, digital and documentary journalism. About a dozen news stories and films are honored each year for the strength of their reporting, storytelling and impact in the public interest.

The cable networks honored were HBO, for Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, and National Geographic Networks. CBS News's two included one for 60 Minutes in its 50th year, and ABC received one for a documentary on the Los Angeles riots. PBS's awards were for Frontline and World Channel.

Five local TV stations were honored for investigative reporting: ABC15 Arizona (Phoenix) for exposing abuse of the Americans with Disabilities Act; KARE 11 (Minneapolis) for three separate hard-hitting investigative stories; KHOU-TV (Houston) for revealing Houston’s wasteful police body camera program; KNTV (San Jose, Calif.) for an investigative series that chronicled the misuse of school police officers to discipline students; and WITI-TV (Milwaukee) for bravely challenging public opinion about laws intended to safeguard children that paradoxically may put them at greater risk.

“Like many of our Tegna stations, KARE and KHOU have produced incredibly meaningful work that impacts the lives of many," said Tegna president David Lougee. "Their projects are strong examples of the positive impact of local journalism on communities and the importance of storytelling for the public interest. We are committed to continuing to invest in our local stations to ensure they have the journalistic freedom to pursue investigations that make communities stronger without bias or agenda.”

Stacy Owen, president and general manager of KNTV, said: “We are honored to be recognized with this very important award and proud that our investigative unit helped to inspire security changes at schools in our own backyard and all across the country. The sweeping changes that resulted from our investigation reinforces our station’s mission of shining a light on questionable practices and holding the powerful accountable to make the Bay Area a better place to live for all.”

The awards will be given out Jan. 16, hosted by CBS This Morning's Gayle King and CNN's Jake Tapper.

Click here for a list of all the winners and their stories.

A brigade of military-focused scripted series has invaded TV screens, as cable networks look to offer action-packed, often heroism-themed content depicting the U.S. armed forces.

National Geographic Channel’s The Long Road Home, which premiered on Nov. 7, is cable’s latest entry in the military genre, joining sophomore shows Shooter (USA Network) and SIX (History).

Related > MCN Review: 'The Long Road Home'

Cable programmers aren’t the only distributors deploying shows in the genre. The broadcast networks have launched three freshman shows during the during the 2017-18 television season, including Valor (The CW), The Brave (NBC) and SEAL Team (CBS).

Even Netflix’s latest series from Marvel, Marvel’s The Punisher, is based on a former marine ensnared in a military conspiracy, according to the streaming service.

Related > Watch Netflix's Trailer for 'Marvel's The Punisher'

Enjoyed Success in Past
The shows are tapping into a void of programming in what’s historically been a successful genre of television, network executives said.

“Military-themed series have a long history of success,” said Barry Jossen, executive vice president of A+E Studios, which is producing the Navy SEAL-themed series SIXfor History. “There are so many great stories to be told, filled with compelling characters and lots of aching emotion.”

Such shows also provide audiences with clear-cut heroes in a TV environment where characters often blur the lines between good and bad, executives said, reflecting the very real military conflicts covered in the news.

Related > MCN Review: History's 'SIX'

“There is a tremendous interest among the viewing audience right now to understand the military and the sacrifices that the families go through,” said Dale Ardizzone, chief operating officer for INSP, which airs the documentary series Brush of Honor about military portrait artist Phil Taylor. “All the things that are going on that have shown what a dangerous place the world can be at times combined with the social media efforts in making the lives of [military men and women] so personal have been the driving factors for the popularity of these shows.”

Nat Geo’s eight-part series The Long Road Home — based on the bestselling book by ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, chronicling the 2004 “Black Sunday” ambush of a U.S. Army platoon in Baghdad — is the network’s first foray into military programming drama. Nat Geo has produced many unscripted programs about war, the military and the valor of service members.

Related > Watch Nat Geo's 'The Long Road Home' Trailer

“It is a populist approach to storytelling, and it makes sense to tell stories that celebrate the American military, which is a really a timeless idea,” Carolyn Bernstein, National Geographic executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production, said.

Though The Long Road Home is a scripted series, its story is based in fact and depicts the lives of both the soldiers deployed in Iraq and their family members at home, Bernstein said. “For us, this was a story that deserved to be told in a complete and dramatic fashion that featured relatable and universal humanistic values,” she said.

