April 28-26th archive
April 28, 2006
Eureka Seven
To understand the internet you have to be open to change.
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne April 28, 2006
MBN
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INTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE
First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX
and NBC and now there is MBN
( unofficially the sixth largest supplier
of NEWS by an American company.)
More then 100 pages of news a day
BROADCAST NEWS COMING SOON
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International news from Asia and Latin news in English and Spanish here now
More exciting changes coming each day.
Watch for the MBN Politically incorrect SUV
MONTEBUBBLISM: When someone that doesn’t win and is very wealthy tells you that you’re a disgrace because you always win and have no great resources behind you, consider it a compliment.
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
Eureka Seven
The Los Angeles Antiques Show and Historically Important Chairs
Nick Lachey, Jagged Edge & Sean Paul to Appear at Style Stage NYC's Two Day Fashion, Shopping & Music Extravaganza!
And everyone read happily ever after
BET's 106 & PARK and Tom Cruise Travel to Harlem on Special Assignment to Launch '106: IMPOSSIBLE'
Revolution Studios' 'Perfect Stranger,' Starring Bruce Willis and Halle Berry, Completes Principal Photography
Rockie Lynne Tops Country Singles Sales Chart for 9th Consecutive Week
Debut CD, Rockie Lynne, in Stores Next Tuesday, May 2
Helen Reddy to Receive Veteran Feminists of America's First Lifetime Achievement Award at May 1 Event in Los Angeles
Nuts for Mutts Dog Show
Yahoo! Movie Fans Get an All Access Pass Behind the Scenes of 'Mission: Impossible III'
'How Art Made the World,' a Five-Part Documentary Series Co-Produced by KCET and the BBC, Premieres June 26, on PBS
Eric Clapton Joins With the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Mercedes-Benz to Bring Attention to the Need for More Arts and Music Education Programs
Victoria's Secret Launches its First Ever 'What Is Sexy' List
It's All Shiny and New VH1 Premieres/Encores for the Week of April 28 - May 3 2006*
Live television coverage of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee will be moving to primetime this year on the ABC Television Network.
March of Dimes Holds 36th Annual WalkAmerica Crisis of Premature Birth Continues as Rates Hit Historic HighDisney Channel's 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,' a New Playhouse Disney Series for Preschoolers
Secrets of the Code; Feature Film Documentary Exploring The Da Vinci Code Scheduled for 'Sneak-Peek' at Tribeca Film Festival
'NUMB3RS' Stars David Krumholtz and Navi Rawat to Promote 'We All Use Math Every Day' Education Initiative at NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition in St. Louis
BBC Mundo and Latinoamerica TV Have Reached an Agreement to Provide Headlines and International News to the Hispanic Community in the United States.
'Laguna Beach's' Lauren (LC) Heads for LA to Pursue Fashion and Life After Laguna in New MTV Series 'The Hills' Premiering Wednesday, May 31st at 10:00PM (ET/PT)
Jane Seymour to Serve as Honorary Chairperson of National Fishing and Boating Week
Dwight Yoakam's Line of Bakersfield Biscuits Brand(R) of Frozen Foods Is Now Offered in Local Chicago-Area Jewel Food Stores
Sony Computer Entertainment America Adds Two New Executives to Group Management Structure
Virgin Megastores Launch New Fashion and Accessories Line With Rock N Roll Fashion Show
Dave Matthews Band Makes $1.5 Million Challenge Grant to Support New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village
Cingular Wireless Named Number One Company for Latinos
DiversityInc. Magazine Unveils The 2006 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity
New Holland is Featured in the Latest James Bond Film 'CASINO ROYALE'
Up-Mobile Announces Exclusive Rights to Offer The 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM)
Official Mascot TV Series For Mobile Distribution
TV Land's Top Ten Celebrates Everything We Love About Television Beginning In May With Special Mother's Day Installment
THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY PRESENTS
THE 33rd ANNUAL CREATIVE CRAFT DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS
Pilot for TV Series 'Winning In America' Hosted By TV Icon Sy Sperling Set for Production This Summer in NYC and FL
THE 33rd ANNUAL CREATIVE CRAFT DAYTIME EMMY AWARDSVideo Without Boundaries Adds 17 New Online Retailers
Sony Introduces First Spanish Language VAIO PC in the U.S.
Motorola Introduces New Local Content Distribution System That Makes Television More Relevant
Gary Oldman Premieres New Mobile Movie Studio
Wasp'3D's Software and Service Capacity Garners Extraordinary Response at NAB 2006
NAB ANNOUNCES NAB2006 AIM AWARD WINNERS
First Page Search Engine Listing Provides Brand LiftPromoters and retailers of HD DVD players and software continue to spin positively about the new format and its impact on consumers since the format’s April 18 launch.
McClatchy is selling off of the newspaper that once held all of Knight Ridder's digital dreams
Starcom Chief Proclaims Death of TV Upfront
Early adopters who bought one of the first two Toshiba HD DVD players had mixed comments about the official start of packaged media’s high-def era.
McDonald's Offering Virtual Fitness DVDs with Meals New Asian Salad Meal Targets Balanced Lifestyle ChoicesGold Medalist Apolo Ohno Lends His Talent to Math Education Awareness
Raytheon Launches Hippest Homework Happening and Helps Thousands of America's Students Make Homework History
Absolute Poker Takes the Wheel With Jeff Natland at The Gumball 3000 Rally to Race Around the World in 8 Days
Reader's Digest Music to Sponsor Engelbert Humperdinck's 2006 U.S. Tour Beginning in Las Vegas April 27
Live television coverage of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee will be moving to primetime this year on the ABC Television Network.
SPORTS & AUTOS
Baseball All-Stars Paul Molitor, Don Baylor and Eric Davis Team Up with Leading Cancer Support Groups to 'Strike Out Cancer'
Golf Comic Born Out of Dark Times
In Wake of High Gas Prices, Demand for Diesel Cars and SUVs Jumped 31 Percent in 2005
Popular Tee Time Web Site Gets Makeover - New Name
More Local Golf Information, News and Events Available to Phoenix Area Golfers
Major League Baseball Announces Holiday Inn Hotels as 'Official Hotel of Major League Baseball'
ALS Advocate Curt Schilling to Meet Northeast Ohio ALS Patient Marilyn Benschoter
Mercedes-Benz Diesel May Cure Sticker Shock at the Pump
Full-Size Luxury Sedan Achieves 37 MPG and Up to 780 Miles Per Tank
DOD
DoD Identifies Casualties
Victim Rescued From Kidnappers
Life Aboard USS Reagan Revolves Around Support to Iraq
Maritime Ops in Middle East Have Deterrent Effect
America Supports You: Circus Brings Fitness, Fun to Military Kids
U.S. Ship Returns Polish Combat Cargo From Middle East
NEWS AND NEWS IN SPANISH
Xinhua Finance and Milken Institute Create New China Indicators; Eight New Indicators Provide Insight into Key Sectors
List of Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute Indicators
Absolute Poker se pone al volante por medio de Jeff Natland en el Gumball 3000 Rally
BBC Mundo, el servicio de radio e Internet en español ofrecido por la BBC, proveerá por primera vez contenido informativo en televisión gracias a un nuevo acuerdo suscrito con el importante canal latinoamericano de televisión Latinoamericana Televisión.
Cingular Wireless fue Nombrada la Empresa Número Uno Para los Trabajadores Latinos
Party City Ofrece Consejos Prácticos Infalibles para Disfrutar una Fabulosa Fiesta del Cinco de Mayo
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Partners with Middleton Doll
Writer Launches 'Da Vinci Code' Website With Original Commentary on Book
Infinium Labs, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IFLB) today announced that its CEO and President, Greg Koler, is featured in an online interview on the Web site of WallSt.net.
Safer Fishing? What's 'The Catch'?
Lloyd Chapman, President of the American Small Business League, released this statement regarding Hector Barreto's resignation
Jebsen & Co., the Porsche importer for China, is gearing up for a major marketing push
Johnson & Johnson has appointed Ogilvy & Mather to handle its corporate branding business in China
Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit earlier this month to Microsoft Corp.’s campus in Redmond
Vatican News
President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary
TIFFANY & CO. LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE IN CHINA
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ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
Eureka Seven
Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that "Eureka Seven(TM) Vol 1: The New Wave," an exciting mecha combat adventure for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, is scheduled to ship this fall. A prequel to the anime series from Bandai Entertainment, "Eureka Seven Vol. 1: The New Wave" promises an intense action-based storyline rife with stunning aerial boarding and thrilling robot battles.
Featuring transformable mechas called LFO (Light Finding Operation), "Eureka Seven Vol. 1: The New Wave" introduces Sumner Sturgeon, a budding LFO pilot trainee on a lush, futuristic planet whose primary energy source are "trapars" - invisible energy particles that provides lift for aerial travel. An aspiring elite military officer, Sumner can transform his LFO into its humanoid form to surf the skies on a ref board or remain in vehicle mode to participate in exhilarating high-speed chases. "Eureka Seven Vol. 1: The New Wave" offers a variety of gameplay modes as the gamer can switch from playing the character and controlling the LFO mechas in real time. With customizable mechas, this upcoming title guarantees an intriguing storyline and exciting combat in an unforgettable
sci-fi world.
More information about "Eureka Seven Vol. 1: The New Wave" is available
at www.namcobandaigames.com.
The Los Angeles Antiques Show and Historically Important Chairs
The Los Angeles Antique Show Designers/Architects/Press Preview Event was for a “professionals only, no sale” first look . W e were able to leisurely enjoy antiques, decorative and fine arts midst Grey Goose sponsored martinis, The Robb Report wine bar, Typhoon Asian delectables, and DJ Moses Truzman (aka Audiomoe). Evolving since 1996, the preview begins this “must do” antiques extravaganza which allows one to view 66 invited internationally prominent galleries and art dealers approved by the prestigious Antiques Dealer’s Association of California.
Thursday night, the LA Antiques Show held an opening benefit for the Women’s Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to raise funds for women’s health projects. The show continues open to the public April 28-30, 2006.
Walking through the entrance of the LA Antiques Show, you’ll see a special loaned exhibition of chairs titled 17th/18th/19th/20th Historically Important Chairs from Private Collections curated by Ray Azoulay of Obsolete, www.obsoleteinc.com, a Venice California gallery. Two chairs of particular interest were the Opium Arm Chair circa 1900 by Carlo Bugatti(1856-1940), the father of Ettore Bugatti of automotive racing design legend and a handmade Japanese Root Chair circa early 19th century reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings.
As you would expect from an antiques show, English and European furniture from Chappell & McCullar, www.chappelmccullar.com, from San Francisco. You’ll also find Art nouveau ceramic masterworks from Jason Jacques Gallery, www.jasonjacques.com from New York City, pre-revolutionary icons Treasures of Imperial Russia, www.art-of-imperial-russia.com, of Newport Beach, eloquent Japanese screens by German based Erik Thomsen Asian Art, www.erikthomsen.com. I f you’re fond of canines, you’ll especially enjoy unusual 19th century antiques including exquisite canes from Robertsons of New Hope PA and Hamshere Gallery, www.hamsheregallery.com, of antique dog paintings and the largest collection of period and antique sporting jewelry in the world which has exhibited at Crufts, Westminster and other internationally known dog shows.
A lecture series daily at 2 pm, includes Friday’s lecture about Willliam Haines Legendary Hollywood Decorator, Saturday with Van Cleef & Arpels: A Century of Glamour and Excellence, and Sunday is the The Real Tresure of Citizen Kane: the Unfamiliar Collection of William Randolph Hearst.
Enjoying the arts, shopping for antiques, enriching your life, sprinkle in a few friends and you have the beginnings of a memorable day.
Nick Lachey, Jagged Edge & Sean Paul to Appear at Style Stage NYC's Two Day Fashion, Shopping & Music Extravaganza!
BUTTON, Inc., (topbutton.com) and Clear Channel Radio NY's Z100, WKTU and Power 105.1 are teaming up for "Style Stage NYC," the largest shopping party in the U.S. The two day fashion, shopping and music event will take place Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building, located at 125 and 135 West 18th Street in New York City.
This fashion and music experience will feature performances from some of today's hottest recording artists including Nick Lachey, Sean Paul, Jagged Edge and many more. With over 60 designer sample sales under one roof, shoppers can also enjoy up to 60 percent off of the hottest designer handbags, denim, shoes, apparel, accessories and many more!
The two day event will be split into three different sessions for admission. Tickets are $79 for VIP Opening Night, held from 6-10 p.m. Friday, May 5, which will feature a special performance by Sean Paul and opportunity for some lucky guests to meet the artist after the performance. There will be meet and great sessions with celebrities like Christina Milian and others. Friday night's admission price also includes a special gift bag valued at $75 along with complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres. There are limited numbers of VIP tickets available and attendees must be 21 or older for admittance.
Tickets are priced at $49 for Experience I, to be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 6, featuring a special performance by Jagged Edge. Experience II, which is also priced at $49, will be held from 3-7 p.m. on Saturday, with a special performance by Nick Lachey. There are no age requirements for either of the Saturday sessions.
Tickets will be sold via www.topbutton.com/stylestage/ starting on March 30, with all major credit cards accepted.
About TOP BUTTON
Founded in 1999, TOP BUTTON, Inc. is a leading, target marketing service that enables fashion-forward advertisers to reach style-conscious consumers. TOP BUTTON has run successful sales and fashion event promotions for nearly 4,500 designer showrooms, upscale department stores, designer boutiques and online fashion merchants. TOP BUTTON currently has an unduplicated reach exceeding 630,000 subscribers, growing by 25,000+ new subscribers every month, with an audience that is extremely targeted to the high-end, fashion-forward consumer. For more information, visit www.topbutton.com
About Clear Channel Radio New York
Clear Channel Radio New York reaches over 7 million listeners throughout the Tri-State area on WLTW-FM 'Lite FM', WKTU-FM 'The Beat of New York', WHTZ-FM 'Z100, New York's #1 Hit Music Station', WAXQ-FM 'Q104.3, New York's Only Classic Rock Station', WWPR-FM 'Power 105.1' New York's New #1 For Hip Hop and R&B', and WALK-AM/FM 'Long Island's Best Variety.' For more information visit www.clearchannelny.com
And everyone read happily ever after…
Once upon a time, there was a book festival that grew more rousing and fun every year, and would bring together authors, exhibitors and book lovers from nearly everywhere!
Come join us at the 11th Annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Free to the public, it occurs the last weekend in April — Saturday, April 29 10am-6pm and Sunday, April 30 10am-5pm — and offers something for all ages and interests. Every year, it adds up to be America's largest and grandest literary event…
131,000+ Passionate Readers
370+ Famous Authors
300+ Popular Exhibitors
900+ Loyal Volunteers
6 Exciting Stages
2 Interactive Children’s Areas
And on Friday, April 28, also join us for the 26th Annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, a renowned awards ceremony honoring great and noble writers and their works for 2005. For more information, click here.
Don’t miss the 2006 Festival of Books and Book Prizes Ceremony. Over two festive days and one fascinating evening, come fall in love with the written word in lots of special ways!
BET's 106 & PARK and Tom Cruise Travel to Harlem on Special Assignment to Launch '106: IMPOSSIBLE'
Cast Members Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne and Michelle Monaghan Join Tom Cruise, Kanye West and Many More on the Red Carpet for the Exclusive BET Premiere of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III
*Event Unleashes on Wednesday, May 3 @ 6:00 p.m. ET*
LIVE from Magic Johnson Theatres in Harlem, BET's flagship music countdown show, 106 & PARK, goes undercover as 106: IMPOSSIBLE to produce the most action packed, premiere of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III yet. Hosted by Big Tigger and Julissa with special red carpet correspondent, Terrance the ultimate mission will include a live remote taping of our Top 10 Live Countdown, a Lamborghini by way of boat arrival for Cruise, a celebrity red carpet, exclusive interviews, and an "Agent Ethan Hunt" top secret get away all occurring on Wednesday, May 3 @ 6:00 p.m. As long time friend of BET, and no stranger to "106," Cruise brings along cast members Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne, and Michelle Monaghan to promote their pulse racing action thriller.
ABOUT 106 & PARK
As BET's highest rated music series of all time, 106 & PARK has quickly become the leading music video countdown show on television. Live from New York City, the most energetic show on the planet comes fully equipped with an incredible audience and exclusive live performances. And there's more, 106 & PARK allows fans to vote for the videos that they would like to see on the countdown via the networks website: BET.com. 106 & PARK is compared heavily with MTV's TRL but the numbers show the two can't compete -- THE PARK is the number one slot among black households.
ABOUT BET
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.
Visit us @ http://www.bet.com/
Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)
Revolution Studios' 'Perfect Stranger,' Starring Bruce Willis and Halle Berry, Completes Principal Photography
Directed by James Foley, the suspense thriller also stars Giovanni Ribisi, Patti D'Arbanville, and Clea Lewis Revolution Studios has completed principal photography on "Perfect Stranger," a suspense thriller directed by James Foley and starring Academy Award(R) winner Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, it was announced by Revolution Studios' New York-based partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. The film, which was shot entirely in New York City, will be released in 2007 by Columbia Pictures.
"Perfect Stranger" focuses on Rowena Price (Halle Berry), a reporter for a major New York City newspaper who goes undercover to investigate the unsolved murder of one of her childhood friends. The path leads her directly into the office and the personal life of multi-millionaire Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis), CEO of a powerful advertising agency. Investigating him from all angles, Rowena assumes new identities in life and on line. She then harnesses the devastatingly effective tools of cyberspace in an attempt to bring her victim to justice. The film also stars Giovanni Ribisi, Gary Dourdan, Patti D'Arbanville and Clea Lewis.
"Perfect Stranger" is produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas ("Maid in Manhattan," "Mona Lisa Smile"). Daniel A. Thomas and Stephanie Langhoff serve as co-producers. Ron Bozman ("The Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia," "Changing Lanes"), Charles Newirth ("America's Sweethearts," "Christmas with the Kranks") and Deborah Schindler ("Maid in Manhattan," "Mona Lisa Smile") are executive producers. Stephen Eads ("The Whole Nine Yards," "Hostage") is associate producer. The original screenplay is by Todd Komarnicki (the upcoming "Pathfinder"), based on an idea by Daniel A. Thomas.
Revolution Studios was formed by Joe Roth in May 2000, to independently produce and finance films in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Starz Entertainment Group and Fox Entertainment Group.
Source: Revolution Studios
Rockie Lynne Tops Country Singles Sales Chart for 9th Consecutive Week
Debut CD, Rockie Lynne, in Stores Next Tuesday, May 2
Nashville's hottest country singles sales story of 2006 belongs to newcomer Rockie Lynne, whose debut single "Lipstick" holds down its lock on the #1 position on the Soundscan Country Singles Sales Chart for the NINTH week in a row.
Lynne's self-titled debut album will be released next Tuesday, May 2nd on Universal Records South.
"Lipstick" topped the country singles sales chart in just its second week of commercial release, ending American Idol Carrie Underwood's 37 week hold on the top spot.
Rapidly building a national following for his high-octane live show, this weekend Lynne headlines a show at Nashville's famed Wildhorse Saloon and also makes his third appearance on the legendary stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
The release of Rockie Lynne adds another chapter to this artist's incredible saga. In this day of American Idol, Lynne wasn't looking for a record deal, Universal Records found him. His life literally changed in one day, when at the age of 39, he was "discovered" singing and playing his songs in a tiny tavern in rural Minnesota.
This chance meeting with a record executive attending a bachelor party led to Lynne's self-made CD landing on the desk of Universal Records Executive VP Kevin Law. After one listen, Law knew he had something. He flew Rockie to New York where he was signed on the spot.
With Minneapolis serving as his home base, the year before he was signed to a record contract this North Carolina native played over 300 one-nighters in honkytonks, dive bars and clubs, all the while honing his craft as a guitarist, songwriter and live performer.
Billboard magazine recently declared, "Rockie Lynne seems poised for stardom ... helped along by his fierce work ethic, telegenic face and most of all, his triple-threat talent as a singer, songwriter and guitar whiz."
Lynne's self-titled debut album, co-produced by Blake Chancey, Kevin Law and Tony Brown, will be released on Universal Records South on May 2, 2006.
Source: Universal Records South
Web site: http://www.universal-south.com/
Helen Reddy to Receive Veteran Feminists of America's First Lifetime Achievement Award at May 1 Event in Los Angeles
New CD Anthology, Helen Reddy: The Woman I Am - The Definitive Collection, in Stores May 2
Reddy's New Memoir, The Woman I Am, in Stores May 4
WHO: Helen Reddy, world renowned recording artist
WHAT: Veteran Feminists of America luncheon and awards ceremony, where
Reddy will be honored with the organization's first Lifetime Achievement Award
WHERE: Feminist Majority Auditorium in Los Angeles
433 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
WHEN: Monday, May 1
1:30pm-5:00pm
DETAILS:
At the Veteran Feminists of America (VFA) luncheon and awards presentation, Movie-TV-theater star Kathy Najimy will present music luminary Helen Reddy with VFA's Medal of Honor, thanking her for inspiring strength and optimism through her music for past and future generations.
Actor Michael Learned (who portrayed "Mother" in CBS' "The Waltons") will present a VFA plaque to Reddy. Reddy and Learned share a familial bond, as Learned's son Lucas is married to Reddy's daughter Traci. All of the proud family members will attend the event, and Reddy and Learned's8-year-old granddaughter, Lily, and Najimy's 9-year-old daughter, Samia, will assist the proceedings.
Following her acceptance speech, Reddy will discuss the topic of "women's music" with a panel including NOW president Kim Gandy; Alan O'Day, composer of Reddy's hit song "Angie Baby," and Jennifer Abod, co-founder of New Haven Women's Liberation Rock Band, moderated by Sheila Tobias, author of Faces of Feminism. The afternoon festivities will close with recording artist Jessie Williams performing "I Am Woman," with attendees joining in to sing the anthem as they did on countless occasions during the early days of the women's movement.
"Helen was always there for us," recalls Veteran Feminists of America president Jacqui Ceballos. "She opened her house to help launch a rape treatment center in 1977; she supported our fight for the ERA; she sang at the NOW 20th anniversary gala; and she inspired us always with her 'I Am Woman'."
Veteran Feminists of America is a non-profit organization of the women and men who created the Second Wave women's movement. Its purpose is to document accurate information about the feminist revolution and to pass the torch persuasively to younger women. The Tribute Committee, headed by business leader Marlene Crosby of Santa Monica, includes author-activist Gloria Steinem, actor Lily Tomlin, film executive Sherri Lansing, author Judith Krantz, feminist leader Peg Yorkin, producer Jane Wagner, National Organization for Women president Kim Gandy and attorney Lisa Specht.
Helen Reddy has a very active month planned for May. She is the subject of a new career and era-defining single-disc anthology CD, Helen Reddy: The Woman I Am - The Definitive Collection, to be released May 2 by Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing. The CD package includes personal track notes written by Reddy specifically for the new release, as well as never-before-published personal photos from Reddy's own archive. The CD's 22 songs include nine #1 hits, Reddy's Grammy-winning rally cry "I Am Woman," and six previously unavailable tracks, making it one of the year's best Mother's Day gifts. The new anthology and twelve of Reddy's original Capitol Records albums will also make their digital release debuts on May 2 at all of the major Digital Service Providers (DSPs).
Already a best-seller in Australia, Reddy's memoir, The Woman I Am, will be published in the U.S. on May 4 by Tarcher/Penguin. Reddy will promote her new CD anthology and book in upcoming national television appearances, including an interview with NBC's "Today" on May 4 followed by a bookstore tour for book-signing events in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
For more information, visit Helen Reddy's official Website: www.helenreddy.com
Source: Veteran Feminists of America
Nuts for Mutts Dog Show
Nuts for Mutts 5th Annual Dog Show showcases non-purebred dogs strutting in categories you’d never see at the Westminster Dog Show or AKC/Eukanuba Nationals. Performances are scheduled for this weekend April 29-30th at Pierce College’s Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, a Los Angeles suburb.
You’ll find 30 unique categories such as Best Wag, Best Trick, Most Ear-ristible Ears, Best Kisser, Best Shedding Mutt, Most Vocal and Best Smile. Pre-register online, see what’s available in the silent auction, discover the schedule and how it will progress at www.nutsformutts.com. The show benefits New Leash on Life Animal Rescue, www.nlol.org,
Kim Basinger is the host and judge of Best in Show. Other celebrity judges scheduled to appear include among others: Jillian Barberie (Good Day LA), Galen Gering (Passions), Randy Wayne(Sons and Daughters), Nicole Sullivan(King of Queens). Tuc Watkins(One Life to Live), and Shane & Sia Barbi - The Barbi Twins.
Go nuts, bring your mutts, and enjoy the California Sunshine for a picture perfect family day.
Yahoo! Movie Fans Get an All Access Pass Behind the Scenes of 'Mission: Impossible III'
'M:i:III' Kicks Off the Summer With Exclusive Footage, Webcasts on Yahoo! Worldwide
In anticipation of the release of "Mission: Impossible III" on May 5, Paramount Pictures and Yahoo! Inc. are joining forces to provide moviegoers a wide array of special features, behind-the-scenes footage, and music and movie content. As a result of "M:i:III's" huge presence on the Yahoo! network around the world, audiences will have the chance to see exclusive video from the film's world premiere in Rome and U.S. premiere in New York; a Q&A with Tom Cruise and director J.J. Abrams; music from the film; and never-before-seen clips.
"Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams are bringing a fresh, high-tech look to the 'Mission' franchise and we wanted to deliver that to Internet users in an innovative way," said Amy Powell, Senior Vice President of Interactive Marketing for Paramount Pictures. "As 'M:i:III' kicks off the summer, we've got an outstanding lineup of behind-the-scenes and live content that rivals the very biggest interactive movie campaigns. We're thrilled to be getting creative with Yahoo!."
Some of the content elements that users will find exclusively on Yahoo! include:
Exclusive Video of the World Premiere in Rome
Yahoo! Movies will give fans the chance to be a fly on the wall and treat them to a look at the world's biggest movie star prior to and at his appearance at the worldwide premiere in Rome on April 24.
Live Red Carpet Coverage from the U.S. Premiere in New York
Ever wonder what it's like to be the world's biggest movie star? Yahoo! Movies' exclusive video coverage of the May 3 U.S. premiere of "M:i:III" currently includes plans to offer a camera view from Tom's perspective as he arrives at the premiere and steps down the red carpet. In addition, Yahoo! plans to offer users the chance to ask Tom questions in real time and see his answers live from the red carpet. Tom will also be announcing the winner of the People's Premiere contest, in which one entrant will win a private screening in their hometown, attended by Cruise.
Video Interviews with Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams
Interviews with the star and co-writer/director will provide movie fans with DVD-style commentary on exclusive clips from the movie, and also give users a sneak peak into the "Top Ten Things You Didn't Know About 'Mission: Impossible III.'" Users also had the chance to use Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/), Yahoo!'s online Q&A community where real people ask and answer questions on any topic, to stump Tom Cruise on trivia from his many hit movies -- with J.J. posing the users' questions.
All content will be available on Yahoo.com as well as Yahoo! Australia, Yahoo! France, Yahoo! Germany, Yahoo! Italy, Yahoo! Spain, Yahoo! Taiwan and Yahoo! UK.
