2019 Impact Report

I am delighted to share the enclosed MASTERPIECE Trust Impact Report. Let us look back fondly on MASTERPIECE and the MASTERPIECE Trust’s achievements in 2019. MASTERPIECE enjoyed myriad successes in 2019: the series released its first-ever feature film, The Chaperone, expanded its podcast lineup with Mining Poldark, and published new educational outreach materials, all while broadening its reach in both broadcast and digital spaces. We look forward to celebrating the series’ upcoming 50th birthday with our MASTERPIECE family. Through the generosity of Trust members like you, MASTERPIECE will continue to do what it does best – delivering the finest British drama to the next generation of American viewers – for another half-century! Warmly,

Emma Thomas Major Gifts Officer, The MASTERPIECE Trust

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MASTERPIECE Trust Members Around the Country

MASTERPIECE Trust Partner Stations

MASTERPIECE Trust in 2019

o HPM/Houston o KERA/North Texas o KLRU/Austin o KPBS/ San Diego o KQED/ San Francisco o KWSU/Washington o MPBN/Maine o MPT/Maryland o PBS SoCal/Los Angeles

o TPT/Twin Cities o VPBS/Vermont o WGBY/Springfield o WHRO/Norfolk o WNET/New York o WPBT2/South Florida o WPT/Wisconsin o WTCI/Chattanooga o WTTW/Chicago o WUCF/Orlando

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MASTERPIECE Behind the Scenes

MASTERPIECE in the Press

Compellingly dark and twisty…

Mrs. Wilson; The Boston Globe

Exceptional…it resounds with heart

Les Misérables; The Daily Beast

Poise, passion and higher stakes

Victoria Season 3; The Telegraph

A masterclass in dodging clichés

Unforgotten Season 3; The Independent

A story that’s ever more timely and relevant

The Press Season 1; The Atlantic The Boston Globe

Its own distinct and sure-footed entity

Endeavor Season 6; The Guardian

A heaping amount of laughter and joy

The Durrells in Corfu Season 4; Paste Magazine The Boston Globe

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New on MASTERPIECE MASTERPIECE was excited to premiere several new series this past year, including: Mrs. Wilson — Golden-Globe winning actress Ruth Wilson (Jane Eyre) stars in this three-part drama inspired by the memoir of her grandmother. The series follows Alison Wilson, who thinks she is happily married until her husband dies and a woman turns up on the doorstep claiming that she is the real Mrs. Wilson. Les Misérables — MASTERPIECE and the BBC bring Victor Hugo’s classic novel to the small screen. Led by Dominic West (The Affair) and David Oyelowo (Selma) in the roles of Jean Valjean and Javert, this retelling delves into the many layers of the iconic characters’ cat-and-mouse relationship. Press — A contemporary drama set in the turbulent world of newspapers, this series explores the fortunes of competing broadcast and tabloid papers, and the colorful staff who work for them. Bidding “Farewell” To Fan-Favorites As two of MASTERPIECE’s most popular programs approached their riveting last acts, we said goodbye to various beloved characters as they graced our screens for the final time: Poldark — We welcomed back our dashing leading man for his ultimate ride into the sunset with the fifth and final season of Poldark. Over 40 years after the swashbuckling Ross Poldark first galloped across PBS viewers’ TV screens in one of MASTERPIECE’s earliest hits, Aiden Turner (The Hobbit) concluded a career-defining performance as the titular hero in the emotional finale of this fan-favorite series. The Durrells in Corfu — Keeley Hawes (Upstairs Downstairs) reprised her role as Durrell family matriarch Louisa for the last season of this popular television series adapted from Gerald Durrell’s autobiography My Family and Other Animals and its two sequels. Known as one of Sunday night’s brightest gems, The Durrells in Corfu was much adored for its lush scenery, joyful sentiment and charming characters. Hawes’s performance was particularly resonant; “Only Mary Poppins could do practically perfect better.” – The Guardian

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MASTERPIECE’s First-Ever Feature Film MASTERPIECE’s first theatrical release, The Chaperone, premiered at select theaters in September of 2018 before airing on the small screen last March. Reuniting favorites from Downton Abbey, including writer Julian Fellowes and star Elizabeth McGovern, The Chaperone tells the story of Jazz age icon Louise Brooks and her first trip to New York in the 1920s.