History will return combat drama SIX for a second season in 2018. The show allows the network to tell a military story through the eyes of members of a Navy SEAL Team, affording viewers a more humanistic viewpoint of those who protect and serve their country than traditional documentary series can provide.

“SIX feels real, very real,” Jossen said. “It is a perfect blend of mission stories, providing insight into the brotherhood of SEAL Team members and home life with the varied conflicts of family, commitment and life that goes on while these heroes are away. The high-stakes drama of SIX elevates viewer emotion, who find relatable connections to their own lives.”

The action and scenarios depicted in shows such as SIX are very similar to the current conflicts facing the U.S. armed forces around the world, Jossen added. For instance, there are multiple depictions of missions in Africa on the show that preceded the Oct. 4 ambush of U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers in Niger.

“SIX is telling stories that are timely and topical as anything else on TV or in the movies,” he added.

Not a Political Thing
Although it’s difficult not to equate the rise of the genre with the general populist and pro-military themes espoused by President Donald Trump, Nat Geo’s Bernstein said such shows can entertain and build on the positive values of the military without being overtly political.

“It’s really about these people who have stories of their own to tell that have nothing to do with politics,” she said. “We’re less focused on whether it’s the perfect timing [for military shows]. From our perspective, this kind of approach to storytelling with a military subject feels like its always the right time to tell this story.”

Added INSP’s Ardizzone: “If we look at it really close, the support for the military in these shows is really apolitical. In a time when there’s a lot of divisiveness in the country, when you look at the military and celebrate the sacrifices and the challenges that the people who serve go through, it really is bipartisan, compelling entertainment.”

Effective as a realistic military drama — and frightening in passages where soldiers in vulnerable positions are under fire from streets and rooftops — The Long Road Home has the added benefit of being based on the true, nonfiction book (by ABC’s Martha Raddatz) about a deadly ambush in Baghdad’s Sadr City district on April 4, 2004. The eight-hour drama matches the time the soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division were under fire. And, as good military dramas do these days, the story is told from the perspective of the soldiers and their anxious families back in Fort Hood, Texas.

Related: Read More MCN Reviews

Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and 65 wounded on “Black Sunday.” It started out as a banal mission escorting Iraqi sewage trucks and escalated to the point where two convoys of rescuers and the original task force were involved in raging gunfights in too-lightly-armored vehicles. Sadr City was supposedly the safest place in Iraq, and the war was considered basically over.

The production — on sets built in and around Fort Hood — is first rate with attention to detail in every frame. Notable performances are turned in by Jeremy Sisto as Staff Sgt. Robert Miltenberger, who headed to Iraq with strong premonitions that he would die there; Michael Kelly as Lt. Col. Gary Volesky, the incoming battalion commander who idealistically had believed “people are going to see amazing things from us” in their peacekeeping mission; and Jason Ritter as Capt. Troy Denomy, who led one of the rescue convoys. Kate Bosworth stands out as Gina Denomy, at home with a newborn, coping with her husband’s absence.

Smithsonian Channel on April 23 will air the documentary special The Lost Tapes: L.A. Riots, which features video footage, police recordings, local media accounts and interviews that capture a six-day period during the summer of 1992 in which the city of Los Angeles experienced an explosion of protests and riots over the acquittal of four LAPD cops in the beating of black taxi driver Rodney King.

The Smithsonian special, the third in a series of “Lost Tapes” specials focused on historical events, is one of several documentaries airing in April — including Showtime’s Burn Motherf*cker Burn! (April 21) and National Geographic Channel’s LA 92 (April 30) — marking the 25th anniversary of the deadly uprising.

David Royle, executive vice president of programming and production for Smithsonian Channel, spoke with Multichannel News about the network’s unique take on the riots, as well as the recent appeal of historically-themed documentary features. Here’s what he’d like viewers to know.