"Whether it's giving fans a movie star's perspective at a worldwide premiere or enabling them to interact with one of Hollywood's biggest stars, this program is an excellent example of where entertainment marketing on the Web is headed," said David Katz, head of sports and entertainment for Yahoo!. "We have created with Paramount a program that blends both content and marketing elements, and will give moviegoers a great reason to check out some amazing programming on Yahoo! and then go see 'M:i:III' in theaters."
In addition to the interactive elements on Yahoo!, Yahoo! Music will be the online home of the official theme song from "Mission: Impossible III," performed by Kanye West. The theme is now available to stream for free via Yahoo! Music's Launchcast Internet radio service at http://music.yahoo.com/.
Extensive Tom Cruise and 'M:i:III' content will also be available through Yahoo! Video Search at http://video.yahoo.com/.
Paramount Pictures presents a Cruise|Wagner production, "Mission: Impossible III." The film is directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner from a screenplay written by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & J.J. Abrams, based on the television series created by Bruce Geller. The film stars Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, Maggie Q, and Laurence Fishburne. The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of frenetic violence and menace, disturbing images, and brief sensuality.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! seeks to provide online products and services essential to users' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
About Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the leading global entertainment content companies, with prominent and respected brands in focused demographics.
Source: Paramount Pictures
Web site: http://answers.yahoo.com/
http://music.yahoo.com/
http://video.yahoo.com/
'How Art Made the World,' a Five-Part Documentary Series Co-Produced by KCET and the BBC, Premieres June 26, on PBS
Acclaimed Cambridge University Lecturer Nigel Spivey Leads Viewers on a Fascinating Journey Through the History of Visual Imagery and Its Impact on the World Today
"How Art Made the World," a lively and provocative investigation into the far-reaching influence of art on society, will air over five consecutive Mondays beginning June 26, (10-11 p.m.) on PBS.
Co-produced by KCET and the BBC, the series is hosted by acclaimed art historian and University of Cambridge lecturer Dr. Nigel Spivey, who takes viewers on a quest to comprehend mankind's unique capacity to understand and explain the world through artistic symbols. Speaking in colorful, non-technical language and aided by state-of-the-art computer graphics, Spivey explores the latest thinking by historians, neuroscientists and psychologists regarding the deep-seated and universal human desire to create art.
Each one-hour episode begins with a modern-day mystery which Spivey seeks to untangle through examinations of some of the most exquisite artifacts ever discovered. Combining aspects of history, archeology, forensics, sociology and aesthetics, Spivey leads an extraordinary video expedition that spans 100,000 years and five continents: from the vast galleries of prehistoric art in the caves of Altamira and Lascaux, to astonishing Native American and African rock paintings, to the treasures of Ancient Egypt and Classical Greece, right up to the pop culture and advertising imagery that bombards us in the digital age.
Far more than a survey of art history, "How Art Made the World" explores the essential functions art served in early civilizations and, in some cases, still serves in modern society. Beyond that, the series seeks answers to such vexing questions as: What made our ancient ancestors create art in the first place? What are the forces that subconsciously guide the artist's hand? Why, from the very beginning, have we preferred images of the human body with distorted or exaggerated features?
"The essential premise of the show," says Spivey, "is that of all the defining characteristics of humanity as a species, none is more basic than the inclination to make art. Great apes will smear paint on canvas if they are given brushes and shown how, but they do not instinctively produce art any more than parrots produce conversation. We humans are alone in developing the capacity for symbolic imagery."
In fact, scientists have found growing evidence that our brains are "hardwired" for art and that the shapes, colors and structures inherent in art originate deep within our collective psyche. The series uses the latest research to investigate the biological, social and political forces behind major artistic movements of the past. Spivey then demonstrates how these great turning points in art have reverberated down through the centuries to define the visual landscape we now inhabit.
The series' production team includes Mary Mazur, executive producer for KCET, executive producer Kim Thomas (BBC), series producer Mark Hedgecoe (BBC), Karen Hunte, executive in charge of production (KCET), and Megan Callaway, producer of European co-productions (KCET). Mazur's most recent credits include the powerful six-part documentary "Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State," which was also a KCET/BBC co-production, and the acclaimed drama series "PBS Hollywood Presents." Executive producer Kim Thomas has won five Emmy Awards(R), several Golden Eagles and the New York Festival Award. Her films include "George Elliot: A Scandalous Life," "In Search of the Brontes," "Frankenstein: Birth of a Monster" and the upcoming BBC miniseries "The Impressionists." Hedgecoe has won awards at the New York Film Festival, Montreal's Festival of Telescience and CRNS Festival International du Scoop et du Journalisme Scientifique. Among his credits are "Walking with the Cavemen" and "Mega Tsunami (Horizon Strand)."
Source: KCET
Eric Clapton Joins With the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Mercedes-Benz to Bring Attention to the Need for More Arts and Music Education Programs
Mercedes-Benz USA Donates $1 Million to EIF's National Arts and Music Education Initiative
Eric Clapton has been named the new ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National Arts and Music Education Initiative (EIF's NAMEI), and they join with Mercedes-Benz USA in a charitable campaign. The campaign in support of EIF's NAMEI, called Mercedes-Benz Drive Your Future Performance Awards, was created to inspire students to pursue their dreams, while providing more access to music and arts education programs. This spring, the critically acclaimed musician will appear in a public service announcement in support of EIF's NAMEI and the campaign.
MBUSA will donate $1 million through the sales of 750 Premier Edition GL-Class models sold at select Mercedes-Benz dealerships across the country to benefit EIF's NAMEI, which funds exemplary arts and music programs for children and youth nationwide, including The Recording Academy's Grammy Camp(TM). EIF and The Recording Academy are partners in raising the profile of this cause.
The Entertainment Industry Foundation, the official charity of the entertainment industry, combines the power of the entertainment industry with corporate support to bring attention to important issues like arts and music education.
"I've been very blessed to have music be such an important part of my life," said Eric Clapton, EIF's Ambassador for the NAMEI program. "I'm pleased to help the Entertainment Industry Foundation bring focus to this important cause."
"We're very honored to have Eric Clapton join the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Mercedes Benz in this endeavor," said Paul Halata, president and CEO of MBUSA. "As one of the most celebrated artists of our lifetime, he represents that drive to achieve one's personal best, which is what Drive Your Future is all about. Through our collective commitment, we hope to encourage creativity in young people."
"Arts education is just as important as core subjects like math and science, and yet, funding for arts education programs is declining across the country," said Lisa Paulsen, EIF president and CEO. "We are so grateful for Mr. Clapton's participation because he helps put a spotlight on why it is important to reverse this trend. And thanks to generous corporations like Mercedes-Benz, we are providing more access to exceptional art and music programs to inspire our children."
Separately, Mercedes-Benz will provide a grant of $500,000 to fund Drive Your Future Performance Awards scholarships for graduating high school seniors who are the first generation in their families to attend college and who plan to pursue performing arts degrees. The DYF program will provide 50 high school seniors across the country with a $10,000 scholarship ($2,500 per year for four years). Scholarships will be made available to students pursuing degrees in music, theater, dance and film.
The new DYF Performance Awards scholarships are an extension of the Mercedes-Benz Drive Your Future scholarship program, established in 2004, which commits an average of $1 million in scholarships annually to first generation college-bound students who demonstrate financial need and exceptional achievement in the areas of academic performance, leadership and school and community activities. Drive Your Future scholarship recipients will be announced in May 2006. For more information visit http://www.mbusa.com/driveperformance.
MBUSA will make its donations through the sales of the bold Premier Edition Mercedes GL-Class, which is the new full-sized luxury sport utility vehicle with room for seven passengers. The GL measures 200 inches in length is 75.6 inches wide and 72.4 inches tall and is equipped with a 4.6-liter four-valve-per-cylinder V8 engine producing 335-horsepower, seven-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC full-time four-wheel drive.
Standard features for this edition range from stunning 20" wheels and dual chrome exhaust to an inviting interior adorned with Nappa leather seats and dual-screen dual source Rear Seat Entertainment System that is built into the front seat headrests. The Premier Edition GL's roomy interior features two third-row seats can be stowed electronically at the push of a button, either separately or together, to provide a totally flat cargo floor along with a stationary sunroof over the 3rd row seat. Interested customers may visit http://www.mbusa.com/driveperformance or their local Mercedes-Benz dealer for more information regarding the Premier Edition GL.
Entertainment Industry Foundation
As the philanthropic leader of the entertainment industry, the Entertainment Industry Foundation has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars -- and provided countless volunteer hours -- to support charitable initiatives addressing some of the most critical issues facing society today. The Entertainment Industry Foundation's National Arts and Music Education Initiative (NAMEI) receives widespread industry commitment to raise awareness about the need for arts education in schools and fund exemplary programs nationwide. For more information, please visit http://www.eifoundation.org/.
Mercedes-Benz USA
MBUSA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2005, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 224,421 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving twelve consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/.
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA
http://www.mbusa.com/driveperformance
http://www.eifoundation.org/
http://www.maybachusa.com/
Victoria's Secret Launches its First Ever 'What Is Sexy' List
WHO: Victoria's Secret Angels Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and
Izabel Goulart
WHAT: Victoria's Secret has been the defining icon of sexy. It is a
brand that truly understands sexy and all that it entails -- and
now ... Victoria's Secret is launching its first ever 'What is
Sexy' list of selected people, places, performers, entertainment
options and lifestyle/cultural trends hot for this coming Spring
and Summer. The list will also be featured online at:
www.VictoriasSecret.com/thelist.
Sexiest International City
St. Tropez, France
Sexiest Car
Ferrari 430 Spyder
Sexiest Movie Ever
Unfaithful
Sexiest Song Ever
Sade -- No Ordinary Love
Sexiest Male Athlete
Tom Brady
Sexiest Male Musician
Adam Levine -- Maroon 5
Sexiest Male Actor
Patrick Dempsey
Sexiest TV Series
Entourage
Sexiest Male TV Personality
Jay Leno
Sexiest Couple
Seal and Heidi Klum
Sexiest US City
Los Angeles, California
Sexiest Food
Chocolate
Sexiest Video
These Boots Were Made for Walkin' -- Jessica Simpson
Sexiest Female Athlete
Maria Sharapova
Sexiest Female Musician
Shakira
Sexiest Female Actress
Halle Berry
Sexiest Female TV Personality
Shaun Robinson -- Access Hollywood
Source: Victoria's Secret
Web site: http://www.victoriassecret.com/thelist
It's All Shiny and New VH1 Premieres/Encores for the Week of April 28 - May 3 2006*
Check out all of the brand new premieres headed to VH1 and VH1 Classic this week.
VH1 RAISES THE VOLUME
AND KICKS OFF METAL MONTH WITH ITS LATEST COUNT DOWN EVENT:
"40 GREATEST METAL SONGS" PREMIERING MONDAY-THURSDAY,
MAY 1 AT 11 P.M.*
Hosted by Sebastian Bach
THE SHOW'S ORIGINAL THEME MUSIC WRITTEN & RECORDED BY SCOTT IAN
Hosted by Sebastian Bach, "40 Greatest Metal Songs," premiering Monday-Thursday, starting May 1 at 11 PM,* brings you the 40 most notable metal songs of all time in four rockin' half hour episodes. Whether epic, political, scary or downright silly, these tunes have one thing in common: they will rock your friggin' socks off. Who could resist jumping into the pit during Pantera's 'Walk,' banging your head 'til it hurts to Metallica's 'Master of Puppets,' or throwing up the devil horns to Iron Maiden's 'Number of the Beast?' Scott Ian steps up to the metal month plate by writing and recording the show's original theme music, which is a first in VH1 history. Never before has an artist written and recorded the music for a show that they also appear in.
Each half-hour episode of "40 Greatest Metal Songs" will feature VH1's panel of rock scholars and metal all-stars like Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian, Jerry Cantrell, Ronnie James Dio, Toni Iommi, Dave Mustaine, Lemmy Kilmister, David Draiman of Disturbed, Frank Bello, Riki Rachtman, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, Evan Seinfeld of Biohazard, Tera Patrick, Chris Jericho, Doro Pesch, Dee Snider and many more who will weigh in on this definitive list of the greatest Metal music the world has ever known. Learn more about the show on http://www.vh1.com/ and make sure to check back to VSPOT for exclusive footage.
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/series.jhtml
On Friday, April 28
"VH1 AND IFILM'S WEB JUNK 20'S GREATEST HITS VOLUME 4"
You want more of the weirdest of the weird, the dumbest of the dumb and the funniest of the funny from the internet? Well, this week's Web Junk 20, Greatest Hits Volume 4 should do the trick.
(Premieres at 11:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/webjunk_20/series.jhtml
"CELEBRITY EYE CANDY" #105
Each week we'll bring you the most current and amazing celebrity footage, photos and Hollywood fun from every corner of the globe and give you all the juicy details that go with it. Take one part comic strip, a bit of blog culture and a whole lot of tabloid magazine, you start to get the picture.
(Premieres at 11:30 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/celebrity_eye_candy/series.jhtml
"CAN'T GET A DATE: LETICIA"
Leticia's a friendly research scientist who's having trouble holding a good man down -- even though she's a championship body builder. She's gone on over 300 internet dates but, because of some fake mannerisms, she's never been in a real relationship. In order to find a steady, sturdy man, she'll have to figure out who she is, what she wants, and how to get it -- without arm wrestling.
(Premieres at 12:00 a.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/cant_get_a_date/series.jhtml
On Sunday, April 30
VH1'S "SURREAL LIFE" #607 BATTLE OF THE 80'S HAIR BAND
The Surreal Lifers learn that today is Battle of the 80's Hair Bands. CC and the rest of the gang are challenged by Poison tribute band Posin to rock their wigs off performing the Poison hit "Talk Dirty to Me." Tawny is road manager of the band and sets off the rest of the house with her bizarre behavior and inability to run the show. Alexis and Steve both mutiny, and CC is sure this will be the time he grabs a drink because the pressure to perform well is overwhelming. Later, Andrea unleashes her hatred of Florence to a bewildered Maven. She claims that Flo unfairly judges her, and sees her only for her Playboy work. Andrea complains that she takes her clothes off because she can, and challenges Florence to "take your clothes off. You won't look half as good as I do."
(Premieres at 9:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_surreal_life_6/series.jhtml
"HOGAN KNOWS BEST" #207 HOGANS GO HOLLYWOOD
Brooke is practicing her songs for a big showcase at a Miami nightclub and she asks Jerry, a fellow touring musician, to come to Florida to help her prepare. But it seems that Jerry is more than just a friend. Hulk gets worried he may no longer be the main man in Brooke's life. So he decides to put Jerry through various tests of manhood to see if he's Hogan material.
(Premieres at 9:30 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/hogan_knows_best_2/series.jhtml
"So NoTORIous" RELAXED
After an argument with her friends, Tori encounters Farrah Fawcett's masseur, Howard, who has accidentally gotten into the wrong elevator. Howard is a gregarious, ingratiating guy who offers Tori a free massage and suggests she buy all her friends massages to patch things up. But Tori's gesture backfires: Howard is an inveterate gossip who passes information from one friend to the next, and the friends find themselves in a downward spiral, digging deeper in their collective history to reopen old wounds and find new reasons for recrimination, resentment, and rancor.
(Premieres at 10:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/so_notorious/series.jhtml
On Monday, May 1
"40 GREATEST METAL SONGS PART 1" #159
40. Judas Priest - Breaking the Law
39. Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen
38. Accept - Balls To the Wall
37. Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water
36. Slipknot - Wait and Bleed
35. Quiet Riot - Metal Health (Bang Your Head)
34. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
33. Def Leppard - High N' Dry (Saturday Night)
32. White Zombie - Thunderkiss '65
31. Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane
(Premieres at 11:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/series.jhtml
On Tuesday, May 2
"40 GREATEST METAL SONGS" PART 2 #160
30. Faith No More - Epic
29. Anthrax - Caught in a Mosh
28. Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
27. Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills
26. Sepultura - Refuse/Resist
25. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
24. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
23. Korn - Freak on a Leash
22. Metallica - Enter Sandman
21. Guns N' Roses - Paradise City
(Premieres at 11:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/series.jhtml
"LOVE MONKEY" #106 OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Tom and the guys attend Carmine Moretti's, the owner of their favorite pizza place, funeral when Tom finds that Carmine's son Ray is an amazing singer and could be a star. But since Ray must now support his family and take over his father's business, Tom must convince Ray not to squander his talent and convince Jeff that Ray has more potential for greatness than the artist Julia wants to represent. Meanwhile, when Shooter and Mike are mugged, they are both forced to deal with the situation in their own way.
(Premieres at 9:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/love_monkey/series.jhtml
On Wednesday, May 3
"40 GREATEST METAL SONGS" PART 3 #161
20. Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock
19. Alice In Chains - Man in the Box
18. Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
17. Motley Crue - Live Wire
16. Pantera - Walk
15. Rage Against The Machine - Bulls on Parade
14. System of a Down - Toxicity
13. Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
12. Anthrax w/Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
11. Megadeth - Peace Sells (Premieres at 11:00 p.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/series.jhtml
MOVIES THAT ROCK DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION II
Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, and Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Steven Tyler are among the Heavy Metal artists interviewed in The Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years. This follow-up to filmmaker Penelope Spheeris' classic 1981 "punk" documentary, The Decline of Western Civilization is a bit more reflective and word-dominated than its predecessor, but no less entertaining. One striking aspect of the film is its before-and-after comparisons of the impact of MTV. Heavy Metal newcomers tend to overpraise the cable service, while the "oldsters" implicitly decry the mainstreaming -- and in some cases, homogenizing -- of their best work.
(Premieres at 12:00 a.m.)
http://www.vh1.com/movies/movie/8664/moviemain.jhtml
ON VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic will sneak peak episodes two, three and four of "40 Greatest Metal Songs" on Monday, May 1 beginning at 11:30 PM/ET, 8:30 PM/PT. The countdown will feature some of the most talented bands and most memorable songs in metal history including Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock," Guns N' Roses' "Paradise City," Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and many more. The first episode premieres on VH1 earlier that night at 11 PM.*
* all times ET/PT
Contacts: Michelle Clark/VH1
212-846-5576
Source: VH1
CONTACT: Michelle Clark of VH1, +1-212-846-5576,
michelle.clark@vh1staff.com
Web site: http://www.vh1.com/
http://www.vh1classic.com/
Live television coverage of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee will be moving to primetime this year on the ABC Television Network.
ABC will broadcast the final championship rounds of the bee in high
definition from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 1. Good Morning
America anchor Robin Roberts will host the ABC broadcast.
Preliminary championship rounds of the bee will air live earlier in the
day on ESPN, which has televised the final rounds of the bee in their
entirety since 1994. The ESPN broadcast is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m.,
EDT. SportsCenter anchor Chris McKendry will host the ESPN broadcast.
"ABC's decision to move the Scripps National Spelling Bee to primetime
affirms for us how deeply this unique event is engrained in the American
psyche," said Kenneth W. Lowe, president and chief executive officer for
The E. W. Scripps Company. "Now, with a wider national network television
audience, more people than ever before will have an opportunity to share in
this extraordinary celebration of academic excellence and experience the
remarkable intensity of competitive spelling."
"We are proud to bring the Scripps National Spelling Bee to ABC for the
first time in its storied, 79-year history," said Andrea Wong, ABC's
Executive Vice President, Alternative Series. "It's exciting for us as a
network to bring this competition of some of America's brightest young
minds to a broader audience."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation's largest and longest
running educational promotion, is administered on a not-for-profit basis by
Scripps and 268 local sponsors. The majority of local spelling bee sponsors
are daily and weekly newspapers. The purpose of the Scripps National
Spelling Bee is to help students improve spelling, increase vocabularies,
learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all of
their lives.
"The ABC primetime broadcast is the latest in a series of high-profile
acknowledgments that the bee is growing in stature," said Paige P. Kimble,
director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and 1981 national spelling
champion. "The bee has been the subject of an Academy Award-nominated
documentary, has served as backdrop to two critically acclaimed feature
length films and has inspired a Tony Award-winning play that's currently
running on Broadway and is now touring the United States. For the
championship spellers who gather in Washington every year, the attention
focused on their high level of academic achievement is well-deserved."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is central to the storyline of
Akeelah and the Bee, a feature-length film that is being released by Lions
Gate Films, 2929 Entertainment and Starbucks Entertainment on Friday, April
28. The film, starring Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett and Keke Palmer,
is a fictional account of an African American girl from Los Angeles who
overcomes adversities to win the national spelling bee championship. The
movie is being promoted in Starbucks Coffee locations nationwide.
In 2002, the Scripps National Spelling Bee was the subject of the
documentary film, Spellbound, which was nominated for an Academy Award by
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Also, spelling bees
inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway play, The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is held each year in
Washington D.C., will begin on Wednesday, May 31, featuring top spellers
from across the U.S. and including competitors from Europe, Guam, Jamaica,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, American Samoa, Canada
and New Zealand. The opening rounds of the bee on May 31 are not televised,
but real-time results are provided via the Internet at the bee's official
Web site, spellingbee.com.
About 275 champion spellers, ranging in age from 9- to 15-years-old,
will be competing this year for the National Spelling Bee Championship.
Spellers participating in the national competition qualify by winning
locally sponsored spelling bees in their home communities.
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company is a diverse and growing media
enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing,
broadcast television stations, electronic commerce, interactive media, and
licensing and syndication.
The company's portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks,
with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living, Great
American Country and HGTVPro; daily and community newspapers in 18 markets
and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard
News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated
stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; leading online search
and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; United Media, a
leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of
PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics; and Shop
At Home, which markets a growing range of consumer goods directly to
television viewers in roughly 57 million U.S. households and online through
shopathometv.com.
SOURCE The E. W. Scripps Company
Web Site: http://www.scripps.com http://spellingbee.com
March of Dimes Holds 36th Annual WalkAmerica Crisis of Premature Birth Continues as Rates Hit Historic High
The nation's oldest and best-loved annual walking event -- the March of Dimes WalkAmerica -- will take place this coming weekend (April 29 and 30), raising funds to help stem the growing crisis of premature birth in the United States.
The $106 million that the March of Dimes plans to raise with this event will support research and other programs to save babies from serious health problems, including premature birth, the leading killer of newborns. Prematurity has increased by more than 30 percent since 1981, and now affects more than 500,000 babies each year.
The top 10 U.S. cities conducting WalkAmerica this weekend will be:
* New York, NY -- Sunday, April 30, beginning at Lincoln Center at 9:00
a.m.
* Los Angeles, CA -- Saturday, April 29 at Griffith Park at 8:00 a.m.
* Chicago, IL -- Sunday, April 30 at Grant Park, Lakefront at 9:00 a.m.
* Philadelphia, PA -- Sunday, April 30 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
at 9:00 a.m.
* San Francisco, CA -- Saturday, April 29 at The Airfield at Crissy Field
at 9:00 a.m.
* Houston, TX -- Sun., April 30 at University of Houston's Robertson
Stadium at 9:00 a.m.
* Cleveland, OH -- Sunday, April 30 at Quicken Loans Arena at 9:00 a.m.
* Minneapolis, MN -- Sunday, April 30 at Parade Stadium at 11:00 a.m.
* St. Louis, MO -- Saturday, April 29 at The Muny-St. Louis Forest Park
at 10:00 a.m.
* Hartford, CT -- Sunday, April 30 at Hartford Civic Center at 10:00 a.m.
The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For more information, visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/ or http://www.nacersano.org/ for Spanish. Register for WalkAmerica by visiting http://www.walkamerica.org/ or by calling 1-800-525-WALK.
Source: March of Dimes
Web site: http://www.marchofdimes.com/
http://www.nacersano.org/
http://www.walkamerica.org/
Disney Channel's 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,' a New Playhouse Disney Series for Preschoolers
Previewed at Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide During Special PremEar in the Park Celebration -- John Tartaglia ("Johnny & the Sprites") Emcees at Walt Disney World --
Kids and families around the world got the first look at Mickey's vibrant new interactive TV series, "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," during a PremEar in the Park celebration on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneyland Resort Paris, and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. (Tokyo Disneyland Resort will PremEar the show on May 7, 2006 along with the global launch of the series.) At Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., Tony Award-nominee John Tartaglia of Playhouse Disney's "Johnny & the Sprites" emceed the celebration, joining Mickey and his pals to present the exciting new series on a big movie-style screen.
Adam Sanderson, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing, Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, said, "The 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' series launch marks the first time we've had a same-day global launch of a series so we wanted to usher it in with a special celebration and there's no better place than at Disney theme parks."
The PremEar in the Park celebration showcased the first full episode of the new show in local languages and included a meet and greet with the stars -- Mickey and his pals -- immediately following the show. Preschoolers who attended received the first Mickey "ears" hats with a special "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" logo.
"Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" combines the rich heritage of Disney's beloved classic characters with state-of-the art 3D computer animation. It is the first television series starring Mickey in CGI and although the animation is contemporary, the series' designs are referential to classic character drawings of the 1940s.
Guided by a specific curriculum, "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" introduces problem solving and early mathematics skills (sequencing, counting, size and distance comparisons, addition, subtraction, weights and balances) in a fun way with lovable characters leading the way.
Each episode starts with Mickey inviting viewers to join him in calling out the "magic" phrase, "Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!" With that, the fantastic, mouse-shaped structure that serves as the series' shape-shifting home base begins to magically appear. Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto and Daisy all join Mickey as he invites young viewers to help solve challenges, overcome obstacles and go on fun adventures. Interactivity is key from start to finish as Mickey speaks directly to preschoolers, asking questions and encouraging them to play games, participate in special phrases or cheers, and solve puzzles to reach a goal. After successfully completing the day's adventure, Mickey recaps the day's fun activities and lessons learned through the celebratory "Hot Dog!" song. Mickey turns to the audience and, with a wave and a wink, he promises to "See Ya Real Soon."
The "Hot Dog!" song, written and performed by Grammy Award-winning alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, is featured in each episode.
Leslie Valdes is the producer and story editor of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." Rob LaDuca and Sherie E. Pollack are directors. The executive producer is Bobs Gannaway. "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" is from Walt Disney Television Animation.
About Disney-MGM Studios
Disney-MGM Studios immerses guests in the glamour of show business 365 days a year with thrilling attractions, incredible Broadway-style shows, world-class atmosphere entertainment and interactive film, television and radio production facilities. The theme park is part of the 30,500-acre Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.
About Disney's Magical Beginnings
The "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" PremEar in the Park celebration at the Disney-MGM Studios was part of the launch of the new Magical Beginnings program at Walt Disney World Resort, a new, breakthrough program devoted to families traveling with toddlers or preschoolers. Magical Beginnings offers value travel packages, captivating entertainment, targeted planning tools and a host of services and amenities to make navigating Disney parks with children five years and younger easier then ever. Starting fall 2006, as a part of Magical Beginnings, the Disney-MGM Studios will feature "Playhouse Disney in Concert," a slate of performances by such beloved Disney Channel stars as The Wiggles, The Doodlebops; Johnny & the Sprites, featuring Johnny Tartaglia; Dan Zanes and more. As a part of Magical Beginnings, kids can also dine and get autographs with Playhouse Disney pals JoJo and Goliath, and characters from Little Einsteins will meet and greet guests at Hollywood and Vine at Disney- MGM Studios.
