• by Paul Gough , August 6, 2002

With a round of in-depth specials on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks, The History Channel is moving close to a decision on whether to have a limited amount of advertising or none at all on Sept. 11.

The cable TV channel, which reaches more than 81 million households nationwide, is planning six documentaries on all aspects of the attacks and their aftermath. Topics include the rise and fall of the World Trade Center; the efforts to preserve artifacts from Ground Zero; Islam and terrorism; the war on terror and the renovation of the Pentagon.

Like other broadcast and cable networks, The History Channel has found a hard sell to potential sponsors.

"We're finding more people that not are shying away from 9/11 coverage," said Diane Donohue, SVP/Ad Sales at the New York-based network.

Donohue said about half of the advertisers they've talked to aren't interested at all.

"There have been some people who have said they don't want anything to do with 9/11 programming," Donohue said. She said the rest, about half, are trying to balance the historical importance of the anniversary with wanting to be mindful of the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa. "People want to be sensitive to the whole event," she said.

The History Channel hasn't made a final decision about advertising. It's possible that there will be no advertising or just limited advertising on Sept. 11, Donohue said.

Donohue pointed out that the documentaries aren't sensational or focus on the attacks themselves, but rather the issues surrounding them. All will run Sept. 11 in a day - and nightlong stretch. But they'll premiere the week before during The History Channel's primetime lineup and feature advertising, perhaps in the last portion of the programming.

The programs are:

"The World Trade Center: Rise and Fall of an American Icon." This focuses on the construction of the Twin Towers and how they collapsed.

"The Day The Towers Fell," focusing on the recollections of amateur and professional photographers who captured the event.

"Relics From The Rubble," chronicling the effort to preserve artifacts from the collapse and rescue.

"Inside Islam," which takes the viewer into the world's fastest-growing religion.

"War On Terror - A Year In Review," discusses how the war on terror has gone since Sept. 11.

"The Pentagon," which highlights the effort of rebuilding the damaged military nerve center and renovating the World War II-era building.