KOCE-TV TAKES A STAND AS THE SOUTHLAND’S ONLY
PBS STATION TO AIR THE HIGHLY-PUBLICIZED FILM
`THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’
`The Armenian Genocide’ Premieres Wednesday, April 26 on KOCE-TV at 9:00 PM
(HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF.) March 9, 2006 – KOCE-TV, Orange County’s
local PBS station, is taking a moral stand as the only station in the
Southland, including Los Angeles to air the highly-publicized program,
`The Armenian Genocide.’ The acclaimed program, which shares the
under-reported story of the Ottoman Turks’ brutal slaying of more than
one million Armenians during one of the largest genocides in history,
will premiere on KOCE-TV Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at 9:00 PM.
To date, despite overwhelming evidence and against the opinion of the
overwhelming majority of historians, the Turkish government denies an
Armenian genocide ever took place. However, in the face of this
adversity, KOCE-TV has taken a moral stance by airing the documentary
and recognizing the opinionof the overwhelming majority of historians
that genocide did indeed take place.
`KOCE-TV is proud to be recognized as the only station in the
Southland, including Los Angeles to air “The Armenian Genocide,” said
Mel Rogers, president and general manager of KOCE-TV. `This film and
its topic are significant, and KOCE-TV feels it is important that the
genocide suffered by the Armenians not be forgotten, denied or glossed
over. It is part of the mission of public television to stimulate
responsible discussion and illuminate complex issues. Since most
Americans do not fully understand the issue in all its complexity, we
are committed to offering the program which we sincerely hope will
help viewers better understand this chapter in world history.’
KOCE-TV Shares the Largely Untold Story of the Turks’ Atrocious Crimes
against Humanity `The Armenian Genocide’ is the unprecedented and
powerful complete story of the first genocide of the 20th century. The
one-hour documentary which features extensive never-before-seen
historical footage explores the ongoing controversy of the Armenian
genocide and explains why the Turkish government denies the events
ever took place. The documentary, written, directed and produced by
Emmy Award-winning producer Andrew Goldberg is narrated by Julianna
Margulies, Ed Harris, Natalie Portman, Laura Linney and Orlando Bloom.
Filmed in the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Turkey and
Syria, the program features discussions with leading experts in the
field including Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power, and New
York Times best-selling author Peter Balakian, and Kurdish and Turkish
citizens in modern-day Turkey who speak openly about the stories told
to them by their parents and grandparents.
`As Turkey seeks to join the European Union, 90 years later, this film
can give people a much better understanding of why this issue is such
an important and current part of the international conversation about
Turkey’s role in the world today,’ said Goldberg.
About Emmy Award-Winning Producer Andrew Goldberg
Andrew Goldberg’s television credits include PBS, ABC News, E!, CNN,
and countless others. In addition to documentaries, he has also
written and produced commercials for such companies as Bell South,
Sephora/Louis Vuitton, AT&T and PetSmart. Goldberg’s recent
documentary productions include, A Yiddish World Remembered for PBS
which won an Emmy in 2002, and The Armenians, A Story of Survival,
which aired on PBS stations nationally in 2002 and was awarded the
CINE Golden Eagle.
About KOCE-TV
KOCE-TV, one of the most watched PBS stations in America, has an
estimated 4.5 million viewers* each month, and offers a mix of both
local and national programs. In addition, KOCE Classroom serves more
than half-a-million K-14 students. The winner of hundreds of awards
including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a
leading resource for education, culture and local issues in Southern
California. For more information, please visit _www.koce.org_
() .
* This figure was calculated by KOCE’s program consultant and is based
upon information obtained via PubTV Online.
####
Editor’s Note: Photos and interviews are available by contacting Sabrina
Shannon at (714) 573-0899 ext. 27
or via e-mail at [email protected]