Source: Walt Disney World Resort
Secrets of the Code; Feature Film Documentary Exploring The Da Vinci Code Scheduled for 'Sneak-Peek' at Tribeca Film Festival
While everyone waits for the much- discussed worldwide premier of The Da Vinci Code May 19, audiences will get their first look at a very different film that explores many of the same issues tonight, when a "sneak-peak" session of the independent film documentary, Secrets of the Code, is featured as a special event at New York's Tribeca Film Festival (6:30 PM, Tribeca Cinema 1). Following the showing of highlights from the film as a work-in-progress, there will be a Q and A session with the film's director, Jonathan Stack, who will be joined by author Dan Burstein, editor of the New York Times bestselling book, Secrets of the Code, which has just appeared in a new, updated paperback edition with a first print run of 500,000 from CDS Books/The Perseus Books Group.
"Just as our book, Secrets of the Code, provided readers with an intellectual journey into the multitude of issues alluded to in The Da Vinci Code, the Secrets of the Code film experience is its own unique, emotional, visual, and intellectually thought-provoking journey into this world of alternative gospels, hidden messages, and secret and sacred knowledge," says Dan Burstein, who is a producer of the Secrets of the Code film along with Donald Zuckerman and Brian Edelman.
Secrets of the Code, as directed by Jonathan Stack, emerges as a spiritual road-trip that explores the phenomenon of The Da Vinci Code from many new perspectives. From glimpses of the sacred feminine in a prehistoric cave in France, to musical mysteries hidden in a chapel in Scotland, and from a Templar tomb in London to the catacombs of Rome, the film takes the viewer on an intimate journey along the paths traveled by The Da Vinci Code novel. Along the way, teachers and writers, rabbis, monks, priests, and a variety of intriguing people whose lives have been affected by the novel, tell their stories, creating an evolving dialogue about the questions that have framed the search for meaning since the beginning of time.
"There are numerous reasons why The Da Vinci Code has been such a powerful novel and why, as a film, it may prove to be the biggest grossing movie of all time when it premiers next month," observed Dan Burstein. "Obviously, the possible relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ explored in the novel, the role of women in the earliest days of Jesus' movement, the controversy about secret societies like Opus Dei or the so-called Priory of Sion, the role of religion and the Catholic Church in the history of western civilization, intriguing ideas drawn from previously little-known early Christian writings, such as the Gnostic gospels and the recently-published 'Gospel of Judas,' new ways of looking at Leonardo da Vinci -- all of these themes have fascinated readers.
"But the overarching issue, the one that ties all the other fascinations together, is the one that novelist Dan Brown alludes to throughout The Da Vinci Code in the persona of his fictional character, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon: the human desire to understand man/woman's place in the universe and to create stories that become the basis for powerful myths, religions, and belief systems that seek to provide answers. Jonathan Stack's interpretation of these issues turns Secrets of the Code into a film that is its own independent, entertaining, and thought-provoking meditation on the themes of The Da Vinci Code."
In addition to the Tribeca Film Festival, Secrets of the Code will also be featured at the Hot Docs documentary festival in Toronto on May 1.
For more information about Secrets of the Code, visit: http://www.secretsofthecode.com/
Source: Squibnocket Partners LLC
'NUMB3RS' Stars David Krumholtz and Navi Rawat to Promote 'We All Use Math Every Day' Education Initiative at NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition in St. Louis
CBS TV Stars' Appearance on April 28 to Include Q&A and Autograph Signing
David Krumholtz and Navi Rawat, stars of the hit CBS show "NUMB3RS," will appear along with show Executive Producer and co-Creator Cheryl Heuton at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Meeting and Exposition on April 28, 2006, in St. Louis, Mo., to promote the mathematics education initiative "We All Use Math Every Day(TM)." The program is based on a partnership between Texas Instruments (TI) and "NUMB3RS," and conducted in association with NCTM.
Inspired by the hit show "NUMB3RS," We All Use Math Every Day is a unique outreach program that uses the math featured on the TV series to engage and interest more students in math and help them see how it impacts their world. The program includes TI and NCTM-developed classroom activities for teachers and students that can be found on http://www.cbs.com/numb3rs . "NUMB3RS" airs Friday nights (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Krumholtz, who portrays mathematical genius Charlie Eppes, Rawat, who portrays graduate student Amita Ramajuan, and Heuton will participate in a Q&A session about the show at 6:00 p.m. and meet with math teacher attendees afterward to sign autographs.
Rawat will also make a special appearance at TI's booth (#307) on April 28 at noon for a presentation on We All Use Math Every Day.
Krumholtz and Rawat are enthusiastic about the initiative and especially enjoy hearing teacher and student feedback about how "NUMB3RS" has heightened interest in the use of math beyond the classroom.
"It's a real honor to be part of such an innovative and successful educational program, and at the same time, part of a terrific show," said Krumholtz. "Encouraging kids to study math and how it affects their daily lives has been a great experience and is one of the most rewarding parts of this role."
"I'm excited to be part of such an innovative program that encourages kids to learn more about math and the amazing role that numbers play in life," said Rawat. "Having the chance to help to educate people about the importance of math through the character of Amita makes my job even more rewarding."
"NUMB3RS" Executive Producer and co-Creator Cheryl Heuton added, "It is really gratifying to know that 'NUMB3RS' can serve a purpose beyond pure entertainment. We are glad that TI and NCTM see the educational value in our show. 'NUMB3RS' producers and the cast are happy to spread the word that 'Math is cool!'"
The NCTM conference takes place April 26 - 29 in St. Louis at America's Center and will give attendees the opportunity to participate in more than 1,000 presentations, workshops and exhibits designed to help classroom teachers from all grade levels improve the teaching and learning of mathematics for students.
About Texas Instruments
Educational & Productivity Solutions, a business of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of advanced tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications and enabling students and teachers to explore math and science interactively. Designed with leading educators, Texas Instruments' educational technology and services are tested against recognized third-party research on effective instruction and improved student learning. Such research shows that use of graphing calculators and wireless collaborative technology in the classroom helps teachers implement instructional strategies that lead to higher student interest, engagement and achievement in mathematics.* For more than 15 years, TI has worked closely with educators and administrators to develop student-focused curricular and supplemental classroom materials, and it supports the world's largest professional development organization for the appropriate use of educational technology. More information is available at http://www.education.ti.com/ .
Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses also include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN.
Handheld technology leadership measured in USA by Decision Analyst, Inc.
*Based on related research on classroom communications systems and specific pedagogy. See http://www.education.ti.com/research for more information.
About the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership, and professional development to support teachers in ensuring mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. With 100,000 members and 240 Affiliates, NCTM is the world's largest organization dedicated to improving mathematics education in prekindergarten through grade 12. The Council's Principles and Standards for School Mathematics includes guidelines for excellence in mathematics education and issues a call for all students to engage in more challenging mathematics. More information is available at http://www.nctm.org/ .
About "NUMB3RS"
Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Barry Schindel, David W. Zucker, Nicolas Falacci, and Cheryl Heuton are executive producers of NUMB3RS, which was created by Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci. NUMB3RS is produced by Scott Free in association with CBS Paramount Network Television for CBS. CBS Paramount Network Television is a division of CBS Studios Inc.
About David Krumholtz
In addition to his starring role on "NUMB3RS," Krumholtz is a successful actor whose resume boasts an impressive list of credits ranging from comedic to dramatic roles. His feature films include "Ray," "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," "The Slums of Beverly Hills," "The Ice Storm" and "The Santa Clause 1 and 2." Krumholtz has also starred in TV shows including "Chicago Sons," "The Trouble with Normal" and "The Lyon's Den."
About Navi Rawat
In addition to her starring role on "NUMB3RS," Rawat is a successful actor whose resume boasts an impressive list of credits including roles on the Emmy Award-winning "24," to "The O.C." She portrayed Ben Kingsley's daughter in the critically acclaimed film "House of Sand and Fog," and also heads the cast of Project Greenlight's highly-anticipated foray into horror, "Feast" for producer Wes Craven and Dimension Films.
Source: Texas Instruments Incorporated
Web site: http://www.cbs.com/numb3rs
http://www.education.ti.com/
http://www.education.ti.com/research
http://www.nctm.org/
BBC Mundo and Latinoamerica TV Have Reached an Agreement to Provide Headlines and International News to the Hispanic Community in the United States.
BBC Mundo, the BBC's radio and internet service in Spanish, will provide news content on television for the first time thanks to a new agreement with leading Latin American TV channel Latinoamericana Television.
The prestigious English network chose the newscast "Latinoamerica Noticias" to launch their brand for the first time in the Spanish-speaking television. The fact that Latinoamericana Television has been launched in the U.S. for only three months proves the quality of its programming content.
BBC Mundo's news and information site, http://www.bbcmundo.com/ , will provide world events in a news ticker to be featured on all "Latinoamerica Noticias" programs, providing viewers with up-to-the-last-minute information, including entertainment, economy, science and technology.
Carlos Villalobos, Business Development Executive for BBC Mundo, said: "I am very excited by this latest development, as it is the first time that we have entered into the television arena. It complements the BBC's already good presence in Latin America through its extensive network of partner stations and, of course, bbcmundo.com. I'm looking forward to this new venture opening the door in Latin America for more audiovisual content from the BBC in Spanish."
Valentin Rodriguez Bausero, Director of LTV Journalism, added: "Latinoamerica Noticias has been on air in its current form for only 3 months and this agreement consolidates our bid to offer a product which combines the local viewpoint with the global perspective."
Atanasio Aguirre, President of LTV, said: "We very much value this agreement, as we are partnering with a global force for responsible journalism which reaffirms our mission and encourages us to keep developing."
Latinoamerica Television is distributed by Alterna'TV, one of the largest channel distributors of Latin American television in the United States.
About BBC Spanish American Service:
BBC Spanish American Service is rebroadcast by over 300 stations to almost 6 million people in Latin America, featuring the interactive radio and online show BBC Mundo Hoy. Its website, bbcmundo.com, is updated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides a wide range of information, including international news and current affairs, world economy, science, technology, arts, entertainment, chat forums and the opportunity to learn English. It registers more than 20 million unique hits and 300 million pages impressions per month.
About Latinoamerica Television:
Latinoamerica Television began broadcasting on January 10, 2006, to a great number of homes via DirecTV Para Todos in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Its programming includes content from some of the most prestigious media companies on the continent, including Canal 13 in Chile, Globo network in Brazil, Canal 12 in Uruguay and Canal 4 Telefuturo in Paraguay.
About ALTERNA'TV:
ALTERNA'TV distributes in the U.S. Spanish-language channels that have been carefully selected as the leaders in their country of origin, such as: ONCE MEXICO, MEXICO 22, ECUAVISA INTERNACIONAL, NDTV THE DOMINICAN CHANNEL, CB TELEVISION MICHOACAN, LATINOAMERICA TELEVISION, MEXICANAL, AYM SPORTS and MI CINE. The ALTERNA'TV channels offer programming in different genres that include documentaries, art and culture, news, music, children's programming, cooking and entertainment in general.
Source: ALTERNA'TV
Web site: http://www.alternatv.com.mx/
http://www.latele.tv/
http://bbcmundo.com/
'Laguna Beach's' Lauren (LC) Heads for LA to Pursue Fashion and Life After Laguna in New MTV Series 'The Hills' Premiering Wednesday, May 31st at 10:00PM (ET/PT)
New Series Tells the Story of Lauren and Her Three New Friends - Heidi, Audrina and Whitney - As They Pursue Their Dreams in the One City Where Anything Can Happen .
MTV announced today that it will premiere "The Hills," the long awaited spin-off of "Laguna Beach," starring Lauren Conrad, on Wednesday, May 31st at 10:00PM (ET/PT). "The Hills" picks up where "Laguna Beach" left off with Lauren moving to Los Angeles to attend fashion school with the hopes of a career in the fashion industry. Having already found a great apartment, a new friend to share it with and a killer internship at Teen Vogue, Lauren will have to balance it all and make it happen in the one city they say dreams come true.
"'The Hills' is to 'Laguna Beach' what 'Melrose Place' was to 'Beverly Hills 90210'," says Tony DiSanto, Executive Producer, 'The Hills.' "Audiences loved Lauren in Laguna, and we are thrilled to be able to continue showing her story as she embarks on the next phase of her adult life juggling work, school and relationships in Los Angeles."
"The Hills" also tells the story of Lauren's three new friends -- Heidi, Audrina and Whitney as all three girls chase different dreams in the same city. Lauren's roommate, Heidi has set her sights on a job with LA's premiere party promoter, Brent Bolthouse. Heidi's first priority is LA's social scene, and she sets her schedule around her nightlife. Audrina lives in the same complex as Lauren and Heidi. Besides working as a receptionist at one of LA's top photography studios, Audrina is also an aspiring model/actress and a bona fide Hollywood "serial-dater." Finally, there is Whitney, a student at USC and a fellow intern of Lauren's at Teen Vogue. Whitney and Lauren have become fast friends; however, Whitney's internship at Teen Vogue takes top priority in her life.
In addition to introducing new friends in LA, "The Hills" features the girls' love interests, which causes added drama, especially when Lauren's old flame comes into the picture.
Fans will be able to experience exclusive content with Lauren and the rest of the cast from "The Hills" on MTV.com and broadband network, MTV Overdrive beginning Wednesday, May 3rd. There they will find the show description, tune-in information and bios and photos of the cast. The latest available trailer of the series will premiere on the site beginning Tuesday, May 9th and a special preview of the series, including an introduction to the cast and a sneak peak of the first episode, will premiere on Saturday, May 27th, during the "Laguna Beach" Marathon. Also on May 27th, fans can check out never- before-seen interviews with Lauren on MTV Overdrive as she dishes about friends, love and school. Once the show launches on Wednesday, May 31st, viewers will be able to log on to http://www.mtv.com/ to watch the "After Show" as well as a special section dedicated to Lauren and Heidi's style picks and a video play list selected by Heidi and more. MTV Mobile will also allow fans to download the cast's favorite ring-tones, wallpapers featuring photos of the cast members and more. The series "After Show" will also be available on MTV's VOD.
"The Hills" was created by Adam DiVello. Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley and Adam DiVello serve as Executive Producers.
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
Jane Seymour to Serve as Honorary Chairperson of National Fishing and Boating Week
Acclaimed Stage, Screen and TV Actress Teams with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to Promote Family Fishing and Boating.
The nonprofit Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced that actress and accomplished angler Jane Seymour will serve as honorary chairperson of the sixth annual National Fishing and Boating Week, June 3-11. Seymour will help RBFF promote the many benefits of fishing and boating, and encourage more American families to get out on the water this summer.
"I am very excited to help RBFF because I really believe that fishing is an excellent way for families to spend time together. I know it's had a positive effect on my family and I would not trade anything for the time I spend with my husband and children fishing and boating," said Seymour. "I'm looking forward to sharing our experiences and encouraging others to take their families and friends out on the water."
During National Fishing and Boating Week, communities across the country will host an estimated 2000 events each designed to give families the opportunity to enjoy these great pastimes. This national week of celebration was created to address declining rates of participation that have occurred over the past decade.
Perhaps best known for her starring role on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," for which she won a Golden Globe(R) Award, Seymour also won a Golden Globe for her performance in the mini-series "East of Eden" and an Emmy(R) for her role as Maria Callas in "Onassis: The Richest Man in the World." She currently stars in the WB sitcom "Modern Men."
"Jane Seymour is certainly well-known for her many TV and movie roles, but few people know of her love of fishing," said RBFF President Bruce Matthews. "RBFF is honored that she has agreed to be the first woman to serve as chair of National Fishing and Boating Week. She can help us show Americans how fishing can help them relax, unwind and connect to the natural world with their families."
According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids spend an average of 44 hours a week with TV, computers and video games. For parents looking to give their kids an alternative activity the entire family can enjoy, RBFF suggests a day of fishing and boating. RBFF research shows that fishing can help connect kids with nature and improve family communication.
Not only is fishing good for families, but participation is critical to maintaining healthy and productive aquatic environments. The money generated from fishing licenses and special taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel funds approximately 83 percent of state fisheries' management budgets. These funds ensure that fishery resources are well-managed, accessible and conserved for future generations to enjoy.
As honorary chairperson, Seymour will conduct interviews with national media outlets to share her fishing experiences and discuss how outdoor activities such as fishing and boating can help foster a healthy family life.
Seymour's interest in fishing began with her marriage to director/producer James Keach. An avid angler, Keach encouraged Seymour to learn to fish so the two would be able to enjoy fishing together. Since that time, fishing has been a favorite activity for Seymour, Keach and their twin boys, John and Kristopher. The family has fished all over the world and always looks forward to the next time they can be on the water together.
For more information about National Fishing and Boating Week and a schedule of fishing and boating events across the U.S., visit http://www.takemefishing.org/.
About the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF)
RBFF (http://www.rbff.org/) is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby increasing public awareness and appreciation of the need for protecting, conserving and restoring America's aquatic natural resources. Recreational boating and fishing are America's favorite sporting activities, with more than 50 million people participating every year - that's more than play golf and tennis combined.
Source: Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
Dwight Yoakam's Line of Bakersfield Biscuits Brand(R) of Frozen Foods Is Now Offered in Local Chicago-Area Jewel Food Stores
Dwight Yoakam is more than a Multi- GRAMMY(R) winning country music sensation and actor. The multi-talented star is also the creative force behind his Bakersfield Biscuits Brand(R) of frozen foods which is introducing its line of frozen delicacies into Chicago-area Jewel grocery stores. Jewel customers and Bakersfield Biscuits fans will now be able to purchase the Chicken Lickin's(R) brand Chicken Fries and Chicken Lickin's(R) brand Buffalo Style Bites which are available in the frozen food section of the meat department.
The Jewel Tea Company started it all in 1899 with tea and coffee being sold from the back of horse-drawn wagons in the Chicago area. By 1932, the purchase of 70 former Loblaw stores expanded the business into full-fledged grocery stores. Today, Jewel-Osco operates 204 food and drug combination stores and 77 freestanding drug stores in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin. One-stop shopping used to mean convenience and broad selection of food and drug products, but Jewel-Osco has since expanded the definition to include on-site banking, full-service bakery services, prepared meals, floral shops and photographic processing services. Jewel-Osco is the Midwest Division of Albertsons, which is located in Boise, Idaho. The company is now 2,400 stores strong in 38 states and employs over 200,000 associates.
"I'm delighted to finally be able to introduce Bakersfield Biscuits Brand 'Chicken Lickin's' Chicken Fries and Buffalo Bites to the Chicago-area," says Yoakam. "We've had a great response to all our 'Chicken Lickin's' products throughout other parts of the country."
Modern Foods markets and distributes the Dwight Yoakam Bakersfield Biscuits Brand line of frozen food products nationwide. "Modern Foods and Dwight Yoakam, as a team, have been very adept at creating innovative retail food products that zero in on the changing needs of the consuming public," says John Marburger, President of Modern Foods, based at the Grissom Aeroplex in Peru, Indiana. "The positive consumer feedback has been tremendous, it just shows we are moving in the right direction."
Yoakam's Chicken Fries are breaded, French fry-shaped all white meat chicken breast patties with rib meat. Also made from all white meat chicken breast meat patties with rib meat, the breading of Buffalo Style Bites has a spicy buffalo-style flavor and are shaped like drumettes and wings. Both products are boneless and fully cooked, come in convenient resealable poly bags and are ready to prepare in just minutes: "Just heat 'em and eat 'em(TM)," says Dwight.
Currently, Yoakam is on his "Watch Out Tour '06" in support of his critically acclaimed album "Blame the Vain." Yoakam can also be seen alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the critically acclaimed motion picture "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada."
The Bakersfield Biscuits Brand of frozen food products includes three types of Chicken Lickin's Chicken Fries, Chicken Lickin's Buffalo Bites, three types of Lanky Links pork sausage, Platter Patties pork sausage patties, as well as Border bean dips.
For more information on Modern Foods and Yoakam's Bakersfield Biscuits Brand of frozen foods, including a full list of product descriptions and tasty recipes please visit www.modernfoods.net.
For more information on Dwight Yoakam, including biographies, message boards, photos, tour dates and more, please visit his website at www.dwightyoakam.com.
Source: Modern Foods
Web site: http://www.modernfoods.net/media
Web site: http://www.dwightyoakam.com/
Web site: http://www.modernfoods.net/
Sony Computer Entertainment America Adds Two New Executives to Group Management Structure
Company Hires Heads of Marketing and Business Development
Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced the appointment of two executives to new strategic positions within the company. Recognized as veterans in both the electronics and computer entertainment industries, Peter Dille and Philip Rosenberg have assumed the positions of senior vice president, marketing and vice president, business development, respectively. Effective immediately, both individuals will report directly to Jack Tretton, executive vice president and co-COO.
"I am pleased to have Peter and Phil on board, two individuals who have already contributed so much to our industry," said Jack Tretton, executive vice president and co-COO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "As we move toward supporting a three-platform strategy, it is critical for us to amass seasoned business leaders who can aid in managing category transition while aspiring to new levels of corporate, brand and product innovation. With these new additions to our management team, I am confident that our market leadership will continue."
Dille has a marketing background expanding more than 20 years, including 13 years of direct experience in the videogame space. Most recently senior vice president, worldwide marketing for THQ, a publicly traded global interactive software publisher, Dille returns to the Sony family after having held various marketing and communications roles within the company, including Sony Computer Entertainment America where he was involved in the launch of the original PlayStation(R) game console in 1995. In his new role as senior vice president, marketing, Dille is responsible for all facets of the company's marketing efforts in North America, including overall PlayStation brand management, hardware and software marketing, advertising, creative services, public relations, promotions, and online and direct marketing. He will direct an internal marketing department of approximately 100 employees.
In the newly created role of vice president, business development, Rosenberg will lead the team responsible for driving and creating new revenue opportunities for the company and the PlayStation family of products. His group will work in collaboration with the company's existing sales and marketing teams to create, participate in and cultivate relationships and new business opportunities, while maintaining and growing content alliances.
Rosenberg brings 24 years of direct experience working in the games and interactive entertainment industry. For the past 16 years he has been heading up manufacturer's rep firm The Performance Marketing Group, a company he founded, organized to help support and create go-to-market plans and strategies for consumer products through mass-merchants in the North American region. As president and CEO, Rosenberg led his company to achieving a cumulative $2 billion sales milestone.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation(R) and PS one(TM) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(TM) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system and the upcoming, much-anticipated PLAYSTATION(R) 3 system.
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com/
Web site: http://www.playstation.com/
Virgin Megastores Launch New Fashion and Accessories Line With Rock N Roll Fashion Show
Virgin Megastore Hollywood to Host Fashion Panel, Celebrity 'Girls Rock' Fashion Show With Janice Dickinson and Live Concert by morningwood and The Colour
Virgin Megastores are pleased to announce the company's launch into the world of fashion, and in connection with the brand's plan to offer customers the best in pop culture merchandise, will now be offering an expanded line of rock n roll fashion and accessories. As part of the Girls Rock Virgin campaign, Virgin Megastore, Hollywood will host a star-studded event on Wednesday, May 3rd which will include a fashion Q&A panel with some of today's top fashion leaders, a celebrity fashion show and a live in-store concert.
The May 3rd event will kick off with a press/VIP Happy Hour wine reception, sponsored by Virgin Vines and Little Black Dress. Celebrities, guests and press will be entertained with a live in-store concert by one of today's hottest girl-fronted bands, morningwood.
Immediately following the concert, press are invited to a fashion Q&A roundtable event with some of the top leaders in the fashion industry. The 45-minute panel debate/press event will be moderated by Newsweek reporter, Lorraine Ali and will include some of today's top fashion designers and industry leaders including:
* Adrienne Armstrong who has created hot new clothing line, Adeline, with
husband and Green Day frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong
* Robert Bevan, CEO of Mosquitohead
* Denise Scher, Fashion Director of MAGIC
* Andy Howell, Creative Director of Eggprojects
* Edward Dada, Founder of Dragonfly
* Maureen Ferguson, Divisional Merchandising Manager for Virgin
* Missy Suicide, Co- Founder and President of SuicideGirls
Panel topics will include the following questions: Who are the big influences in rock fashion today? When it comes to artists creating their own lines, what is the key to a successful launch and continued growth of that line? Is the market too saturated with artists competing to launch their brands? Why do you think the general public is now embracing rock and roll fashion into their daily wardrobe? What will next summer and falls fashion trends be?
Directly following the panel discussion Virgin Megastore, Hollywood will present its first fashion show, which will be hosted by the world's first supermodel, Janice Dickinson, and will introduce models from her new agency. The fashion show will also feature celebrities as models including: Caroline D'Amore (Fox's The Simple Life); Dominique Swain (Noble Things); Kaley Cuoco (Charmed/WB); Kiara Bailey (Blowout/Bravo); Honey Labrador (Queer Eye for the Straight Girl/Bravo); Wynter Kullman (Law and Order/NBC); Aimmie Lynn Chadwick (What About Brian/ABC); Kimberly Caldwell (Host/TV Guide Channel); Kaya Jones (former lead vocalist for the Pussycat Dolls/ solo recording artist); Carrie Anne Inoba (Dancing With the Stars/ABC). The event will showcase Virgin's new fashion line of rock n roll apparel in a fashion runway show, produced by Niki Shadrow and sponsored by Sexy Hair. Makeup will be provided by Beth Bender Beauty. Shoes will be provided by Michael Antonio and Seychelles.
"This fashion show will give reporters and our invited guests a first hand look at some of the latest in rock n roll fashion that we are excited to be bringing into our stores," explains Maureen Ferguson, Divisional Merchandising Manager, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "Virgin has always been the tastemaker of music and entertainment. We now want to spread the word and let consumers and fashion reporters know that Virgin Megastores is the go-to place for the best and broadest assortment of unique rock tees and accessories. From tees highlighting classic bands to up-and-coming artists, our fashions offer something for everyone."
Fashion model icon Janice Dickinson, star of the upcoming Oxygen TV series, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, will emcee the fashion show as well as introduce some of the top models from her new show in Virgin's Girls Rock Fashion Runway Show.
Immediately following the fashion show, Silverlake's up-and-coming rockers, The Colour, will entertain the audience, as well as consumers, when they perform tracks from their forthcoming EP, Devil's Got A Holda Me, available May 16.
The evening will conclude with a VIP/Press after party at the Highlands Club conveniently located on the 4th floor of the Hollywood and Highland complex, just an elevator ride away. The after party will feature the dual talents of DJ Caroline D'Amore and actor Johnny Abrams on the turntables, as well as, complimentary beverages and cocktails from 10 PM - 11 PM.
WHERE: Virgin Megastore/Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
ABOUT VIRGIN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Virgin Entertainment Group is the world's leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The "category killer" Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at www.virginmega.com are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it. For more information, or to check out the location of the nearest Virgin retail, go to www.virginmegamagazine.com
ABOUT SEXY HAIR
Sexy Hair(R) products, including Big, Curly, Healthy, Short, Silky, Straight and Simply Sexy Hair, Fresh Concepts(TM), Sex Symbol(R) Aero Tan(R) and Big Sexy Lips(TM), are available in more than 25 countries. Retail sale of Sexy Hair products is authorized only in professional beauty salons, including chain salons such as JCPenney and Trade Secret. For more information on all Sexy Hair products and where to find them, please visit the website at www.sexyhair.com.
