Three years ago, I had the privilege of taking the helm of one of the great television franchises: American Masters. Over the course of its 31-year history, this series has amassed an archive of 225+ documentaries about America’s artists and thinkers and doers that is unrivaled anywhere.
This series has shone a bright light on some of the best known personalities of the modern era – from Mel Brooks and Maya Angelou to JD Salinger and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as those who may be forgotten to time: Althea Gibson, Pedro E. Guerrero or Ahmet Ertegun.
And it has sparked reflection and discussion, revisiting the hardships overcome and the creativity that continues to inspire us all. American Masters has committed to offering an in-depth perspective on the voices that have shaped generations, creating a catalog of influencers that will persist for generations to come.
All of this is made possible through the generous support of the Federal government as well as individuals and institutions who believe in us and see the value we deliver.
Federal funding for public broadcasting represents less than 1/100th of one percent of the federal budget, yet PBS is watched by 82 percent of US households. This investment is critical to providing every American with free access to public media — a proven, trusted source of in-depth and informative journalism, award-winning educational children’s programming, and vital insights into culture, science and, of course, history.
With funding for public broadcasting eliminated in the current Federal Budget Blueprint, we would like to ask you to stand with American Masters and all of public media and join our efforts to restore funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Visit protectmypublicmedia.org to learn more.
With your help, we’ll keep telling the stories of the groundbreakers who have and will shape America.
Thank you for your support,
Michael Kantor
Executive Producer
American Masters