TV specials mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11


Ten years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our country remains scarred, physically and psychically, as we continue to deal with the swirling negative feelings of anger, vengeance, fear and, in some cases, prejudice, that have lasted since that fateful day. But over the past decade, other feelings have begun to rise as steadily as the memorials to the victims — feelings of patriotism, reflection, remembrance, regained confidence and hope that we can start to move forward.

All of these emotions, and probably many more, in varying degrees, will be found in abundance over the next few weeks as a number of TV shows and networks begin to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Major anniversary programming highlights are listed below (several will be airing commercial-free; check for notations), and this list will be updated and added to as more titles, events and news coverage are announced. Date/times are subject to change; consult your TV listings to further verify programming info.

Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero — Discovery Channel, Thursdays Aug. 25-Sept. 1, 8pm-11pm ET/PT; encore on Science Channel Sundays Aug. 28-Sept. 4, 8pm-11pm ET/PT; entire six-hour special re-airs on Science Channel all day Sept. 11, from 11am ET/PT to 5am ET/PT on Sept. 12. From executive producer Steven Spielberg (pictured touring Ground Zero) comes this story of the grit, drive and imagination of a wide array of builders, planners and dreams bonded in grief but united in purpose to rebuild and restore a sacred site, constructing the new, 104-story One World Trade Center. From the iron workers who lost brothers and friends, to the architect who envisions a new dawn for New York City, to the family members who seek closure and solace, this six-hour special assembles a cast of real people facing the highest stakes in their professional lives — meeting their construction deadline and doing honor to the 9/11 victims and their families. The series also looks at the rebirth of lower Manhattan through the eyes of the residents who survived the horrors of 9/11 to reclaim and rebuild their neighborhood. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Remembering 9/11 Week — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 28-Sept. 3. NGC commemorates the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with a series of television premieres. (See below for info on George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview; Inside 9/11: The War Continues; CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind; and 9/11: Where Were You?) The week will also see repeats of Giuliani’s 9/11 (Aug. 29, 8pm ET/PT); How It Was: Voices of 9/11 (Aug. 30, 8pm ET/PT); Witness: DC 9/11 (Aug. 30, 9pm ET/PT); Inside 9/11: War on America (Aug. 31, 8pm ET/PT); Inside 9/11: Zero Hour (Sept. 1, 8pm ET/PT); and 9/11: Science and Conspiracy (Sept. 2, 8pm ET/PT), with a number of these specials repeated throughout the week and in a marathon beginning at noon ET/PT on Sept. 11.

NGC has also launched a “Remembering 9/11” Facebook app, and invites viewers to rebuild a collective history of 9/11 by sharing personal stories through the interactive app. Users can post brief accounts of their 9/11 experiences and mark their stories with location-specific tags to be featured on an interactive map.

Inside 9/11: The War Continues — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 28, 9pm ET/PT. This update to NGC’s landmark 2005 Inside 9/11 series of documentaries tells the evolving story of radical Islam’s war against the West. Osama bin Laden has finally been brought to justice, but al-Qaeda is still going strong. For bin Laden, 9/11 was just the beginning. The attack was designed to spark a revolution and create a whole new generation of men willing to wage jihad against America. But 10 years later, these same men have eclipsed bin Laden on the global stage. And their call to jihad has gone viral with terror groups using the Internet to recruit and radicalize future attackers.

Inside 9/11: The War Continues examines the evolution of al-Qaeda and looks at the major terror attacks and their perpetrators, both in the US and overseas, during the decade since 9/11.

George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 28, 10pm ET/PT. In an exclusive sit-down interview with former President George W. Bush, this documentary reveals first-person insight into the man at the epicenter of the U.S. government’s decisions in the face of the 9/11 attacks. Taped over the course of two days, the interview allows Bush to open up with personal experiences on the grueling hours and pressure-packed days following the attacks. Never-before-released archival footage and exclusive materials from the George W. Bush Presidential Library are also featured.

CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 29, 10pm ET/PT. Next to Osama bin Laden, the most-wanted terrorist associated with 9/11 was Khalid Sheik Mohammed, or KSM. He managed to elude the CIA for a decade, and even on the run, he carried out attacks on American and Western interests in Bali, Yemen and Africa. This documentary follows the dramatic story of the CIA’s quest to find and capture this once-shadowy figure, piecing together fragments of intelligence from around the world, leading to a chain of intelligence that eventually resulted in his capture and imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay.

The 9/11 Decade — Al Jazeera English, Aug. 30, Sept. 6, Sept. 13, 4pm ET. This series of three one-hour documentaries looks to tell the inside story from both sides of the first great conflict of the 21st century. The films include The Intelligence War, The Image War and The Clash of Civilisations? According to Paul Eedle, Director of Programmes for Al Jazeera English, “We’ll be exposing some of the myths of the decade since 9/11. The series uncovers that al-Qaeda lost the intelligence war, rather than the CIA winning it; that al-Qaeda had a remarkably efficient propaganda machine but threw it all away; and that far from a war of civilizations between the West and Muslim extremists, we now have democratic uprisings across the Arab world. Al Jazeera became part of the story, so we’ll be exploring the significant role we played, which resulted in accusations being slung at us by both sides of the conflict.”

Frontline: The Man Who Knew (encore) — PBS, Aug. 30, 9pm ET; replays Sept. 11, 11pm ET (check local listings). Frontline rebroadcasts this 2002 report about FBI special agent John O’Neill. As the bureau’s top counterterrorism agent, O’Neill — who investigated the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Africa and the attack on the USS Cole — joined then national security counterterrorism co-coordinator Richard Clarke in believing that the United States should kill Osama bin Laden before al-Qaeda launched a devastating attack on America. Richard Clarke, then speaking in his first major interview, talks about O’Neill’s battles with the FBI top brass who found O’Neill’s James Bond style an anathema. Forced out of the job he loved, O’Neill took a new position in the private sector—as head of security at the World Trade Center, where he was killed on September 11. The story of O’Neill’s life and death provides a rare glimpse inside the FBI and helps answer the question: What did the government know?

