DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION UNVEILS POWERFUL MULTIPLATFORM COMMEMORATION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
Key Initiatives Done in Collaboration With the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
David Muir, Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer Anchor an ABC News Special Multiplatform Broadcast on Sept. 11 at 8:00 P.M. EDT Honoring the Resilience of America and Reflecting on the Anniversary, Available Across ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic and ABC News Live
Michael Strahan To Lead Special on How Sports and Entertainment Helped America Heal After the 9/11 Terror Attacks, Airing Sept. 1 at 9:00 P.M. EDT on ABC and Streaming Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
National Geographic Debuts Trailer for New Three-Part Docuseries ‘9/11 Reunited,’ Chronicling Emotional Reunions Between Survivors and the People Who Changed Their Lives, Airing Aug. 21 on National Geographic Channel and Streaming Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
As the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11, Disney Entertainment Television is bringing together the collective strengths of ABC News, National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu, ABC Owned Television Stations and ABC News Live for an unprecedented multiplatform commemoration honoring one of the defining moments in American history. Anchored by a live national broadcast from ABC News and WABC-TV New York, original documentary storytelling from National Geographic, groundbreaking digital experiences and educational editorial content developed in conjunction with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the initiative reflects on the victims killed, the courage displayed in response and the resilience that followed while preserving these stories for future generations.
“Through the storytelling power of our platforms, we will mark this solemn anniversary with programming that honors the victims and their families and helps ensure that the stories of courage, compassion, and resilience that emerged from September 11 endure for future generations,” said Disney Entertainment Television Chairman Debra OConnell. “We are particularly proud to be able to shine a light on the work that the 9/11 Memorial & Museum does to honor those who were lost, those who risked their lives to save others, and those who have dedicated their life’s work to honoring their legacies.”
ABC News, With the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Inspires the Nation With Evening of Hope and Service
Airing for the first time is “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan,” a one-hour ABC News multiplatform live special on Friday, Sept. 11 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), across ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, ABC Owned Television Stations livestreams and ABC News Live. “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir, “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts and anchor Diane Sawyer will lead the broadcast live from New York City.
The special, produced in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will honor the victims killed, reflect on the lasting impact of September 11 and commemorate the resilience of the survivors, families, first responders and communities forever changed by the attacks.
Culminating in the iconic public art installation “Tribute in Light,” which has illuminated the New York City skyline every 9/11 since the attacks, the special seeks to create a moment for families across the city and country to remember, learn and be inspired together.
Prior to the broadcast, ABC News Live will stream a one-hour special edition of “Prime” from ground zero, hosted by “World News Tonight” Sunday and “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis and WABC-TV anchors Sade Baderinwa and Mike Marza. It will be available on WABC-TV New York, ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu and ABC Owned Television Stations livestreams.
“Today, 100 million Americans are too young to remember 9/11 themselves. This special will reach across generations to commemorate, educate, and inspire — and to uphold our promise to never forget,” said Beth Hillman, president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
The Nation’s Journey Toward Healing and Resilience
ABC News will air a primetime special on Tuesday, Sept. 1 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT/PDT), led by “Good Morning America” co-anchor Michael Strahan, exploring how sports, music, Broadway, the media and comedy helped a grieving nation begin to heal and rediscover joy in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The special will air on ABC and stream next day on Disney+ and Hulu. There will be an encore simulcast on Friday, Sept. 11 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT/PDT), on ABC, ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Additional special coverage will continue across “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight with David Muir,” “Nightline,” “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” and “The View,” highlighting profound stories of resilience and strength to honor this anniversary.
National Geographic Explores the Enduring Human Connections of September 11
National Geographic’s new three-part docuseries “9/11 Reunited” premieres Friday, Aug. 21 (8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT), with all episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Created in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and from the Emmy ® -Award winning team at 72 Films, the series revisits the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. history through the extraordinary human connections formed amid the chaos, courage and heartbreak of that day. Across the episodes, survivors, first responders and witnesses reunite with the strangers, rescuers and everyday heroes who changed, and in many cases saved, their lives on September 11. Many of these emotional reunions take place for the first time in 25 years, providing a rare opportunity to ask long-held questions, express gratitude, and reflect on how those moments have stayed with them for decades.
“9/11 Reunited” is executive produced by David Glover and Mark Raphael of 72 Films, along with Academy Award®-winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin. Louis Lee Ray produces, and Julian Jones directs the series for 72 Films. For National Geographic, Cate Hall and Carolyn Payne serve as executive producers. The trailer can be found HERE, and photos are available HERE.
Extending the storytelling beyond the docuseries, National Geographic will debut a groundbreaking digital experience in early September featuring an expansive video archive of never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews and original source material drawn from its acclaimed catalog of 9/11 documentaries. Available on NatGeo.com, the searchable archive invites audiences to explore eyewitness testimony and the lasting aftermath of September 11 through an immersive, multi-perspective experience that brings together firsthand accounts and historical context.
Complementing the interactive archive, National Geographic will also publish a companion digital feature by 9/11 historian Garrett M. Graff examining the pivotal 17 minutes between the first and second plane impacts at the World Trade Center. Through a detailed, minute-by-minute narrative, the feature provides additional context and insight, enriching the broader interactive experience.
Rounding out the digital experience, National Geographic, in conjunction with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will publish an original reportage on the annual “Tribute in Light” public art installation on September 11. The feature will include exclusive photography of this year’s installation by renowned architectural photographer Christopher Payne.
Supporting Education & Remembrance
One hundred million Americans today have no lived memory of September 11 and did not witness the unity, compassion, and service that defined our nation’s response. This collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is part of the institution’s broader effort to build awareness of the continued significance of 9/11, reveal powerful stories of service that have unfolded over the last quarter century and help ensure the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is an enduring place of commemoration, education and inspiration for future generations.
Disney Entertainment Television’s commemoration kicked off in early June when “Good Morning America” exclusively introduced a new PSA campaign from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 by highlighting a new generation of Americans who were inspired by 9/11 heroes, including their own parents and loved ones, to pursue public service. The new campaign for The Never Forget Fund is a way for Americans to come together, affirm their promise to never forget those killed and support 9/11 education. To learn more about how to assist the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, please click HERE. Michael R. Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, has pledged to match the next $25 million raised for The Never Forget Fund.
