"The gutsy forum for independent nonfiction films." — The New York Times

P.O.V. (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. P.O.V. premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, P.O.V. has presented over 225 films to public television audiences across the country. P.O.V. films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.

P.O.V. celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007! Find out more about P.O.V.'s 20th Anniversary activites.

Migrant farmworkers, "Escuela" (2002)

AWARDS: P.O.V. films have won every major film and broadcasting award including 18 Emmys, ten George Foster Peabody Awards, eight Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Broadcast Journalism Awards, three Academy Awards, 17 Cine Golden Eagles and the Prix-Italia. See a full list of awards. »

"So much of what we see is watered-down and easily digestible, designed to appeal to the largest common denominator and not cause offense. Against this pallid landscape of cream-puffery, P.O.V. stands out as something quite bright and unusual." — USA Today

AUDIENCE REACH: As a series broadcast on the national PBS schedule, P.O.V. reaches over 97% of the American viewing public, with a cumulative audience average of 2.5 million per program. In addition, P.O.V. works with thousands of educators and community groups, reaching over 15,000 people directly.

IMPACT: The series continues to challenge the notion of television as a one-way medium by creating pioneering models and innovative broadcast-related projects designed to maximize television's potential. Talking Back is a hallmark of P.O.V. which completes the broadcast loop by featuring viewers' responses to our broadcasts. P.O.V. Interactive harnesses the interactive potential of the web as a medium that encourages dialogue and participation. P.O.V.'s Community Engagement campaigns build new audiences through partnerships between public television stations and community groups, broadening public debate and fostering community-based activities around issues represented in select programs. Learn how to get involved. »

Read an essay on P.O.V.'s place in the larger context of public media. »

PARTNERING WITH INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS: More than 800 programs are submitted for consideration each year. The films undergo a rigorous review process involving independent media professionals, public television station programmers and PBS. Once chosen, P.O.V. works with filmmakers to craft a strategic broadcast plan which includes a national press campaign, outreach and educational activities in partnership with public television stations, educators and community-based organizations, a stand-alone website and other materials and services geared to providing the most effective springboard possible for the film. Filmmakers, learn more in "For Producers." »

	"P.O.V., public television’s independent, nonfiction showcase remains a beacon in a world of limited opportunity." — The Boston Herald

FUNDING: Major funding for P.O.V. is provided by PBS, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Educational Foundation of America, the Ford Foundation, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts and public television viewers. Funding for the Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with additional support from JPMorgan Chase Foundation, the official sponsor of P.O.V.'s 20th Anniversary Campaign. P.O.V. is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KCET Los Angeles, WGBH Boston, and Thirteen/WNET New York.

Steven Cozza, "Scout's Honor" (2001)

TOP OF PAGE