9/11: Where Were You? — National Geographic Channel, Aug. 30, 10pm ET/PT. This special captures the life-and-death decisions people made amid the chaos of the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath, decisions that affected not only individual lives but often the lives of others in unexpected and profound ways.

Rescue Me (final two episodes of the series) — FX, Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, 10pm ET/PT. One of the rare dramatic American television series to utilize the events of 9/11 in a major way ends its run in the next few weeks. Denis Leary recently told TV critics how he had hoped and planned for his drama about New York firefighters to end right around the 10th anniversary of 9/11. “If the show was going to remain popular enough, ending it right at the 10th anniversary of 9/11 would be the perfect world,” said Leary, “because … there would be a natural feeling of summing up.”

In the Aug. 31 episode, “Vows,” the high spirits of Colleen’s wedding quickly fade when the guys tackle the mother of all fires. The series finale episode, “Ashes,” on Sept. 7, finds the members of 62 Truck struggling to pick up the pieces and look toward the future in the aftermath of the fire.

Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: “What Happened?: The Story of September 11, 2001” — Nickelodeon, Sept. 1, 9pm ET/PT. Most kids today don’t have first-hand recollections of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, because they were too young, or weren’t born yet. For many of them, there is confusion about what happened, and why. As the 10th anniversary of the attacks approaches, Nick News will give kids their own forum to talk about the events of that day, address some of their misconceptions and answer their questions. This episode is being complemented with an online discussion guide (which will be available here, here and here) for parents, educators and caregivers to help address 9/11 with kids, created through a partnership with Nickelodeon and the American Psychological Association. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Day of Destruction — Decade of War — MSNBC, Sept. 1, 9pm ET; replays Sept. 9, 10 and 11. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel take a broad look at the 10 years since 9/11 to explore how America responded to the attacks, and how the country has changed.

ID Investigates: 9/11 Crime Scene Investigators — Investigation Discovery, Sept. 4, 9pm ET/PT. This special profiles the NYPD’s elite Crime Scene Unit and its search for evidence and survivors in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

9/11: Heroes of the 88th Floor — TLC, Sept. 4, 9pm ET/PT. This powerful two-hour documentary pays tribute to two heroes, construction manager Frank De Martini and construction inspector Pablo Ortiz, both of the Port Authority, who sacrificed their lives to save over 70 people in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The special gives chilling details from the survivors, as well as interviews with those who knew them best. Nicole De Martini was by her husband’s side when Flight 11 hit the North Tower, and in the special she shares her accounts of what happened — from the moment he said, “I’ll be right behind you,” until the fall of the tower.

ABC News broadcasts — Week of Sept. 5. During the week of Sept. 5, all ABC News broadcasts will air special coverage to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, including World News With Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, Nightline and 20/20.

Today — NBC, Sept. 5-9, 7am ET. Starting Sept. 5, NBC’s morning show Today will incorporate 9/11 coverage and programming into its show each day throughout the week. On Sept. 9, Matt Lauer will be live from Ground Zero for a split show with Ann Curry live from Studio 1A. Matt will give viewers a tour inside the new 1 World Trade Center, formerly known as Freedom Tower, that is still under construction. The show will also take a look back at some of the children of 9/11 victims that were first met 10 years ago, to catch up with them and find out what their lives are like today.

Access Hollywood — Syndicated (check local listings), Sept. 5-9. Throughout the week, Access Hollywood will feature special celebrity interviews as stars reflect upon their experiences and memories of Sept. 11, 2001. Billy Bush sits down with Dan Rather to hear about his emotional post-9/11 interview on Late Show With David Letterman; Rob Lowe talks about traveling with a doomed flight crew on a trip before the attacks; Liza Minnelli remembers the spirit of the crowd at Shea Stadium at the first Mets game played in New York after 9/11; and more.

PBS NewsHour — PBS, Sept. 5, 6pm ET. All this week, PBS NewsHour will air a special series of stories that examine how our world has changed in the decade since 9/11. These stories air in the show’s regular timeslot, and will lead up to a special one-hour presentation of America Remembers — 9/11 on Sept. 11 (see later in this post). Tonight’s episode looks at how the students and teachers of P.S. 150 are reflecting on the attacks. Filmmaker Jacques Menasche had a son in first grade there and in his film The Class of 9/11 (which is excerpted here) he now revisits his son’s schoolmates and teachers to discuss what they remember about 9/11 and how the experience has affected them.

When Pop Culture Saved America — BIO Channel, Sept. 5, 8pm ET. This two-hour documentary looks at the days and months following the 9/11 attacks to show how the non-news media pitched in to bring the nation together. Comedians, singers, actors, entertainers all did their part with concerts, telethons and specials to help bring the nation back to the “new normal.” AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

9/11: Day That Changed the World — Smithsonian Channel, Sept. 5, 8pm ET/PT. Martin Sheen narrates this two-hour original documentary that takes an inside look at the people whose job it was to make decisions that would affect the lives and safety of the nation, and protect the United States from further attack. Exclusive interviews include Laura Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Rudy Giuliani, chief of staff Andrew Card, Richard Clarke and others. No actors and re-creations are used; the decision makers tell their stories, with their words woven with real-time audio, recordings from flight-control centers and archival footage shot on the day itself, including footage from Air Force One.

