History to Tackle Kennedy Family in First Scripted Mini THR

The History channel is jumping into scripted programming with an eight-hour miniseries about “The Kennedys,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Production will begin in the spring and the program, from "24" co-creator and executive producer Joel Surnow, will air in 2011. The budget is reported to be between $20 million and $25 million.

Nancy Dubuc, History’s president and general manager, called the move into scripted programming "the logical next step" for the channel.

--Elizabeth Jensen