PBS boasts slate of new shows unaffected by strikes, which it hopes will draw viewers in

NEW YORK — PBS was looking forward to a relatively free lane to offer fresh television to viewers downtrodden by the Hollywood strikes this fall, but that advantage may only last a couple of months now. With commercial networks largely bereft of fresh material beyond reality shows, sports and game shows, PBS has a fall schedule of new programming, including a heavy dose of nonfiction, led by Ken Burns’ look at “The American Buffalo.” “I have to believe that people are looking for new stuff,” said Paula Kerger, CEO of the Public Broadcasting Service. One exception is a delay making “American Historia,” a three-part documentary series helmed by actor John Leguizamo about Latino figures in history, Kerger said. Most of them are aimed at PBS’ streaming service, although the Danish series “Seaside Hotel” has aired on the television network. Among the nonfiction projects on the docket this fall are “Evolution Earth,” about how animals are adapting to changes in their habitat caused by humans; “The Busing Battleground,” about the 1970s-era integration fight in Boston; along with “American Masters” programs on Jerry Brown, lawyer Floyd Abrams and drummer Max Roach.