Ebert returns to PBS

I wrote a few weeks ago about the end of At the Movies the commercially syndicated movie review show that once was PBS's "Sneak Previews" with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. Well, it appears that things have come full circle with the upcoming production of Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies.

The program launches next year and will be available only to public television stations. Ebert's involvement is as a producer rather than host, as cancer-surgery has rendered the outspoken critic voiceless. Elvis Mitchell, formerly a New York Times movie reviewer and host of "The Treatment" on KCRW (a favorite podcast of mine) will be one of the hosts.

Although Ebert will be a silent partner his involvement does mean the program can use its trademark thumbs-up. It turns out that Ebert literally owns the trademark.