or


[02/10/09 - 12:42 PM]
CBS News Presents "Live to Tell" a Special Limited-Run Series from the Producers of "48 Hours," Beginning Saturday, Feb 14, 2009
"These are emotional, gripping stories of people who should be dead, but refused to give in," says executive producer Susan Zirinsky.

[via press release from CBS]

CBS NEWS PRESENTS "LIVE TO TELL" A SPECIAL LIMITED-RUN SERIES FROM THE PRODUCERS OF "48 HOURS," BEGINNING SATURDAY, FEB 14, 2009

A SERIES OF THREE EPISODES FEATURING FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS FROM PEOPLE WHO LOOKED DEATH IN THE EYE AND REFUSED TO GIVE IN

Beginning Saturday, Feb. 14 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), CBS News will kick off a special limited-run, three-episode series, LIVE TO TELL, from the producers of "48 Hours Mystery." Each broadcast in the series delivers an unfiltered, first-hand account from extraordinary individuals who came face-to-face with death and, in their darkest hours, found the strength, grit and resourcefulness to persevere.

"These are emotional, gripping stories of people who should be dead, but refused to give in," says executive producer Susan Zirinsky. "Told in their own words, the series is different from what '48 Hours' viewers may be used to, but remains loyal to the style of experiential journalism that our broadcast has become known for."

LIVE TO TELL represents another facet of the "48 Hours'" brand, which has expanded to include various primetime specials and unique collaborations with independent filmmakers, such as the award-winning "9/11," "In God's Name" and "Flashpoint," among many others.

In the series' first broadcast, "The Year We Disappeared" (14), Cylin Busby recalls the dreadful night in 1979 when her father, a police officer, was ambushed and shot point blank in his car. Immediately the children went and hid in the attic, convinced that they were next, until a team of police officers stormed the house and kept guard.

John Busby was convinced that a local thug, Melvin Reine, was behind the attempt on his life and that the would-be killer would not stop until Busby and his family were all dead. Determined to exact his revenge and protect his wife and children, Busby overcame harrowing odds and survived the shooting.

Reine struck fear in the residents and police of Cape Cod long before the shooting. A convicted arsonist, Reine was suspected of murdering three people, but continued to walk free. As time went on, the Busbys realized that Reine's power over the town would never cease and that he would never be brought to justice.

Practically forced to leave the town, the Busbys went on the run, living in fear, changing their appearance and never divulging their past. Over the years, the family moved six times until, in 2003, the unexpected happened. It is a story of a horrific crime and the long-awaited justice that no one could predict.

The following week (21), LIVE TO TELL features the story of two college students who were on a peaceful date when they were stalked, kidnapped, brutalized, pushed to the edge of a river and shot in the face. But these teens outsmarted their would-be killer, playing dead to stay alive and tell their story.

The final story in the series (28) will focus on a family whose decision to sail the world takes a life threatening turn when they hit a reef. With her husband pinned under a fallen mast, a mother must choose between saving her husband or four children. It is an unbelievable yet true tale of physical and emotional rescue.

The series was created by Judy Tygard and Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer. Chuck Stevenson, Liza Finley, Katherine Davis and Chris Young are the producers. Richard Barber, Gary Winter, Michael McHugh, Alan Miller, Gregory F. McLaughlin, Doreen Schechter and Joan Adelman are the producer editors. Elena DiFiore, Kevin Hayes and Pete Shaw are the associate producers.





  [february 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· 48 HOURS (CBS)
· 9/11 (CBS)





[12/06/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "The Boys" Explosive Final Season Premiere Date & Teaser Drop at CCXP Brazil
The fifth and final season will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on April 8, 2026.

[12/06/25 - 02:46 PM]
Paramount and UFC Announce New Seasons of "Dana White's Contender Series" and "The Ultimate Fighter"
Beginning in 2026, Paramount+ in the U.S., Latin America, and Australia will become the exclusive home for all episodes of both series.

[12/06/25 - 02:27 PM]
Video: "School Spirits" Returns - Paramount+ Drops First Look at Season Three Premiering January 28
The date was unveiled alongside first look images at today's Paramount+ CCXP panel in São Paolo, Brazil featuring series lead and executive producer Peyton List.

[12/06/25 - 02:12 PM]
Video: Oscar-Nominee Paul Giamatti Surprises Fans at CCXP and Reveals Exclusive Scene from "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy"
The series will premiere globally with two episodes on Thursday, January 15 on Paramount+, and in Japan on Tuesday, January 23.

[12/06/25 - 10:47 AM]
Hulu Debuts First-Look Images from "The Testaments" Out of Brazil Comic Con
"The Testaments," a new chapter from the showrunner and executive producers of "The Handmaid's Tale," is coming in April 2026 to Hulu.

[12/06/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: Date Announcement & Teaser Debut - Hulu's "Paradise" Season 2
The second season of the Emmy Award-nominated series premieres Monday, February 23 with three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly on Hulu and Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US and Disney+ internationally.

[12/05/25 - 03:31 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers
"Nightline" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, hitting nine-week highs in both measures.

[12/05/25 - 03:30 PM]
In Anticipation of "Avatar: Fire and Ash," ABC News to Premiere Two New Specials This December
First up: "Avatar: A New Era - Special Edition of 20/20" premieres Friday, December 12 on ABC.

[12/05/25 - 02:05 PM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Best College Football Regular Season Since 2011; "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Scores Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks aired the most-watched game in 34 of 42 key Saturday windows, including seven of 14 noon windows, 13 of 14 late afternoon windows and all 14 prime windows.

[12/05/25 - 12:35 PM]
2025 CFB Viewership Surges on FOX & FS1
The 2025 regular season wrapped with big numbers for "Big Noon Saturday," "Big Noon Kickoff" and more - including year-over-year gains across the board.

[12/05/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Premiere Week Episodes Post Gains and Lead In Live Plus 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
"Tracker" delivered 17.3 million viewers, up +6% versus its year-ago premiere.

[12/05/25 - 10:05 AM]
"Landman" Booms Into a Third Season Renewal and Breaks Viewing Records on Paramount+
The second season is set to be a top three series among all original content the week of November 17 and a top two series for the week of November 24 according to Nielsen preliminary data.

[12/05/25 - 09:45 AM]
Video: "Taylor" - A CW Documentary Special - Trailer
The special - airing Saturday, December 13 - explores the global phenomenon of Taylor Swift and digs deep across the musician's 20-year career, a period that has seen her transcend the realm of pop star to become a cultural icon like no other.

[12/05/25 - 08:45 AM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
Said coverage averaged 190,000 viewers, up 36% from the 2024 season.

[12/05/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Monkeypaw Productions' "Him" Beginning December 19
The film stars Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies and more.