Dave Matthews Band Makes $1.5 Million Challenge Grant to Support New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village
One of the bands at this year's New Orleans Jazz Festival is doing more than making music -- and they are challenging others to help.
Dave Matthews Band announced today that it has issued a $1.5 million challenge grant to help build the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village. The Village is a Habitat for Humanity project that seeks to build more than 300 homes in the city's Upper Ninth Ward with musicians and other New Orleanians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
The New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village was conceived by Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr., honorary chairs of Habitat for Humanity's hurricane rebuilding program Operation Home Delivery. The Village will consist of Habitat-constructed homes and will feature the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, named for the patriarch of the Marsalis clan, modern jazz pioneer and native New Orleanian.
"After the hurricane first struck, we were shocked by the destruction, and we knew we wanted to help," said Dave Matthews Band. "We organized a concert with the Neville Brothers and the John Butler Trio shortly after the storm. The generosity of our fans and everyone involved exceeded our expectations."
That concert in Denver raised $1.5 million and is the source of funding for the challenge grant. "We want to thank the Denver community for making this grant possible," said Dave Matthews Band. "Many people donated their time and resources to keep costs to a minimum so we could maximize the donation.
"The recovery in New Orleans is moving very slowly," said the band. "This is our way to get the word out that there is more work to do, and ask people to step up to the challenge and make a donation to help." Contributions to the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village will be matched dollar for dollar through the grant, raising the total donation potential to $3 million. Donations can be made online by visiting www.habitat-nola.org and clicking on Musicians' Village.
"The entertainment industry and other corporate partners have been phenomenally supportive of the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village," said Jim Pate, executive director of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity and coordinator of Habitat's rebuilding efforts in the Crescent City. "This challenge grant from Dave Matthews Band will focus attention on these positive rebuilding efforts while letting everyone know there is still a lot of work to do."
"We are extremely grateful to Dave Matthews Band and the wonderful citizens of Denver for stepping up to the plate," said Branford Marsalis. "The New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village is the first step in helping to replace what the city has lost. This contribution, and the others it will generate, will help ensure that New Orleans music will always have a home. That's important to me. It's important to my family. And it's a key to the recovery of the city."
"Dave Matthews Band represents the kind of leadership it will take to bring back New Orleans," said Harry Connick Jr. "Music is the essence of New Orleans and we adamantly refuse to surrender it to the wind and water. And now fellow musicians like Dave Matthews Band and others are helping us make sure that doesn't happen."
"New Orleans and its music were meant to be," said Chris Clarke, senior vice president of Habitat for Humanity International. "We couldn't ask for a better symbol of hope than the houses that are beginning to come out of the ground in the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village. The hard work of Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and the New Orleans affiliate has made it possible for others, like Dave Matthews Band, to support the project. On behalf of Habitat for Humanity International, we thank Dave Matthews Band for this most generous and sustaining contribution."
As Habitat works to raise additional money, it also will be working with the music community to identify local musicians who are willing to partner with Habitat to help build their homes and to pay a no-profit mortgage. "This is Habitat's traditional partner family model," said Pate, "but it is focused on helping musicians of modest resources who were affected by the hurricanes."
To support the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village, please visit: www.habitat-nola.org and click on Musicians' Village, or mail a check to: NOAHH - Musicians' Village; P.O. Box 15052, New Orleans, LA 70175-5052.
About Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band is one of the most successful rock bands in North America. During the past 14 years, the band has sold over 32 million CDs and DVDs, and more than 12 million tickets on tour. The Band created the Bama Works Fund, established in 1999, and through it has donated millions of dollars in grants to a variety of organizations in their hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia and around the world. Beneficiaries have included public school systems, children's hospitals, community parks, youth community clubs, AIDS organizations, environmental organizations and tsunami relief.
About New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity
New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, founded in 1983, is an autonomous Louisiana non-profit corporation that serves the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. John the Baptist. In its 22-year history, NOAHH has built over 100 Habitat homes. For more information, visit www.habitat-nola.org.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than one million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
Source: Habitat for Humanity International
Musicians' Village
Web site: http://www.habitat.org/
http://www.habitat-nola.org/
Cingular Wireless Named Number One Company for Latinos
DiversityInc. Magazine Unveils The 2006 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity
Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless has achieved the number one ranking for Latinos among American corporations by DiversityInc. Magazine this year. The 2006 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list released April 18 recognizes businesses with a commitment to diversity as indicated by factors such as employee recruitment and retention, and regular and consistent diversity training and communications programs.
"We are pleased to be leaders in this effort among U.S. companies," says Bob Reed, Cingular vice president for diversity and inclusion. "Our entire management team considers diversity a business imperative, and our commitment to diversity -- besides being the right thing to do -- adds value to our company and our communities."
Cingular is also among the top 10 companies on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity: The Specialty Lists for its recognizable commitments to women executives, people with disabilities, and gay/lesbian/bi- sexual/transsexual (GLBT) employees. The company made the Top 50 list in 2005 in the 43rd place but moved up this year to number 15. Additionally, Cingular was chosen last year as one of the 50 Best Places to Work for Hispanic women by LATINAStyle, a national women's magazine.
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc., (NYSE:T) , and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS) , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation-the ALLOVER(TM) network-and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes.
Source: Cingular Wireless
Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
New Holland is Featured in the Latest James Bond Film 'CASINO ROYALE'
- New Holland Will be Making its Silver Screen Debut With the Eagerly Awaited Release of the Latest James Bond Film - "Casino Royale"
The James Bond production company chose New Holland, the global construction equipment manufacturer member of the Fiat Group, to supply a total of 11 machines, including two W190 wheel loaders, to support the making of this latest blockbuster. A W190 will have the starring role in the film's opening sequence where, in a special Bond chase situation, the new James Bond - Daniel Craig - also making his debut appearance, gives chase to one of the film's villains, "Two Fingers".
The remaining New Holland machines, including crawler excavators, backhoe loaders and skid steer loaders, will be used to create a realistic construction site, where the action sequence takes place. Filming for this sequence has already been completed in the Bahamas.
Said Luigi Monti, Vice President Global Marketing for New Holland, "We are proud to announce our partnership in the next James Bond movie Casino Royale! There are many strong similarities between Bond and New Holland. Bond has a strong history, with an impressive heritage of renowned leading actors associated as 'Bond' men.
New Holland has an even longer history and its own star line-up of famous, heritage brands... Fiat Kobelco, Kobelco, O&K, New Holland Construction and Fiatallis: 236 combined years of experience for one stronger, global brand, and in any launch the tradition becomes a new product.
Bond and New Holland are loyal, dependable, trustworthy, solid and have passion for their jobs. Bond has the latest technology at his fingertips and is a problem solver... as is New Holland, with its leading-technology, global alliance partner, Kobelco.
Already a star on job sites around the world, the W190 can be seen on the New Holland stand at Paris' Intermat (Hall 5A, stand G131) to be held from 24 to 29 April at the Centre d'Expositions, ZAC Paris-Nord 2, 93420 Villepinte. Not to be missed.
New Holland is a global, full-line construction equipment brand bringing together the knowledge and experience of its heritage brands - Fiat Kobelco, Kobelco, O&K, New Holland Construction and Fiatallis. New Holland is supported by more than 700 dealers with over 1600 outlets in more than 100 countries, plus the strength and resources of its world-wide commercial, industrial, product support and finance organisations. More information about New Holland and its products can be found on line at www.newholland.com.
Source: CNH Italia SPA
Up-Mobile Announces Exclusive Rights to Offer The 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM) Official Mascot TV Series For Mobile Distribution
Up-Mobile, Corp., a leading interactive mobile applications and service provider specializing in Hispanic audiences, today announced that it has acquired the exclusive mobile rights to offer Spanish-language content in the U.S. and Latin America featuring the 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM) Official Mascot TV Series.
In today's media-driven society, mascots are images fans can identify with. GOLEO VI, the Official Mascot, is a warm-hearted lion and a versatile "living" character together with his sidekick Pille, the strong-minded football; he can dance, talk, sing and make people laugh. It consists of two separate productions, the first being a live-action puppet format with 21 episodes of 40 seconds each, and the second a 3D animation made up of 24 spots of 10 seconds each.
Ready for mobile distribution, Up-Mobile plans to take full advantage of their rights to distribute the 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM) Official Mascot TV Series. Up-Mobile's Official Mascot TV Series related packages include video clips from the series, 3D animations capturing the most interesting moments of GOLEO VI's road to the 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM), all adapted to view on the go.
"A love of soccer runs deep in the veins of Latino sports fans," said George Rincon, co-founder and COO of Up-Mobile, Corp. "We're thrilled to take part in the momentum surrounding the 2006 FIFA World Cup and are proud to be the exclusive Spanish-language provider of mobile content featuring the 2006 FIFA World Cup Official Mascot TV Series in the U.S. and Latin America."
The Official Mascot TV Series is produced by Creation Club (CC) GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of EM.TV AG. For sponsorship opportunities please contact Marcia Grenet-Vidal at Marcia.grenet-vidal@up-mobile.com .
About Up-Mobile
Up-Mobile is a leading interactive mobile content and service provider specializing in Hispanic audiences, providing media companies, wireless carriers and advertisers with innovative value-added and revenue-generating mobile content and premium services enhancing wireless consumers experiences.
Up-Mobile is headquartered in Miami, Florida and has offices in San Diego, Mexico City, and Caracas, with interconnection and product distribution throughout the region. Some of their clients and partners are comprised of major brands and leading music publishers and wireless carriers in the Americas.
Up-Mobile is a subsidiary of Investment Media Group (IMG), a global distributor of Spanish-language television programs and filmed entertainment. For more information about Up-Mobile, visit http://www.up-mobile.com/ .
Source: Up-Mobile, Corp.
Web site: http://www.up-mobile.com/
TV Land's Top Ten Celebrates Everything We Love About Television Beginning In May With Special Mother's Day Installment
Series of Specials Kicks off on Wednesday, May 10 at 10 p.m. with Top Ten: TV Moms
Andy Griffith, Cher, Dennis Franz, Diahann Carroll, Ed Asner, James Denton, Jane Kaczmarek, Kelsey Grammer, Marion Ross, Ray Romano, Robert Guillaume, Roseanne, Sally Struthers, Smokey Robinson and William Shatner Among Celebrities Featured Throughout Series
Was Carol Brady or Clair Huxtable your favorite TV mom? Was it the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show or Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk that ranks highest on your list of favorite musical TV moments? Whose TV wedding still makes you smile? Viewers can find out the answer to these and other probing questions when TV Land's Top Ten returns to the network with seven new specials beginning Wednesday, May 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with Top Ten: TV Moms.
TV Land's Top Ten: TV Moms takes a look at the most popular moms from sitcoms over the last fifty years. From Clair Huxtable to June Cleaver to Carol Brady, this May 10 installment features interviews with Ray Romano, Roseanne, Jimmy Walker, Aida Turturro, Jerry Mathers, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Sherwood Schwartz, Christopher Knight and David Cassidy -- who lend their insights and thoughts into some of their favorite TV moms.
In addition to the premiere of this new original, TV Land will celebrate Mother's Day with five nights of episodes featuring TV Land's best moms, from Monday, May 8 through Friday May 12, 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET/PT. Each night will celebrate a different TV mom -- from June Cleaver to Carol Brady to Marion Cunningham and more -- with TV Land showcasing some of their most memorable episodes.
TV Land's Top Ten series celebrates television for the passionate TV viewer. By culling the best moments from hit TV shows and commentary from stars, experts and those in the know, each special counts down a different Top Ten. The specials are being produced for TV Land by TV Land Productions in conjunction with Robert Small Entertainment.
Viewers logging onto tvland.com after each episode of Top Ten will be able to watch exclusive video footage not seen on-air.
Among the celebrities interviewed for the series include: Abe Vigoda, Andy Griffith, Andy Richter, Angie Dickinson, Ashanti, Carol Kane, Carol Leifer, Cedric The Entertainer, Cher, Christopher Knight, Delta Burke, Dennis Franz, Diahann Carroll, Ed Asner, Ed McMahon, Gavin MacLeod, George Wallace, Gordon Clapp, Howard Hesseman, James Denton, Jane Kaczmarek, Jerry Mathers, Kelsey Grammer, Loni Anderson, Marion Ross, Mya, Paul Anka, Penn and Teller, Ray Romano, Rhea Perlman, Robert Guillaume, Roseanne, Sally Struthers, Sherwood Schwartz, Smokey Robinson, The Smothers Brothers, Vivica A. Fox, William Shatner and more.
The complete Top Ten rollout includes:
May 10: TV Moms - What better way to celebrate Mother's Day, then with a countdown of the greatest TV Moms? Invited to the celebration are Clair Huxtable, Carol Brady and many more of your favorites.
May 31: Dynamic Duos - Who says TV doesn't teach good values? Teamwork is the bedrock of these relationships such as Batman and Robin, Laverne and Shirley and Lucy and Ethel.
June 7: TV Spin-offs - Sometimes a character is so good they need their own show. This episode celebrates the greatest spin-off series of all time.
June 14: TV Weddings - There's no better place to get married than on TV. And there's nothing easier to get hooked on than a good wedding story. This episode crashes the best TV Weddings of all time. Happy couples include Joe and Rhoda, Daphne and Niles, and Luke and Laura.
July 22: Brady Bunch Episodes - You grew up with them and you know the episodes almost by heart. But which episodes, made our list? The road trips to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon? Special appearances by Davy Jones and Joe Namath? From getting caught smoking to pork chops and apple sauce and everything in between, there's so much to choose from!
August 16: Musical Moments - Some of the greatest musical moments of all time have been captured on TV. This episode highlights the best of the best from the Beatles and Elvis to Madonna and Michael.
August 23: TV Cops - Whether cracking open a case or cracking you up, the TV Cop is one of the most beloved TV characters. In this countdown, we list our favorite men and women in blue. Squad members include Andy Taylor, Lennie Briscoe, Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson, Joe Friday and that strange man in the rumpled rain coat.
TV Land and all related logos and titles are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
TV Land Productions was created in 2003 to develop original programming that complements the network's successful acquired programming slate. TV Land Productions has also produced The TV Land Awards Show: A Celebration of Classic TV (March 2003, 2004 and 2005), the Emmy-nominated The Dick Van Dyke Show, Revisited, the network's first original special for broadcast, which premiered on CBS in May 2004, the Emmy-nominated Still Brady ... After All These Years reunion special in September 2004 and Chasing Farrah (Spring 2005), the original reality series that followed iconic Hollywood actress and sex symbol Farrah Fawcett. Over the last year, the network premiered a variety of original series and specials in 2005 including: TV Guide and TV Land Present: The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments, Living in TV Land, TV Land Confidential and Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg. For more information about TV Land's original Wednesday night line-ups, visit www.tvland.com.
Now seen in over 85 million U.S. homes, TV Land's program mix features popular dramas, sitcoms, westerns, Retromercials and a TV-referential interstitial environment, all programmed with a specific audience in mind -- the first generation of Americans to grow up watching television and features all-time Classic hits like All in the Family, I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and Bonanza.
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, mtvU, VHI, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, MTV INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 12 digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
Source: TV Land
Web site: http://www.tvland.com/
THE NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY PRESENTS
THE 33rd ANNUAL CREATIVE CRAFT DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS
Meredith Vieira in New York and John Henson in Hollywood
Host Simultaneous Emmy Awards Ceremonies
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented the 33rd Annual Creative Craft Daytime Emmy® Awards on Saturday, April 22, during simultaneous ceremonies held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City and the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles.
Meredith Vieira hosted the New York ceremony, joined by an all-star lineup of daytime celebrities including Martha Stewart (Martha), Bob McGrath (Sesame Street) Kevin O'Connor (This Old House) and Suzanne Walker Fanning (“Fiskars TV Crafting Show”) plus stars from the Emmy-nominated daytime dramas. In Hollywood, a star-studded ensemble presenting the awards included daytime drama stars as well as Alex Trebek (“Jeopardy!”), Tony Okungbowa (DJ from the Emmy-nominated “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”), best-selling author Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You) who will be launching a new daytime talk show this fall, and Kristan Cunningham (“Design on a Dime”). The Hollywood event was hosted by actor/writer/ comedian John Henson (“Watch This”).
At the ceremonies, Daytime Emmy Awards were presented in such categories as: Directing in a Talk Show; Casting Director for a Drama Series; Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design; Writing in a Children’s Series; Costume Design/Styling; Multiple Camera Editing; Music Direction and Composition; Directing in a Children’s Series; Outstanding Children’s Series, Outstanding Game Show/Audience Participation and Outstanding Service Show. And for the first time, an Emmy Award will be presented for Outstanding Content delivered via the Internet, cellphones, PDAs and other small screen devices.
In addition, Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who plays the roles of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street, was honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Spinney was chosen for his work entertaining and educating children for nearly four decades, since the series debut in 1969. His characters have been seen on more than 4,000 episodes, as well as Sesame Street television specials that have taken Spinney to China, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Spinney starred in the feature film Follow That Bird and has performed on a number of other shows, including The West Wing and Hollywood Squares.
Daytime Emmy Awards in additional categories, primarily for performances and programs, will be awarded at the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, telecast live on ABC from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Friday, April 28 (8:00-11:00 PM,ET/PT). This will mark the first time the Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast from Hollywood in the 33-year history of the Awards ceremonies.
Daytime Emmy Award recipients are chosen by a panel of their peers in 57 categories. Emmy Awards are presented to daytime television programs that are broadcast nationally between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 p.m. The eligibility period for this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards was January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2005.
Official Partners for the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards include American Airlines, Dr. Scholl’s, Fiskars, glacéau smartwater®, and Star magazine. Charles Fazzino is the Official Artist of the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and created the commemorative poster and program cover.
The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards is a presentation of the National Television Academy in cooperation with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
The awards were tabulated by the independent certified public accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. A breakdown of the Awards by broadcast and cable entities as tabulated by Deloitte & Touche LLP is as follows:
PBS
SYNDICATED
CBS
ABC
Food Network 12
10
9
4
2 KIDS WB
NBC
AOL
Discovery Health
SHOWTIME
2
2
1
1
1
The National Television Academy is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Award for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime, Creative Arts, Public & Community Service, Technology & Engineering/Advanced Media and Business & Financial Reporting. Excellence in Primetime programming and international programming is recognized by its affiliate, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Regional Emmys are given in 19 regions across the United States. Beyond awards, the National Television Academy has extensive educational programs including National Student Television and its Student Award for Excellence for outstanding journalistic work by high school students, as well as scholarships, publications, and major activities for both industry professionals and the viewing public.
Outstanding Children's Animated Program
JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY
WINKS * PBS
MIKE YOUNG, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
STEPHANIE GOUGEON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LOUISA STRETTON, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
BILL SCHULTZ, CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LIZ YOUNG, SUPERVISING PRODUCER
CARY SILVER, LINE PRODUCER
JOHN OVER, PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
KELLY WARD, DIRECTOR
SINDY MCKAY, HEAD WRITER
LARRY SWERDLOVE, WRITER
DENNIS HALEY, WRITER
MARCY BROWN, WRITER
JENNIFER YALE, WRITER
PETER GARCIA, WRITER
PAMELA HICKEY, WRITER
DENNYS MCCOY, WRITER
Outstanding Special Class Animated Program
THE BATMAN * KIDS WB!
SANDER SCHWARTZ, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
ALAN BURNETT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
DUANE CAPIZZI, SUPERVISING PRODUCER/STORY EDITOR
MICHAEL GOGUEN, SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JEFF MATSUDA, PRODUCER
LINDA M. STEINER, PRODUCER
GLEN MURAKAMI, PRODUCER
SEUNG EUN KIM, DIRECTOR
BRANDON VIETTI, DIRECTOR
SAM LIU, DIRECTOR
GINNY MCSWAIN, DIRECTOR
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design
MARTHA * SYN
JIM FENHAGEN, PRODUCTION DESIGNER
JOHN CASEY, PRODUCTION DESIGNER
ANDUIN HAVENS, ART DIRECTOR
PAM PETERSON, ART DIRECTOR
TAMARA DILWORTH, SET DECORATOR
AARON CARAMANIS, SET DECORATOR
MOLLY MAGUIRE, SET DECORATOR
JIM GARDNER, SET DECORATOR
SESAME STREET * PBS
VICTOR DINAPOLI, PRODUCTION DESIGNER
LYNDON MOSSE, ART DIRECTOR
MIKE PANTUSO, ART DIRECTOR
PETE ORTIZ, ART DIRECTOR
NAT MONGIOI, SET DECORATOR
Outstanding Achievement in Art
Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic
Design For A Drama Series
AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
PATRICK HOWE, PRODUCTION DESIGNER
TIM GOODMANSON, ART DIRECTOR
DENNIS DONEGAN, SET DECORATOR
CATHERINE MCKENNEY, SET DECORATOR
KAREN HLIPALA, SET DECORATOR
Outstanding Achievement for a
Casting Director For A Drama Series
GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
MARK TESCHNER, CASTING DIRECTOR
Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Photography (Film or Electronic)
THE VICTORY GARDEN * PBS
JOEL COBLENZ, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling
SESAME STREET * PBS
BILL KELLARD, COSTUME DESIGNER/LIVE ACTORS
TERRY ROBERSON, COSTUME DESIGNER/LIVE ACTORS
VICTORIA ELLIS, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
ROLLIN KREWSON, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
SARAH LURASCHI, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
CONNIE PETERSON, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
JASON WEBER, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
MICHELLE HICKEY, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
ANDREA DETWILER, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
POLLY SMITH, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
JANE PIEN, COSTUME DESIGNER/MUPPETS
Outstanding Achievement in
Costume Design For A Drama Series
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
BIRGIT MULLER, COSTUME DESIGNER
Outstanding Directing In A Talk Show
ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, THE * SYN
LENN GOODSIDE, DIRECTOR
Outstanding Directing In A Service Show
EASY ENTERTAINING WITH MICHAEL
CHIARELLO * FOOD
NATALIE GUSTAFSON, DIRECTOR
Outstanding Directing In A Children's Series
ZOOM * PBS
BOB COMISKEY, DIRECTOR
Outstanding Special Class Directing
79TH ANNUAL MACY'S THANKSGIVING
DAY PARADE * NBC
GARY HALVORSON, DIRECTOR
Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Editing
STARTING OVER * SYN
LEELLEN PATCHEN, EDITOR
STEVEN URRUTIA, EDITOR
KAREN SNYDER, EDITOR
BARRY ZETLIN, EDITOR
PEGGY TACHDJIAN, EDITOR
RAOUL ROSENBERG, EDITOR
MARIA VITAKIS, EDITOR
AARON M. LEWIS, EDITOR
JOE SHUGART, EDITOR
MELISSA PUENTE, EDITOR
MAC CAUDILL, EDITOR
MARC GROSSMAN, EDITOR
AREK HOPE, EDITOR
STEVE MELLON, EDITOR
JAMES GAVIN BEDFORD, EDITOR
Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing
SESAME STREET * PBS
ROBERT J. EMERICK, SUPERVISING EDITOR
SELBERN NARBY, EDITOR
JOHN TIERNEY, EDITOR
CHRIS REINHART, EDITOR
Outstanding Achievement in
Multiple Camera Editing For A Drama Series
AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
ROBERT MACKLER, EDITOR
MATTHEW GRIFFIN, EDITOR
Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling
THE TYRA BANKS SHOW * SYN
KIYAH WRIGHT, HAIRSTYLIST
THERESA BROADNAX, HAIRSTYLIST
Outstanding Achievement in
Hairstyling For A Drama Series
GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
KIMBER L. ANDERSON, HEAD HAIRSTYLIST
JOE MATKE, HAIRSTYLIST
LINDA OSGOOD, HAIRSTYLIST
MICHAEL ANTON PROCKIW, HAIRSTYLIST
CURT S. DARLING, HAIRSTYLIST
ANZHELA ADZHIYAN, HAIRSTYLIST
JOANN ONORIO, HAIRSTYLIST
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction
THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW * SYN
TARA DENISE, LIGHTING DIRECTOR
SEAN POST, LIGHTING DIRECTOR
Outstanding Achievement in
Lighting Direction For A Drama Series
AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
DONNA LARSON, LIGHTING DESIGNER
NICHOLAS VARACALLI, LIGHTING DESIGNER
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
RUDY HUNTER, LIGHTING DIRECTOR
LAURI MOORMAN, LIGHTING DIRECTOR
Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Design
ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, THE * SYN
LYNDA KAHN, TITLE DESIGNER
ELLEN KAHN, TITLE DESIGNER
ANNE BABIN, TITLE DESIGNER
ALISA BENFEY, GRAPHIC ARTIST
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup
THE VIEW * ABC
EVE PEARL, MAKEUP ARTIST
REBECCA BORMAN, MAKEUP ARTIST
KAREN DUPICHE, MAKEUP ARTIST
ELENA GEORGE, MAKEUP ARTIST
LORI KLEIN, MAKEUP ARTIST
Outstanding Achievement in
Makeup For A Drama Series
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS
PATRICIA DENNEY, KEY MAKEUP ARTIST
ROBERT BOLGER, MAKEUP ARTIST
KATHY JONES, MAKEUP ARTIST
TAIA RED, MAKEUP ARTIST
RALPH WILCOX, MAKEUP ARTIST
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition
SESAME STREET * PBS
MIKE RENZI, MUSIC DIRECTOR
DAVE CONNER, MUSIC DIRECTOR
TONY GEISS, COMPOSER
DANNY EPSTEIN, COMPOSER
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition For A Drama Series
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS
MIKE DOBSON, MUSIC SUPERVISOR
JACK ALLOCCO, COMPOSER
DAVID KURTZ, COMPOSER
Outstanding Original Song
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS
Song Sunshine
Title:
MICHAEL KISUR, COMPOSER/LYRICIST
BRADLEY HATFIELD, COMPOSER
Outstanding Performer In A Children's Series
SESAME STREET * PBS
KEVIN CLASH AS ELMO
Outstanding Performer In A Children/Youth/Family Special
EDGE OF AMERICA * SHO
JAMES MCDANIEL AS KENNY WILLIAMS
Outstanding Performer In An Animated Program
JAKERS! THE ADVENTURES OF PIGGLEY
WINKS * PBS
MAILE FLANAGAN AS PIGGLEY WINKS
Outstanding Game / Audience Participation Show
JEOPARDY! * SYN
HARRY FRIEDMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER
LISA FINNERAN, SENIOR PRODUCER
ROCKY SCHMIDT, SENIOR PRODUCER
GARY JOHNSON, SENIOR PRODUCER/WRITER
KEVIN MCCARTHY, DIRECTOR
JOHN DUARTE, WRITER
KATHY EASTERLING, WRITER
MARK GABERMAN, WRITER
DEBBIE GRIFFIN, WRITER
MICHELE LOUD, WRITER
ANDREW SHEPARD PRICE, WRITER
JIM RHINE, WRITER
STEVE D. TAMERIUS, WRITER
BILLY WISSE, WRITER
Outstanding Children's Series
ZOOM * PBS
KATE TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KATHLEEN SHUGRUE, SENIOR PRODUCER
PAUL SERAFINI, SUPERVISING PRODUCER
MARCY GUNTHER, COORDINATING PRODUCER
MARISA WOLSKY, PRODUCER
Outstanding Children/Youth/Family Special
REALITY MATTERS: TEEN SEXUALITY *
DSC HLTH
STACEY DEWITT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
COLLIN SIEDOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER
CLARE ROY, PRODUCER
KAREN SAVAGE, PRODUCER/WRITER
Outstanding Service Show
30 MINUTE MEALS WITH RACHAEL RAY * FOOD
BOB TUSCHMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
MARK DISSIN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Outstanding Special Class Special
2005 WALT DISNEY WORLD CHRISTMAS
DAY PARADE * ABC
ANDREW PERROTT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
JEFF PALMER, SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JOHN BEST, COORDINATING PRODUCER
PHILIP HACK, LINE PRODUCER
DARLENE PAPALINI, PRODUCER
KEVIN YOUNG, PRODUCER
GINA D. JONES, PRODUCER
RHONDA PARKER, PRODUCER
REGIS PHILBIN, CO-HOST
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST
RYAN SEACREST, CO-HOST
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Live Action and Animation
THE BATMAN * KIDS WB!
