KCET and Eyetronics Media and Studios Announce Initial Programming Line-up

Jean-Michel Cousteau Kicks Off New Slate as Host of Unique Environmental-themed Show

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- KCET, the nation's largest independent public television station, and Eyetronics Media and Studios have unveiled the initial line-up of new original series resulting from their innovative partnership to produce and acquire programming thematically distinctive to Southern California for domestic and international distribution. 

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The first programs scheduled for production include (working titles):  "Ocean Alive," "Department of State," "Classic Cool Theatre," "California Game Changers" and "Retrostory™."

"We are pleased to move forward with this exciting initial line-up featuring an eclectic array of educational and entertaining shows covering Southern California ecology, public affairs, lifestyle, innovation and history," said Al Jerome, president and CEO of KCET.

Added Dominique Bigle, CEO and president of Eyetronics: "I am eager to present this dynamic new programming to the international marketplace and share some of our most prized treasures from our digital library with a wide range of entertainment enthusiasts and film fans."

FOLLOWING ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW PROGRAMS:

Ocean Alive

Emmy® award-winning filmmaker, educator, environmentalist and ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau will host an extraordinary new show that combines the beauty of Southern California and the glamour of Hollywood with the powerful message of conservation. As one of the world's leading marine preservationists, Jean-Michel is our ecological tour guide, inviting celebrities and public figures to breathtaking locations to explore the area's dynamic marine life and discuss ways to protect our waters with lively and enlightening commentary. With each segment, viewers will discover new ways to protect the natural integrity of the planet. The series will also have a new media presence to further engage audiences with fun, interactive features and additional information.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of iconic ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, said, "I am pleased to explore and share in depth the beauty and power of Southern California's waters, a microcosm of the global ocean in its stunning beauty and richness, but also at the brink of being overpowered.  The problems and the solutions are offshore and we will explore them."

"We want to reconnect the ocean with everyone under its influence, and that is all of us.  We'll do so by sharing the stories of the sea from throughout the world that touch our hearts and our pocketbooks, and in the company of people who can make a difference.  We want to remind people that connecting with the sea and with nature is not only vital, it's fun." He will also explain some of the cutting-edge research being conducted through his Ocean Futures Society, a marine conservation and education organization he founded in 1999.

KCET's Jerome said: "We're proud to be able to include Jean-Michel Cousteau as an important part of our schedule with such an imaginative new program that encourages us to be good stewards of the environment."

Department of State

Viewers will experience and understand world events in a new and different way. A more immediate way.  With insight from the people who matter. A rotating group of global media correspondents will lead intriguing weekly half-hour conversations and analysis with former public figures and decision-makers about world news of the day. 

California Game Changers

Recognized worldwide as a land of sunshine and opportunity, California represents a lifestyle defined by surfing, yoga and Hollywood red carpets.  This rich imagery has attracted scores of pioneers for decades looking to take advantage of all California has to offer and make the next mark on the state's iconic landscape. Merging the science and the style; the technology, innovation and entertainment of California, California Game Changers is a half-hour weekly program exploring those only-in-California industries, innovators and inventions.

Classic Cool Theatre

Viewers will embark on a cinematic journey into classic Hollywood through a new film series that brings the nostalgia, drama and style of vintage Hollywood into their homes. In addition, the series will be enriched with the best of classic international films that impacted the 20th century. Each week, the series spotlights a different classic movie, beginning with a visit to the dark, visually distinctive period of Film Noir with the 1945 classic Detour.

Retrostory™

Remember the Twist?  How did Humphrey Bogart get his start? What sparked the Great Depression?  A new bi-weekly documentary series inspires and educates viewers with the remarkable stories of the 20th Century through a Southern California lens. Covering the era's greatest struggles and accomplishments, viewers will learn about social phenomena, influential political and entertainment figures and other revolutionary advancements that transformed The Southland and the world throughout the 1900s.

"Classic Cool Theatre" and Retrostory™" will incorporate assets from Eyetronics' expansive digital library of films, rare footage, newsreels, cartoons, serials, documentaries, TV movies and series.

"With RetroStory™, Eyetronics and KCET intend to make a significant contribution to the documentary genre with original world-class productions that illuminate fascinating aspects of our history and culture during the 20th century," Bigle said.  "I'm also very excited about Classic Cool Theatre, which celebrates timeless movies using our extensive classic film library."

*Photos available upon request*

About Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society

The mission of Ocean Futures Society is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. Founded by Jean-Michel Cousteau, OFS is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with offices in Sanary, France; Lucca, Italy and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, is an explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer. For more than four decades, Jean-Michel Cousteau has dedicated himself and his vast experience to communicate to people of all nations and generations his love and concern for our water planet. For additional information, please visit www.oceanfutures.org.

About KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well as the finest public television programs from around the world. KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia and Peabody Award-winning SoCal Connected, a hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its 47-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org.

About Eyetronics Media & Studios:

Based in Encino, California, and spearheaded by Dominique Bigle, son of the legendary Walt Disney Europe co-founder Armand Bigle and a veteran television executive, Eyetronics Media & Studios is an industry-acclaimed producer, distributor and visual effects studio.  Throughout Eyetronics' distinguished ten-year history, the company has served national and international clients with high quality 3D scanning services and animation-ready models for the film, television, video game and commercial advertising industries. In addition, the company has recently established an in-house production and distribution unit, for the purpose of launching Classic Cool™, a retro-programming franchise that celebrates the best in films, television and newsreels from the Twentieth Century.  Classic Cool™ is a modular programming brand offering customizable content for all broadcasters and digital media from interstitials, shorts and half-hour series to complete evening blocks comprised of classic films, documentaries and original retro-themed series.  For additional information, please visit www.eyetronics.com and www.classiccool.tv.

SOURCE KCET