PBS 6 honors the 50th Anniversary of President Kennedy’s Assassination with Special Programs

Tucson, Arizona – Nov. 4, 2013 – Arizona Public Media presents a series of new programs dedicated to President John Fitzgerald Kennedy on PBS 6 starting on November 11th.

Premiering Monday and Tuesday, November 11th and 12th at 9:00 p.m., American Experience presents “JFK,” a never before seen look at the man’s life, accomplishments, and unfulfilled promises in office.

Part One: Monday, November 11th at 9 p.m. follows JFK’s rise to power from his birth to his election as president in 1960 — the youngest man ever to be elected to the office. With illuminating interviews from family members including his sister Jean Kennedy Smith, niece Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, historian Robert Dallek and author Robert Caro, “JFK” offers new insight into Kennedy’s early years, from his transformation from a sickly youth to Washington’s most eligible bachelor to the nation’s president.

Part Two, Tuesday, November 12th at 9 p.m. follows Kennedy into the White House through his assassination and the unfulfilled promise of his presidency. Offering fresh assessments of the successes and failures of his tenure, this episode features frank appraisals by administration officials, including John Siegenthaler, Thomas Hughes and Harris Wofford, civil rights leaders Andrew Young and Julian Bond, and journalists Evan Thomas and Richard Reeves.

At 11 p.m. on Tuesday night, “JFK: Breaking the News” focuses on media coverage of the national tragedy, with an insightful look at the emergence of television as the nation's primary source of breaking news information. Narrated by Emmy-winning newscaster Jane Pauley.

On Wednesday, November 13th, PBS 6 broadcasts these additional special programs commemorating the 50th Anniversary of JFK’s assassination:

At 9 p.m. - NOVA: “Cold Case JFK” follows a unique group of experts trying to unravel the lingering mysteries of the Kennedy assassination. What should have been a homicide investigator’s best-case scenario—a crime that occurred in broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses—instead became a forensics nightmare in a case plagued by a mishandled crime scene, a controversial autopsy, and a prime suspect gunned down while in police custody.

At 10 p.m. - Secrets of the Dead: “JFK: One PM Central Standard Time”“ tells the story of two men: one, the president of the United States — shot in Dallas and rushed to Parkland hospital, his fate unknown — the other, respected CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, knowing he had to get the story right amid the uncertainties of that tragic day. Narrated by George Clooney and featuring an interview with President Bill Clinton, the special recounts the riveting story of the reporting from Dallas and the New York CBS Newsroom from the moment President Kennedy was shot until Cronkite’s emotional pronouncement of his death at 1:00 p.m. CST. The program features moving memories from the producers, writers and reporters who were there on the day, including Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, Marvin Kalb and Marianne Means.

At 11 p.m. – “Lyndon B. Johnson: Succeeding Kennedy” presents a comprehensive look at the life and legacy of the 36th president. Through interviews with experts and witnesses, and a wealth of iconic and rarely seen archival material, the program explores the policies of the straight-talking Texan unexpectedly thrust into the presidency following John F. Kennedy's assassination.