PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger told the TV Critics Association last week that she wants to bring the arts back to television. She said people with interest in the arts, and those with no access to them, are not being served by the rest of broadcast media, according to a report by the Canwest News Service. PBS will start its arts initiative with a fall performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s King Lear, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Ian McKellen as the deranged old monarch. Soon thereafter, ballet, modern dance, opera, jazz, performance art, theater, and music recitals from various cultures will follow. The initiative, Kerger said, is part of PBS’s effort to remain relevant to contemporary audiences. —Caitlin Baker
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.