PBS answers call for more Latinos in "War"

By Barry Garron

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The war over "The War" is over and a truce has been declared. After pointed criticism by Latino groups that the much-awaited documentary on America during World War II made too little mention of Latino contributions, executive producer Ken Burns added nearly a half-hour of new material.

"We honored what was legitimate about their concerns," Burns said during the PBS portion of the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. "We've done more than we were asked or expected to," he said. "We were planning to add additional stories before this was a controversy."

The original version of the documentary miniseries, which is about 14 1/2 hours long, was completed about 18 months ago. The additional material will be placed at the end of the first, fifth and sixth episodes. "War" will be shown in seven parts, beginning September 23.

Earlier in Wednesday's session, PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger denied that public television set a bad precedent by altering a film in response to the concerns of particular groups. By finishing the documentary early and showing parts of it, Burns "had an opportunity to listen and consider their perspective," she said.

Despite a recent federal court decision that said the Federal Communications Commission had gone too far in its efforts to fine broadcasters for use of obscene language, PBS will distribute two versions of "War." Public TV stations can choose the original or a version in which the salty remarks of veterans have been sanitized. "We'll give stations an opportunity to choose what is appropriate for their communities," Kerger said.

In other PBS announcements:

* "Masterpiece Theatre" will have a new look, a new opening and a new host in January, though no one has yet been selected. Beginning January 13 and for four months, the veteran PBS drama series will broadcast adaptations of all six Jane Austen novels, including four new productions.

* Tom and Ray Magliozzi, known as Click and Clack on public radio's "Car Talk," will bring their combination of humor and auto advice to PBS in summer 2008. A total of 10 half-hour episodes of an animated series have been ordered.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter