Pivotal Moments in History

As I write this post, it’s hard not to reflect on what a different world we are living in today, versus when we began production of When Wire Was King (WWWK) in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for cutting-edge technology and science to find solutions at this pivotal moment in history, in order to provide global relief from the novel coronavirus. 

​I have spent the last year and a half immersed in a very different, though also pivotal, moment in history: the telecommunications revolution. We’ve made great progress with WWWK, and I am excited about how wonderfully our documentary is shaping up. Every interview we conduct with the men and women from industry, government, and academia who helped evolve yesterday’s telecommunications into today’s digitally connected, global network further motivates me to tell this intricate and exciting story. WWWK sheds new light on the competition, innovation and market reform that were the hallmarks of this dynamic period of the 20th century. Though I am an attorney who deals with telecommunications policy and spectrum management on a daily basis, I learned from every conversation I had with the experts we are fortunate enough to be featuring in WWWK. Often, I was so drawn into their stories I had to remind myself that I am the Director and not the audience! 

The WWWK team will spend the rest of 2020 editing and fine-tuning our documentary, with an eye towards releasing the film in 2021. I continue to be guided by the goal of translating my fascination with this critical period of American history into a story that informs, inspires and entertains audiences. I hope that viewers will come away from WWWK with a greater understanding for and appreciation of the intense competition, unprecedented regulation, and incredible innovation that characterized this time. As in everything, the past informs and helps to shape the future. The origins and implications of being globally connected in today’s world are more important and worthy of attention than ever before.

We look forward to sharing WWWK with you as soon as it is completed. As always, we welcome any comments or questions you may have. If you’d like to support our film and help bring WWWK to the screen, please email me at [email protected]. 

Stay safe and well,

Jennifer A. Manner
Executive Producer and Director