Teaching History with MASTERPIECE In tandem with the airing of Les Misérables in 2019, the MASTERPIECE Historical Drama Collection on PBS LearningMedia added new and exciting resources to its library. This unique offering pairs videos from our award-winning series with innovative educational tools; teachers have open access to discussion questions, activities, and research assignments that are specifically tailored to help students understand historical events, people, and places. Currently, the following time periods are available for exploration:

• England, 1800s: Using popular fan-favorite Victoria as a base, these materials cover key

events of the Victorian era, including; Victoria's rise to the throne, the English anti-slavery movement, the Great Famine, the cholera epidemic, and the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.

• England, 1800s: To Walk Invisible follows the brilliant Brontë sisters as they defied the limited options for women in 19th century England to produce ground-breaking literature. Through MASTERPIECE’s retelling, students can witness the sisters’ frustration with their limited role in society and their ultimate intellectual successes.

• France, 1830s: Our adaption of Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables details the aftermath of the French Revolution and the power of young people to change society. Teachers have access to video-based resources featuring the various viewpoints of the era, the causes of political upheaval in France, and the Paris Uprising of 1832.

We were thrilled to be able to welcome Elizabeth to our studios to speak about her film. Here, Elizabeth is joined by WGBH’s own Jared Bowen (host of Open Studio).

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Watching MASTERPIECE Social Media

MASTERPIECE saw the following audience growth on social platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) in 2019:

Broadcast § Press reached 3.8 million viewers overall § Grantchester Season 4 reached 3.4 million

viewers weekly § Les Misérables reached 3.0 million

viewers weekly

Digital § 29.6 million episodes streamed in 2019

(+33% vs. 2018) § 52.4 million pageviews in 2019 § 24.0 million visits in 2019 § 205,000 YouTube subscribers in 2019

440K followers +307% vs. 2018

801K followers +15% vs. 2018

493K followers +1,305% vs. 2018

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MASTERPIECE Podcasts The MASTERPIECE Studio Podcast - An honoree at the 23rd Annual Webby Awards, The MASTERPIECE Studio Podcast has enjoyed continued success as the series’ preeminent source for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and backstage insight. Its popularity paved the way for a new and exciting audio production... Mining Poldark - In August, MASTERPIECE officially launched a new recap podcast series, Mining Poldark, to accompany the final season of our fan-favorite program. Starting with a behind-the-scenes look at the very first episode of Poldark Season 1, listeners relived the romance and swashbuckling adventure episode by episode through conversations with Robin Ellis, the actor who played the original Poldark and who plays Reverend Halse in the new series, and MASTERPIECE Senior Digital Content Producer Barrett Brountas. Podcast Producer Nick Andersen says, “with the unique perspective of Robin Ellis and the fan devotion and expertise of our own Barrett Brountas, Mining Poldark is the perfect way for Poldark fans new and old to revisit this iconic series…special thanks go to Field Producer Meredith Wheeler, Digital Sound Editor Tina Tobey-Mack, and MASTERPIECE Senior Contracts and Compliance Manager Robyn Bissette for their hard work and support.” MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Susanne Simpson adds, “MASTERPIECE is thrilled to build our podcast lineup. Nick and the team have worked tirelessly to create what is sure to be a fan favorite for listeners—and the perfect complement to our popular MASTERPIECE STUDIO podcast.”

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MASTERPIECE Awards and Nominations 2019 British Academy Television Awards

• Nomination for Best Mini-Series: Mrs. Wilson • Nomination for Best Actress: Ruth Wilson in her role as Alison Wilson in Mrs. Wilson • Nomination for Best Supporting Actress: Keeley Hawes in her role as Dorothy Wick in

Mrs. Wilson

Virgin Media, British Academy Television Awards (2019)

The cast of Mrs. Wilson at the 2019 BAFTA Television Awards 21st Annual British Academy Television Craft Awards

• Nomination for Best Make Up & Hair Design: Konnie Daniel for her work on Mrs. Wilson

40th Annual Telly Awards • Gold Telly Award in the Television General – Entertainment category:

MATERPIECE: Les Misérables, Featurette • Bronze Telly Award in the Television General – Entertainment category:

MASTERPIECE: Les Misérables, Official Trailer “Best of” Lists:

• The New York Times Best TV Episodes of 2019 List: Les Misérables • Paste Magazine’s “The Top 10 Best Shows on TV Right Now” List: Les Misérables • Rotten Tomatoes’ “Shows You Should be Watching, According to Critics” List:

o Mrs. Wilson with a 90% rating o Les Misérables with a 96% rating

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A Change in Leadership MASTERPIECE Names Susanne Simpson Executive Producer as Rebecca Eaton Becomes Executive Producer-At-Large - As MASTERPIECE heads into its 50th anniversary in 2021, the woman who steered it for the past 34 years, Rebecca Eaton, is taking a step back. Transitioning to the role of Executive Producer-At-Large, Rebecca can now turn her focus to the to the development of new drama projects and fundraising for the MASTERPIECE Trust. Eaton, who has headed the series since 1985, is one of the most celebrated producers in television; she led MASTERPIECE to 62 Primetime Emmy Awards®, 16 Peabody Awards, six Golden Globes®, and two Academy Award® nominations. Rebecca says, “For me, an Anglophile bookworm and the daughter of an English professor and an actress, MASTERPIECE has been my ideal professional home…I am convinced that MASTERPIECE is still vital today because of the steadfast support of PBS; our funders; and, most importantly, our famously loyal viewers.” Susanne Simpson, who has worked closely with Rebecca for over a decade as part of MASTERPIECE’s leadership team, has been promoted to Executive Producer from Deputy Executive Producer. Since joining MASTERPIECE in 2007, Simpson has been responsible for such programs as Sherlock, Wolf Hall, and Victoria — and oversaw all aspects of the U.S. broadcast of the hit series Downton Abbey —the most watched drama in PBS history and recipient of 59 Emmy® nominations and 12 wins. Susanne will now oversee the series’ slate of programming and its day to day operations. She states, “It’s an incredible honor to be taking over a series with MASTERPIECE’s unique history – one that has created a devoted audience for British drama,” says Simpson. “For 12 years, I’ve worked closely with Rebecca Eaton, and I’m so grateful for her, and WGBH’s, support. With the wealth of great drama coming from our UK partners, it’s a thrilling time to be working at MASTERPIECE.” This exiting transition allows the series to take advantage of the talents and vision of two exceptional producers. “There is no one better prepared than Susanne to succeed Rebecca,” says John Bredar, Vice President of Programming at WGBH Boston. “And MASTERPIECE will continue to benefit from Rebecca’s sharp-eyed sense of story and character and her unique ability to connect with funders who support the series. In this competitive TV landscape, we are fortunate to have Susanne and Rebecca–two of the most talented executives working in drama today—taking MASTERPIECE into the future.”

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MASTERPIECE is Turning 50! Throughout its long history, MASTERPIECE has proven itself a treasured American institution. MASTERPIECE maintains an unwavering commitment to bringing incomparable drama to millions of people year after year, across programs and digital assets. And we have you, our loyal and passionate committed supporters, largely to thank for our ability to continue cultural engagement and peerless storytelling. As MASTERPIECE prepares for its 50th birthday, we intend to recognize the series’ incredible success and longevity under Ms. Eaton’s leadership, as well as the steadfast dedication of our supporters. We will be holding a grand celebration in honor of MASTERPIECE’s Golden Anniversary. More to come in the near future! The Masterpiece 50th Anniversary Fund The Masterpiece 50th Anniversary Fund Challenge will run through December 2020. As you may well recall from last year’s update, we are honored to have MASTERPIECE philanthropist Darlene Shiley supporting this endeavor with a $2M challenge. It is our hope to not only reach but surpass this goal of $2M, so that we can make an exciting announcement at our 50th Anniversary event. We are happy to be able to recognize all donors who contributed to this fund at the event.

To all MASTERPIECE Trust donors – we thank you for your loyal friendship and transformational support.

These successes would not have been possible without your heartfelt loyalty to MASTERPIECE. Please accept our sincere appreciation for the indelible impact you have made on this series and for all that we have created together.

We are so grateful for your support of MASTERPIECE throughout 2019!