THOMAS SYSLO, SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR
TIMOTHY BORQUEZ, M.P.S.E., SUPERVISING SOUND EDITOR
KEITH DICKENS, SOUND EDITOR
ERIK FOREMAN, SOUND EDITOR
JEFF HUTCHINS, SOUND EDITOR
DANIEL BENSHIMON, SOUND EDITOR
DOUG ANDORKA, SOUND EDITOR
ERIC FREEMAN, SOUND EDITOR
MARK KEATTS, SUPERVISING DIALOGUE/ADR EDITOR
MICHAEL GARCIA, DIALOGUE/ADR EDITOR
MARK KEEFER, DIALOGUE/ADR EDITOR
CHARLES SMITH, DIALOGUE/ADR EDITOR
MARK HOWLETT, SOUND EDITOR
Outstanding Achievement in Live &
Direct To Tape Sound Mixing
ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, THE * SYN
TERRY FOUNTAIN, PRODUCTION MIXER
BILLY SHERRY, SOUND EFFECTS MIXER
Outstanding Achievement in Live & Direct To Tape Sound Mixing For A Drama Series
PASSIONS * NBC
BRUCE BOTTONE, PRODUCTION MIXER
ANTHONY DALFERES, PRODUCTION MIXER
WALTER NEW, RE-RECORDING MIXER
DANIEL BOSWORTH, RE-RECORDING MIXER
RICARDO ALVAREZ, BOOM OPERATOR
GREG FERRARA, BOOM OPERATOR
CAROL SILVERMAN, BOOM OPERATOR
AL TADDEO, BOOM OPERATOR
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing - Live Action and Animation
SESAME STREET * PBS
BLAKE NORTON, PRODCUTION MIXER
BOB SCHOTT, RE-RECORDING MIXER
JIM CZAK, RE-RECORDING MIXER
DICK MAITLAND, RE-RECORDING MIXER
Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control
THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW * SYN
ANNETTE DESHOTELS, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
PATRICK RONDOU, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
RICHARD MORT, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
JOHN DICKINSON, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
JOE PAUSBACK, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
MARC CLAUSSEN, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
MICHAEL MAIER, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
JAMEL WARE, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
MICHAEL FREHE, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
MARTY MUZIK, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
WYNN GRIFFITHS, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
MIKE CLAY, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
CLARK GRAY, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
TOMMI SKINNER, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
WADE BOBBITT, SENIOR VIDEO
ROY OTAKE, VIDEO CONTROL
Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/
Video Control For A Drama Series
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS
TRACY LAWRENCE, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
JOHN BROMBEREK, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
LUIS GODINEZ, JR., ELECTRONIC CAMERA
KAI KIM, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
DEAN LAMONT, ELECTRONIC CAMERA
ROBERT BOSIO, SENIOR VIDEO
SCHA JANI, SENIOR VIDEO
Outstanding Writing In A Children's Series
SESAME STREET * PBS
LOU BERGER, HEAD WRITER
JUDY FREUDBERG, HEAD WRITER
JOEY MAZZARINO, WRITER
CHRISTINE FERRARO, WRITER
BELINDA WARD, WRITER
MOLLY BOYLAN, WRITER
ANNIE EVANS, WRITER
TONY GEISS, WRITER
LUIS SANTEIRO, WRITER
EMILY KINGSLEY, WRITER
JOHN WEIDMAN, WRITER
Outstanding Special Class Writing
ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, THE * SYN
KAREN KILGARIFF, HEAD WRITER
KAREN ANDERSON, WRITER
DANNY BREEN, WRITER
MARGARET SMITH, WRITER
ALISON BALIAN, WRITER
DANNY CEBALLOS, WRITER
LIZ FELDMAN, WRITER
GREG FITZSIMMONS, WRITER
JILL KUSHNER, WRITER
ELLEN DEGENERES, WRITER
Outstanding Achievement in Video Content for Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms
LIVE 8 ON AOL * AOL
JON MILLER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
JIM BANKOFF, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KEVIN WALL, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
BILL WILSON, PRODUCER
MICHAEL WOLFSON, PRODUCER
33rd ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS
NETWORK TOTALS
PBS 12
SYNDICATED 10
CBS 9
ABC 4
Food Network 2
Kids WB 2
NBC 2
AOL 1
Discovery Health 1
SHOWTIME 1
33rd ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS
MULTIPLE WINNERS
Sesame Street 7
Ellen DeGeneres Show, The 4
The Young And The Restless 4
As The World Turns 3
The Batman 2
The Bold And The Beautiful 2
General Hospital 2
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks 2
The Oprah Winfrey Show 2
Zoom 2
Pilot for TV Series 'Winning In America' Hosted By TV Icon Sy Sperling Set for Production This Summer in NYC and FL
Series Created by Fred Silverman's Former Right-Hand Man at NBC, Tom Madden
BTransMedia Group Productions ( http://www.transmediagroup.com/ ) today announced plans to shoot the pilot this summer in New York City and Florida for "Winning In America," a TV series hosted by TV icon Sy Sperling, former president of the Hair Club For Men, known for his famous admission, "And I'm also a client."
"I don't usually make predictions, but I think this series will be a winner as it will appeal strongly to the American spirit in all of us that wants to succeed and then share that success with others," said Sperling.
The series will feature personal stories of winning entrepreneurs told intimately in first-person. Sperling will introduce each episode that will take viewers on an entrepreneurial journey toward achieving the American dream, including intimate details of challenges faced in becoming "Winners in America," according to the series' creator and co-producer Tom Madden. Madden was Vice President, Assistant to the President of NBC and Fred Silverman's right hand before he founded TransMedia Group, a leading public relations firm with an active video production division.
Sperling is one of the most instantly recognized figures in America who has appeared numerous times on late-night television shows, including Jay Leno, Letterman, Conan, and Saturday Night Live, Madden said. The series co- producer is John Bennardo, who was a producer on America's Funniest Videos and Oprah's Oxygen Network.
According to Madden, Sy is a perfect host as his name is on the tips of millions of tongues in America. On a recent episode of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," 55 percent of the audience knew who was President of the Hair Club For Men. And once during the Bush/Gore campaign when then-candidate George W. Bush was being chided for mispronouncing names of heads of state, David Letterman asked Mr. Bush the same question and he replied, "You don't mean Uncle Sy Sperling?"
The pilot episode called "Roots: The Hair-Raising Story of a Guy Named Sy," will take viewers on a path starting in the Bronx and leading to Sperling's huge success in establishing the leading brand in the hair weaving industry, which he sold for $40 million and re-sold for $220 million.
Web site: http://www.transmediagroup.com/
Video Without Boundaries Adds 17 New Online Retailers
and Projects $1.5M in Q2 Sales. Without Boundaries, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VDWB), a leading provider of interactive, media-convergent home entertainment devices, announced today that 17 new retailers will carry select MediaREADY(TM) advanced media centers and portable media devices. Video Without Boundaries, Inc. President and CEO Jeffrey Harrell said, "The addition of these new retailers carrying the MediaREADY product line and our portable media devices gives us a tremendous amount of exposure to customers. We have implemented a distribution plan to offer superior service to support these retailers. Anticipated revenues from our growing number of resellers will be in excess of $1.5 million this quarter." New retailers include PCUniverse.com, PageComputer.com, PCSuperdeals.com, teckvantage.com, bestselectionsunlimited.com, shopblt.com, thenerds.net, computerhq.com, gigapc.com, kernelsoftware.com, nationaltonerwarehouse.com, RandomSource.com, Saleonall.com, iunitek.com, sparco.com, spacecentersystems.com and officenation.com. About Video Without Boundaries Video Without Boundaries is a leader in digital media-on-demand, enhanced home entertainment, and interactive products that connect people simply. The revolutionary MediaREADY 4000 and 5000 are part of a family of interactive, media-convergent home entertainment devices that provide digital capture and storage of TV programs and movies, streaming video and audio from the Internet, plus music, karaoke, games, e-mail, Internet browsing, photos and all generations of MPEG, CDs and DVDs. For more information about the VWB MediaREADY line, visit http://www.vwbinc.com. MediaREADY and Video Without Boundaries are trademarks of Video Without Boundaries, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. An investment profile about Video Without Boundaries may be found at http://www.hawkassociates.com/videowithoutboundaries/profile.htm.
Sony Introduces First Spanish Language VAIO PC in the U.S.
Now Available With Spanish Operating System and Keyboard
As a prelude to a broader marketing initiative to the growing U.S. Hispanic population, Sony Electronics is introducing a stylish notebook computer that includes a Spanish language operating system and keyboard.
The new Spanish-version FJ en Espanol notebook -- based on Sony's popular VAIO(R) FJ Series -- marks Sony's first Spanish language PC in the United States.
Available in five colors -- including Onyx Black, Pearl White, Sky Blue, Jade Green and Raspberry Red -- the FJ Series provides the option for Spanish speakers to have the latest mobile notebook computer personalized for their home and work lifestyles.
According to the U.S. Census bureau 31 million U.S. citizens over the age of five speak Spanish at home. Until now Spanish-speaking Americans have had little choice in personal computers. The VAIO FJ Series en Espanol gives these consumers an additional option, while paving the way for future Sony corporate-wide initiatives and community outreach programs targeting U.S. Hispanics.
Ramping up to the VAIO FJ en Espanol launch, Sony is introducing a soccer-themed promotion. When consumers purchase an FJ en Espanol notebook PC, they can receive a certificate to receive a soccer jersey personalized with their name and number of choice in the color of their favorite team, matching the color of their computer.
Sony's VAIO FJ Series notebooks are slim, 14.1-inch widescreen PCs that combine portable power and productivity with a sense of style. The built-in camera and microphone helps users to stay in touch with international friends and family with virtual face-to-face conversations, while an onboard DVD+R double layer/DVD+/-RW drive and XBRITE-ECO(TM) LCD technology turn it into a mini-movie theatre to watch DVDs at home or on the go.
VAIO FJ en Espanol notebooks will be available this month at select Sony Style Stores around the country and at www.sony.com/vaioenespanol starting at about $1,400.
Motorola Introduces New Local Content Distribution System That Makes Television More Relevant
The Motorola On-Target System Allows Programmers to Customize National Programming for Local Broadcast -- Creating New Revenue Opportunities and Meaningful Audience Experiences
LMotorola, Inc. today introduced a new content distribution system that allows programmers to customize national video feeds for local audiences by inserting content at affiliate sites. The new Motorola On-Target gives programmers a new way to address different market segments by adding local information into a national broadcast.
With the new Motorola On-Target system, programmers can pre-position regionalized content such as advertisements, and seamlessly insert that content during a selected local available time slot, giving viewers a customized message that is relevant to their regional area.
The new On-Target system will be demonstrated at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) tradeshow (24 - 27 April 2006, Las Vegas Convention Center).
The Motorola On Target system consists of two components: An uplink management component to ingest, manage, create schedule, and distribute content, and a new downlink Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) to receive, store and insert customized content into the national feed on a pre-scheduled or real-time basis.
The new Motorola Integrated Server Receiver (ISR) 4410 is an IRD with a internal 200GB hard drive. The hard drive can receive and store MPEG2 video clips, graphics and text that can be used to insert customized spots into a video feed received from a satellite uplink location. Graphics and text can be animated and composited with stored or live content -- with content seamlessly switched between the live and stored feeds.
The Motorola On-Target Control System is an open-source based server that manages content distribution, including a file queue that can send content to all Motorola ISR 4410s, a subset of the ISRs in a system, or a single device. The system also includes automated remote backup of ISR hard devices.
In addition, the system includes an authoring station where editors can create timelines, playlists with graphics and/or text, and preview any sequence prior to distribution. The web-based application can be located at an affiliate site so that local content can be created and uploaded to the On- Target Control System for eventual playout to headend-resident ISR4410s.
"The Motorola On-Target system delivers a complete end-to-end system for customizing programmers' national feeds at the local level and providing the facilities for value-added services," said Doug Means, Motorola corporate vice president and general manager, Connected Home Solutions. "With the advent of the On-Target system, we are continuing our commitment to provide programmers with innovative solutions to leverage their investments in Motorola digital content delivery networks."
About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com/ .
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.
Web site: http://www.motorola.com/
Gary Oldman Premieres New Mobile Movie Studio
FirstCall/ -- Award-winning actor and film-maker, Gary Oldman today unveiled a pioneering new mobile video initiative, the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Nseries Studio, and announced plans to shoot a short film with the new Nokia N93 multimedia computer, also introduced today.
Advanced mobile video devices like the Nokia N93 offer the unique ability to capture and share spontaneous instants in everyday life. To encourage people to shoot and share these moving moments, Nokia has created the Nokia Nseries Studio (www.nokia.com/nseries/studio), a new interactive online community for mobile movies.
Gary Oldman, the director of BAFTA award-winning Nil By Mouth and star of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Leon and Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban leads an international cast of creative visionaries who are shooting mobile movies for the Nokia Nseries Studio on a Nokia N93. They are all tasked with producing short films based on the theme of 'open your eyes' - capturing the everyday moments that tell a touching, compelling or provoking story about the world we live in.
Today and regularly over the next few months, a selection of these mobile movies will be premiered on the Nokia Nseries Studio where they're available for downloading to mobile devices or PCs. In the summer, Nokia is planning to open up the site so people can upload and showcase their own mobile short films.
Commenting on the initiative, Gary Oldman said: "I am fascinated by the potential of mobile video devices like the Nokia N93. They allow us to catch the fleeting moments we observe in our daily lives and share them as they happen. The possibilities for film-making are endless - I'm looking forward to producing a short film on a Nokia N93 and I hope it inspires people to record the extraordinary moments in their ordinary days and share them with the world."
Tapio Hedman, senior vice president, Multimedia Marketing, Nokia, said: "Connected mobile video devices are the ultimate solution for spontaneous video recording. With the Nokia Nseries Studio we're hoping to encourage more people to shoot and share their life experiences. And with the Nokia N93, people can capture these moments in unparalleled video quality from a mobile device."
About Nokia Nseries
Nokia Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia devices that delivers unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information and to capture and share pictures and videos, whenever and wherever they want.
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.
Wasp'3D's Software and Service Capacity Garners Extraordinary Response at NAB 2006
Beehive's Wasp'3D - the real-time 3D graphics solution - has fetched extremely positive response at NAB 2006. Wasp'3D, which offers six different core functionalities in single solution, has interested broadcasters as well as resellers and distributors. Prospects were interested in Wasp'3D as a software solution as well as for the kind of services it can provide, including 3D graphics design, database integration and more. This is the first time that Wasp'3D has been introduced at NAB after its worldwide launch. Wasp'3D, the real-time 3D graphics solution from Beehive, is a one of its kind technology that incorporates multiple functionalities in single software - from real-time 3D to chroma keying and virtual sets and from channel branding to 3D compositing and digital video effects. Wasp'3D is applicable for news, weather, business and sports coverage. At NAB 2006, the Wasp'3D product specialists conducted live interactive sessions showing chroma keying, real-time 3D graphics, virtual sets and more. Besides the six core solutions embedded in single Wasp'3d software, the solution is endowed with unique technological advantages including Programmable Palette Technology (PgP), Real-time Phong Shading, futuristic DirectX(tm) technology, compatibility with newsroom systems and more. Cutting-edge Programmable Palette Technology(tm) (PgP Technology(tm)) Wasp'3D comes with unique Programmable Palette (PgP) Technology which provides designers the flexibility and power to create infinite materials and textures by mixing and blending four texture types with each other in a variety of ways.
This in turn can incredibly expand the creative possibilities for the designer as he can easily create an original texture or a material without getting restricted. The PgP technology can also blend Bitmaps (images); Video (live and off-the disk); and DDS textures (Direct Draw Surface) and further expand the canvas of the artist to experiment and create something out-of-the-box. Real-Time Phong Shading (Pixel Shading) With the same number of polygons, Wasp'3D can achieve realistic visual representation of the scene objects using the Phong option. The Specular highlights in Phong is more accurate and the vertex highlight is sharper. Futuristic DirectX(c) Technology Wasp'3D(tm)is based on Microsoft's(c) DirectX(c) technology which is going to be Microsoft's focus area in the future. This makes Wasp'3D(tm) future-proofed in the product life cycle as upgrading to the next level is a mere change of the graphics hardware device with the latest software drivers. DirectX(c) is also the platform on which the multibillion dollar gaming industry depends on. Multiple Graphics Events Run Simultaneously
Wasp'3D(tm) enables multiple graphics events to run simultaneously on screen. The graphics events include crawls/tickers, animated station logos, multiple video insertions, lower thirds, animated 3D elements, supers, bugs, and more. Wasp'3D(tm) also allows on-air graphics to be linked to live data sources. Data can be instantly updated even while the programme is on-air. Integration with Newsroom Systems Wasp'3D(tm) facilitates seamless integration with existing newsroom systems such as iNEWS and ENPS with the help of Wasp'3D(tm) MOS ActiveX(c). It allows full Unicode support, including languages that use complex scripts. Since it runs on powerful enterprise level MS-SQL(c)-based database, content sharing across the Wasp'3D(tm) network becomes easy. Wasp'3D(tm) imports objects from major off-the shelf 3D software via the X-file loader. The Wasp'3D(tm) SDK is available to developers to build components for enhancement. Wasp also provides multi-language support. Users can choose to work with C# or VB.Net
About Beehive Systems: Beehive Systems (http:www.beesys.com) is a global leader in developing cutting-edge broadcast solutions meant to provide superior returns on the client's investment. Our portfolio of end-to-end solutions is designed to deliver out-of-the-ordinary results in real-time 3D and 2D graphics, newsgathering, digital newsroom, interactive TV and digital logging and archiving. With 15 years of broadcast expertise and a commitment to deliver maximum value to our clients, Beehive is the most respected name with international broadcasters like CNBC, Fox-promoted STAR News, KTRK, ESPN, Sony MAX, Astro, SCTV and many more. Beehive is the winner of the prestigious 'Nasscom IT Innovation Award' for 2004.
NAB ANNOUNCES NAB2006 AIM AWARD WINNERS
NAB announced the winners of the fourth-annual Awards for Innovation in Media (AIMs). Attendees at the NAB2006 exhibition voted April 24 and 25 for the technological innovations that best addressed current and upcoming issues in the electronic media industry by boosting efficiency, increasing user flexibility and creativity, and lowering cost.
The top five products within each of the Content Creation, Content Management, and Content Delivery categories received recognition during the NAB2006 Technology Luncheon, sponsored by LG.
Within the Content Creation category, Adobe Systems’ Adobe Production Studio, Apple’s Final Cut Studio, Autodesk - Media & Entertainment’s Maya, the XLH1 HD Camcorder from Canon USA, Red Digital Cinema’s 4K Cinema Camera, Panasonic’s HVX200 Camcorder and Sony’s XDCAM HD received the highest number of attendee votes and were each awarded a 2006 NAB AIM.
Winners in the Content Management category were Grass Valley, Inc.’s REV PRO, LaCie’s Little Big Disk 320GB, the TriCaster PRO from NewTek, Omneon Video Networks’ MediaGrid Active Storage System, openGear from Ross Video Limited in cooperation with Cobalt Digital & Ward-Beck Systems and SmartSound Software’s Sonicfire Pro 4.
Also receiving AIMs within the Content Delivery category were the AmiNET124 from Amino Communications, the Configurable Messenger Transmitter (CMT) from Global Microwave Systems, Volicon, Inc.’s Observer 4CH -- MultiChannel Broadcast Monitor and Vyvx’s inV.
"Attendees at the NAB spring show are especially positioned to recognize the hottest products emerging in the marketplace," said NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr. “NAB extends its congratulations to all of the 2006 AIM winners who received this esteemed recognition.”
A judging panel of editors from key industry publications will review the AIM-winning technologies and other new products exhibited at the show to select an additional winner within each product category.
NAB2006 is the world's largest electronic media show covering the development, delivery and management of professional video and audio content across all media. Complete NAB2006 details are available at www.nabshow.com.
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
First Page Search Engine Listing Provides Brand Lift
According to new research conducted by Jupiter Research and sponsored by iProspect, 62% of search engine users click on a search result within the first page of results, and a full 90% of users click on a result within the first three pages of search results. These figures were just 48% and 81%, respectively, in 2002. (But even beyond the benefits of being found within the first three pages of results, the study reports that brand equity is bestowed upon those entities listed in the top results.
Robert Murray, President, iProspect, said "... a percentage of search engine users ascribe industry leadership to those brands within top results, and believe them to be leaders in their fields given their placement in the results. Cleary, this brand lift is a critical element for brand marketers."
The study revealed that 82% of search engine users re-launch an unsuccessful search using the same search engine as they used for their initial search, but add more keywords to refine the subsequent search.
High-level findings include:
36% of search engine users believe that the companies whose websites are returned at the top of the search results are the top brands in their field.
41% of search engine users who continue their search when not finding what they seek, will change engines or their search term if they don't find what they seek on the first page of search results.
88% will change engines or their search term if they don't find what they seek on the first three pages of search results.
82% of search engine users re-launch an unsuccessful search using the same search engine as they used for their initial search, but add more keywords to refine the subsequent search.
In a 2005 Jupiter Research, quoted in the report, 87% of commercial clicks take place on the natural (not sponsored) search results.
Murray concludes that "Search engine users are demonstrating a preference to remain with a particular search engine and re-launch unsuccessful initial searches as longer keyword searches...marketers need to...target these longer keyword phrases so they can be readily found by searchers."
Promoters and retailers of HD DVD players and software continue to spin positively about the new format and its impact on consumers since the format’s April 18 launch.
Toshiba, which shipped about 15,000 HD DVD players to U.S. retailers at two price points, said sales were upbeat for the lower-priced $499 model.
Best Buy reportedly sold 1,000 players at 733 stores the first day they were on display.
“Initial sales results have been very positive and many key retailers quickly sold out, particularly on the $500 model,” said Toshiba marketing VP Jodi Sally. “We are continuing to make shipments daily to fulfill the demands from our retailers.”
A Circuit City spokesperson said the chain currently did not stock HD DVD hardware or movies but was taking pre-orders for HD DVD hardware on its Web site.
Sacramento, Calif.-based Tower Records said it would soon carry a limited number of HD DVD players and remained committed to the format.
“While we are pressing hard for a single format, Tower will carry both the HD and Blu-ray titles,” stated Rick Timmermans, director of video purchasing & merchandising, Tower Records. “We are currently carrying all available HD titles in most stores and they are also available at Tower.com.”
That said, some analysts believe the spin among retailers and manufacturers might have to substitute for actual sales in the short term.
“People aren't clamoring for the next generation of DVD," Laura Behrens, analyst for Gartner Consulting, told Reuters. “It's too complicated, too expensive, and they don't see the benefits
McClatchy is selling off of the newspaper that once held all of Knight Ridder's digital dreams
After being forced to the auction block by grumpy shareholders and snapped up by McClatchy Co., Knight Ridder has one more indignity to witness: McClatchy is selling off of the newspaper that once held all of Knight Ridder's digital dreams, The San Jose Mercury News.
MediaNews CEO Dean Singleton trumpeted his win, saying he was getting the 'crown jewel of Knight Ridder.'
Photo Credit: AP
MediaNews Group, publisher of The Denver Post and papers from California to Vermont, will acquire the Mercury News and three other Knight Ridder papers from McClatchy in a $1 billion cash deal announced yesterday. McClatchy said last month, when it agreed to buy Knight Ridder, that it would try to sell 12 of Knight Ridder's 32 papers that didn't meet its acquisition criteria, but this is the first deal toward that end.
In a visit to the Mercury News yesterday, MediaNews CEO Dean Singleton trumpeted his win. "While McClatchy may be buying Knight Ridder, we're getting the flagship and crown jewel of Knight Ridder," he told the newsroom, according to a Mercury News report.
Knight Ridder Chairman-CEO P. Anthony Ridder said he would keep an eye on the fortunes of his hometown paper. "I think Dean will do a good job," he said, according to the Associated Press. "I have his cellphone and e-mail addresses and if I see anything I don't like, I plan to let him know."
In the complex deal for the four papers, MediaNews also gains ownership of two more California papers, the Contra Costa Times and the Monterey County Herald, as well as the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota. Hearst Corp. will actually buy the Pioneer Press and the Monterey Herald, then transfer them to MediaNews in exchange for an equity stake in MediaNews assets outside the San Francisco Bay Area.
McClatchy continues to seek buyers for eight Knight Ridder papers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News; MediaNews has made a bid on both.
Starcom Chief Proclaims Death of TV Upfront
Starcom CEO John Muszynski, whose media agency controls $8.5 billion in TV spending by marketers annually, called on TV executives to up their game if they want to hang onto ad budgets and suggested that the explosion of new media would end the current TV upfront as we know it.
Starcom CEO John Muszynski will be handling upfront negotiations this year.
Long one of the most controversial and outspoken media-agency executives around this time of year, Mr. Muszynski this morning declared that "the upfront must transform from a TV upfront to a video upfront," because content has leaped from TV to encompass all screens.
Increased new-media opportunities would also lead to the emergence of a year-round upfront market, he believes, because of the large degree of collaboration required for multiplatform deals built around a single show. "Lean-in opportunities will lead to a 365-day upfront market rapidly supplying and supporting content that engages people in new environments throughout the year," he said.
Mr. Muszynski, who was the first to encourage clients to think of investing in cross-platform video opportunities across TV, video on demand, wireless and PCs back in 2004, suggested that advertisers would hold money out of the market for the myriad offers that come along outside the traditional fall start of the TV season. He will be taking a more active role in the upfront this year, after Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, senior VP-director of broadcast investment, said she was relocating to New York and has stepped down from conducting this year's negotiations.
Citing statistics offered by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the Starcom chief said that 8 million iTunes video downloads show "mass behavior has taken effect," but not to the detriment of TV programming. "ABC's 'Lost' saw a 14% spike in the on-air ratings following the launch of downloadable 'Lost' episodes on iTunes." But for a buyer looking to tap the consumer interest in "Lost" beyond the TV screen, they happened outside the upfront.
Mr. Muszynski told TV players, "As long as behaviors involving TV stay strong, your market will stay strong. You are the most powerful mass medium, with the power of sight, sound and motion on your side, and you produce some damn amazing content. We get that. But here's where your challenge becomes much bigger -- you must keep perpetuating TV-interaction behaviors. Because I guarantee you, your 'share of behaviors' will be reflected in your 'share of media budgets.'"
