or


[07/18/16 - 07:02 AM]
A Man Wrongly Imprisoned Seeks Justice for Others in MTV's New Docu-Series "Unlocking the Truth" Premiering August 17 at 11:00 P.M. ET/PT
The series will be told through the unique point of view of Ryan Ferguson, an exoneree who spent 10 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit and is resolute in his passion to help other innocent people who may have been wrongfully convicted.

[via press release from MTV]

A MAN WRONGLY IMPRISONED SEEKS JUSTICE FOR OTHERS IN MTV'S NEW DOCU-SERIES "UNLOCKING THE TRUTH" PREMIERING AUGUST 17 AT 11:00 P.M. ET/PT

The Series to Examine Three Controversial Cases of Prisoners Fighting For Their Freedom

New York, NY (July 18, 2016) - MTV today announced the premiere of "Unlocking the Truth," an all-new serialized documentary series that will take a powerful, in-depth look into the justice system, premiering on Wednesday, August 17 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. The series will be told through the unique point of view of Ryan Ferguson, an exoneree who spent 10 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit and is resolute in his passion to help other innocent people who may have been wrongfully convicted. "Unlocking the Truth" will follow Ryan and co-investigator Eva Nagao as they examine three high-stakes cases of inmates claiming they are innocent and fighting for their freedom. View trailer HERE.

Ryan Ferguson grew up in Columbia, MO, and lived an ordinary life with his family, but when a 48-year-old newspaper editor was found brutally murdered his life took a drastic turn. At the age of 19, Ryan was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit due to a twisted tale of false confessions and police misconduct. After years of Ryan's family relentlessly fighting to prove his innocence, they were able to get Chicago's famed wrongful conviction attorney, Kathleen Zellner, on his case. After spending ten years in prison, Ryan was released and exonerated on November 12, 2013.

In "Unlocking the Truth," Ferguson, and co-investigator Eva Nagao of the Exoneration Project and an ardent fighter for justice reform, will investigate the cases of three inmates currently incarcerated and claiming they are innocent. The pair will work to find proponents and opponents of the convicted, uncover and examine evidence, and analyze never-before-heard witness insights that may help them on their journey for new findings. Through raw, private scenes inside the lives of Michael Politte, Kalvin Michael Smith and Byron Case, the series will turn the large-scale problem of a flawed justice system - which leads to a striking number of innocent people in prison - into a deeply personal experience and worst nightmare come to life.

"Unlocking the Truth" will examine the following controversial cases:

Michael Politte was 14 years old when he was arrested for the murder of his mother, Rita Politte, who was found dead in her home after being hit with a blunt object and lit on fire. Michael is now serving a life sentence in the same prison where Ryan Ferguson spent 8 years of his life.

Kalvin Michael Smith was 26 years old when he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and robbery for attacking a pregnant woman. He has served 18 years of his 29-year sentence. Kalvin's case has garnered large-scale attention and a "Free Kalvin Smith" movement has started in the city of Winston-Salem, NC.

Byron Case was 19 years old when his friend, Anastasia WitbolsFeugen, was found dead in a Missouri cemetery. Three years later, Byron's ex-girlfriend came forward to police and claimed he was the murderer. Byron was sentenced to life and life without parole for the murder.

"Unlocking the Truth" is produced by MTV and Embassy Row. Michael Davies, Debbie DeMontreux, Adam Kassen, Stacey Altman and Andrew Jenks serve as Executive Producers.

About Embassy Row:

Part of Sony Pictures Television, Embassy Row is a television and digital production company dedicated to the development and acquisition of original non-scripted programming for broadcast, cable and digital platforms in the U.S. and abroad. The New York City-based company specializes in several genres including talk, games, competition, comedy, factual, food and sports. A pioneer in the areas of brand and social media integration, Embassy Row boasts a portfolio of popular and buzz-worthy series including "Watch What Happens Live" for Bravo; "Cutthroat Kitchen" for Food Network; Emmy nominated "The Talking Dead" for AMC; Emmy Award-winning "Garbage Time With Katie Nolan" for Fox Sports 1; as well as Emmy nominated "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee," starring Jerry Seinfeld, for Crackle.

About MTV:

MTV is a global youth culture brand driven by the creative spirit of music. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).





  [july 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· UNLOCKING THE TRUTH (MTV)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.