Children of 9/11 — NBC, Sept. 5, 10pm ET. Mariska Hargitay narrates this special gives a voice to the young people directly affected by 9/11. A bitter twist of fate has indelibly linked their childhood to the worst terrorist attack of modern times. The film interweaves their stories, home movie footage creates intimate portraits of the families, both before and after the event, and interviews reveal the tough and inspiring journeys that the children have taken.

Eleven children from six families across America are followed over the course of a year, including Thea Trinidad, who at age 10 couldn’t understand why her father was calling to say goodbye. Caitlin Langone, 22, was in school when a teacher told her that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Her father, a police officer and volunteer firefighter in Queens, was caught up in the horror as he and his brother helped in the rescue. Rodney Ratchford, 21, lost his mother, an IT specialist in the U.S. Navy, when the Pentagon was attacked. Tommy Strada, 17, whose father was a partner at Cantor Fizgerald, still finds it hard to cope and identify with friends. His younger brother, Justin, was just four days old when his father died. Farquad Chowdhury was the first child born to a 9/11 victim — born two days after the attacks. His father was a waiter at Windows on the World. Halley, Madison and Anna Clare Burnett’s father Tom was one of the brave people who fought the hijackers on board United Flight 93.

Children of 9/11 sheds light on the impact of 9/11 on thousands of kids, many of whom lost parents — and much of their childhood — to the attacks, and faced special pressures as they attempt to overcome the tragedy.

9/11: Stories in Fragments — Smithsonian Channel, Sept. 5, 10pm ET/PT. This film tells the stories behind the iconic objects in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History’s 9/11 collection. Among them are a phone used in the last calls between a husband and his wife; the nametag of a hero; a briefcase found in a pile of rubble at Ground Zero, undamaged. All were witnesses to history, and the film shows how the museum’s curators chose them to represent one of the most infamous periods in our nation’s history.

PBS NewsHour — PBS, Sept. 6, 6pm ET. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports on the effort to build the world’s safest skyscraper on the site of the Twin Towers in a segment produced in collaboration with the PBS series NOVA. The segment takes an in-depth look at the science and technology behind the new 1 World Trade Center. Additionally, an architect from the University of Maryland discusses new buildings constructed with the design to make people feel safer.

I Survived … 9/11 — BIO Channel, Sept. 6, 8pm ET. BIO’s original series honors the 10th anniversary of 9/11 by profiling the stories of 12 firefighters, ambulance workers, defense officials and ordinary office workers who went to work that day, unaware that their lives were about to be changed forever. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Targeting Bin Laden — History, Sept. 6, 8pm ET. This two-hour special looks inside the dedicated effort to hunt and kill Osama bin Laden, exploring the historical ramifications for President Obama’s administration, as well as looking at the role of the men and women who worked for many years over several administrations to make this possible. Historical footage, photographs and re-enactments — along with interviews including President Obama and others — help illustrate one of the most important missions in our nation’s history.

Frontline: Top Secret America — PBS, Sept. 6, 9pm ET (check local listings). The Frontline team that produced “Bush’s War,” “The Torture Question” and “Cheney’s Law” teams up with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Priest to investigate the dark side of America’s “war on terror” over the last decade and to ask how a decade of fighting terrorism has reshaped our country, and whether it has made us any safer.

CNN Presents: “Footnotes of 9/11” — CNN, Sept. 6, 11pm ET (replay Sept. 11, 8pm ET). Correspondent Drew Griffin interviews eight people who went to work on Sept. 11, 2001 and unexpectedly became part of history. Each of the eight people profiled is mentioned in The 9/11 Commission Report — their unique experiences are drawn from the 1,742 footnotes of that report and offer critical detail to the tragic events of that day. They include ticket agents who checked in some of the terrorists, a maintenance technician who answered a call from one of the planes under attack, and the Lt. Col. in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, also a United Airlines pilot, who scrambled to provide defense for New York and faced the possibility of having to shoot down a passenger plane.

PBS NewsHour — PBS, Sept. 7, 6pm ET. In a report produced by NPR and the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, NPR correspondent Daniel Zwerdling explores what happens when private businesses and ordinary citizens respond to the government’s plea to report suspicious activities.

Saved (Sneak Peek) — Animal Planet, Sept. 7, 9pm ET/PT. This is a sneak peek of Animal Planet’s new series about how the emotional bond between humans and animals can sometimes transcend the traditional pet-owner relationship. This episode, “The Woolverton Family/The Haskell Family,” looks at how a Dalmatian named Blaze helped bring light to the family of two firefighter brothers who died responding to the World Trade Center attacks during the family’s darkest days, and how a 4-year-old girl, traumatized by the chaos around her following the attacks, was brought out of her place of terror and to a place of peace by a Yorkshire terrier named Scout.

American Greed: “9/11 Fraud” — CNBC, Sept. 7, 9pm ET/PT. CNBC airs a special edition of the American Greed series, looking at the illegal lengths people will go to steal money in times of national tragedy.

NOVA: Engineering Ground Zero – PBS, Sept. 7, 9pm ET; replays Sept. 9, 9:30pm ET (check local listings). This episode tells an epic story of engineering, innovation and the perseverance of the human spirit. With extraordinary access granted by The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, the program follows the five-year construction of 1 World Trade Center (1 WTC) and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, including interviews with 1 WTC architect David Childs; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Michael Arad, the man behind the breakthrough concept for the 9/11 memorial; and others.

Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero (encore) — PBS, Sept. 7, 10pm ET; Sept. 11, 5pm ET (check local listings). In this episode originally broadcast in 2002, veteran Frontline producer Helen Whitney explores how the spiritual lives of believers — and unbelievers — have been challenged in the wake of Sept. 11. The two-hour special also examines how Americans are coping with difficult questions of good and evil, God’s culpability and the potential for darkness within religion itself.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Terror in the Dust — CNN, Sept. 7, 11pm ET (replay Sept. 10, 9pm ET). This special examines how responders who breathed in the toxic dust and noxious fumes at New York’s Ground Zero are coping with the health effects of the attacks 10 years later. Dr. Gupta’s investigation includes never-before-broadcast footage of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the medical consequences of the killer dust and safety recommendations for future crisis responses.

PBS NewsHour PBS, Sept. 8, 6pm ET. Correspondent Tom Bearden examines aviation security, which has evolved from X-ray scanners for carry-on bags and metal detectors, to full-body scanners, being forced to remove one’s shoes, explosive trace detection and, most controversially, “enhanced pat-downs.” The report examines some of these cases and how three individuals have fallen afoul of the new security systems.

9/11 Remembered — YES Network, Sept. 8, 10pm ET (replay Sept. 11, 7:30pm ET). This one-hour special looks at how New York sports, and the New York Yankees in particular, played a role in bringing the New York community together in the wake of 9/11. Among the show’s highlights are new interviews with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, Al Leiter, Yankees president Randy Levine and WFAN SportsRadio host Mike Francesa; new interviews with members of the FDNY who responded to the World Trade Center tragedies, including Salvatore Cassano, the current Fire Commissioner of New York; a segment on Brielle Saracini, whose father Victor was a pilot of the hijacked plan that hit the WTC’s south tower (Brielle wrote a letter to her favorite player, Derek Jeter, about her dad, after which Jeter and the Yankees embraced Brielle and her family to help ease their pain). Also included are interviews with current and former Yankees players and executives, and other public figures, describing their 9/11 experiences and how they saw spots help the New York region cope; reflections on how the Yankees’ run through the MLB postseason that fall, and its World Series play, helped bring New Yorkers together; and a look back at the Sept. 21, 2001 game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets at Shea Stadium, the first MLB game played in New York after the 9/11 attacks.

Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11 — CNN, Sept. 8, 11pm ET (replay Sept. 11, 9pm ET). Correspondent Soledad O’Brien profiles the sometimes-overlooked female rescue workers who raced to the Twin Towers in the wake of the attack, looking at their work over the decade following their life-altering experiences. Among the stories of these heroic women is an African-American firefighter whose company lost seven of the 342 firefighters who died that day. She is pushing to recruit more women to this dangerous  job, even as the number of female firefighters has dropped to less than one percent of the NYFD. O’Brien also speaks with the family of a decorated police officer and mother who was photographed rescuing survivors just moments before the collapse of the towers, and reports on the present-day health and emotional struggles of these heroines.

9/11 — Ten Years Later — ReelzChannel, Sept. 9, 4pm ET. CBS News’ The Early Show anchor Jeff Glor hosts this hourlong look at how 9/11 affected the world of movies, entertainment and pop culture, and is also a retrospective on the events of that day and a look at the personal stories from those who lived through it. Included are interviews with Matt Damon, Nancy O’Dell, Kyra Sedgwick, Jane Rosenthal, Wayne Brady, Cablevision CEO Jim Dolan and MTV co-founder John Sykes about where they were, how they were affected and what they have since done to help. The special reairs throughout the weekend.

Special Report: America Then and Now — HLN, Sept. 9, 5pm ET. An in-depth look at how Americans’ lives changed on 9/11, examining how we live our lives now versus then.

PBS NewsHour — PBS, Sept. 9, 6pm ET. Senior correspondent Margaret Warner reports from Egypt, the intellectual birthplace of al-Qaeda and the radical jihadi movement. Ten years after 9/11, how do Egyptians feel about the day and their role in it, and how do they feel about the United States?

NBC Nightly News — NBC, Sept. 9, 10 and 11, 6:30pm ET. On Sept. 9 and 11, Brian Williams will anchor special editions of the newscast from Ground Zero. Lester Holt will anchor from Ground Zero on Sept. 10. NBC News will also be employing social media — Twitter, Facebook and Instagram — to ask viewers where they were on 9/11, sharing stories of people when they first heard the news of the attacks. On Twitter, the NBC News team will be following the hashtag #wherewereyou, as users share memories.

9/11: The Days After — History, Sept. 9, 9pm ET/PT. This documentary from the makers of 102 Minutes That Changed America examines what happened following the tragic day that terrorists attacked America. Telling the story exclusively through archival audiovisual materials collected from more than 50 sources — footage shot by professional news media and amateurs alike — the film takes a look at what happened after the tragedy, examining the texture of life in a post-9/11 world. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Dr. Drew — HLN, Sept. 9, 9pm ET. Dr. Drew looks at how families have rebuilt since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, sharing stories of people whose lives were directly impacted that day, including victims’ families and children of 9/11 who lost parents.

Dateline — NBC, Sept. 9, 9pm ET. Dateline airs a two-hour special during which NBC News Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw, who spent over 100 hours at the anchor desk the first week after the 9/11 attacks, takes viewers back to some of the most powerful stories reported by NBC news in the days and months following the tragedy. Brokaw will also re-interview some of the people he first spoke to about the events 10 years ago

Joy Behar — HLN, Sept. 9, 10pm ET. Joy talks to celebrities and newsmakers on the effects of 9/11, including how this day is remembered and lessons learnd over the past 10 years.

Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience — CNN, Sept. 9, 11pm ET (replays Sept. 10, 8pm and 11pm ET on CNN; and Sept. 11, 8:46am on HBO and 7pm on HBO2). This is a special presentation from Time in association with HBO. Captured in words and moving images, this documentary features untold stories drawing from 40 women and men who led and sacrificed for America in the hours, days and months that followed the attacks. Working with the editors of Time, award-winning photographer Marco Grob produced an astonishing set of portraits that are coupled with dramatic recollections from government leaders, survivors of the towers and first responders. In addition to being televised, the program will also be available Sept. 11 on a variety of platforms, including HBO.com, HBO GO, HBO On Demand, YouTube, the HBO Facebook page and time.com.

Nine Innings From Ground Zero — HBO, Sept. 10, 8am ET/PT. From HBO Sports, this documentary focuses on the 2001 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks, which took place barely a month after September 11, and played an important role in helping New York return to a sense of normalcy.

Flight 93 Memorial Dedication — Webcast via History Classroom, Sept. 10, 12:30pm ET. History will webcast the dedication of the Flight 93 Memorial from Shanksville, Penn., live on History.com/classroom. This is the dedication of Phase 1 of the permanent memorial.

On Native Soil — MSNBC, Sept. 10, 3pm ET; replays Sept. 11, 9pm ET. This documentary presents the riveting story of the 9/11 Commission hearings, capturing the content of the commission’s report while exposing new details, including interviews with witnesses who testified for the commission behind closed doors. Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank narrate.

Voices From Inside the Towers — History, Sept. 10, 9pm ET/PT. This film documents the many harrowing and heartbreaking stories — some never heard before — of love and loss on 9/11. This documentary uses audio records, such as recorded phone calls from people inside the World Trade Center buildings — some of whom perished, some who survived — as they contacted family members, friends and 911 dispatchers to provide a chillingly clear mental picture. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

The Love We Make — Showtime, Sept. 10, 9pm ET/PT. Filmmaker Albert Maysles, who documented The Beatles’ first trip to America in New York, chronicles former Beatle Paul McCartney’s poignant and cathartic journey through the streets of New York City in the aftermath of the World Trade  Center’s destruction on 9/11, and his personal journey to help heal the city that welcomed him with open arms in 1964. The film, shot in 16mm black and white and in Maysles’ signature cinema verite style, also traces the planning and performance of the monumental benefit concert at Madison Square Garden — “The Concert For New York City” — which took place less than six weeks after the attacks (and which VH1 is reairing; see below).

Portraits From Ground Zero — A&E, Sept. 10, 10pm ET/PT. Photojournalist and filmmaker Andrea Booher was one of only two photographers allowed unlimited, 24-hour access to Ground Zero in the days after the Sept. 11th attacks. This two-hour special features the subjects of Booher’s harrowing photos, including a firefighter searching for the body of his lifelong friend; a teenage girl mourning her stepfather; a Franciscan friar ministering to the dead; and the future FDNY Chief of Department worrying about a potential building collapse. Booher uses the battered green notebook she carried at the World Trade Center to track down the people in nearly a dozen of her favorite pictures, and gets them to tell — for the first time — the riveting personal stories behind the photographs. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Beyond: Messages From 9/11 — BIO Channel, Sept. 10, 10pm ET. This one-hour special features families of 9/11 victims who share stories of messages they claim to have received from beyond from their lost loved ones. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

In Memoriam: New York City, 09/11/01 (encore) — HBO, Sept. 11, 7:15am ET/PT. Originally aired in 2002, this moving film follows the Honorable Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and his senior staff from their first realization of the unbelievable tragedy, through the despair and tears they experienced, to a newfound strength that would emerge in the spirit of a new America via a personal collection of video and still photographs shot by more than 100 people in and around New York City.

9/11: America Remembers Ten Years Later — A Special Edition of Good Morning America — ABC, Sept. 11, 8am ET. Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will anchor three hours of live coverage, with co-anchor Robin Roberts live from the World Trade Center site in New York. World News weekend anchor David Muir, Katie Couric and This Week anchor Christiane Amanpour will join them to take an in-depth look at the event that has defined a generation. Coverage will also include live reports from the sites of the 9/11 attacks — 20/20 anchor Chris Cuomo reports from the WTC site, senior Foreign Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz will be at the Pentagon and Good Morning America news anchor Josh Elliott will report from the site of the Flight 93 crash near Shanksville, Penn. In addition, ABC News Chief Investigative correspondent Brian Ross and senior Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas will address the ongoing war against terror, while Nightline anchor Cynthia McFadden files a report on the lives of the children to whom George W. Bush was speaking in Florida when he first received word of the attacks that morning. Finally, senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper will be covering President Obama’s visits to each of the three sites, and ABC News will broadcast special live coverage of each visit throughout the day.

Simulcast of WNBC’s coverage of 9/11 ceremonies — CNBC, Sept. 11, 8am ET. CNBC will carry, live, WNBC’s coverage of the 9/11 10th anniversary ceremonies in New York City. WNBC is the NBC flagship station in New York.

America Remembers — NBC, Sept. 11, 8am ET; simulcast on MSNBC and live-streamed on msnbc.com. Sunday Today and Meet the Press will be preempted for this special NBC News broadcast covering the nation’s 10th anniversary observance of the 9/11 attacks. Coverage will include the official memorial ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Penn. — the site of the United Airlines Flight 93 crash. Brian Williams anchors from Ground Zero, with David Gregory at the Pentagon and Lester Holt in New York. Tom Brokaw, who anchored the network’s coverage of the tragedy 10 years ago, joins this special broadcast.

The three-hour coverage of America Remembers will span the events and  critical moments during the morning of 9/11, including the exact moments when the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were first hit, the moment of the Flight 93 crash and the moments that each of the WTC Towers fell. In addition to live coverage of the memorial events, NBC will also revisit the original 2001 broadcast of the attacks and hear from some who lost family members that day.

