PBS to Air New Documentary on "Armenian Genocide" April 17

BARLOW DER MUGRDECHIAN
ADVISOR

The Armenian Genocide is the story of the first genocide of the 20th century-when over a million and a half Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

This one-hour documentary, The Armenian Genocide, was written, directed, and produced by Emmy-Award winning producer Andrew Goldberg of Two Cats Productions, in association with Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The film features interviews with the leading experts in the field such as Pulitzer-prize winning author, Samantha Power, and New York times best-selling author Peter Balakian, and features never-before-seen historical footage of the events and key players of the Armenian Genocide.

The documentary was filmed in the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, and Syria and features discussions with Kurdish and Turkish citizens in modern-day Turkey, who speak openly about the stories told to them by their parents and grandparents.

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has attracted nation-wide protests regarding the proposed screening of a 25 minute panel-discussion to follow the screening of the documentary (note: the airing of the documentary in the San Joaquin Valley will not include airing of the controversial panel discussion). Four panelists participated: Colgate professor Peter Balakian and University of Minnesota professor Taner Akçam support the film’s views, while University of Louisville professor Justin McCarthy and Turkish historian Omer Turan give an opposing perspective. Professor Balakian said that he did not want to participate in a panel with “two bona-fide deniers” but felt that he was “backed into a corner” by PBS. If he had boycotted the panel, he said, it would have jeopardized the broadcast of the documentary, which Balakian called “a major and comprehensive piece of work.”

McCarthy, in a recent interview, said that the history of the period is complex and does not lend itself to simple judgements and labels. According to McCarthy, titling the documentary The Armenian Genocide is “a false description of a complicated history.”

Filmmaker Goldberg said that he did not think the panel was necessary, “but didn’t fight it. It wasn’t up to me and I had nothing to do with its production.”

Both Washington, DC, based lobbying organizations, the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee of America, have called on PBS to cancel its plans to provide Armenian Genocide deniers a national television audience.

It is believed that airing the round table discussion would only serve to call the Armenian Genocide into question, and support the Turkish government policy of denial.

Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY), a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues, called the inclusion of the genocide deniers on the panel “an insult to the history of that time.”

Two Cats Productions is a documentary production company in New York City led by Andrew Goldberg, also produced The Armenians, A Story of Survival, which aired on PBS stations nationally in 2002.

The Armenian Genocide is available on DVD or VHS through Oregon Public Broadcasting, P.O. Box 2284, South Burlington, VT, 05407 telephone 1-800-440-2651, website twocatstv.com.