Viewers will see content never seen before: “The whole basis of the series is to really allow people to experience events for themselves and draw their own conclusions. The show is made simply with film footage, radio reports, photographs, and newsreels — everything that happened and was reported at the time. It makes you feel like you were there in the midst of often turbulent and searing events. With the L.A. Riots, what we’ve been able to do is access hours of footage shot by police officers in the LAPD during the riots, much of which has never been broadcast before. That speaks for itself. We also have footage from a small radio station — KJLH in Compton — which was actually a music station, but during the riots went from being an all-music station to reporting all of the events that went on, and allowing people to call in and vent their frustrations and their fears. So on the one hand, you have the LAPD recording what’s going on, and on the other hand you have a small radio station recording what’s going on. So there are multiple perspectives being put into this program, and the viewer is being left to decide which one have the best credibility — maybe they all do — but the audience gets to discern from all these perspectives what is the reality of what was happening.”

This is history for the Internet age: “In some ways [The Lost Tapes] is going back to a traditional form of storytelling — after all, it’s relying on primary sources — but in other ways, it’s very modern and contemporary. We have a generation today who is used to learning about the world from searching the Internet. They look for raw, unedited clips, such as recent footage of people getting shot, and play it endlessly trying to interpret for themselves what it means. That’s what we do in The Lost Tapes — we put all the footage out there of events as they happen. We’re plunging the viewer back into time into the midst of that dramatic period and we’re allowing them to make up their own minds.”

It’s real life drama that’s engaging: “We’re seeing some really interesting movements with nonfiction channels going on right now. A lot of them seem to be running away from reality programming and going into big dramas. We believe there’s as gap in the marketplace and a public hunger for programming that is real dramatic, enticing but grounded in a true world of history. We want to showcase great drama that doesn’t need reinventing — we think there’s enough drama in history without a need to reinvent it. We want viewers to experience real life told in a dramatic fashion, but television they can trust, absorb and that enriches their understanding of the world.”

One year after its joint venture with 21st Century Fox, National Geographic in November will undergo an organizational rebrand that will include dropping the word “channel” from its linear cable network.

The rebrand, which will include the global tagline “Further,” will feature new graphics, brand IDs and brand animations, but will retain its iconic yellow box image, according to officials.

 The rebrand will coincide with National Geographic’s Nov. 14 premiere of its hybrid scripted/documentary series Mars, from executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, according to Courteney Monroe, CEO of National Geographic Global Television Networks.

In 2017, the “Further” tagline, which expresses Nat Geo’s quest to take risks and to push boundaries, will be featured in a regular section in National Geographic magazine as well as in a “Further” web series, according to Nat Geo officials.

“What began as an exercise to simply overhaul the look and feel of the National Geographic Channel has now become a comprehensive rebrand of every single National Geographic consumer touchpoint, across both National Geographic Partners as well as National Geographic Society,”  Monroe said during a luncheon presentation Tuesday in New York. “This rebrand marks a significant turning point in the realization of our transformational new vision for National Geographic Channel."

National Geographic Channel will team with filmmaker James Cameron to produce a new documentary Search for Atlantis, said network officials.

The two-hour special, executive produced by Cameron and produced by the Toronto-based Associated Producers, will premiere this winter and will be shot on location in Sicily, Malta, Crete, Santorini and Sardinia, with underwater portions being shot off the coast of Spain, said network officials.

In 2011, both National Geographic Channel and Discovery Canada partnered with associated producers on Finding Atlantis.

“National Geographic is committed to bring the world of science, exploration and adventure to our viewers worldwide. We are excited to partner with Cameron and Jacobovici for the quest to find Atlantis, one of the magical worlds that has resonated in our collective imaginations for thousands of years,” said Tim Pastore, president of original programming and production, National Geographic Channel, in a statement.

National Geographic Channel has ordered a pilot script for the David Oyelowo-helmed The Black 22s, the network said Tuesday.

The Black 22s (working title) focuses on the first all-black police squad based in St. Louis that battled Prohibition-era crime while being set up to fail by their own bosses during one of the most racially charged times in history, said network officials.

Oyelowo (Selma) will serve as executive producer of the series along with  Paul Guyot (TNT’s The Librarians) John Rogers (The Librarians) and Jennifer Court. Guyot will pen the pilot script and serve as showrunner for the series.

"This pitch gave me goosebumps from beginning to end. It is a moving, muscular and resonant story that perfectly exemplifies the adage that truth is stranger and more compelling than fiction,” said executive vice president of global scripted programming & production, Carolyn Bernstein. “It also represents the kind of timely and provocative storytelling that I hope will become a hallmark of Nat Geo’s new scripted initiative."