Telemundo News Coverage — Telemundo, Sept. 11, 8am ET. Telemundo’s Jose Diaz Balart broadcasts a live, five-hour show from Ground Zero, including coverage of the official memorial services.

CNN News Coverage — CNN and CNN International, Sept. 11, 8:30am ET. Anderson Cooper and Candy Crowley anchor CNN’s global broadcast from Ground Zero, with Wolf Blitzer anchoring from the Pentagon, and John King from the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Penn. Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh will contribute from Pakistan, and anchor Suzanne Malveaux and senior international correspondent Nic Robertson will contribute from Afghanistan. CNN.com will also have extended coverage, including coverage of live events throughout the day on September 11 starting at 7:30am ET, and a live stream of the first few hours of the network’s coverage from 10 years earlier. CNN iReport will be connecting iReporters who have never met but who have strong connections and similar stories from 9/11.

CNN en Español News Coverage — CNN en Español, Sept. 11, 8:30am ET. Senior anchor Patricia Janiot and anchor Juan Carlos López lead coverage from Ground Zero, with regular reports by Adriana Hauser in New York and Ione Molinares from the Pentagon.

102 Minutes That Changed America (encore) — A&E/BIO Channel/History/History International, Sept. 11, 8:46am ET. Simulcast across all A&E networks at exactly the time when 10 years earlier the 9/11 attacks began, this is an encore showing of the acclaimed documentary that uses rarely seen and heard archival material to document the 102 minutes between the first attack on the World Trade Center to the collapse of the second tower. Also seen is footage broadcast outside the United States, electronic messages and voicemails, and “outtakes” culled from raw network footage. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Moment of Silence — ESPN, Sept. 11, 8:46am ET. ESPN will observe the national moment of silence.

9/11 Moment of Silence: Ten Year Anniversary — HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 8:46am ET. At the exact moment when 10 years earlier the 9/11 attacks began, the HDNet networks acknowledge the anniversary with a one-minute moment of silence to commemorate all who were lost.

Outside the Lines — ESPN, Sept. 11, 9am ET. Features a roundtable discussion with three of New York’s professional coaches on the day of the attacks: Joe Torre (Yankees), Herm Edwards (Jets) and Bobby Valentine (Mets). This discussion will also be featured on SportsCenter at 10am ET.

Sunday NFL Countdown — ESPN, Sept. 11, 11am ET. One of the stories during Sunday NFL Countdown will be about 9/11 survivor Tim Coughlin, son of New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. Tim was working as a bond trader on the 60th floor of the South Tower of the WTC when the planes hit.

Telling Nicholas — HBO Signature, Sept. 11, 10:30am ET/PT. This documentary looks at 9/11 through the eyes of 7-year-old Nicholas, whose mother, Michele, worked in the World Trade Center. The film uses unique footage shot through apartment windows blocks from the WTC, as well as interviews with Nicholas and his family, as they reluctantly come to terms with Michele’s death and struggle to break the news to Nicholas.

NFL 9/11 Remembrances — Various networks, Sept. 11. The first Sunday of the NFL regular season falls on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and the games and broadcasts on this opening Sunday will remember that day and salute the resilient spirit of America. The schedule of games on this day was designed to commemorate 9/11 on a national level, including CBS’s coverage of the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are based about 80 miles from Shanksville, Penn.; the Washington Redskins hosting the New York Giants (FOX); and the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Jets on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

The NFL plans on uniting fans by synching the pregame salutes during the afternoon CBS and FOX telecasts, followed by a special Sunday night presentation from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on NBC. The special pregame events that will be televised nationally will also be shown on videoboards in each of the stadiums hosting games that day.

All games in each of the broadcast windows (1pm ET, 4:15pm ET and Sunday night) will feature a special video introduction, followed by performances of “Taps” from near the sites of the 9/11 attacks, and moments of silence. For the 1pm games, “Taps” will be performed in Shanksville, while the 4:15pm games will feature a rendition from Arlington National Cemetery. The Sunday night game will feature a performance from Hoboken, New Jersey, looking across the Hudson River to Ground Zero. Coaches, players and local first responders will come together to hold field-length American flags for the playing of the national anthem prior to each game.

The Guys — HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 1:30pm ET. After the Sept. 11 attacks, a fire captain and a journalist collaborate in writing the eulogies for a group of lost firefighters. Sigourney Weaver, Anthony LaPaglia and Irene Walsh star in this drama.

The Concert For New York City: Ten Years Later — VH1, Sept. 11, 4-10pm ET/PT; simulcast on VH1.com. VH1’s original broadcast of The Concert For New York brought together some of the biggest names in entertainment from all over the world to New York’s Madison Square Garden. Taped just six weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the event was organized to honor and support the victims and heroes of the tragedy, and raised more than $30 million for charities benefiting victims and their families. This special six-hour telecast re-broadcasts the concert in its entirety without commercial interruption. It is hosted by filmmaker/actor Edward Burns, who also participated in the original concert presentation. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Baseball Tonight — ESPN2, Sept. 11, 7pm ET. Includes coverage of the pregame ceremonies from Citi Field, leading into the Sunday Night Baseball telecast of the Chicago Cubs at the New York Mets.

Slammin’ Iron: Rebuilding the World — HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 7:05pm ET. This documentary follows the lives of death-defying ironworkers as they help rebuild the World Trade Center.

