When is a docudrama not a documentary? Just listen to ABC/Disney as they respond to criticism of their "epic miniseries" The Path to 9/11, airing this Sunday and Monday evenings at 7pm locally. According to ABC, the program is, "a dramatization of the events detailed in The 9/11 Commission Report and other sources." It is also interesting that ABC attempts to deflect criticism by noting that the program was produced by the entertainment division rather than ABC News. Intense criticism by Democrats, including former president Clinton, has been leveled at the program for perceived inaccuracies. Specifically, Democrats object to portrayals that they didn't do enough to go after Bin Laden in the years leading up to 9/11. According to news reports today, ABC is responding by making some last-minute editorial changes.
But this is not simply an argument about facts or the portrayal of events. It is a debate about whether this or any docudrama/miniseries should be held to the standards reserved for news and documentaries or whether it should only have to rise to the expectations of prime-time, network, entertainment programming. Dramatizations of true events often play fast and loose with the facts. This time, however, the facts are much more sensitive and mid-term elections hang in the balance.
Clearly the terms documentary and docudrama are important distinctions...and that, in turn, dictates the expectations that we should have as to the accuracy and objectivity of the program.
Watch the program this Sunday and Monday evenings and let us know what you think.
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3 comments:
Although I have seen only clips of ABCs miniseries "The Path to 9/11" it plays as a news style documentary and is misleading. On abc.com the miniseries is broken down into how it was filmed and the fact that it is based on the 9/11 Commission Report. Even knowing these facts from website, watching clips from the movie I feel as though I am watching an account of the real events. ABC has taken much criticism and responded in several blogs on their website: http://blogs.abc.com/thepathto911/
If viewers are confused as to whether or not this is a movie based on real events or a documentary, maybe it should not be shown. Make a movie or make a documentary.
Posted by: Katherine England
Student, MCCNM 101 Fall 2006
Following is the disclaimer that aired before and during the broadcast of Path to 9/11:
"The following movie is a dramatization that is drawn from a variety of sources including the 9/11 Commission Report and other published materials, and from personal interviews. The movie is not a documentary. For dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, as well as time compression."
Most documentaries on 9/11 are going to be false. Nobody really knows what happened that day. False accusations have been made on this attack. Osama bin Laden probably had very little to do with the attacks if he had anything to do with it at all. It makes me sick to see people upset over the attack and that they start blaming the wrong people. Due to this one attack, the United States has decided to invade Iraq. The war is pointless. People need to move on and get over the attacks. It's done and nothing else will happen. I wish the United States government and troops will stop sticking their nose in other countries' business. Iraq did not do anything to the United States so why do we have to do anything to them? The attacks are a major problem only because people let those attacks get to them and they don't let it go and move on.
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