National Geographic Channel this week premiered a three-part series dubbed Generation X that examines the mostly unexplored exploits of some 65 million Americans within the demo. Nat Geo vice president of production and development Kevin Mohs – a Gen X’er himself -- said the series gives some love to an otherwise overlooked generation.

Here’s what Mohs said Nat Geo wants you to know about Generation X.

Gen X'ers are not slackers: "This generation has been overlooked or portrayed as slackers who haven’t done much in their lives and [as] just being disgruntled. But when you really step back and look you see that seismic shifts have happened because of this generation. You think about a lot of things that have been achieved in the last few decades and you never ask who’s responsible for it, so its our job dig deeper and look at the how and who’s behind everything."

Gen X'ers have influenced culture and technology:  "Take a look at Wiki-Leaks – why would somebody think its OK to leak national secrets to the world? But then you step back and say what were the things that formed that person that did that? Then you look at Watergate and the Pentagon Papers and the culmination of all those things that created that mindset. Same thing with Google and Amazon – how did someone think so out of the box to create those services? But if you step back and look at the bigger picture at what influenced such disruptors – MTV, fast foods, Napster – all things that were breaking the mold, so that’s how you come up with these great things. How does Obama become the first African-American President? We look at all the things within that generation that set the tone for what has happened today."

Generation X the series will put Generation X on the map: "We want to know what were the pivotal moments for the generation. It’s a really fast-paced way to explore the generation through the eyes of celebrities like Kevin Smith, Courtney Love, Sarah Palin and Molly Ringwald, along with a variety of experts and people providing different perspectives on the generation. We’re saying, look what this generation has accomplished, and here’s why. Hopefully people will begin talking about it … then we can be in the discussion with the baby boomers and the millennials."

Claudia Looze, program director at statewide public-affairs channel WisconsinEye, has her share of friends in the state’s press corps — none of whom expected to hear her question, via Facebook, asked during the PBS NewsHour Democratic presidential candidates’ debate in Milwaukee between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders last Thursday night (Feb. 11).

Looze didn’t even know it was coming, but it was the first Facebook-submitted question of the night. “That was shocking,” she told The Wire on Friday.

It was a good sign, though, that PBS had recommended she change her Facebook profile picture — to one of herself smiling from a found photo of a girl holding a chicken.

Her question, about the high rate of African-American male incarceration in Wisconsin, prompted thoughtful answers from the Democratic presidential contenders.

She said she was pleased that they spoke at length about incarceration and then about race relations, “which I think needs to be addressed.”

Afterward, she received many messages of congratulations, including from former co-workers at Milwaukee Public Television, which produced the telecast.

A longtime documentary filmmaker, Looze joined WisconsinEye before it launched in 2007. “I got bit by the political junkie bug and really love covering it. It’s really an interesting time to be covering state politics, especially, because so much happens in the state legislature that affects a citizen’s life, much more than at the federal level.” The channel's greatest hits include the documentary "Milwaukee: A City Built on Water" and it's currently doing a series of interviews with candidates for election in the state.

WisconsinEye is about to do a promotional push “to entice people to become informed and come watch their government at work, and the government that affects them the most on a daily basis,” the Wisconsin native said.

The channel — independently funded, with no money from the state (or from cable operators, though they provide carriage) — has for the first time hired an agency to help with promotion, she said.

And, since the first of the year, WisconsinEye programming is available on mobile phones and laptops, not just TV or desktops.

Looze hopes the channel might even host a debate of its own, in the big U.S. Senate race between Democrat Russ Feingold and incumbent Republican Ron Johnson, possibly partnering with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s JSOnline.

“That would be a big leap for us, but I think we are ready,” she said. No question about it.

— Kent Gibbons

Nat Geo’s ‘Gen X’ Series to Mark Overlooked Demo

Squeezed between the baby boomers and millennials is Generation X: People born between 1961 and 1981 who are rarely recognized for their role at the forefront of America’s cultural and technological development.

National Geographic Channel’s three-part series Generation Xseeks to shed light on these 65 million Americans. Nat Geo vice president of production and development Kevin Mohs (himself a Gen X-er) spoke with The Wire about the series, which premieres tonight (Feb. 15).

MCN:Why hasn’t there been a greater focus on Gen-Xers?

