News

FRONTLINE examines why the US went to war in Iraq, what went wrong in the planning for the postwar occupation, and what is at stake for both the US and for Iraqis.

“As the White House launches its latest PR blitz to convince Americans that all is going well in Iraq — no matter what the media say — along comes ‘Frontline’ to spoil things. PBS’s eminent investigative series kicks off its new season tonight with a devastating documentary on how the Bush administration sold the war and got rid of Saddam Hussein (well, almost) but seems to have overlooked the need for a plan after declaring victory. …

“Whatever your politics and opinions about the war, this documentary is must viewing for those who seek to understand why the early scenes of liberation have given way to nearly daily reports of attacks against occupying troops. …

“No doubt the administration would see this documentary as more media filtering to accentuate the negative. But the facts on the ground, as reported by Smith and his crew, are stubborn indeed.”
– Washington Post

“…along comes Frontline – measured and detailed and covering every base, mixing widely reported material from places such as Meet the Press and C-Span with exclusive reporting – to put the big picture in perspective. So few TV organizations even attempt journalism anymore, it’s a pleasure to see it so well-done. …

“‘Truth, War and Consequences’ is the kind of must-see TV that the folks at Frontline churn out year after year. When they set their sights on a story (coming up: terrorist sleeper cells, the Food and Drug Administration, alternative medicine), they report rings around other organizations. They deserve a wider audience.”
– Philadelphia Inquirer

“More incendiary than post-war Iraq … [a] very explosive report.”
– New York Post

“… a chilling, in-depth look at the war in Iraq. … The film is a methodical and a fair overview of the crisis so far, and brings perspective to an issue that has been clouded by rhetoric from the Bush administration.”
– Salt Lake Tribune

“Smith, who reported the excellent ‘In Search of Al Qaeda’ installment of ‘Frontline’ last season, scores again. ‘Truth, War and Consequences’ is another substantive, first-rate edition of PBS’s standout news journal. No network newsmagazine fluff allowed.”
– Detroit Free Press

“FRONTLINE remains indispensable for its seriousness and ambition. The PBS series again offers in-depth reporting on Iraq that most of television won’t, or can’t, tackle. … The program doesn’t say a lot that’s new, but it pulls together the information for a rare, comprehensive view. …

“The style of ‘Truth, War and Consequences’ is hard-hitting but low-key. It’s quite different from the furious partisan squabbling that dominates Iraq discussions on cable news channels. …

“‘Truth, War and Consequences’ represents another first-rate contribution from FRONTLINE, which has examined Iraq this year in ‘Blair’s War’ and ‘The War Behind Closed Doors’. Like the previous programs, the one tonight is sweeping and demanding; it’s not news served up in bite-sized nuggets.

“…If you want to be reminded what in-depth really means, Frontline will show you.”
– Orlando Sentinel

FRONTLINE/World sent PRI World, correspondent Orlando de Guzman, a Filipino reporter, on a journey to Mindanao, where Muslim rebels are fighting a guerrilla war against the Philippine government — a war in which the United States may soon be embroiled.

This film traces the delicate maneuvers and clumsy turns that have brought the world to the brink of a nuclear showdown in Asia.

“…PBS’s documentary series ‘FRONTLINE’ once again does our homework for us, with a solid one-hour program… It ties the story together and answers the question: How did this happen?

“…it provides a comprehensive view on how we arrived at the current brinksmanship between North Korea and the United States. Neither party comes off well. …”
– Boston Globe

“Working its way up to the present impasse over Kim developing weapons-grade plutonium, ‘Frontline’ reminds us what a prickly handful this country has been since the Korean War ended in a cease-fire half a century ago. …”
– Newsday

“In Search of Al Qaeda” follows the trail of the terrorist organization from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to Pakistan’s cities into Saudi Arabia and Yemen to find out what has happened to Osama bin Laden’s network since September 11. Traveling through the tribal areas of Pakistan and Yemen, places rarely and, in some cases, never captured on film, reporter Martin Smith unravels what happened to Al Qaeda foot soldiers and leaders who were harbored there.

