ABC News has expanded its original digital content slate with “20/20: Young & Gifted” a new original series featuring profiles of prodigies who utilize their talents to better their lives and the lives of those around them.
The seven-part series premieres Wednesday and will be available on ABCNews.com and across ABC News’ digital platforms. This is “20/20’s” first foray into original digital content.
“20/20’s future, like so much of broadcast television, is a digital one,” senior executive producer of “20/20” David Sloan told TheWrap.
“Young & Gifted” is another example of how we’ve been able to collaborate closely with our on-air shows to extend their brands off linear television. And original series like this harness the type of storytelling ’20/20′ has become know for, and has delivered for years,” ABC News executive producer Dan Silver told TheWrap.
Silver said that despite being consumed on digital platforms, he doesn’t consider it what most people would label “digital content,” because the quality is on par with typical “20/20” programming.
The debut episode features “The Flying Squirrel” Quincy Symonds, who started surfing competitively when she was 4 years old. A notable episode will feature Phiona Mutesi, the Uganda chess prodigy who is the subject of the upcoming Disney film “Queen of Katwe.”
“When we started to dig into this concept, we knew that we would not be able to tell this story properly simply within our borders. These diamonds in the rough exist all over the globe,” Silver said. “So we traveled the world to examine this group of extraordinary young people who have magnanimously impacted not only their own lives, but the lives of the people around them. It’s hard to watch these episodes, and see these kids, and not be inspired. Their stories are remarkable.”
Silver said ABC News’ goal is to cultivate an original content slate across all platforms, and “Young & Gifted” joins “Running Mates,” “Garage Geniuses” and “Food Forecast” as shows that “allow viewers to be entertained and learn” at the same time.