Kevin Mohs: This generation has been overlooked or portrayed as slackers who haven’t done much in their lives, and [as] just being disgruntled. But when you really step back and look, you see that seismic shifts have happened because of this generation.

MCN: What are some Gen X-er achievements?

KM: Take a look at Wikileaks. Why would somebody think it’s OK to leak national secrets to the world? But then you step back and say, what were the things that formed that person that did that? Then you look at Watergate and the Pentagon Papers and the culmination of all those things that created that mindset. Same thing with Google and Amazon — how did someone think so out of the box to create those services? But if you step back and look at the bigger picture at what influenced such disruptors — MTV, fast foods, Napster — all things that were breaking the mold, that’s how you come up with these great things. How does Obama become the first African-American president? We look at all the things within that generation that set the tone for what has happened today.

MCN: Will Gen X-ers ever get their due?

KM: This special will hopefully help to get that recognition because now the generation will be put on the map. We’re saying, look what this generation has accomplished, and here’s why. Hopefully people will begin talking about it … then we can be in the discussion with the baby boomers and the millennials.

MCN: So what will viewers discern from the series?

KM: We want to know what were the pivotal moments for the generation. It’s a really fast-paced way to explore the generation through the eyes of celebrities like Kevin Smith, Courtney Love, Sarah Palin and Molly Ringwald, along with a variety of experts and people providing different perspectives on the generation.

— R. Thomas Umstead

The reinvention of niche cable networks looking to better position themselves in a crowded and competitive marketplace has been commonplace over the past few years.

At last week’s Television Critics Association press tour, three familiar cable-network brands joined the reinvention movement by announcing sweeping changes in their operating strategies to meet the demands of a new television world.

National Geographic Channel promised that its on-air programming will not look the same one year from now as it seeks to take the brand to the next level within the entertainment arena.

Much bigger premium series, specials and documentaries featuring big-name talent will be the new face of Nat Geo, CEO Courteney Monroe said. The goal is to get to the same level as other entertainment-based networks without losing the value and appeal of the overall National Geographic brand.

Top-echelon networks TNT and TBS will go through a “full reinvention” over the next three years, TBS and TNT president and Turner Entertainment chief creative officer Kevin Reilly said at TCA. By adding quality original content, improving the consumer viewing experience, creating a new business paradigm for the networks that will include limiting the ad load in original shows, and investing in overall growth, Reilly said he hopes to change Turner’s struggling ratings fortunes.

ABC Family will go one step further. Starting later this month, it will abandon it’s 15-year moniker for a new one, Freeform. The network hopes the name will better reflect its mandate to reach young millennials with its drama and comedy programming.

The common denominator with all the networks is a decline in primetime ratings in 2015 compared with the previous year, with TNT and ABC Family suffering double-digit dips. The networks find themselves playing the reinvention game amid a shifting television landscape that is chasing viewers not chained to the small tube for their viewing options.

The English settlers (invaders?) who’ve left the Mayflowerstart exploring the woods of Massachusetts and come upon a small, possibly abandoned Native American village and find some stored corn. The armed men quickly realize the natives might have saved it as seeds to plant. “God is testing us,” the devout William Bradford (Mad Men’s Vincent Kartheiser) says. “God is blessing us,” a hungry comrade replies. “He keeps us from starving.”

Survival trumps morality. They take the corn, a decision that reverberates throughout this long story about the struggles faced by the Mayflower pilgrims and the varying natives they encountered, befriended, betrayed, supported and fought against.

The Mayflowerbrought people seeking religious freedom (saints) and others after a fortune in the New World (strangers). The natives all, understandably, mistrusted the newcomers. One chief, Massasoit (Raoul Trujillo), decides it’s in the Pokanokets’ interest to make an alliance with them. The crucial native to the whole scenario is Squanto (Kalani Queypo), a former English captive who can translate. He’s a complicated character, and there are dualities and complications throughout the story.

I found the narrative straightforward and compelling without a lot of forced situations. The skirmishes feel real but not overly violent. The most interesting characters, to me, were Squanto and Massasoit, with honorable mention to Stephen Hopkins (Ray Stevenson) of the strangers, a former Jamestown colonist who grapples with what makes a savage. It’s a compelling story that’s well told, though often grim. And you don’t have to wait until the end to see the Thanksgiving feast.

