Whoever said that the entertainment industry was recession-proof clearly didn't work in documentary filmmaking. The Detroit News reports that General Motors Corp. is ending its sponsorship of Ken Burns' films.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea, a six-part series set to air on PBS this fall, will be the last to be made with GM sponsorship. The 10-year deal began in 1999, and was set to end this year. Given the particularly awful state of the auto industry, it's no surprise that the deal has not been renewed. GM's sponsorship included covering part of Burns' production budgets, as well as support for marketing and related educational programs. 

"Ken has had a wonderful relationship with GM from the Civil War through the parks film and feels very close to everyone there," said Dave Donovan, a Burns spokesman. "I also know he is incredibly thankful for what they've done. As a partner, they have allowed him to tell many stories about American life that would either not have been told or told in a different way. It was an extraordinary contribution to public television and to filmmaking and of course greatly appreciated by Ken.

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**Photo credit: Arches National Park, Utah. Photo by Craig Mellish