He charged TV sellers with proving that such consumer interaction was working to help sell clients' products. "I urge you all: Up your game in terms of engagement metrics. You show us, prove to us that people pay attention to you and we'll do the same."
Mr. Muszynksi, who was promoted to Starcom CEO last year, has long been one of the most vocal and controversial of the media-agency CEOs. He explained that Starcom was one agency that did not silo its staff, training them in all disciplines. He suggested TV sellers do the same. "Rethink your structures. ... Remove your silos and present us with a sales leader representing all your offerings." He added that TV sellers shouldn't be afraid to sell around the ad. "It's not about putting the product everywhere anymore. It's about getting viewers to pay attention, and then connect with them in other ways."
Mr. Muszynksi, who spoke at a MediaPost upfront event this morning, gave an example of how a movie, "Snakes on a Plane," has developed a wide following and become a catchphrase as consumers adopted and parodied the movie on video site YouTube.com -- before the movie has even been released.
"While TV is not extinct, the upfront as we knew it has come to an end, yielding the birth, this year, of a true video upfront, which will adapt and transform because consumers say so."
Early adopters who bought one of the first two Toshiba HD DVD players had mixed comments about the official start of packaged media’s high-def era.
Most gave the players high marks, both for quality and for value, but faulted the format’s supporters for having just three movies in stores when the machines arrived April 18.
James Stevenson, a 22-year-old freelance journalist in Lincoln, Neb., said he bought the cheaper of the two Toshiba players “because I wanted to get a head start on the next-generation DVDs and give my HD-starved TV more content.”
While he was dismayed at the meager selection of software, he said the player made his standard DVDs look significantly better. “I’m thrilled with that result,” he said.
Lars Peterson, 29, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., agrees. “I bought one of the three units my Best Buy received, two of which are still sitting there a week later,” he said. “While I was checking out a cashier said, ‘What is this thing — I’ve never heard of it,’ so it might be awhile before the general public catches on.”
Peterson said he bought two of the three launch titles, Serenity and The Last Samurai, and found the picture quality “breathtaking. It is some of the best TV content I have seen and I have seen a lot, working as a TV salesman, where I have to watch HD content all day long.”
But the real treat was watching standard DVDs on his new player. “I have owned at least 10 DVD players over the last eight years,” he said, “and I can honestly say the Toshiba player is the best. This is a huge plus, considering the lack of HD movies to currently choose from.”
Unlike Stevenson and Peterson, Bryan Ferriera, 33, of Peabody, Mass., wasn’t fazed by the lack of software when he bought his Toshiba HD DVD player as soon as it came out.
“When DVD launched, Warner was limiting its releases to seven test-market cities, leaving me with exactly four Columbia TriStar titles to choose from,” he said. “Nine years later, HD DVD launches with a similarly limited number of releases. That’s history repeating itself. And it might be a good omen, since DVD really took off from there. Also, I like starting over with new formats and growing a collection slowly over time as more and more titles come out. This doesn’t bother me one bit.”
The $64,000 question to consumers: What about Blu-ray Disc? Most early adopters interviewed for this story say they also will buy Blu-ray players when they become available in June, although some balked at the higher prices — despite conventional wisdom that for early adopters price is generally not a factor.
“Honestly, I am turned off by the higher price tags,” Ferreira said. “Now that HD DVD is out, why would anyone want to pay at least double the price of the HD-A1 to get the same quality?”
“I actually believe Blu-ray is a better technology, but not at twice the price,” said Daniel Rainey, 31, of Tuscaloosa, Ala. “I will buy Blu-ray if they win the war, but that Betamax war lasted eight years before VHS started winning. I ain’t waiting that long.”
Retailer Robert Zohn, who owns Value Electronics in Scarsdale, N.Y., says he took advance orders for 316 Toshiba players, 223 of them the cheaper HD-AI and 93 the pricier ($799) HD-XA1. He’s now on back order for more than 100 additional players, having sold out his initial allotment on day one.
“We will carry Blu-ray, but our full support and dedication is to the HD DVD format,” says Zohn, who does the bulk of his sales online. “However, if sales stay as brisk as they have been and if Toshiba can deliver enough players, I believe the format war will end before Blu-ray ships its first player.”
Neil Brimelow of Bay St. Louis, Mass., begs to differ. He said bought his Toshiba player the Saturday before the official April 18 launch “right when it came in on the FedEx truck, still with the Saturday delivery stickers on the boxes.”
“Unfortunately, I still had to wait until Tuesday to get the software, and in the case of HD DVD, it is software,” he said. “There have been many complaints about load times and boot-up times, and the reason is that the HD DVD player is essentially a computer disguised as a piece of consumer electronics.”
Further dampening his enthusiasm, he said, was the “anemic” selection of films available in the HD DVD format. “There’s no real ‘killer ap’ to get anyone excited to rush out and buy a player,” he said. “The picture quality and sound quality are quite amazing, definitely a step up from standard DVD, but that step-up is diminished when you are forced to watch movies that are several years old.”
Brimelow wound up returning his HD DVD player to Best Buy a week after he bought it. “Why? I hate being on the short end of the stick, and this first player by Toshiba is just that,” he said, citing the fact that the player only supports Dolby Digital HD 2.0. “I was an early adopter when DVD came out nine years ago and paid the same price, roughly, for my first player. But I did not have to worry about it being obsolete coming out of the starting gate, as is the problem with this Toshiba.
“Not having full Dolby HD 5.1 support, when the HD DVD spec calls for that, is just plain stupid
McDonald's Offering Virtual Fitness DVDs with Meals New Asian Salad Meal Targets Balanced Lifestyle Choices
-- The message from McDonald's is clear: Go Active! Building on the brand's established program of Go Active! Happy Meal for Adults, McDonald's introduced a new Asian Salad on April 25 that will be paired with one of four different virtual-training fitness DVDs.
The DVDs feature Maya, a virtual personal trainer, who walks through four customizable 15-minute workouts that include Yoga, Cardio, Core and Strength training. During the initial launch of the Go Active Happy Meal for Adults in 2004, McDonald's distributed 15 million Stepometers and have plans of distributing up to 9 million DVDs during the initial Asian Salad launch.
McDonald's Asian Salad is a colorful blend of warm orange-glazed grilled or crispy chicken, edamame (green soybeans), snow peas, red bell peppers, mandarin oranges, sliced and toasted almonds and up to 16 types of fresh premium greens. As one of several fresh menu choices, McDonald's builds its success upon creating a menu that consistently satisfies the tastes and preferences for its customers. While most Americans do not meet the recommend 3.5 to 6 cups of fruits and vegetables each day, McDonald's Asian Salad provides 3.5 cups of vegetables in one bowl.
The Asian Salad is the most recent addition to the Premium Salad line, which continues to be a very important menu option in the world of quick service restaurants. The salad joins the recently introduced Fruit & Walnut Salad, the Bacon Ranch Salad and Caesar Salad.
About McDonald's
McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's 13,700 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. For more information on McDonald's visit
Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/
Gold Medalist Apolo Ohno Lends His Talent to Math Education Awareness
Raytheon Launches Hippest Homework Happening and Helps Thousands of America's Students Make Homework History
Thousands of students across America are giving their teachers the night off. They're doing math homework together online with their heroes, including speedskating sensation Apolo Ohno, soccer legend Mia Hamm, basketball star Lisa Leslie and BMX biker Dave Mirra.
The first-of-its-kind Hippest Homework Happening is made possible by Raytheon , a leading technology company, as part of its mission to show American middle schoolers that math can lead to cool careers. Already, more than 18,000 students from across the country are registered to participate.
Ohno, the newest celebrity to lend his name to the MathMovesU program, showed his support by skating onto Capitol Hill in front of members of congress and over 100 seventh graders to preview tonight's Hippest Homework Happening. Instead of their regular math homework, middle school students can visit http://www.mathmovesu.com/ to time Ohno's gold-medal winning speed; measure the angles of Hamm's on-field moves; calculate the rotations behind Mirra's favorite trick; and figure out the math behind a prime-time television show. On the site, students can also apply for cool prizes, scholarships and school grants from Raytheon.
"Math is very relevant in my career and in my life," Ohno said. "From counting laps around the rink and calculating speed to determining the shortest distance between me and the finish line, math is vital to what I do every day -- I think some kids will find that surprising!"
The company launched the MathMovesU program in 2005 to help engage students in math in an innovative, fun way. The initiative targets students in grades six through eight -- at a time when research (1) indicates that math and science performance begins to decline. In a Raytheon-sponsored survey, a majority of middle school students reported that they would be more interested in math if they learned about celebrities (79%) or were shown how people in music, sports and video gaming use math in their jobs (81%). An overwhelming majority of students (93%) said they knew they would need to use math later on in life, but couldn't directly link it to their dream jobs. In fact, many students can't name a compelling career that uses math.
"It's a challenge to get and keep American students interested in math so we need to take a long-term view and address this issue early, during the 'slippery slope' of middle school," said William H. Swanson, Raytheon Chairman and CEO. "We hire nearly 3,000 engineers each year making this a real business imperative for us. We must do something to cultivate math skills in this country and engage our students or our workforce is going to be in crisis."
America's Math Problem
The National Assessment of Educational Progress found that less than one- third of eighth graders reached a level of proficiency or higher in math. The fundamentals -- like homework -- are at the core of the issue. Raytheon surveyed more than 1,000 middle school students and found that a combined 84% of American sixth to eighth graders would rather do one of the following: clean their rooms, eat their vegetables, take out the garbage or go to the dentist than sit down with their math homework.
About one-third of the fourth-graders and one-fifth of eighth-graders cannot perform "basic mathematical computations," and U.S. high school seniors recently tested below the international average for 21 countries in mathematics and science (1). As a result, fewer American students than ever are graduating from college with math and science degrees -- causing a shortage of hundreds of thousands of engineers and scientists needed for American companies.
Capitol Hill Event Shines Spotlight on Math
Ohno will be joined by Professor Jonathan Farley, a mathematician and science fellow at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation. Farley is also a member of Hollywood Math & Science Film Consulting, working with writers and producers on television shows like "Medium" to ensure that the technical details in the script are accurate, whether they are mathematical, scientific, or medical.
"Many kids struggle to see where math can take them," said Farley, who holds an A.B. in math from Harvard University and a D.Phil. in mathematics from the University of Oxford. "With math as my passion, I've not only traveled to places like India, South Africa, and Jamaica, I've also met some incredibly interesting people, from Navy admirals to actors and producers."
Participating in the Hippest Homework Happening
Students and teachers can still sign up for the Hippest Homework Happening by logging onto http://www.mathmovesu.com/ , and they can apply for scholarships and grants on an ongoing basis. In all, Raytheon will provide $1 million in scholarships and grants this year. Scholarships will be awarded to students who explain how they would help make math "cool" in their schools. Grants will fund classroom help for teachers and fund in-school support for math education.
About MathMovesU
MathMovesU is a unique initiative designed to "elevate math to cool" by combining middle school students' interest in celebrities with grant money, awards and a robust MATHCOUNTS curriculum to encourage excitement about math. The program reaches students at a time when studies(2) show performance declines in math and science, grades six through eight. Raytheon also supports MATHCOUNTS, a national math enrichment, coaching and competition program. You can learn more about MathMovesU and its sponsors by visiting http://www.mathmovesu.com/ , http://www.mathcounts.org/ , http://www.raytheon.com/ , and http://www.bhef.com/ .
(1) National Center for Education Statistics
(2) "A Commitment to America's Future: Responding to the Crisis in
Mathematics & Science Education," Business Higher Education Forum.
January 2005. Page 6.
Web sites: http://www.mathmovesu.com
http://www.mathcounts.org
http://www.raytheon.com
http://www.bhef.com
Source: Raytheon
Absolute Poker Takes the Wheel With Jeff Natland at The Gumball 3000 Rally to Race Around the World in 8 Days
Unique Opportunity to Win a trip to the Playboy Mansion and Play Poker with the Stars
Absolute Poker www.absolutepoker.com the fourth largest online poker website in the world, announced Jeff Natland will drive Absolute Poker's Ferrari F430 Spider as part of its sponsorship of the Gumball 3000 Rally 2006 which kicks off this weekend in London, England. Absolute is Poker is one of only ten overall sponsors of the event. The eighth annual Gumball 3000, the world's largest cult car rally, combines Phileas Fogg's quest to traverse the world in 80 days with a rock star style-tour -- a 3000-mile adventure around the world, starting in London (April 30), making its way through Europe and Asia and finishing eight days later in Los Angeles (May 7). In addition, Absolute Poker will also be giving away chances to win a place at the Gumball 3000 wrap party at the Playboy Mansion. Promotional events are planned at Gumball 3000 events or online at http://www.absolutepoker.com/
"We're raring to hit the road in this amazing event," said Mike Edwards, Absolute Poker marketing manager. "What better combination is there than high- performance cars, a global adventure, rock stars, celebrities and of course our favorite ... poker. Absolute Poker is participating in the Gumball 3000 race because we know our players are all adventurers at heart and they love living in the fast lane as much as we do."
The Absolute Poker Ferrari F430
Jeff Natland is a partner at Arizona Bay, a privately-held technology and business management consulting company based in San Francisco, California. Prior to joining Arizona Bay, Jeff was Chief Information Officer at Neteller, a partner of Absolute Poker and a leading service provider for secure online funds transfer. His car, one of only 120 entries in the race is a charcoal grey 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider -- and it is poised to rip up the road. Ferrari's F430 takes an evolutionary approach in its styling borrowing from the new 612 Scaglietti, and heavily influenced by Ferrari's supercar, the Enzo. The Ferrari F430 is anything but a pretty face, however as its mid- mount engine delivers more than 483 brake horse power (bhp) and can accelerate from 0-60 mile per hour in about 3.9 seconds. Come out to the events and have your picture taken with the Absolute Poker Girls in front of the car. All photos will end up on the Absolute Poker Online Wall of Fame.
Win a Ticket to the Playboy Mansion!
Absolute Poker is making it possible for anyone to join in the fun with two cool promotions. First, anyone who attends the Gumball 3000 events in London, Las Vegas and Los Angeles can pick up a lucky Absolute Poker poker chip or playing card from the Absolute Poker Girls. Every night on the Absolute Poker website between April 30 to May 6, a lucky poker chip number will be revealed and the person with the matching chip will automatically win $1000.
Players can also play in Absolute Poker's Gumball 3000 poker tournaments online to win tickets to the Gumball 3000 events in Las Vegas or to the final party at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills. There will be four tournaments played for tickets to the Las Vegas event and four tournaments played for the Playboy Mansion event in Los Angeles. The tournament winners will win two tickets to either event and travel and expense money for the trip. The tournaments will end May 3 to allow winners to make travel arrangements so they can join the Gumball 3000 drivers, their celebrity and rock star friends at either party in Las Vegas or Beverly Hills.
For more information on Absolute Poker's sponsorship of the Gumball 3000 Rally including Absolute Poker's race entry and the Gumball 3000 Rally Poker Tournament please visit http://www.absolutepoker.com/gumball.
About AbsolutePoker.com
AbsolutePoker.com is the world's fourth largest online poker destination offering worldwide access to multi-player online games 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Absolute Poker's spring 'Win Your Tuition' tournament is currently underway and more information can be found at http://www.absolutepoker.com/tuition. Powered by proprietary software, AbsolutePoker.com has one of the most comprehensive, interactive online poker rooms, providing such innovative features as hand history, stat retrieval, player note-taking, chat, "locate a player," six-player tables, customizable table "skins" and representative image selection. Absolute Poker offers many multi-player games including: Texas Holdem, Omaha High, Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, and a complete selection of Sit and Go and Multi Table Tournaments. Blackjack was added to the site in April 2006. AbsolutePoker.com offers friendly customer service that is always fast, knowledgeable, and professional. Established in 2003, AbsolutePoker.com is headquartered in Costa Rica and licensed and regulated in Canada.
Source: Absolute Poker
Reader's Digest Music to Sponsor Engelbert Humperdinck's 2006 U.S. Tour Beginning in Las Vegas April 27
Innovative Sponsorship is First Ever for Reader's Digest Music Partnership Includes Release of Career Retrospective 3-CD Box Set
Reader's Digest Music and Engelbert Humperdinck have announced a multi-level partnership that names Reader's Digest Music as the official presenting sponsor of the artist's 2006 U.S. tour, beginning on April 27 in Las Vegas. The Reader's Digest Music Tour sponsorship includes marketing extensions through December 2006 and marks the first time the music division of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. has partnered with a musician on a tour.
In conjunction with the tour sponsorship, Reader's Digest Music will produce Engelbert Humperdinck's first-ever career-spanning retrospective box set, to be released on May 11, incorporating all of the artist's greatest hits along with his great romantic standards including "Release Me," "Quando, Quando, Quando" and "A Man Without Love."
Additional partnership initiatives include Reader's Digest Music hospitality areas in select tour cities, ticket giveaways, consumer website and Internet promotions, in-venue signage and on-site marketing opportunities at the venues.
Len Handler, Reader's Digest Music's Director of Product Development, said, "We are thrilled to be Engelbert Humperdinck's 2006 tour sponsor. Engelbert's fans are legendary, and he is one of our customers' favorite artists. The Reader's Digest Music brand is synonymous with the world's greatest artists and music, and we are proud to be able to offer Engelbert's first-ever boxed set. We are committed to deeper involvement with our artists and customers, and working closely with Engelbert on the tour gives us a great chance to achieve that goal."
One of the world's most enduring musical artists, Engelbert Humperdinck has generated sales of more than 130 million records -- his honors include 64 Gold albums, 24 Platinum albums, four Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- in a career spanning four decades and counting. He has performed for British Royalty, U.S. Presidents and heads of state worldwide.
His classic hit, "Release Me," recently enjoyed new life in the Top Ten in the Billboard Dance charts after being covered by The Humps as part of a hit dance / remix set. A platinum-selling theme song for a Beavis and Butthead movie endeared him to millions of new fans and showcased his famous sense of humor.
For more information about the "Engelbert Humperdinck U.S. Tour Presented by
Reader's Digest Music" please visit http://www.engelbert.com/.
Reader's Digest Music released its first multi-album record set in 1959, which pioneered the concept of the "boxed set" and launched a direct-marketing music sales phenomenon yet to be matched by any other label. Today, a half-billion albums later, Reader's Digest Music has released more than 4,500 music sets, and has sold more than 225 million box sets in 33 countries.
Reader's Digest Music is a division of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (NYSE:RDA) , a global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, entertain and inspire people of all ages and cultures around the world. The company had consolidated revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005, of $2.4 billion. Global headquarters are located at Pleasantville, New York. For more information, please visit http://www.rd.com/.
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
2006 U.S. TOUR DATES
04/27/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
04/28/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
04/29/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
04/30/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
05/12/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
05/13/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
05/14/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
07/20/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
07/21/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
07/22/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
07/23/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
07/27/06 JACKSON, CA Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel
07/29/06 ALBUQUERQUE, NM Route 66 Theatre
08/04/06 LAKE CHARLES, LA L'Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino
08/05/06 LAKE CHARLES, LA L'Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino
08/10/06 HIGHLAND, CA San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino
09/17/06 UNIVERSAL CITY, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
09/21/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
09/22/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
09/23/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
09/24/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
09/27/06 PALA, CA
09/29/06 CHEYENNE, WY Cheyenne Civic Center
09/30/06 DENVER, CO Paramount Theater
10/06/06 VERONA, NY Turning Stone Resort & Casino
10/07/06 WILKES-BARRE, PA FM Kirby Center for Performing Arts
10/10/06 LANCASTER, PA American Music Theatre
10/11/06 PURCHASE, NY Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase
10/13/06 ROBINSONVILLE, MS Gold Strike Resort & Casino
10/19/06 RAMA, ONTARIO Casino Rama
10/20/06 RAMA, ONTARIO Casino Rama
11/02/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
11/03/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
11/04/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
11/05/06 LAS VEGAS, NV Orleans Hotel & Casino
11/10/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
11/11/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
11/12/06 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Tropicana Casino and Resort
Product information: http://www.rdmusic.com/
Web site: http://www.rd.com/
http://www.rdmusic.com/
http://www.engelbert.com/
Live television coverage of the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee will be moving to primetime this year on the ABC Television Network.
ABC will broadcast the final championship rounds of the bee in high
definition from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 1. Good Morning
America anchor Robin Roberts will host the ABC broadcast.
Preliminary championship rounds of the bee will air live earlier in the
day on ESPN, which has televised the final rounds of the bee in their
entirety since 1994. The ESPN broadcast is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m.,
EDT. SportsCenter anchor Chris McKendry will host the ESPN broadcast.
"ABC's decision to move the Scripps National Spelling Bee to primetime
affirms for us how deeply this unique event is engrained in the American
psyche," said Kenneth W. Lowe, president and chief executive officer for
The E. W. Scripps Company. "Now, with a wider national network television
audience, more people than ever before will have an opportunity to share in
this extraordinary celebration of academic excellence and experience the
remarkable intensity of competitive spelling."
"We are proud to bring the Scripps National Spelling Bee to ABC for the
first time in its storied, 79-year history," said Andrea Wong, ABC's
Executive Vice President, Alternative Series. "It's exciting for us as a
network to bring this competition of some of America's brightest young
minds to a broader audience."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation's largest and longest
running educational promotion, is administered on a not-for-profit basis by
Scripps and 268 local sponsors. The majority of local spelling bee sponsors
are daily and weekly newspapers. The purpose of the Scripps National
Spelling Bee is to help students improve spelling, increase vocabularies,
learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all of
their lives.
"The ABC primetime broadcast is the latest in a series of high-profile
acknowledgments that the bee is growing in stature," said Paige P. Kimble,
director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and 1981 national spelling
champion. "The bee has been the subject of an Academy Award-nominated
documentary, has served as backdrop to two critically acclaimed feature
length films and has inspired a Tony Award-winning play that's currently
running on Broadway and is now touring the United States. For the
championship spellers who gather in Washington every year, the attention
focused on their high level of academic achievement is well-deserved."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is central to the storyline of
Akeelah and the Bee, a feature-length film that is being released by Lions
Gate Films, 2929 Entertainment and Starbucks Entertainment on Friday, April
28. The film, starring Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett and Keke Palmer,
is a fictional account of an African American girl from Los Angeles who
overcomes adversities to win the national spelling bee championship. The
movie is being promoted in Starbucks Coffee locations nationwide.
In 2002, the Scripps National Spelling Bee was the subject of the
documentary film, Spellbound, which was nominated for an Academy Award by
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Also, spelling bees
inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway play, The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is held each year in
Washington D.C., will begin on Wednesday, May 31, featuring top spellers
from across the U.S. and including competitors from Europe, Guam, Jamaica,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, American Samoa, Canada
and New Zealand. The opening rounds of the bee on May 31 are not televised,
but real-time results are provided via the Internet at the bee's official
Web site, spellingbee.com.
About 275 champion spellers, ranging in age from 9- to 15-years-old,
will be competing this year for the National Spelling Bee Championship.
Spellers participating in the national competition qualify by winning
locally sponsored spelling bees in their home communities.
About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) is a diverse and growing media
enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing,
broadcast television stations, electronic commerce, interactive media, and
licensing and syndication.
The company's portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks,
with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living, Great
American Country and HGTVPro; daily and community newspapers in 18 markets
and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard
News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated
stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; leading online search
and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; United Media, a
leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of
PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics; and Shop
At Home, which markets a growing range of consumer goods directly to
television viewers in roughly 57 million U.S. households and online through
shopathometv.com.
SOURCE The E. W. Scripps Company
Web Site: http://www.scripps.com http://spellingbee.com
SPORTS & AUTOS
Baseball All-Stars Paul Molitor, Don Baylor and Eric Davis Team Up with Leading Cancer Support Groups to 'Strike Out Cancer'
10-City National Campaign Provides Support Through Local Events and Four Regional Education Summits in Washington DC, New York, Houston and St. Louis
Strike Out Cancer(TM) Hall of Fame to Recognize Inspiring Members of Cancer Community
NIn support of the approximately 1.4 million Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer this year and the more than 10 million survivors, five leading non-profit organizations and three former Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Stars who have been touched by cancer are joining forces to help empower people affected by cancer to encourage them to learn about new approaches, support networks and educational resources.
In its second national season, the Strike Out Cancer(TM) education program, supported by Genentech BioOncology, a leading developer of targeted therapies, is expanding its reach in the cancer community through a partnership among The Wellness Community, breastcancer.org, CancerCare, Colon Cancer Alliance and Lung Cancer Alliance.
"On behalf of all the partners, we are thrilled to celebrate the launch of the 2006 Strike Out Cancer program," said Kim Thiboldeaux, President and CEO of The Wellness Community. "Through this collaboration, we are providing the cancer community with access to unparalleled expertise in all types of cancer and one of the largest support networks imaginable."
Regional Education Summits
The highlight of the program will be four regional patient education summits in Washington DC, New York, NY, Houston, TX and St. Louis, MO, which will focus on the science behind new approaches to cancer management, the latest innovations to cope with side effects and psychosocial support. Strike Out Cancer will also hold live events at Major League ballparks in six cities to increase awareness of the needs of people affected by cancer.
Strike Out Cancer Hall of Fame
The Strike Out Cancer Hall of Fame is accepting nominations to recognize individuals making strides in the way cancer is managed and who have made a dramatic difference in the cancer community through inspiration, perseverance, education, treatment and support. The Hall of Fame will honor 10 individuals that embody the spirit of the Strike Out Cancer program through special recognition ceremonies held on-field at select Major League ballparks nationwide. Nominations will be judged by representatives from select Strike Out Cancer partners and MLB Hall of Famer and spokesperson Paul Molitor, who lost his father to lung cancer. To nominate someone or to view the nomination criteria, visit www.StrikeOutCancer.com.
In each of the 10 cities, Strike Out Cancer partners, local physicians and patients will be joined by Paul Molitor, former MLB All-Star and coach Don Baylor, a multiple myeloma survivor and colon cancer caregiver, or former MLB All-Star and colon cancer survivor Eric Davis. As national spokespersons, they are dedicated to making a positive impact by sharing personal and inspirational stories about living or caring for someone with cancer.
"As a new member of the Strike Out Cancer team, I am honored to join Paul Molitor and Eric Davis to speak about the importance of seeking out education and support after a cancer diagnosis," said Don Baylor. "After caring for my mother who battled colon cancer, I knew the importance of maintaining a positive state of mind during treatment when I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Along my road to recovery, I spoke openly about my experience to players and family, and didn't let it stand in the way of doing what I loved - working in the game of baseball."
Strike Out Cancer Online
From new discoveries in cancer management to in-depth information on Strike Out Cancer partners, www.StrikeOutCancer.com is a comprehensive online resource designed to assist all people affected by cancer. Visit the Web site to find out about upcoming "Strike Out Cancer" events and the variety of ways individuals can personally make a difference.
Strike Out Cancer Partners
The Wellness Community, celebrating its 24th anniversary in June 2006, is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. Through participation in professionally-led support groups, educational workshops, nutrition and exercise programs, and mind/body classes, people affected by cancer learn vital skills that enable them to regain control, reduce isolation and restore hope -- regardless of the stage of their disease. Today, there are 21 Wellness Communities across the United States, five in development, 28 satellites, two centers abroad in Tokyo and Tel Aviv, and a community online at The Virtual Wellness Community. At the Wellness Community, all programs are free of charge.
breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete and up-to-date information about breast cancer. breastcancer.org helps women and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information about breast cancer so they can make the best decisions for their lives.