9/11: 10 Years Later — CBS, Sept. 11, 8pm ET/PT. This is an update of the critically acclaimed and award-winning 2002 documentary 9/11, an unprecedented and exclusive insider’s account of the World Trade Center attack, which contains the only known footage of the first plane striking the WTC, and the only footage from inside Ground Zero during the attacks. The update will also include footage from events marking the 10th anniversary, as well as new interviews with many of the firefighters who were featured in the original program. They will discuss how their lives, families and the world have changed in the 10 years since the tragedy, some for better, some ofr worse. NYFD health officials will also discuss some of the health issues that have plagued the firefighters who worked at Ground Zero. Robert De Niro, who hosted the original program, returns to host this updated special.

Dan Rather Reports: Dan Rather Remembers 9/11 — HDNet, HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 8pm ET. A special broadcast of how much America has changed since the Sept. 11 attacks. An interactive element to the special allows viewers to submit questions to Rather. Click here for more details.

9/11: In Our Own Words — MSNBC, Sept. 11, 8pm ET. NBC News anchors and correspondents recall their personal memories of reporting live the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Weaving together the live footage of that morning with present-day interviews, this special covers the first several hours of reporting as the terrorist attacks on America unfolded. From Matt Lauer and Tom Brokaw in the NBC News studios in New York to David Gregory with President Bush, Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon and Andrea Mitchell at the Washington Bureau, the team relives the developments and emotions of that day.

TCM Commemorates 9/11 — TCM, Sept. 11, 8pm ET. TCM marks the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with a special night of films chosen by two first responders, Patrick McNally and Vernon Webb.

McNally was on site at the World Trade Center when each of the towers fell, and worked exclusively at the site through the following November. McNally, whose 25th wedding anniversary was on Sept. 11, 2001, had planned a golf date with his wife, Liz, before he got the emergency call. “As Time Goes By” was the couple’s wedding song, so the 1942 classic Casablanca, which features the song prominently, is a natural as one of McNally’s picks tonight. It is followed by McNally’s second choice, Mister Roberts. McNally admires the film because its title character (played by Henry Fonda), is a leader “who always thinks about what he has to do for his men.”

Webb was at work in a nearby annex when the Pentagon was attacked. He and others served round-the-clock for the next several days investigating the crime scene. Webb, who became the first African American to hold the title of Criminal Investigator in Defensive Protective Service, chooses 1960’s All the Young Men as his first movie pick tonight, because it was one of the movies from his youth that inspired him to enter the military. And because he “grew up on John Wayne movies,” Webb also selects 1948’s Red River, with Wayne as a ruthless rancher and Montgomery Clift as a young protege who “turns out to be a better man” by learning the value of compassion.

Making the 9/11 Memorial — History, Sept. 11, 8pm ET/PT. On the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the 9/11 Memorial (called “Reflecting Absence”) will at last be unveiled to the public. In this one-hour documentary filmed over the course of the past year, History presents a behind-the-scenes view from conception to on-site installation at Ground Zero. Key players share their creative journey, along with the challenge of translating elegant ideas into reality, as they race against the clock so that the memorial can open on 9/11/11.

Pentagon Under Fire — Military Channel, Sept. 11, 8pm ET. This special tracks the path of the plane that attacked the Pentagon on 9/11, hearing from witnesses to the moment of impact, the horrors of those trapped and stories of escape.

America Remembers — 9/11 — PBS, Sept. 11, 8pm ET ; replay Sept. 12, midnight ET (check local listings). In this 90-minute special, the PBS NewsHour team will examine the significance of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 in many different communities across the nation. Hari Sreenivasan will narrate an account of the three major memorial observances at Ground Zero in New York City, at the Pentagon near Washington, DC, and in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Jeffrey Brown will speak with several contributors to a new book, Legacy Letters; all have written letters, filled with insights gained in the past 10 years, to the family members they lost when the Twin Towers collapsed in New York. Ray Suarez will explore the attitudes of American Muslims, their efforts to get beyond the deep mistrust caused by 9/11 and their perspectives on what the future looks like for them; the story will be shot in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Judy Woodruff introduces viewers to a generation of young Americans who know only a post-9/11 world and visits a small town in California that has made extraordinary contributions, in terms of young lives lost, to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gwen Ifill will explore a decade of war’s impact on hundreds of thousands of soldiers and their families and the nation’s efforts to care for them.The broadcast will also include several pieces of a “video quilt” the PBS audience has been invited to help produce, using the PBS NewsHour’s social media sites.

9/11: After the Towers Fell — Military Channel, Sept. 11, 9pm ET. When the Twin Towers collapses on 9/11, thousands were feared trapped beneath the tons of steel and rubble. Rescue workers, family and friends rushed to Ground Zero to save the buried, and this program chronicles the stories of the race to rescue survivors.

Twins of the Twin Towers — OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Sept. 11, 9pm ET/PT. This special explores the previously untold personal stories of twins who were left twinless on September 11, 2001. On the day the Twin Towers collapsed, so too did the lives of over 40 twins worldwide.  The film delves into the unique connection these brave siblings shared, and the process they’ve endured for dealing with their devastating loss and moving forward with their lives.

Great Performances: “A Concert For New York” — PBS, Sept. 11, 9:30pm ET; replay Sept. 12, 1:30am ET (check local listings). The New York Philharmonic, with conductor Alan Gilbert, soprano Dorothea Röschmann, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung and the New York Choral Artists, performs Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” in a concert for remembrance and renewal on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Rebirth — Showtime, Sept. 11, 9pm ET/PT. The result of a decade-long filmmaking sojourn, the inspirational story of Rebirth follows the transformation of five people whose lives were forever altered on September 11, 2001 – and simultaneously tracks via unprecedented, multi-camera, time-lapse photography (accompanied by a great Philip Glass musical score) the minute-by-minute evolution of the memorial where the Twin Towers once rose over lower Manhattan.

