In HBO's 'Nuclear Family,' Filmmaker Explores Her Lesbian Mothers' Landmark Custody Battle
This Sunday, HBO premieres a one-of-a-kind, three-part documentary series that not only takes an intimate look at a landmark custody dispute, but is also the filmmaker's personal story. In "Nuclear Family," Ry Russo-Young investigates the court case that played out in the early 1990s between her mothers—a lesbian couple—and her biological father, Thomas Steel, who according to Russo-Young's mothers, acted only as the sperm donor in their quest to have and raise a child together. Years later, Steel ended up suing Robin Young, Ry's birth mother, for legal rights to Russo-Young while Young's
National Geographic Commemorates 20th Anniversary of 9/11 in New Documentary Series
Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City and the Pentagon. While America continues its climb out of the COVID-19 pandemic, 9/11 still resonates deeply as a day of remembrance of the lives lost as a result of the attacks, and of the tragedy and unity that followed in the aftermath. To commemorate the anniversary and to honor the lives lost, National Geographic released a six-part documentary series. "9/11: One Day in America" follows the events of September 11, 2001, through the lens of first responders and survivors who were there on that fateful day.
TV Stats: TV's Innovative Shows Impact On Screen and Off
For decades, TV has led the way for bold storytelling. TV shows have raised the bar repeatedly, challenging conventional wisdom of what is commercially successful as well as what viewers will connect with. Over the past decade, the TV market has exploded with new options as more and more streaming services launch. But competition is a good thing, and the result has been a win for viewers, as more high-quality entertainment becomes available every day. But through all this change, one thing has stayed the same—innovative TV comes from cable networks. In fact, in 2020, cable networks were
GLAAD Shares Why LGBTQ Representation in Children's Media is So Important
Over the last two decades, the United States and much of the world has experienced a dramatic shift in attitudes over acceptance of LGBTQ people. During that time, on screen representation has soared, thanks in part to big names in cable TV (such as HBO or Showtime) taking what was then considered a risk and producing shows that not only portrayed LGBTQ people in positive ways, but also had them as central characters. This expanding of perspectives on screen has been met with critical acclaim as well as commercial success. Where conventional wisdom once held that queer characters and story
AMC's 'The Walking Dead' Prepares for its Final Year
It's the beginning of the end for AMC's "The Walking Dead," and for zombie fans galore, it's been a wild ride. The 11th and final season of the show premieres this weekend and will stretch into late 2022. Since the show's debut in late 2010, the post-apocalyptic zombie TV series has experienced massive social followings like no other, and has spun off into additional shows that include "Talking Dead," "Fear the Walking Dead, and "Walking Dead: World Beyond." And "The Walking Dead" universe continues to expand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular online video game Fortnite brought in new
Disney Channel and Disney Junior Are Building a More Inclusive Future
TV networks have a large reach and heavy influence on kids, which is why it is so critical for children's programming to help kids understand more about people's differences and the world around them. Disney Channel and Disney Junior have long stood out from the crowd in their quest to create diverse and inclusive programming, and their animated shows continue to step up for the youngest audiences. At this year's Television Critics Association summer press tour, producers and cast members of some of their most popular animated kids shows spoke about the importance of having programming that
The Kids Are Alright: Kids Street Delivers Fun, Educational Programming for Children and Families
As television has changed over the past decade, the same goes for children’s entertainment. Just like other media sectors, new technologies and distribution methods have ushered in a boom of rich educational kids’ content. One of NCTA’s newest members, cable TV network Kids Street (whose parent company, Condista, is also an NCTA member), is leading the way in providing diverse, education focused content for kids and families. Recently, NCTA interviewed Kids Street to find out more about their mission: NCTA: Talk a bit about Kids Street and what you do? Kids Street: Kids Street is an
NBCUniversal Is Set to Produce the 'Most Meaningful Olympic Games of our Lifetime'
The Tokyo Olympics officially kick off tomorrow with the opening ceremonies, and NBCUniversal is more than ready to pull off the first major global media event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. (In fact, the network has already been covering the start of the Olympic Games in softball and soccer for the past few days.) Despite the lack of in-person audiences due to the ongoing pandemic, there is no doubt that the world will be watching as the Games unfold, especially after the event was postponed last summer. "We are going to deliver the most comprehensive—and accessible—coverage
TV Stats: Excellence On Screen
The last decade for TV has been nothing short of a revolution. New technologies and new distribution methods have changed how audiences consume their entertainment and have resulted in an explosion of new shows. In fact, 493 original scripted shows premiered in 2020, according to FX Networks. More competition for eyeballs means networks are eager to tell powerful stories and elevate authentic voices. With a healthy, competitive TV marketplace, audiences are the winners. Cable TV networks have a long history of leading the pack with award-winning programming. From “The Sopranos” to “Mare of
Take a TV Dive with a Shark
It's that time of year when sharks rule not just the waters, but America's TV screens. Sharks have always been a fan favorite, and two cable TV networks are combining science and research with nonstop thrills and entertainment to teach audiences about these fascinating sea creatures. National Geographic kicked off its ninth annual SHARKFEST programming special earlier this week, which runs for a total of six weeks. Meanwhile, Discovery is in its third decade of SHARK WEEK, with its 33rd annual production launching July 11 and running for seven days. National Geographic's programming includes