CancerCare is a national non-profit organization that provides free professional support services to anyone affected by cancer: people with cancer, caregivers, children, loved ones, and the bereaved. CancerCare programs -- including counseling, education, financial assistance and practical help -- are provided by trained oncology social workers and are completely free of charge.
Colon Cancer Alliance is a national non-profit patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer through patient support, education, research and advocacy. CCA is the official patient support partner of Katie Couric's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA).
Lung Cancer Alliance is the only national non-profit organization dedicated solely to patient support and advocacy for people living with lung cancer or those at risk for the disease. Lung Cancer Alliance initiatives aim to educate public policy leaders of the need for greater resources for lung cancer research while changing the face of lung cancer and reducing the stigma associated with the disease. The Lung Cancer Alliance has unique patient education and support programs focused on helping people directly affected by lung cancer.
Source: The Wellness Community
Web site: http://www.strikeoutcancer.com/
Golf Comic Born Out of Dark Times
Rick Newell launched the syndication of his golf comic strip called Life in the Trap in January 2005. Thanks to golf publications around the world it has grown to over 2 million readers per month. Born out of some of the darkest times in his life, Newell now gets to bring joy to frustrated golfers everywhere through Life in the Trap.
A few years ago Newell was working the graveyard shift at a big computer company and he started to battle insomnia. Crazy hours, a stressful job, and some girl problems had teamed up to rob him of sleep. Soon the unfamiliar clouds of depression rolled in and Newell suffered a serious meltdown.
For over six months both sleep and reason visited him less and less. "Imagine how bad you feel after missing just one night's sleep," says Newell. At the lowest point Newell says he even thought about ending his life. "I literally felt like I was losing my mind."
However, Newell was eventually moved off the graveyard shift, the girl left, and sleep slowly started to make his acquaintance again. Ironically, as his body began to rest, he became aware that his soul had been asleep for years. "I had been ignoring the little things that made me feel alive," says Newell. So he started to ask himself a simple question: "What makes me feel awake?"
One thing that sprang to mind was a golf comic strip he had fooled around with after college. So he dusted off his old sketch books, made his own website (www.lifeinthetrap.com), and began to approach editors of golf publications around the world.
Newell will have Life in the Trap greeting cards in 1,800 retail outlets across the country by the end of the year. Coffee mugs and calendars are in the works and he has signed with literary agent Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency for his first book. Pursing what makes him and others feel awake has become Newell's passion. "Life is too short to sleepwalk through it," says Newell. "Wake up and you might be surprised at what you find."
Web site: http://www.lifeinthetrap.com/
In Wake of High Gas Prices, Demand for Diesel Cars and SUVs Jumped 31 Percent in 2005
(This is obviously directly from the Twilight Zone. SUV sales slumped and are continuing to fall and Diesel fuel costs more at the pump then does regular gas and is not carried at the vast majority of stations in this nation and would cost a arm and a leg to get it into all of the station.)
President Bush Promotes Expanded Incentives to Encourage Purchase of Fuel-Efficient Clean Diesels
With oil costs shattering records and gasoline prices causing concerns nationwide, savvy American consumers are increasingly turning to diesel-powered vehicles as a fuel-sipping alternative to gasoline, according to new research released today by the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF). The driving force behind this leap is that diesel engines are 20 to 40 percent more fuel-efficient than comparable gasoline-powered engines without requiring consumers to sacrifice power or performance.
Data compiled by R.L. Polk & Co. show that registration of diesel passenger vehicles in the U.S. -- including cars, trucks and SUVs -- has grown a remarkable 80 percent since 2000, up from 301,000 diesel vehicles that year to 543,777 diesel registrations in 2005. For the all-important light-duty market, diesel registrations nearly doubled (95 percent growth) from 2000- 2005, with 31 percent growth coming in 2005 alone. When given a choice between a gasoline or diesel engine, consumers purchased the diesel engine option almost half the time (45 percent) in 2005.
"In this era of sky-high gasoline prices, Americans are increasingly looking to diesel as a readily available solution to help alleviate their pain at the pump," said Allen Schaeffer, DTF's executive director. "Gasoline hybrid's and flexible-fueled ethanol vehicles aren't the only fuel efficient choices consumers have today."
Most analysts expect the diesel trend to continue due in part to rising fuel prices and the desire to improve U.S. vehicle efficiency. Researchers at J.D. Power and Associates predict that diesel sales will approximately triple in the next 10 years, accounting for more than 10 percent of U.S. vehicle sales by 2015 -- up from 3.6 percent in 2005.
Earlier this week, President Bush proposed extending federal tax credits for the purchase of fuel-efficient clean diesel vehicles. In a speech to the Renewable Fuels Association on Tuesday, he said that part of a good plan "to confront high gasoline prices is to promote greater fuel efficiency. Clean diesel vehicles take advantage of advances in diesel technology to run on 30 percent less fuel than gasoline vehicles do ... so here's an idea that can get more of these vehicles on the road, and that is to have Congress make all hybrid and clean diesel vehicles sold this year eligible for federal tax credits. We want to encourage people to make wise choices when it comes to the automobiles they drive."
It's no surprise that clean diesel's are gaining so much momentum. Consider the facts:
* Diesel vehicles are much more fuel efficient, typically getting 20 to 40
percent more miles to the gallon than a comparable gasoline car. The
federal government's 2005 Fuel Economy Guide shows that four of the top
10 most fuel-efficient vehicles are diesel powered.
* Diesel could help reduce America's addiction to oil. According to
officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, America could
save up to 1.4 million barrels of oil per day, an amount equivalent to
the oil we currently import from Saudi Arabia, if one-third of U.S.
cars, pickups and SUVs were diesel-powered.
* Diesels provide superior power and performance, an important feature for
American drivers who want to save money at the pump without sacrificing
their driving experience.
* Diesel drivers have the option of filling their tanks with blends of
biodiesel, a domestically produced, renewable fuel that reduces U.S. oil
dependence and contributes to our own economy.
"Those that haven't experienced the new generation of diesels are in for an awakening," concluded Schaeffer. "These cars are clean, quiet and very performance oriented -- they're fun to drive while delivering 20 to 40 percent better real-world fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts."
For more information, including complete data from R.L. Polk & Co. and a list of diesel vehicles currently available for sale in the U.S., visit http://www.dieselforum.org/.
The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting clean diesel technologies. Forum members include engine and vehicle manufacturers, diesel fuel refiners, and manufacturers of emissions control devices. For more information about the Forum, visit our web site at http://www.dieselforum.org/.
R.L. Polk & Co. is the premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions to the automotive world and its related industries- automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers and dealers, automotive aftermarket companies, insurance companies, finance companies, media companies, advertising agencies, consulting organizations, government agencies and market research firms.
Web site: http://www.dieselforum.org/
http://usa.polk.com/default.htm
Golf602.com, the Phoenix Metro area's popular online tee time provider, announces the launch of a new brand name. As of April 17, 2006, Golf602.com has become GolfNow.com, joining its sister sites in a 30 market national network owned by Cypress Golf Solutions. The new GolfNow.com brand replaces the old brands which matched "Golf" with the local area code of that market, such as Golf702.com in Las Vegas, Golf407.com in Orlando and Golf707.com in the Bay Area.
There are over 45,000 golfers who currently use the Phoenix site. They will still enjoy all the same elements of the former site, however, the new GolfNow.com site includes several valuable new components in addition to savings. "We have taken the online tee time service to a new level, beyond convenience and savings," said Brett Darrow, president and co-founder of Cypress Golf Solutions. "We want to help build a true sense of community for the golfers in the Phoenix area and in all of our individual markets, by offering them local golf information and additional opportunities to help enhance their golf experience."
The new GolfNow.com site includes information concerning local golf events, up to date golf news, local golf jobs, golf blogs and live local weather information. GolfNow.com has also initiated its own Golf Event Series, an affordable group oriented monthly event. Two events are scheduled in May at Ocotillo Golf Club in Chandler and Superstition Springs Golf Club in Mesa. More event information can be found on the web site. Additional programs are being planned for the site to launch in the next few months.
About Cypress Golf Solutions
Cypress Golf Solutions, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, provides a broad range of solutions to golf course owners and operators, marketing partners, and affiliates, golfers and advertisers. Cypress Golf Solutions' consumer product, GolfNow.com, uses online marketing to sell golf tee times. Their network, which includes over 750 golf courses and stretches across the United States, Canada and Ireland, booked over 800,000 golf rounds in 2005.
Source: Cypress Golf Solutions
Major League Baseball Announces Holiday Inn Hotels as 'Official Hotel of Major League Baseball'
MLBP, MLBAM and InterContinental Hotels Group Family of Brands Reach Agreement on 3-year Sponsorship Deal; Select Holiday Inn as Lead Brand in Relationship
Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP), Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), and the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) (ADRs), owner of the InterContinental(R) Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R), Holiday Inn(R), Holiday Inn Express(R), Staybridge Suites(R), Candlewood Suites(R) and Hotel Indigo(TM) brands, today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement to make Holiday Inn hotels the "Official Hotel of Major League Baseball." This is the largest relationship in U.S. professional sports between a league property and a member of the hotel industry.
This MLB sponsorship gives IHG, the world's largest hotel group, exclusive category rights. In addition to being the "Official Hotel of Major League Baseball," Holiday Inn today unveiled five new Club sponsorship agreements with the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins.
"We are thrilled to forge this new partnership with the InterContinental Hotels Group and name Holiday Inn the Official Hotel of Major League Baseball," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. "This new agreement is consistent with our strategy to partner with brands that are leaders in their respective category and will further our goal to create innovative and powerful platforms that will further engage consumers at both MLB ballparks and Holiday Inn hotels across the country."
"We are excited to join these two iconic brands -- America's favorite hotel and America's favorite pastime. Linking Holiday Inn and Major League Baseball is a natural and logical move," said Mark Snyder, Senior Vice President, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts in the Americas. "Research shows that large numbers of baseball fans are also loyal Holiday Inn guests, and vice-versa. We look forward to the possibilities of what we can accomplish together with Major League Baseball for our mutual fans."
According to a national study conducted by Scarborough Research, more than 6 in 10 Holiday Inn guests (13.5 million) are self-identified MLB fans. Additionally, MLB ballpark attendees comprise approximately one quarter (24%) of Holiday Inn guests and account for more traffic to Holiday Inn hotels than attendees of any other sport.
As part of the sponsorship, Major League Baseball experiences and merchandise will be incorporated into Priority Club Rewards, the loyalty program for guests of IHG's family of hotels, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo brands. Priority Club Rewards members can earn "once-in-a-lifetime" MLB experiences including being on-field to watch batting practice at an All-Star Game or throwing out a ceremonial first pitch prior to a World Series game. In addition, members will be able to gain access to MLB Authentic Collection apparel, officially licensed MLB merchandise as well as select MLB regular season, All-Star Game and postseason tickets.
"Like Major League Baseball, IHG is committed to creating memorable experiences for its most loyal customers. This sponsorship will allow us to offer members of Priority Club Rewards unique opportunities that will be impossible to find anywhere else within our industry," said Steve Sickel, Senior Vice President, Multibrand and Relationship Marketing, InterContinental Hotels Group. "It's all a part of the ways we're sharing the joy of America's pastime and the benefits of this sponsorship with our guests."
As part of the agreement, Holiday Inn will make significant media commitments to national Major League Baseball television rightsholders, as well as to other MLB-produced programming. Holiday Inn also will be a participating sponsor of All-Star FanFest, the interactive baseball theme park that opens Major League Baseball All-Star Week. Holiday Inn will be the title sponsor of a premier attraction at the five-day event, which opens Friday, July 7 and runs through Tuesday, July 11. This year, All-Star FanFest will take place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Additionally, Holiday Inn in conjunction with MLB will offer MLB fans the chance to win the "ultimate road trip." This trip is part of a larger strategy to engage MLB fans and Holiday Inn guests. Further details will be announced later in the season.
About Major League Baseball Properties
The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club's agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rightsholders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full- service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.
About MLB Advanced Media, LP
Established in June 2000 following a unanimous vote by the 30 Major League Baseball club owners to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations, MLB Advanced Media LP (MLBAM) is the interactive media and internet company of Major League Baseball. MLBAM manages the official league site, www.MLB.com, and each of the 30 individual Club sites to create the most comprehensive Major League Baseball resource on the Internet. MLB.com offers fans the most complete baseball information on the web, including up-to-date statistics, game summaries, extensive historical information, and exclusive features about Major League Baseball events and programs, including on-line ticket sales, baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles, fantasy games, live and archived radio broadcasts of every game, live and archived video webcasts of entire games, pitch-by-pitch enactment of games, and hosted post-game video highlight shows.
About InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC of the United Kingdom (ADRs) is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. InterContinental Hotels Group owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,600 hotels and 537,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental(R) Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza(R) Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn(R) Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express(R), Staybridge Suites(R), Candlewood Suites(R) and Hotel Indigo(TM), and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club(R) Rewards. InterContinental Hotels Group offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ichotelsgroup.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from InterContinental Hotels Group, visit our online Press Office at www.ihgplc.com/media.
About Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands with global headquarters in the U.K. and Americas headquarters in Atlanta. With more than 1,400 properties worldwide and nearly 1,000 in the U.S., Holiday Inn is the most recognized lodging brand in the world and certainly the most iconic. Since 1952 full-service Holiday Inn hotels have provided the services that business travelers need, while also offering a comfortable, casual atmosphere where vacationing guests can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centers, and comfortable lounges. Additional features such as meeting space and onsite business centers, KidSuites(R) rooms, Holidome(R) indoor recreation centers, the Kids Eat Free and Kids Stay Free programs and Priority Club Rewards memberships have helped to establish the Holiday Inn brand as "America's Hotel." Call 1-800-HOLIDAY or log onto www.holiday-inn.com for more information or to book a reservation.
Web site: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/
http://www.mlb.com/
http://www.priorityclub.com/
http://www.ihgplc.com/media
http://www.holiday-inn.com/
ALS Advocate Curt Schilling to Meet Northeast Ohio ALS Patient Marilyn Benschoter
WHEN: Thursday, April 27, 2006 at Cleveland Indians Home Game
5:00 p.m. - Meeting
7:05 p.m. - Game
WHERE: On the field in front of the Visitors dugout at 5 PM.
WHAT: Marilyn Benschoter, an ALS patient living in Northeast Ohio,
will fulfill a life-long dream of meeting Boston Red Sox Pitcher
Curt Schilling at tonight's Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox
game.
Marilyn was diagnosed with ALS -- more commonly known as Lou
Gehrig's disease -- in 2000. She is now bed-ridden and is only
able to "talk" by using a communication device that is activated
by the use of her eyes.
While Marilyn is the "ultimate Indians fan," she is also a
passionate Curt Schilling fan given all his work and support for
ALS.
In the past 13 years, Curt and his wife Shonda are responsible
for generating nearly $4 million for the ALS Association. The
December, 2002 issue of Worth Magazine named Curt
"Philanthropist of the Year" for his contributions of time and
money as well as the public awareness he has brought to
important issues. In 1996, he was honored with Phi Delta
Theta's Lou Gehrig Award, presented annually to the major
leaguer who best exemplifies the character of the Hall of Famer
and fraternity member. That same year, he was named Baseball's
"Most Caring Athlete" by USA Today Weekend.
The ALS Association Northern Ohio Chapter hosts its 7th Annual Strike Out! ALS Benefit on May 11, 2006 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Terrace Club at Jacobs Field. This year's Iron Horse winner is former Tribe center fielder Rick Manning. The Iron Horse Award is bestowed annually to an individual in the Northern Ohio sporting community who has demonstrated an enduring dedication to the area in which they live.
ABOUT ALSA NORTHERN OHIO CHAPTER:
The Northern Ohio ALS Association is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the fatal illness commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. A degenerative neuromuscular disease that strikes more than 5,500 people in the United States annually, it is estimated that there are between 400 and 500 individuals in the Northern Ohio region that are fighting this disease. ALS robs victims of voluntary muscle control until the simple act of breathing becomes impossible.
There is currently no known cause, effective treatment or cure for ALS.
Mercedes-Benz Diesel May Cure Sticker Shock at the Pump
Full-Size Luxury Sedan Achieves 37 MPG and Up to 780 Miles Per Tank
Do you get sticker shock at every gas pump, but don't want to sacrifice your people- and cargo-carrying space? Are you now resigned to ever-higher fuel prices, but not ready to take the hybrid plunge? Mercedes-Benz, the company that invented the diesel passenger car, suggests that the time is right to consider a switch to new clean diesel technology.
Here's what still seems to be a well-kept secret -- the latest CDI (Common-rail Direct Injection) diesel engines offer 20-40 percent better fuel mileage as well as long range between fill-ups and powerful acceleration. Most of today's diesels utilize state-of-the-art engine technologies making them among the cleanest, quietest and most powerful engines on the road.
V8 Power and Four-Cylinder Fuel Economy for SUVs and Large Vehicles
While it's no secret that SUVs satisfy the American consumer's demand for large, powerful vehicles, diesel technology offers a fuel-efficient way to enjoy the benefits of these larger vehicles without sacrificing space or performance. In fact, a diesel-powered SUV can yield an estimated 30 percent increase in fuel economy in these larger vehicles.
Diesels inherently produce high engine torque, delivering four-cylinder fuel economy with V8 pulling power. Starting this fall, Mercedes-Benz will offer a new V6 CDI engine in its popular M-Class sport utility vehicle and in the six-passenger R-Class sport tourer with the launch of the ML320 and R320 CDI diesels. A diesel version of the all-new seven-passenger GL-Class will launch in early 2007.
New York to Detroit on a Tank of Fuel -- and Then Some
The Federal EPA rates the current Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI -- a full-sized four-door luxury sedan -- at 27 miles per gallon around town and 37 mpg in highway driving. Additionally, it can cruise up to 780 miles (New York to Detroit with miles to spare) on a single tank of fuel. Perhaps most impressive, the 201-hp six-cylinder diesel engine can accelerate this luxury four-door sedan from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds -- comparable to the gasoline-powered E350 V6.
BLUETEC -- Diesel for the Future
Also scheduled to make its world retail debut in Fall 2006, Mercedes-Benz BLUETEC technology combines sophisticated engine design with a special exhaust after-treatment system to offer the cleanest diesel technology in the world. The E320 BLUETEC incorporates an oxidizing catalytic converter, a particulate filter, an advanced "denox" storage converter and a SCR catalytic converter.
To meet even more stringent emission requirements, the BLUETEC system could also be equipped with another innovation -- AdBlue injection. When AdBlue, a water-based urea solution, is injected into pre-cleaned exhaust gas, ammonia is released, converting nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen in a downstream SCR catalytic converter. Called SCR for Selective Catalyst Reduction, this process creates the most effective method of exhaust gas after-treatment currently available.
About Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2005, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 224,421 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 12 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/.
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA
DOD
DoD Identifies Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Taji, Iraq, on April 23, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. All three soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were: Sgt. Robert W. Ehney, 26, of Lexington, Ky. Cpl. Jason B. Daniel, 21, of Fort Worth, Texas Cpl. Shawn T. Lasswell Jr., 21, of Reno, Nev. For further information related to this release, contact Army Public Affairs at (703) 692-2000.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Raymond L. Henry, 21, of Anaheim, Calif, died on April 25 in Mosul, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Henry was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Metodio A. Bandonill, 29, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 24, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Bandonill was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. 1st Class Richard J. Herrema, 27, of Jackson, Tenn., died in Baghdad, Iraq on April 25, when he came under enemy fire during combat operations. Herrema was assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Victim Rescued From Kidnappers
An Iraqi civilian kidnapped in Samarra was rescued today when soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, stopped the would-be kidnappers' vehicles and released the citizen. Units stationed in Samarra had already been aware of a "be on the lookout" report for a silver sedan suspected of being involved in a kidnapping when alert soldiers noticed a pair of silver sedans along a major thoroughfare in southern Salah ah Din province. The two automobiles were parked next to each other as observers noticed the occupants passing what appeared to be a rifle between the two vehicles. Soldiers began pursuit of the vehicles but were unable to maintain contact. They radioed other troops in the area to be on the lookout for the two sedans. Soon afterward, another patrol spotted and stopped one of the sedans. Its three occupants were detained while the vehicle was searched. Soldiers soon discovered the bound-and-gagged kidnap victim in the trunk. Shortly thereafter, soldiers stopped two more cars matching the description of the suspected criminals involved, and detained their two occupants. The victim was promptly transported to a nearby military medical facility and the five detainees taken to a secured location for further questioning.
Life Aboard USS Reagan Revolves Around Support to Iraq
All the sailors aboard this floating city understand that what they do helps their brothers and sisters in arms in Iraq and Afghanistan. A visit to the Navy's newest aircraft carrier shows that the sailors aboard believe they are the living embodiment of President Reagan's motto of "peace through strength." The carrier, which is on its first extended deployment from its home base in San Diego, launches F-18 Hornets and Super Hornets, and EA-6B Prowlers and Hawkeye aircraft in support of the coalition "up north." From the waters of the Persian Gulf, pilots fly long missions all over Iraq. "This is our maiden deployment," said Navy Capt. Terry Kraft, the carrier's commanding officer. "Our mission is a two-sided coin. For Operation Iraqi Freedom, every type of aircraft in our inventory right now is supporting the coalition in the country. That goal, of course, is to create the conditions for the Iraqis to create a stable government that can provide security and prosperity for the nation." But the carrier has a second side of that mission. "In the Persian Gulf, we're very involved in maritime security operations and that is to also deny the maritime environment for the use of any terrorist organization and to guarantee the free flow of commerce throughout the region," Kraft said. Roughly 50 percent of the world's oil flows through the Persian Gulf. U.S. and coalition vessels ensure the safety of these crucial sea lanes. But it's not an easy life. Saying the aircraft carrier is "cruising" in the gulf makes it sound as if crewmembers are on a relaxing ocean voyage. It's actually like living in a steel mill or on a factory floor.
While the Reagan is one of the largest vessels afloat, that doesn't mean the roughly 5,300 members of the crew and air wing have scads of room. Sailors live in crowded "berthing areas" with as many as 100 folks in each space. They are so close together that rolling over in the bunk probably would wake up the guys above or below. There are fewer women on board than men, but their berthing areas are just as crowded. And it is a young crew. The average age on the ship is 20 years old. "I'm a high school graduate working on a $30 million aircraft," said Airman Heath Pardieu, who was working on an F-18. "A couple of years ago I couldn't even borrow a car." Even the pilots seem young. One lieutenant looked as if he had to have a note from his mother to be there. Yet he was flying a multi-million dollar aircraft in support of soldiers and Marines in Iraq. People stand in line to use the "head" -- bathroom -- in the mornings. Feeding 5,300 sailors who work all hours of the day and night means somebody is always working in the galleys.
There are two large chow halls for sailors, a Chiefs' Mess (for E-7 and above), and a number of wardrooms for officers. All serve the same food, just the surroundings get progressively better. But the purpose of the craft comes together on the flight deck. That's the ship's reason to exist. Providing support up north is the mission, and the flight deck crew goes at it with a vengeance. The crew exhibits crisp professionalism, but they treat the whole experience a bit nonchalantly. They think nothing of walking on one side of the red-and-white "foul line" painted on the deck, while just on the other side of the line a jet screams in at 150 miles an hour and comes to a halt in about 300 feet. At night, afterburners light up as aircraft catapult off the bow.
One F-18 serving as a tanker launched at night, and the whole ship shuddered as the fully loaded aircraft launched. "That's nothing," said a sailor watching the display. "The F-18 only weights 68,000 pounds. The F-14 weighed 75,000. You could feel your fillings shake when they launched." Seahawk helicopters are literally used hard and put away wet. The choppers must be in the air when the carrier is launching or recovering aircraft. They land on the deck and, with the rotors still spinning, deck hands refuel the bird, and a new crew takes over the controls. There is no privacy aboard for sailors. Their racks have curtains they can pull to block out light, but the curtains don't block sound and, at any time of the day or night, sailors can hear the sounds of jet aircraft slamming down on deck. On the hangar deck, aircraft maintenance goes on around the clock. Maintainers blare all kinds of music to work to, and the whine of power tools gets drowned out by the roar of jets on the flight deck. The hangar deck is also where the crew congregates when they have free time.
The ship has a Rugby team, and they practice in an open area of the deck. Crewmembers play music and dance to it. At one end of the deck, crewmembers make use of a line of weight machines, stationary bicycles and treadmills. The ship left San Diego Jan. 4. It stopped in Brisbane, Australia, and Singapore before arriving in the Gulf in February. On Feb. 22, the ship launched its first combat sortie. Kraft said the cruise has gone extremely well. "We've been gone over three and a half months, and before we left roughly 60 percent of the crew had never made a deployment before," he said. "They were anxious and nervous about what the future would hold. I'm happy to report they've done just a fantastic job."
Maritime Ops in Middle East Have Deterrent Effect
Maritime operations in the Middle East are all about anti-terrorism activities, the deputy commander of coalition forces serving with Naval Forces Central Command said here. British Royal Navy Commodore Simon T. Williams said maritime operations have an active and passive deterrence role in what Americans call the Central Command area of operations. "The main effect is trying to change the risk calculus for terrorists," he said in an interview. The command, which has ships from 17 different nations, has task forces covering the seas from the southern border of Kenya to the Pakistan-India border. It includes such hot spots as the Persian Gulf and the coast of Somalia. Different task forces and nations cover different areas. Combined Task Force 150, for example, covers the area from the Gulf of Oman to Kenya's southern border. Combined Task Force 152 covers the Persian Gulf. Combined Task Force 58 defends Iraq's oil platforms at the head of the Persian Gulf. CTF 58 is more tied to Operation Iraqi Freedom, while the other two are tied to Operation Enduring Freedom. The maritime environment is complex in the region, and this calls for different strategies and tactics for different areas, Williams said. But the bottom line is the command conducts operations to send terrorists the message: "If they do attempt to use the sea the likelihood of success is extremely low," Williams said.
The command does this actively in the north with defenses of the oil infrastructure and more passively in the rest of the region with presence patrols and observation. "It's really no different than civil-military contacts in Baghdad or Ramadi (Iraq,) or Kabul (Afghanistan,) -- people get out in the streets there and meet with the populace," Williams said. "Same here. But on land there are houses and streets (specialists can visit). "At sea, the houses are fishing grounds. The streets are the traditional sea lanes, and much of our effort is identifying those and then positioning ourselves so we can have the right forces in the right areas." The coalition vessels, he said, act as cops on the beat: They know the neighborhood; they know the people; and they know when something is out of place. In the five years the effort has run, coalition personnel now have the experience and knowledge they lacked in the first years.
This knowledge is aided by cooperation from Gulf states and regional powers, such as Pakistan, which just took over command of CTF 150. The Horn of Africa could be a haven for terrorists once the smoke settles in Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said. Somalia is the largest "ungoverned area" in the region, and some local groups are emulating the Taliban while others have an "al Qaeda cast" to them, officials said. Porous borders and thousands of years of smuggling confound the problem in the region. Smugglers see no difference between taking "washing machines from Dubai into Iran" or taking terrorists to safe havens, Williams said. This is why coalition vessels counter smugglers. "Because to them it is not smuggling, it is commerce," he said.
