Stream with KPBS+ / Premieres Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10 p.m on KPBS TV
Over the past six years, a team of filmmakers has been following more than a dozen Americans in eight states across the U.S., charting their views about changes in the country and in their own lives.A month before the midterm elections, how are these Americans — from a doctor to a pastor to a barber to a construction company owner to a retiree — feeling about the direction of the country?
Their diverse views and experiences unfold in "American Voices 2026," a 90-minute FRONTLINE documentary that premieres Tuesday, Oct. 13, and that offers a meaningful look at both what unites and divides the U.S. electorate as the midterms approach.
From a team led by award-winning filmmaker Mike Shum ("Police on Trial," "Predator on the Reservation"), "American Voices 2026" is the latest installment of a unique filmmaking effort begun in 2020. That’s when Shum and FRONTLINE started documenting the lives of voters with differing viewpoints as they navigated a year of extraordinary tumult, from the pandemic to protests to the polls. Four years later, "American Voices 2024" updated the stories of those same Americans, exploring how their perspectives had evolved since 2020 in a nation that remained deeply divided. Now, "American Voices 2026" returns to these voters first filmed six years ago to see how their hopes and fears have evolved amid another polarizing election season, a faltering economy, and a war with Iran that’s now in its eighth month.
Filmed in locations ranging from Austin, Texas, to Hayward, California; from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Beaverdam, Virginia; and from Portland, Oregon, to Sioux City, Iowa, "American Voices 2026" is a journey across geography, race and politics that illuminates where our country has been — and where it is headed.
Watch On Your Schedule: "American Voices 2026" will be available to stream with KPBS+, is a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience). Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.
This film will also be available to stream on FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel
Credits: A FRONTLINE Production with Mike Shum Productions. The director is Mike Shum. The producers are Tarryn Mento and Mike Shum. The writers are Hillary Bachelder & Mike Shum. The senior producers are Callie T. Wiser and Frank Koughan. The managing editor of FRONTLINE is Andrew Metz. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.
About FRONTLINEFRONTLINE, U.S. television’s longest running investigative documentary series, explores the issues of our times through powerful storytelling. FRONTLINE has won an Academy Award® as well as every major journalism and broadcasting award, including 113 Emmy Awards and 35 Peabody Awards. Visit pbs.org/frontline and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn more.
