WORLD Channel's April Focus on Resiliency and Overcoming Adversity

BOSTON, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WORLD Channel will focus on resiliency this April with programming that features people from around the world overcoming challenges such as life-threatening sickness, trauma, and tragedy. This month-long focus includes original programs exclusive to WORLD Channel, such as an all-new season of Pacific Heartbeat, the Life on the Line series, and America ReFramed. America ReFramed, WORLD Channel's independent film series co-produced with American Documentary, Inc., is devoted to under-told stories from a diverse American culture.

Fridays, April 4, 11, 18: Life on the Line, a series that offers an inspiring look into the resilience of people, premieres exclusively on April 4^th with Heart to Heart and Out of the Rubble. Stories in this series include a baby fighting congenital heart disease, an eight-year-old boy's courage after the earthquake in Haiti, women in Bangladesh preventing the likely odds of death due to childbirth, and "One Arm Willie" Stewart inspiring others as he trains for the USA triathlon championships. Other episodes include End it Now (April 11), Baby Blue (April 11), Armed for the Challenge (April 18), and Anchoring Hope (April 18).

Sunday, April 13: Pacific Heartbeat: The Illness & The Odyssey details the story of a deadly, mind-wasting disease that could potentially hold the key to solving the riddle of many other neurological disorders. A cure for Alzheimer's, a Nobel Prize, and an honored place in medical history are left dangling as scientists race to find the cure for a rare disease found on one remote Pacific island.

Wednesday, April 16: Coexist reveals an unprecedented effort in government-mandated reconciliation following the genocide in Rwanda. From the people who committed murder to those who survived, the film features inspirational stories of forgiveness and the challenges former enemies encounter in the face of unimaginable pain.

Sunday, April 27: Pacific Heartbeat: Nā Loea: The Masters depicts the lives of those who are considered masters in unique aspects of Hawaiian culture. Nā Loea: The Masters follows some of these remarkable individuals, including Ed Wendt, a pioneer in the taro restoration movement, who helped to re-establish the water rights for all traditional farmers in east Maui.

Tuesday, April 29: America ReFramed: Come Hell or High Water-The Battle for Turkey Creek details the painful, yet inspiring, journey of Derrick Evans, a Boston teacher who moves home to coastal Mississippi when the graves of his ancestors are bulldozed to make way for the sprawling city of Gulfport. Over the course of a decade, Evans and his neighbors not only stand up to powerful corporate interests and politicians, but also face ordeals that include Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil disaster in their struggle for self-determination and environmental justice.

"These programs share the stories of individuals who have navigated hardships to provide important lessons – it's impactful and inspiring," says Chris Hastings, executive producer, WORLD Channel.

Check local listings and tune-in to WORLD Channel for global perspectives and stories on resiliency starting on Wednesday, April 2. You can also join in on the conversation by visiting the WORLD on Facebook and on Twitter. For more information and a complete listing of WORLD Channel programming, visit www.WORLDchannel.org

About WORLD Channel
The WORLD Channel is a 24/7, multicast channel dedicated to delivering the best of public television's nonfiction, news and documentary programming as well as a growing schedule of original content from independent producers and communities of difference. The complementary website, www.WORLDchannel.org, expands on broadcast topics and fuels content across social media, providing opportunities for broad and diverse audience interaction. WORLD Channel is produced by WGBH/Boston, in partnership with American Public Television and WNET/New York, and in association with the Public Broadcasting Service and the National Educational Telecommunications Association.  Funding for WORLD Channel is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding for "America ReFramed" is provided by the MacArthur Foundation.

About WGBH:
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web. Television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH Boston Public Radio; 99.5 WCRB Classical New England; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. Find more information at wgbh.org.

About American Public Television:
American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation's public television stations since 1961. APT also has distributed about half of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles for nearly 10 years. Among its 300 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children's series and classic movies. "America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated," "Rick Steves' Europe," "Doc Martin," "Nightly Business Report," "Moyers & Company," "NHK Newsline," "Lidia's Italy in America," "Globe Trekker," "Simply Ming," "BBC World News" and "P. Allen Smith's Garden Home"join numerous documentaries and performance programs popular with public television viewers. APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Now in its seventh year, Create® TV-featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming-is distributed by APT. APT is also a partner in WORLD, public television's premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT's programs and services, visit APTonline.org. 

About American Documentary, Inc.:
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public culture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. POV is AmDoc's signature series produced for PBS.

Contact:   
Mandy Miller, 
National Marketing, WGBH
617.300.5334
[email protected]     

SOURCE WORLD Channel