PBS unveils plans for Downton Abbey, other productions

Downton Abbey will be back for its fifth season on Jan 4, but the return date for another hit PBS series, Sherlock, is up in the air, PBS chief executive Paula Kerger said on Tuesday.

"We will have to wait to know when it's finished and available," Kerger said of the mystery starring Benedict Cumberbatch. "Whenever it comes, we'll put it in a wonderful place."

PBS is making its shows available for flexible viewing, using both digital platforms and creative scheduling on public TV stations, she said. All episodes of Ken Burns' The Roosevelts, for instance, will be available for streaming the day after the first episode airs on Sept 14.