According to producer/director Jim Whitaker, “Everything started with the site and putting the cameras up at the site. I just started essentially with the site, and I felt like I needed to approach it from kind of a 360‑degree angle and imagine who was affected at the site. So I had in my head an idea that I would find a firefighter, find somebody who was on the impact floor, various areas and people who would have been affected by the day in thinking about the site.”

In the film, we hear the gripping personal dramas of a fireman grappling with guilt after losing his best friend; a construction worker finding solace in new buildings rising from the wreckage; the fiancee of a first responder whose upended life takes surprising turns; a survivor who escaped from an impact floor but confronts life-changing scars; and a high-school student who uncovers new directions after the mother who meant everything to him perished.

The Space Between — USA Network, Sept. 11, 9pm ET/PT (replay at 10:53pm ET). Oscar winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter) could become an Emmy winner, too, with her strong performance in this film as Montine McLeod, a lonely flight attendant who ends up as an escort to 10-year-old Pakistani-American Omar Hassan (Anthony Keyvan, Lost, iCarly) who is traveling as an unaccompanied minor on Montine’s plane. The flight ends up grounded in Longview, Texas, on the infamous morning of Sept. 11, 2001. When Montine discovers that Omar’s father works in the World Trade Center, she is forced to find a way to get the boy back home to his uncertain future in New York. As they journey across America’s heartland in the hours and days immediately following the terrorist attacks, Montine and Omar help each other discover the importance of tolerance, redemption, acceptance and hope. It’s a quiet, straightforward film, with great performances throughout, that touches on the emotions still impacting us 10 years after 9/11 without getting schmaltzy.

USA is airing The Space Between as part of its Characters Unite public service campaign dedicated to combating prejudice, discrimination and intolerance while promoting understanding and acceptance. The movie made the rounds at some film festivals, winning the Grand Prize for Dramatic Feature at the Heartland Film Festival and garnering a Special Mention for Leo’s performance at the Tribeca Film Festival. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup — HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 9:15pm ET. This highly controversial film argues that the Sept. 11 attacks were not mere acts of terrorism but the result of an intricate U.S. government conspiracy.

20/20 — Remembrance and Renewal: 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks — ABC, Sept. 11, 10pm ET. This special edition of 20/20 revisits some of the most moving stories of Americans who lived through the 9/11 attacks. With reporting from Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Chris Cuomo, Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff, ABC News returns to those whose lives were changed that day, re-examines the images that became instantly iconic and reminds Americans of the patriotic fervor that swept the country in the weeks and months that followed.

9/11: The Towers and the Pentagon — Military Channel, Sept. 11, 10pm ET. The attacks of 9/11 resulted in the total collapse of the Twin Towers, but the Pentagon withstood its attack. Forensic engineers study the structural consequences of the attacks and explain why the results were so different.

From the Ground Up — OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Sept. 11, 10:15pm ET/PT. From the Ground Up is the story of five widows of firefighters killed on September 11, 2001. It is their journey, taking two steps forward and one step back, through tears, depression and laughter, to triumph through tragedy. Lifting spirits, they empower their communities and honor their heroic husbands in the most fitting personal ways they can imagine.

Twin Towers — USA Network, Sept. 11, 10:21pm ET/PT. Dick Wolf (of Law & Order fame) produced this Oscar-winning short documentary about two brothers, one a policeman and the other a fireman, who lost their lives in the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001. AIRS COMMERCIAL-FREE.

Conspiracy Files: 9/11 Ten Years On — HDNet Movies, Sept. 11, 11pm ET. An examination of the 9/11 conspiracy theories that circulate around the Internet and other sources.

Morning Express With Robin Meade — HLN, Sept. 12, 6am-noon ET. A positive and triumphant show recapping 9/11 remembrances, and showcasing local stories and i-Reports.

HLN: Your Neighborhood Remembers 9/11 — HLN, Sept. 12, 5pm ET. Throughout the week leading up to, and through the weekend of September 11, HLN will be  showcasing how communities across the country have triumphed over tragedy. From small towns to big cities, HLN shares stories of reflection and resilience, including celebrity and family interviews, tributes, troop celebrations and community rallies, culminating in this special hosted by Jane Velez-Mitchell.

CSI: NY — CBS, Sept. 23, 9pm ET/PT. In the eighth season premiere, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Mac (Gary Sinise) and the team remember specific moments from that day that were indelibly burned into their minds.

______________

Rebirth images: Courtesy of Showtime

Rising: Credit Shaul Schwarz/Getty Images for Discovery Communications LLC

George W. Bush: Credit Paul Morse. Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library

Heroes of the 88th Floor: Credit Darlow Smithson/TLC

Day That Changed the World: Credit Smithsonian Channel

NOVA: Courtesy of the Port Authority of NY & NJ

Frontline: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero: © 2002 Corbis

The Love We Make: Courtesy of Showtime

In Memoriam: © HBO Credit: Doug Mills/AP

Twins of the Twin Towers: Credit OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

The Space Between: © 2011 USA Network

8 Comments

  1. Link exchange is nothing else but it is simply placing the other person’s webpage link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do same in favor of you.

  2. Think indepedent (foam) fire control systems as seen on modern steel warships. And think Gatlin Gun and Antimisslle defensive weapons systems as seen on modern warships.

    The White House is so equiped. All our key targets should be so equipped.

    Sooner or later we will again be attacked through the air. We need to give our key buildings defensive systems similar to those seen in modern naval vessels.

    Finally, had the three tousand had parachutes and been trained in their use, many lives could have been saved.

    George Meredith MD

    Viriginia Beach

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