Live sports and news event programming  have been huge ratings plays for cable networks  this year, from ESPN’s cable record-setting  audience for the Jan. 12 Ohio State-Oregon  College Football Playoff National Championship  game to Fox News Channel’s stunning performance for its Republican Presidential Debate on Aug. 6.

Three other networks this week are  looking to tap into the excitement and unpredictability  of live programming with  specials that, if successful, could usher in a  new era of live entertainment fare on cable  beyond awards shows.

National Geographic Channel kicked things off  Sunday (Oct. 25) with Brain Surgery Live, featuring a  renowned surgical team performing a deep brain stimulation  surgery on an awake patient in real time. The neurological  procedure — performed on a retired Navy chief  petty officer who suffers from tremors due to the early  onset of Parkinson’s disease — was billed as the first live  telecast of its kind, acknowledging the remarkable technological  achievements in the medical field.

Catering to viewers looking for thrills and chills during  Halloween week, A&E on Monday (Oct.  26) digs up a special that will test the limits  of fear among three participants who have  volunteered to be buried alive, live. A&E is  marketing the special, Fear: Buried Alive, as  more of a psychological experiment testing  — and hopefully conquering — fear itself,  but many viewers will undoubtedly tune in  to see how long it will take for the contestants  to freak out within the constraints of  a sealed, underground coffin.

On Halloween Eve, Destination America  follows suit with the first-ever live telecast  of an exorcism when it goes to the  house that inspired the 1970s horror film The Exorcist  to investigate paranormal activity.Exorcism: Live even  brings an interactive element: Viewers can access multiple  live camera feeds set up around the house online at  DestinationAmerica.com/ExorcismLive.

While these shows aren’t expected to generate the  20 million to 30 million viewers that some live cable news  and sports events have already done this year, the specials  will shed some light on whether the mix of live and entertainment  programming can generate big audiences. 

National Geographic Channel will return its late night series StarTalk in October, the network said Wednesday during its Television Critics Association tour session.

Also, the network will develop a scripted drama Red Planet from producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer about man's first trip to mars, according Nat Geo CEO Courteney Monroe.

StarTalk, hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, will premiere Oct. 25 on the channel. The first guest for the second season will be President Bill Clinton, said Monroe.

In other Nat Geo news, the network will also launch a new documentary Parched, produced by Alex Gibney. The limited series will also be developed into a theatrical release, according to network officials. 

The network also said it has ordered a pilot script dubbed Last Men Out about the last 36 hours of the Vietnam War from executie producers Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson.

Monroe also said she's open to another Killing original movie, but the network has no plans for any additional movies wihtin the franchise. The network's Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus and Killing Lincoln are among the most watched shows in network history. 

National Geographic Channel will team with veteran actor Morgan Freeman to create a new series, The Story of God, the network announced Thursday (June 11).

Freeman will serve as host and executive producer of the series, which will examine religious experiences and rituals around the world, according to network officials. Each episode of the series will center on one big question about the divine, from the mystery of creation to the true power of miracles to the promise of resurrection, said the network.

The Story Of God, which will premiere in 2016 on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Mundo in the US as well as in 171 countries, will be produced by Revelations Entertainment.  

“We’re partnering with Revelations Entertainment and the talented, multifaceted Morgan Freeman to produce an epic and very personal journey to understand mankind’s religious devotion,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channels in a statement. “Blending science, history, anthropology and personal experience, we’re harnessing the power of the National Geographic brand and our unparalleled global reach to tell a meaningful and awe-inspiring story of religion and spirituality, across disciplines and faiths.”

Pasadena, Calif.--National Geographic Channel will develop its first ever late-night series in April hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

The series, StarTalk – based on Tyson’s popular podcast – will feature celebrities, comedians and scientists discussing the latest developments in science, said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channels during the network's Television Critics Association press tour here Wednesday.

The series will be produced by National Geographic Studios and will be taped in front of a studio audience at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium, where Tyson serves as director.

Tyson most recently hosted the Fox broadcasting miniseries Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey this past summer.

“After the global success of Cosmos as one of the most watched series in our history, we are thrilled to be partnering with Neil again on Star Talk — his wildly popular podcast that transcends science and crosses over into pop culture — once again satisfying the audience’s passion for adventure and exploration,” Monroe said.

