PBS Reports "The Mormons" Documentary Breaks Ratings Records: Lessons?

Various news outlets in Utah, from television to newspapers such as The Salt Lake Tribune are reporting that the PBS documentary, The Mormons, that aired earlier this week broke ratings records. As the Tribune reported,

[M]ore Utahns tuned into KUED Channel 7 and KBYU Channel 11 for the first episode of "The Mormons" Monday night than watched KJZZ Channel 14 and cable's TNT simulcast of game 5 of the Utah Jazz playoffs. "It's the highest [ratings] we've ever had," said KUED General Manager Larry Smith. "This is very phenomenal and very unusual." He said KUED likely will re-run the series in mid-summer. According to Nielsen Media Research, Monday's episode on the history of the LDS Church drew a 17.9 rating and Tuesday's segment earned a 17.7. Normally, KUED's weekly nighttime ratings are between 1.8 and 2.

The documentary was also the focus of a large audience outside of Utah. As the Tribune continued, "Nationally, the series was also was a relative hit. At a 3 rating, the documentary captured nearly double the viewers of a normal PBS weeknight, said KBYU spokesman Jim Bell."

As might be expected, reaction to the documentary has been mixed on both sides of the LDS/non-LDS divide with some speaking favorably on it and some negatively. One of the interesting things I find in the large viewing audience was that the program touched on several issues of controversy, such as skepticism concerning Joseph Smith's First Vision, his early involvement with folk magic of the time period, and polygamy, some of the very issues addressed in the Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith apologetic DVD that received mass distribution in Utah and neighboring states. Yet it is likely that far more Latter-day Saints watched The Mormons documentary with an open mind than ever considered the apologetic DVD. This is because the documentary producers interviewed a number of diverse sources, produced the program openly, invited the contribution and perspective of LDS Church leadership as well as rank and file Mormons, and strove for balance in their presentation.

I wonder what lessons evangelical filmmakers might take away from all of this?

Upcoming PBS Production - The Mormons

I was recently given the privilege of previewing a press copy of the first installment in a two-part documentary produced by a collaborative effort between PBS's series' FRONTLINE and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. The documentary is titled The Mormons, and Part 1 is scheduled to air on Monday, April 30, with Part 2 following on Tuesday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS. Local broadcast times can be checked here.

This documentary is the work of filmmaker Helen Whitney who was responsible for two other PBS projects, including John Paul II: The Millennial Pope, and Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero. A production profile and press release issued with the press copy of Part 1 of this documentary states that "Whitney gained unusual access to Mormon archives and Church leaders as well as dissident exiles, historians, and scholars both within and outside the faith." Whitney is quoted as saying, "Through this film, I hope to take the viewer inside one of the most compelling and misunderstood religions of our time."

Part 1 is divided into six Acts, including segments on Revelation, The Saints, Persecution, Exodus, Mountain Meadows Massacre, and Polygamy. Both believing Latter-day Saints and skeptics of the Church will find balanced representation here as LDS General Authorities and faithful Mormons share their understanding of the Mormon faith, and skeptics share their perspectives as well.

A press release for the documentary be downloaded here, and a fact sheet at this location.