ITVS will launch a bilingual American Graduate Latino this November as part of CPB’s ongoing American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen initiative targeting the high school dropout crisis.
American Graduate Latino will supply American Graduate broadcasts and online programming in Spanish and English to assist viewers, teachers and community leaders in preventing dropouts.
At the core of the bilingual initiative are two documentaries executive-produced by director Bernardo Ruiz (American Experience: Roberto Clemente) scheduled to air in 2013 on Independent Lens. The films, produced in association with Latino Public Broadcasting and distributed in English and Spanish, will explore why Latino students are dropping out and tell the personal stories behind those numbers.
Also, five short-form docs executive produced by ITVS will target Latino audiences through multiple platforms including broadcast on PBS, multicaster V-Me, commercial cable outlets and digital platforms such as YouTube and the indie sharing websites SnagFilms and Jaman, in English and Spanish.