History Greenlights Three New Series

Post-Civil War miniseries also in development for 2012

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/3/2011 12:17:36 PM

Click here for complete coverage of the 2011 upfronts

History announced its 2011-12 upfront slate Tuesday including the addition of event programming, series and specials to its development.

The network has greenlit three series, Invention USA, about two tech and science experts who travel America searching for the next great prototype; Full Metal Jousting, about a maverick group of jousting fighters; and United Stats of America, which crunches data to revel surprising facts about who we are.

In development for 2012 is the miniseries The Men Who Built America, about the people who rebuilt the U.S. after the Civil War.

Those titles join previously announced series American Restoration, Around the World in 80 Ways and How the States Got Their Shapes.

History has also greenlit three specials, History of the World in Two Hours, 9/12: The Day After, about the legacy of Sept. 11; and Vietnam in HD, featuring never-before-seen footage and personal accounts from the Vietnam War.

History is coming off four consecutive years of growth and is currently a top-five cable network with adults and men 18-49. It has five shows that average at least 1.5 million viewers in the key demo: Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Swamp People, American Restoration and Ax Men.

History, which is owned by A+E Networks, will hold its upfront presentation in New York on Wednesday evening.