Monroe also announced the network will bring back the long-running nature series Explorer later this year.

The network also announced the summer debut of a new special, Dino Autopsy, and the Fall 2015 premiere of miniseries History Of The World.

National Geographic Channel will examine the 10-year anniversary of the tsunami that hit the coasts of Indonesia in a new special airing Dec. 26.

The special, The Next Mega Tsunami, looks for clues along the tsunami-ravaged coasts of Indonesia with the hopes of predicting and preparing for the possibility of another one striking the area, according to network officials.

Immediately following the special, Nat Geo will revisit the Dec. 2004 Tsunami with an encore presentation of Tsunami: Day of Destruction.

Produced by Scott Free Productions, National Geographic Channel has announced casting for the upcoming film, Killing Jesus.

Based on the best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly, the film will star Kelsey Grammer as King Herod, Haaz Sleiman as Jesus and Stephen Moyer as Pontius Pilot.

"The film Killing Jesus will break new ground in chronicling the life of the most famous human being who ever lived,” said executive producer O’Reilly. “The superb cast and script reflect much thought and research. Viewers are in for something very different and very special."

U.K.-based Chris Menaul is the director for the fall project, with the help of Oscar-and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Walon Green in his teleplay.

Killing Jesus will premiere in 171 countries in 45 languages in 2015, including Nat Geo Mundo in Spanish.

“The combined talent of this incredible cast is unparalleled, and we can't wait to see what this team of actors can do," said executive producer Moran. “With this stellar cast and breathtaking script by Walon based on Bill’s page-turner, we are going to explore the seismic political and historical events that surrounded the life and death of Jesus as never before.”

Casting is as follows:

Aneurin Barnard (“The White Queen”) as James

Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Entourage”) as Herodia

John Rhys Davies (“Indiana Jones”) as Annas

Vernon Dobtcheff (“Before Sunset”) as Isaiah

Joe Doyle (“Reign”) as Judas

Tamsin Egerton (“The Look of Love”) as Claudia

Abhin Galeya (“Cleanskin”) as John the Baptist

Stephanie Leonidas (“Defiance”) as Salome

John Lynch (“Sliding Doors”) as Nicodemus

Eoin Macken (“The Night Shift”) as Antipas

Alexis Rodney (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) as Simon (Peter)

Rufus Sewell (“Hercules”) as Caiaphas

With Haaz Sleiman (“The Visitor”) in the title role as Jesus

Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) as Pontius Pilate

and Kelsey Grammer (“Partners,” “Boss”) as King Herod

Comcast and HBO followed up their tech Emmys with more hardware, this time in the jury-selected interactive media arena.

They were among six juried award winners announced  Wednesday by The Television Academy Wednesday for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media for the 66th Emmy Awards.

In the User Experience and Visual Design category, Comcast was recognized for Xfinity TV On the X1 Platform, while HBO was recognized for the Game of Thrones Viewer’s Guide.

Discovery Channel’s Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda (in association with Peacock Productions, Discovery Digital Media and the Discovery Agency) got the prize for Multiplatform Storytelling.

Just A Reflektor (AATOAA, Google Creative Lab, and Unit9), an interactive short film, won for best Original Interactive Program.

Pivot’s HITRECORD On TV and National Geographic Channel’s Live From Space were both was recognized in the Social TV Experience category.

Emmy statuettes for these juried awards will be presented during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theater L.A. LIVE on Saturday, Aug. 16, and will produced by Spike Jones, Jr. This year’s telecast partner, FXM, will run an edited version of the awards on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 10 pm ET/PT.

The Creative Arts Emmys will also be streamed in its entirely on Emmys.com at 3pm ET on Monday, Aug. 25.

Juried categories require all entrants to be screened by a panel of professionals in the peer group, with the possibility of one, more than one or no entry being awarded an Emmy. There are no nominees, but winners are instead picked in a one-step evaluation and voting procedure. Only those with unanimous approval win, according to The Television Academy noted.

Comcast and HBO were also among the Emmy winners in the Technology & Engineering category. Comcast was among four recognized for “Personalized Recommendation Engines for Video Discovery” for multichannel video programming distributors, while HBO (along with Netflix) was awarded for “Pioneering Development of 2nd Screen Navigable Mosaic for Direct Programmer Offerings to Consumers via the Internet.”