“What this documentary discloses about the landscapes and psyches in which Al Qaeda flourishes is crucial for Americans to understand.”
– Boston Globe

The jarring reality: This is the real world of terrorism.”
– Rocky Mountain News

“Be warned, there is nothing reassuring here.”
– New York Times

This hour long documentary for Peter Jennings Reporting follows the rise and fall of the first major American city to elect an African American mayor. The film is part of an ABC News/Peter Jennings Reporting series and accompanying book project titled In Search of America.

For a few heady years, it seemed that just about anyone — from institutional investors to the average person following CNBC — could make quick and easy money by putting their cash into the dreams of the Internet. What spurred the incredible dot-com bull run on Wall Street? Was the public blinded by dreams of small fortunes and easy living or did the nation’s investment banks manipulate the IPO market and exploit public trust? In “Dot Con,” FRONTLINE investigates the financial forces behind the unprecedented rise and seemingly overnight fall of the Internet economy.

“For a TV program to take a deep breath and plunge into such a complex topic, well … there are times when you say a silent thanks for Frontline.”
– San Francisco Chronicle

“You needn’t know a thing about Wall Street … to enjoy this jaw-dropping exploration of avarice and idiocy.”
– Los Angeles Daily News

“‘Dot Con’ builds a damning case — and does it at a clip that will leave you breathless. This is one bit of business everybody should mind.”
– Toronto Star

“This fascinating, chilling, infuriating cautionary tale could not possibly be more timely. ‘Dot Con’ tackles the Internet boom and bust as only “Frontline” can.”
– The Hollywood Reporter

An in depth look at U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia through interviews with U.S. and Saudi officials, political analysts, religious experts, and observers.

“…[A] timely and informative documentary”
– New York Times

“‘Saudi Time Bomb?’ brings much needed clarity to a global issue so cloudy that it’s currently raining fear and confusion on us all.”
– Newsday

“FRONTLINE’s series on the terrorist attacks against the United States and how our government responded is a primer on the mind of a terrorist. From the exposé on Saudi Arabia to the solid background reporting on the hijackers, this reporting prepares us for the post-9/11 world.”
– David Klatell, chair of the duPont Award jury and interim dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Looking for Answers examines the U.S. failure to understand fully the hatred for America among Muslim fundamentalists, and its roots in the U.S. government’s support for Israel and for authoritarian regimes in the oil-rich Middle East. A FRONTLINE co-production with The New York Times.

“…[T]he documentary clearly and disturbingly traces the Sept. 11 attacks … back more than 70 years to the birth of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.”
– New York Times

One of a series of “riveting programs about the origins and effects of terrorism by Islamic militants”. PBS’s FRONTLINE series validates “the role of television news in a democracy.”
– duPont Award jury

One of a series of “riveting programs about the origins and effects of terrorism by Islamic militants.” PBS’s FRONTLINE series validates “the role of television news in a democracy.”
– Newark Star Ledger

The world’s eyes are on Osama bin Laden. He is charged with masterminding 1998s bombing of two US embassies in Africa, the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, and is the prime suspect in the September 11, 2001, assaults on America. Hunting Bin Laden traces the evidence linking bin Laden to terrorism and explores the challenges in trying to crack bin Laden’s network.

“A compelling ‘Frontline’ installment…”
-Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale)

“An unusually clear and comprehensive look at the messy business of anti-U.S. terrorism.”
– Daily News (NY)

Following four families with children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, this documentary investigates the rise in the use of medications to treat children with behavioral problems.

“Emotionally riveting”
– Docos

“The debate is just heating up. And Frontline is on the front line.”
– Rocky Mountain News, Dusty Saunders

“If we all watched FRONTLINE, the world could be a better place.”
– Philadelphia Inquirer