NGC Hopes Crime Pays

Pasadena, Calif. -- National Geographic Channel will explore the history of crime organizations and the country’s national parks as part of its lineup of new programming scheduled to air over the next couple of months.

The network’s new four-part miniseries, Underworld History of … will examine the activities of America’s most powerful criminal organizations, while three-hour skein National Parks will tour several of America’s national parks, including the nation’s oldest park, Yellowstone.

The mob and illegal drug trade play prominently in several NGC pilots in development, including Miami Drug Cartel, which delves into the multibillion-dollar cocaine trade; Bikers and Mobsters, which chronicles Montreal’s drug war between the Hell’s Angels and other biker gangs; Philly Mob, which focuses on the 1980s mob war in the City of Brotherly Love; and Vegas Mafia, which highlights the battle between the mob and law enforcement in Sin City.

The network also hopes to air documentary film Inside the Green Berets in April. NGC president Laureen Ong said during the network’s Television Critics Association Tour presentation here Wednesday that Inside producer Steve Hoggard and his crew, who were injured during filming in Afghanistan, were expected to make a full recovery and are "determined to finish the film."

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.