Independent TV, the video and documentary arm of The Independent, has released The A-Word, a feature-length exploration of life in post-Roe v. Wade America. The new 40-minute documentary from Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew comes as The Independent expands its investigative storytelling through Independent TV.
The publisher says The A-Word offers an unflinching look at the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, exposing the lives impacted by abortion bans and the challenges faced by medics on the front lines. Bel Trew travels across America, meeting women like Nicole Blackmon, a mother from Alabama forced to endure a life-threatening pregnancy, and doctors like Laura Andreson, who risks prosecution to help her patients. The documentary also highlights the efforts of Christian nationalists pushing for federal bans and restrictions on abortion and IVF.
The Independent says the documentary is supported by a series of features that delve deeper into the issues uncovered, including new data revealing how Crisis Pregnancy Centers are funded and operated. Across multiple days of content running from October 23 - 26, The Independent says it will spotlight personal stories, expert insights, and investigative reports that expose the impact of these centers, explore the challenges facing Black women in maternity care, and provide an inside look at the growing risks for women seeking abortions. The publisher says the coverage offers a critical examination of the state of reproductive rights in America, inviting audiences to consider what the future holds.
This documentary is part of The Independent’s broader commitment to high-quality, high-impact journalism, added the publisher. The A-Word builds on The Independent’s growing documentary portfolio, following The Body in the Woods, an expose that explored Ukraine’s search for the missing during Russia’s invasion, opening with the discovery of a young man’s body bound, shot, and burned outside Kyiv.
According to ComScore, The Independent reached 29.4 million US readers in August 2024, and it is now the seventh largest digital news brand in the US. In this election year alone, The Independent says US visitors have risen 49%, and page views are up a staggering 228%, with average views increasing 119%. This growth across both reach and engagement demonstrates that US readers are choosing The Independent as their source of truth at this critically important time.
Christian Broughton, chief executive officer, The Independent, comments: “This extraordinary and heartfelt documentary is testament to the dedication of an extraordinary group of documentary-makers working at Independent TV – and most of all to Bel Trew herself. The Independent and Independent TV have attracted new audiences with much higher engagement this year, driving significant growth as America seeks a source of truth and trust at the time of this election. Our commitment to quality, the expansion of our teams in the US, and our investment into TV come together in this powerful piece of work. It’s the kind of impactful journalism that will make everyone who sees it stop and think.”
The A-Word is available to stream on The Independent’s platform now.
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