NBC News Documentary Unit hires Arts+Labor to produce voting rights segment

07.14.05

NBC News Productions capitalized on Managing Partner Alan Berg's expertise in political reporting by hiring him to direct and produce a two-camera shoot in Austin for an upcoming primetime MSNBC documentary on the Voting Rights Act. The special airs August 6th on MSNBC at 9pm CST, and includes two African-American community leaders who recall growing up in an era of poll taxes and voter intimidation. The documentary features a number of prominent African-Americans, ranging from Jesse Jackson to rap impresario Russell Simmons, but the two Austin voices are the only "average citizens" included in the piece, the idea being they provided a first-person account of the times. In addition to Berg, who conducted the interviews, NBC relied on crack local photographer Matt Franklin and field producer Troy Campbell.