Pivot: TV That Sparks Conversation And Inspires Change
Pivot sparks conversation, inspires change and illuminates issues through engaging content.
For any of you who have wasted an entire Saturday afternoon flipping through the TV guide in search of some entertainment, you know how despite the hundreds of cable station options, the majority of the programming seems to focus on the same trivial themes. Wedding dress shows, high school dramas, and reality dating are all the rage, and each cable network seems to have their own variation. With all of the television clutter, it can be hard to find programming that actually strives to make a difference. Does that even exist within my TV Guide? It does now.
Pivot, a new cable network launched in August 2013, focuses on programming that sparks conversation, inspires change and illuminates issues through engaging content. Like so many other networks, Pivot targets Millennials (ages 18-34) – but does so with a diverse set of programming that sets it apart. The network uses its website, TakePart.com, to continue the conversation with informative pieces about important issues and provide readers with ways to take action through donating, signing a petition, and more.
Pivot provides Millennials with an entertainment outlet that doesn’t celebrate the superficiality that so many other networks embrace.
Pivot programming includes a nice mix of acquired programming (such as Friday Night Lights, Veronica Mars), movies, documentaries, and original series. One original series is, TakePart Live, a nightly show that digs into the news featured on TakePart.com each day. Another original series is Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s, Hitrecord on TV. In this variety show, Joseph Gordon-Levitt collaborates with aspiring artists from around the world to create a half hour of entertaining short films, songs, performances, and more. This “community collaboration” allows anyone in the world to submit writing, illustrations, and music for others to build on via HitRecord.org. Hitrecord on TV is a great way to highlight the creations of others, and build upon them to create something even better. Pivot’s focus on social advocacy is not overbearing – it simply provides Millennials with an entertainment outlet that doesn’t celebrate the superficiality that so many other networks embrace. The network is available via Pay TV subscription but also through on-demand streaming via the Pivot app.
Pivot and TakePart.com are divisions of Participant Media, the company behind Waiting for Superman, The Help, Lincoln, and other powerful films. Founded by philanthropist Jeff Skoll in 2004, Participant Media was created in the belief that a story well told can change the world. And that belief is something we can get behind.
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From the Editor
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Photo credit: Pivot