The presence of coalition vessels cause smugglers to think and, hopefully, decline from smuggling terrorists, Williams said. They have to decide they will not smuggle terrorists because the chances of being stopped and prosecuted is just too great. "The smugglers know there is a line they cannot cross," Williams said. "They may not know where it is, but they know there is a line somewhere which if they cross it consequences will surely follow." Coalition vessels check dhows, fishing vessels and merchant ships in the region. Each stop yields more information about traditional sea lanes, fishing waters and the people who ply the sea. "We talk with them, and it has an effect," Williams said. "If you are doing something and there is someone on board who is out of place, we will find them. In the past five years, we have gotten much better at detecting who is out of place. "We stop them and search," he continued. "We speak with them. Later, if we stop them and they are carrying someone they accepted a large bundle of cash to transport, there's a chance they are going to get fingered.
And if he gets fingered, then the whole crew will get lifted. That's where the whole concept of risk calculus comes in." The number of ships the coalition stops varies according to weather, time of year, and the prosperity of the areas. There are three types of operations: full-out boarding, a visit, and "approach operations." The last is the most common. Coalition vessels also give fishermen and mariners such items as medical supplies, food, water and working gloves. Each item has a phone number they can use if they have something to report, Williams said. The strategy is having an effect. The coalition has seen some pattern changes in the region, "but the smugglers stick to pretty traditional routes. The pattern shift causes us to notice something is out of place and investigate." In addition to ships, coalition forces use aircraft in their traditional maritime patrol function.
Smugglers may use different routes and travel further to avoid coalition vessels. "But that will drive up the price (to terrorists) and drive up the level of chatter, because if someone is going to change where he is going, it will force him to communicate that he is doing something different," Williams said. Maritime operations in the region are aimed at creating a safe and stable area. They are deterring smugglers and having an effect on piracy around the Horn of Africa, Williams said. The one constant in the effort has to be vigilance. Williams said this will be a long-term effort that requires cooperation from the nations of the region and the world.
America Supports You: Circus Brings Fitness, Fun to Military Kids
The circus came to town today in the outdoor center courtyard of the military's headquarters. Clowns and other performers with Ringling Brothers Circus brought a lesson of fitness and support for the military to dozens of children accompanying their Pentagon-based parents for the National Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day observance.
The event was organized in conjunction with DoD's America Supports You program, which highlights corporate and grass-roots support for military members and their families. It also recognized April as the Month of the Military Child. In introducing the event, Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson said the performers were thrilled to entertain the "children of military heroes." "This is a special month, the Month of the Military Child," he said. "This is for you kids so we can have fun and unwind." In an interview with American Forces Press Service before the half-hour event, Iverson said he feels it's always important to salute military members, despite possibly conflicting views "about the current state of affairs." "I think anybody who serves and puts their life on the line should always be honored, no matter what you think or what your politics are," he said. This was Iverson's second Pentagon visit.
His first visit was in April 2002 when he and 30-odd Ringling Brothers entertainers put on a show for kids at the then-Pentagon Daycare Center in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. W. Brad Bryant, vice president for field marketing and sales in the southeast for Feld Entertainment, which produces the circus and Disney on Ice shows, said Ringling Brothers is a strong supporter of the military and is proud to be a corporate partner of the America Supports You program. The circus provides a discount on admission price to military members at every performance and is even working to get an elephant on an aircraft carrier for a private performance for military members returning from deployment, he said in an interview. Today's performance centered on a new program called "CircusFit." The Web-based program includes a 21-lesson fitness curriculum geared for second- through fifth-graders and available for anyone to use. "It's our way of helping combat the increasing problem of childhood obesity and childhood inactivity," Enrico Dinges, a Ringling Brothers public relations specialist, said.
He noted that some of the world's greatest athletes -- acrobats, trapeze artists, and even clowns - make their home with the circus. "We thought here's a great opportunity to take those fun skills, integrate them into a fitness curriculum and provide it to educators, youth group leaders and parents," he said. The Web site provides information on all aspects of fitness: flexibility, hydration, nutrition, aerobics, strength, and balance and coordination. "The Web site is dynamic and interactive and keeps you wanting to go to the next level," Bryant said, noting his own two young children enjoy doing activities from the Web site. Two clowns, a costumed character, and an aerobics instructor in today's program led children in attendance through a series of fun activities and skits focused on many of these tenets of fitness. The clowns, Martha and Christina, led four military officers they selected from the crowd through a seemingly impossible balancing exercise that had the crowd in stitches. Nine-year-old Bennett C. McNeill, whose Marine dad participated in the balancing act with the clowns, said he wasn't worried: He knew his dad could do it. Bennett said his favorite part of the program was when his dad was pulled from the crowd. For his part, Maj. Britt McNeill, who works for the Joint Staff, and the three other officers seemed to be pretty good sports in the face of the clowns' antics. He later said the program contained good information for children. "Going through the exercises, and exposing them to the circus and the America Supports You program was good," he said.
U.S. Ship Returns Polish Combat Cargo From Middle East
The U.S. cargo ship MV Cape Decision stopped in Szczecin, Poland, last week and returned combat equipment used by Polish military forces in Iraq. The 681-foot roll-on/roll-off ship off-loaded more than 49,000 square feet of cargo belonging to the Polish army April 19-20. The cargo included more than 160 trucks, six helicopters, tanks, trailers and more than 100 containers of supplies. U.S. Military Sealift Command ships have been a familiar site in this and other Baltic seaports since 2003, when U.S. ships began using them to load coalition cargo bound for the Middle East and for use in Operation Iraqi Freedom. An important partner in OIF, Polish military forces took part in the initial stages of the operation, which began in 2003. At the height of its engagement in the newly democratized country, Poland had 2,500 soldiers deployed to the region. Since 2003, U.S. ships have moved nearly 430,000 square feet, or seven and a half football fields, of combat equipment for Poland. "This is indicative of the enduring relationship the U.S. military has with Poland and our coalition partners in Europe," said Navy Capt. David Wright, commander of Sealift Logistics Command Europe.
The command is responsible for overseeing the movement of U.S. Navy cargo and logistics ships in the U.S. European Command theater. "It is also a great example of the important role Military Sealift Command plays in the U.S. and coalition forces' efforts in Iraq," Wright said. Since the beginning of the global war on terrorism and operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Military Sealift Command has moved more than 88,634,187 square feet of combat equipment for troops in theaters worldwide. That is equal to 932,991 SUVs, which, if lined up bumper-to-bumper, would stretch nearly 2,800 miles from New York City to Los Angeles. The command's ships also have delivered more than 8,808,380,000 gallons of fuel. That is enough fuel to fill the New York's Empire State Building nearly 32 times.
NEWS
Xinhua Finance and Milken Institute Create New China Indicators; Eight New Indicators Provide Insight into Key Sectors
Xinhua Finance Ltd. (TSE Mothers: 9399 and OTC: XHFNY), China's leading financial information and media organization, in partnership with the Milken Institute, one of the world’s leading economic and financial research think tanks, today announced a set of eight new economic indicators that will give investors and firms valuable new information about the Chinese financial markets.
The announcement was made at the 2006 Milken Institute Global Conference, an annual event in Los Angeles that brings together 2,500 of the world’s top executives, money managers and public policy makers. The eight Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute China Indicators will provide investors with a set of standardized, international measurements to gauge the performance of China’s markets and companies participating in those markets.
The new indicators are the Chinese Banking Sector Indicator, the Renminbi Indicator, the Chinese Initial Public Offering Indicator, the Chinese Market-Adjusted Debt Indicator, the Chinese Mergers and Acquisitions Indicator, the Chinese Privatization and Joint Venture Indicator, the Chinese Corporate Governance Indicator and the Trade Openness
Indicator.
These indicators will be updated quarterly, except for the Chinese Banking Sector and Chinese Corporate Governance indicators, which will be updated twice a year, and the Renminbi Indicator, which will be updated monthly. For a full description of each indicator, please refer to the table below.
Xinhua Finance Chief Executive Fredy Bush said the partnership between Xinhua Finance and the Milken Institute is aimed at giving investors new, different and more insightful ways of looking at the China markets.
“No one has created such indicators before for China,” Bush said. “They will provide greater transparency to the China market than has ever been available before. With Xinhua Finance’s China expertise and the Milken Institute’s financial technology and analytical depth in this area, we will be able to provide deeper and more useful ways of looking at the China market.”
The new indicators are relevant given the high level of attention the China markets now attract, Bush said. “The global capital markets now recognize the importance of China’s markets more than ever, and as interest in China grows, the need for accurate and transparent economic analysis becomes more acute. We are pleased to partner in this pioneering initiative with the Milken Institute, which is uniquely qualified and experienced in forward-thinking financial innovations.”
Milken Institute President and CEO Michael L. Klowden agreed that the indicators provide an opportunity to increase transparency in China’s markets.
“We are delighted to be able to partner with Xinhua Finance to provide these important new tools for evaluating China’s economy,” Klowden said. “With our recent work helping reform China’s banking system and introduce debt markets, combined with our extensive capital-markets research, these indicators will provide valuable new insights into China’s financial markets.”
Xinhua Finance and the Milken Institute expect significant demand for these new China indicators as interest and investment in China continues to grow.
List of Xinhua Finance/Milken Institute Indicators
1. Chinese Banking Sector Indicator
The indicator is an annual (or semi-annual) series that tracks the strength, safety and soundness of the Chinese banking system. The indicator will combine measurements of Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity and Sensitivity to risks (CAMELS) into a single indicator. The CAMELS will be modified further taking into account China’s macroeconomic environment.
2. Renminbi Indicator
This indicator will measure the pressure on the Renminbi to appreciate relative to a reference currency. The indicator is calculated on a monthly basis using foreign exchange reserves and imports. Adjustments will be made to reflect the sensitivity of changes in exchange reserves to changes in exchange rates.
3. Chinese Initial Public Offering (IPO) Indicator
Updated quarterly, the Chinese IPO Indicator will track the performance of IPOs as well as the IPO intensity of the Chinese equity market. The indicator will be a weighted average of data points that will include the performance of past IPOs, the change in exchange listings and the normalized number of new IPOs. Sub-indicators will be calculated for the two domestic Chinese markets, A and B equities, and for foreign markets (e.g. Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Tokyo).
4. Chinese Market Adjusted Debt (MAD) Indicator
Updated quarterly, the Chinese MAD Indicator will provide important data on the leverage and valuation of publicly listed Chinese firms. Primary data used will include debt and market capitalization of the largest Chinese firms. Sub-indicators will be calculated for various sectors.
5. Chinese Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Indicator
Updated quarterly, the Chinese M&A Indicator will track the intensity of M&A activity in China. The indicator will be calculated as a weighted average of M&A activity both cross-border and within the country. Weightings for these data will conceivably include some or all of the following: revenues, market capitalization and assets of targets or acquirers.
6. Chinese Privatization and Joint Venture Indicator
Updated quarterly, the Chinese Privatization and Joint Venture Indicator will provide important data on the relative performance of the private and state-owned sectors of the Chinese economy. The indicator will be calculated as a weighted average of data that will include the performance (e.g. profitability and employment) of the private and public sectors, encompassing privatization activity and joint ventures.
7. Chinese Corporate Governance Indicator
This measures the degree to which Chinese firms conform to broad standards of good corporate governance.
8. Trade Openness Indicator
This quarterly time series indicator tracks progress toward WTO compliance, starting from 2001. It will gauge the development in the financial and trade sectors with respect to the commitments made as a condition of becoming a member of the WTO. The indicator will be accompanied by descriptive information regarding compliance.
More information:
Xinhua Finance Limited is China’s unchallenged leader in financial information and media, and is listed on the Mothers board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China’s financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors through four focused and complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial News and Investor Relations. Founded in November 1999, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai with 21 news bureaus and offices in 18 locations across Asia, Australia, North America and Europe. For more information, please visit www.xinhuafinance.com.
About the Institute: The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, independent economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and implement innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity. It is based in Santa Monica, CA. (www.milkeninstitute.org)
: (Absolute Poker se pone al volante por medio de Jeff Natland en el Gumball 3000 Rally
- Absolute Poker se pone al volante a través de Jeff Natland en el Gumball 3000 Rally para competir alrededor del mundo durante 8 días
- Se trata de una oportunidad única de conseguir un viaje a la Mansión de Playboy y de jugar al póquer con las estrellas
Absolute Poker www.absolutepoker.com la cuarta página web de póquer online a nivel mundial, ha anunciado que Jeff Natland será el encargado de pilotar el Ferrari F430 Spider de Absolute Poker como parte del acuerdo de patrocinio de la carrera Gumball 3000 Rally 2006, que comenzará este fin de semana en Londres (Inglaterra). Absolute is Poker es uno de los diez patrocinadores generales de este evento. La octava edición anual de la Gumball 3000, el rally automovilístico de culto más grande de todo el mundo, combina la aventura de Phileas Fogg de atravesar el mundo en 80 días a través de un tour estilo estrella de rock, una aventura de 3.000 millas (unos 4.500 kilómetros) alrededor del mundo, que comenzará en Londres (30 de abril), realizando escalas en Europa y Asia, finalizando ocho días después en Los Ángeles (7 de mayo). Además, Absolute Poker dará oportunidades de conseguir una entrada en la fiesta de la Gumball 3000, que se celebrará en la Mansión Playboy. Están previstos los eventos promocionales para los eventos de la Gumball 3000 o en versión online desde la página http://www.absolutepoker.com
"Tenemos muchas ganas de poner en marcha este fantástico evento", comentó Mike Edwards, responsable de marketing de Absolute Poker. "Qué mejor combinación que coches de altas prestaciones, aventura global, estrellas de rock, famosos y, por supuesto, nuestra diversión favorita... el póquer. Absolute Poker participará en la carrera Gumball 3000, ya que sabemos que nuestros clientes son aventureros natos, y que les gusta vivir de forma rápida, tal y como hacen".
El Ferrari F430 de Absolute Poker
Jeff Natland es socio de Arizona Bay, una compañía privada consultora de gestión empresarial y tecnológica con sede en San Francisco, California. Antes de trabajar para Arizona Bay, Jeff fue responsable de información de Neteller, socio de Absolute Poker, y principal proveedor de servicio de la transferencia de fondos seguros online. Su vehículo, uno de los 120 participantes en esta carrera, es un Ferrari F430 Spider de 2006 color gris carbón, y está dispuesto a levantar el asfalto. El F430 de Ferrari ha servido para evolucionar el estilo mostrado en el nuevo 612 Scaglietti, y ha recibido una importante influencia del supercoche de Ferrari, el Enzo. Pero el Ferrari F430 no es sólo una bonita presencia, ya que cuenta con un motor central capaz de proporcionar una potencia de más de 483 caballos, consiguiendo una aceleración de 0 a 100 kilómetros por hora de 3,9 segundos. Venga al evento y hágase una foto con las chicas de Absolute Poker frente al coche. Todas las fotos se mostrarán en el Absolute Poker Online Wall of Fame.
Consiga una entrada para la Mansión de Playboy
Absolute Poker hará posible que todos puedan disfrutar de la diversión mediante dos excitantes promociones. En primer lugar, todos los que asistan a los eventos d
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April 27, 2006
Opie & Anthony Return to CBS RADIO
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne April 27, 2006
MBN
www.montebubbles.com for more MBN news
INTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE
First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX and NBC and now there is MBN ( unofficially the sixth largest supplier of NEWS by and American company. More then 100 pages of news a day and BROADCAST NEWS COMING SOON VIA PODCAST )
SUNDAYS ARE NOW PICTURE DAY Pictures that we have taken and not published during before will be placed here on Sunday of each week for your viewing pleasure
International news from Asia and Latin news in English and Spanish here now
More exciting changes coming each day.
Watch for the MBN Politically incorrect SUV
MONTEBUBBLISM: Antiques are much like works of art. You can’t place a real value on a work of art and a antique is worth only what you think it is.
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
The Los Angeles Antique show April 28-30
New Web Based TV for Country People
Opie & Anthony Return to CBS RADIO
Orb Networks CEO Participates in 2006 OnHollywood 'Future of TV' Panel, Top Innovator Demo Program
American Eagle Outfitters and DMX MUSIC Want to Take You on a 'Road Trip Party' With Platinum Interscope Recording Artists the All-American Rejects
'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' Breaks Attendance Records Drawing 707,534 Visitors to The Museum Of Art | Fort Lauderdale
Channel Mexico 22 to Broadcast Mexican Presidential Candidate Debates Live in the United States,
HP Streamlines Flow of Digital Entertainment From Content Creators to ConsumersFormer Chairman of RTNDA and Emmy Award-Winning CBS News Director Mike Cavender Joins Medialink
Nero Partners With Digital Rapids to Provide Professional AVC Solutions for Post- Production, Broadcast, IPTV and More
Warner Home Video Has Mother's Day All Wrapped Up; Mother's Day Gift Sets Include a Mother's Day Card, Envelope and Gift Bag On-Packed with the DVD;
First Nero Digital™ Certified High-Definition Media Player Now Available from KiSS Networked Entertainment
Harmonic to Add Support for Dolby Digital Plus
SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland & Dodger BaseballExpo(TM) Coming to the Orange County Fairgrounds and Expo Center May 19-21st; The NBA is a Slam Dunk With Avid Fans in San Antonio; Sacramento, CA; and Indianapolis, INDiscovery Channel Embarks on 'Race to Replace' Anystream, the leading provider of multiplatform publishing solutions to the media industryNEWS and News in Spanish
Operation Independence Civilian-to military Delivery at NAB
L'ISAN s'étend aux jeux vidéo Primeiros Ministros Discutem os Principais Problemas que as Economias das Ilhas do Caribe Enfrentam Canal México 22 Transmitirá en Vivo en Estados Unidos los Debates de los Candidatos a la Presidencia de México, Siendo el Primero Mañana, Martes 25 de Abril
The annual United Nations 2006 Latin Economic Forum was held on April 19-20, 2006
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
The Los Angeles Antique show April 28-30
Over the last decade the Los Angeles Antique show has changed into a show respected for its quality, admired for its elegance and often just enjoyed for thr your fun of shopping as entertainment.
The evening of the 26th Joyce Chow and I arrived fashionibly late from the NAB in Las Vegas to cover the press preview.
We were met at the door and press sign-in table with appreciation that we came. We were delayed in Las Vegas by the need to get a breaking story out and then hit traffic that delayed us over a hour and a half.
Once in the building we came upon antiques from over four centuries to cast out eyes upon.
There was something there for the tastes of any collector, art, jewelry,furnishings, design and decoration.
Those presenting at the show were very friendly and willing to talk about what they had brought with them.
Many had placed their special for this show only prices on display for all to see what they were asking for what they had to sell.
It is the place to be this weekin if you want to see quality, information and history all in the same place at the sametime.
New Web Based TV for Country People
The Country Channel uses the explosion in broadband uptake and technical improvements in web based TV, to deliver a unique new service for everyone who has a passion for the countryside. The Country Channel launches in preview format on May 1 and is located at www.countrychannel.tv; the channel goes live on June 1st 2006.
Dealing with subjects that are important to country people, the Country Channel will provide targeted information that is relevant to people who live, work or play, in the countryside.
The Country Channel will appeal to groups with shared interests such as horse riders, field and country pursuits, clubs and societies, wildlife and twitchers, conservationists, ramblers, walkers, anglers, farmers and small holders.
The Country Channel is being championed by some famous faces associated with country matters such as Tony Francis (Director of the Country Channel) and Wendy Nelson, both of ITV's Heart of the Country; Lucinda Prior-Palmer, former Olympic Medallist Show Jumper and Adam Henson of BBC TV's countryfile and the Cotswold farm Park. BBC TV's Breakfast Presenter Rob Bonnet is also a Director and a Country Channel champion. He says: "This is the first on-line TV service for a general audience and will be a hit with both those who live in the country and those with a keen interest in the countryside."
To preview the Country Channel, go to www.countrychannel.tv ideally through your broadband connection. For dial up users, please visit www.countrychannel.co.uk
Source: countrychannel.tv
Opie & Anthony Return to CBS RADIO
Unprecedented Agreement Between CBS RADIO and XM Satellite Radio Provides Opie & Anthony with Dual Platform, Including Exclusive Show on XM. CBS RADIO and XM Satellite Radio today announced an unprecedented agreement that will mark the return of OPIE AND ANTHONY (Gregg "Opie" Hughes and "Anthony" Cumia) to CBS RADIO stations in seven major markets -- New York, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and West Palm Beach -- beginning on Wednesday, April 26.
Under the terms of the agreement, CBS RADIO will broadcast a three-hour version of the popular Opie & Anthony show on their stations from 6:00-9:00AM, ET each weekday morning (3:00-6:00PM, ET in Cleveland). This show will originate from CBS RADIO's WFNY-FM 92.3 FREE FM studio in New York and be simulcast on XM uncensored. Opie and Anthony will continue to broadcast from 9:00-11:00AM, ET exclusively for XM's more than 6.5 million subscribers live from their current XM studio in New York.
Additionally, CBS RADIO stations in New York, Dallas and Philadelphia will stream the three-hour show online at http://www.923freefm.com/, http://www.1053freefm.com/ and http://www.941freefm.com/, respectively. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"With the combination of XM and CBS RADIO, we now have the best gig in the business. The O & A Show is going to be bigger and better than ever," said Gregg "Opie" Hughes.
"We'll now be able to reach millions of new fans and old fans with our new morning show on CBS while offering our loyal XM listeners an uncut show and two extra hours that will only be available on XM," said Anthony Cumia.
"Opie and Anthony have proven their determination to succeed in this business, and have a relationship with their audience that is second to none in the industry," said Joel Hollander, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CBS RADIO. "CBS RADIO is well known for having among its portfolio some of the best brands in radio, and it's great to have O&A among that stable again. Loyal listeners of O&A have grown accustomed to a show that's real and entertaining. As we move forward, we do so with confidence that this new enterprise will continue in that same spirit."
"XM's agreement with CBS RADIO is a big win for everyone," said Hugh Panero, President and CEO, XM Satellite Radio. "Opie & Anthony will now reach millions of new listeners and will continue to entertain the more than 6.5 million XM subscribers who have made their exclusive show on XM one of our most popular. XM is committed to creating the best content in radio and today's announcement is an example of how we're able to leverage it in a variety of ways that help build our business."
Opie and Anthony will be heard on the following CBS RADIO stations:
New York -- WFNY 92.3
Dallas -- KLLI 105.3
Philadelphia -- WYSP 94.1
Boston -- WBCN 104.1
Pittsburgh -- WRKZ 93.7
Cleveland -- WXRK 92.3
West Palm Beach -- WPBZ 103.1
Gregg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia joined XM Satellite Radio in 2004. Since their satellite radio debut in October 2004, the talk duo have become one of the most popular programs on XM's lineup. Hughes and Cumia first teamed up in 1994 hosting an evening program for WBAB-FM in Long Island, NY. In early 1995, the duo moved to WAAF-FM in Worcester, MA, where they began hosting "Opie and Anthony Show" in the afternoons and became one of the Boston market's most popular radio shows. The team left Boston in 1998 and moved to New York's WNEW-FM, where they became the number one afternoon drive show. Their show was syndicated to 22 markets around the country.
About CBS RADIO
CBS RADIO is one of the largest major-market operators in the United States with stations covering news, alternative rock, country, FM talk, classic rock, oldies, JACK and urban formats, among others. A division of CBS Corporation, CBS RADIO operates 179 radio stations, the majority of which are in the nation's top 50 markets. CBS RADIO also has made aggressive moves to converge new and traditional media through creative programming and advanced delivery methods, including online streaming, HD Radio and podcasting. In May 2005, CBS RADIO launched the world's first podcast programmed radio station, KYOURADIO. Additionally, CBS Radio is home to 29 of the country's leading sports franchises amongst MLB, the NFL, the NBA, the WNBA and the NHL, including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Chicago Bears and the Detroit Red Wings. For more information on CBS RADIO, please visit http://www.cbsradio.com/.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number one satellite radio service with more than 6.5 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music channels, sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 130 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit
.Source: CBS RADIO
Web site: http://www.cbsradio.com/
http://www.xmradio.com/
http://www.923freefm.com/
http://www.1053freefm.com/
http://www.941freefm.com/
Orb Networks CEO Participates in 2006 OnHollywood 'Future of TV' Panel, Top Innovator Demo Program
Orb Networks, the pioneering developer of software for instant access to content everywhere, announced today that Jim Behrens, the company's CEO, will speak on the "Future of TV" panel discussion at OnHollywood 2006, the digital media and entertainment market for executives, being held May 2-4 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, CA. Orb Networks, which received a 2006 OnHollywood Top 100 Private Company Innovator award, will also participate in the Top Innovator Demo program at the conference.
This insider industry event borrows on the "film market" tradition by providing a space for pioneering digital media companies to present a six- minute Top Innovator Demo of their products and services. Orb Networks has the opportunity to demo its product and present its business model at the event in a front of an expert panel and a live and global webcast audience of industry influencers. Orb Networks will be presenting its demo on Thursday, May 4.
In addition to the demos, a series of thought-provoking panel discussions will be conducted, bringing together the brightest minds in digital media and entertainment to share their perspectives on the challenges, opportunities and business models of the digital era. In what is sure to be a lively exchange of ideas, Orb's CEO Behrens joins industry experts to discuss "The Future of TV" on May 3. He joins moderator George Zachary, Partner, Charles River Ventures; Joey Carson, CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions; Lewis Henderson, Senior Vice President of William Morris; Adrian Sexton, Vice President of Digital Media, Lions Gate Entertainment; and Jonathan Taplin, CEO and Founder of Intertainer and Professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communications.
"The future of TV is about the content, not the viewing device, and the balance of power shifts to the consumer," said Behrens. "The multi-device Internet is sweeping away the old order of television right before our eyes. Traditional broadcast is becoming just one more feed into what at Orb we call a 'mycast' world, where consumers will each roll their own highly personalized television programming, from home and from Internet sources, and enjoy it instantly from any Web device anywhere. Consumers will watch exactly what they want, when and where they want it."
To arrange a briefing with Orb Networks at OnHollywwod, please contact Vice President of Communications Ann Willey at ann.willey@orb.com.
The Top Innovator Demo program is a compelling environment for digital media companies to communicate how they plan to exploit the new opportunities in online entertainment and media," said Tony Perkins, organizer of OnHollywood 2006 and founder of AlwaysOn. "Our view is that the consumer is now leading the direction of technology innovation, and that the 'Instant Messaging Generation' is now firmly in charge, having taken the baton from the PC generation. These companies will be showcasing how their firms can contribute to this digital revolution. This is a chance to gain valuable feedback from leading industry insiders and meet peers and partners, as well as to attract the attention of the venture and press communities."
OnHollywod 2006 is where cutting-edge technology CEOs from all over the planet converge on Hollywood and mix it up with the entertainment and media establishment.
For further information, please visit: http://www.alwayson-network/onhollywood.
About Orb Networks, Inc.
Orb Networks is the pioneering developer of software and services that give people secure, free, and instant access to all their digital media everywhere. The award-winning Orb software makes it easy for consumers to enjoy their home and Internet TV, music, videos, photos, podcasts, and other digital content from mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops everywhere. Orb is a member of the DLNA and is a privately held company in Emeryville, California. For more information about Orb, please visit www.orb.com.
About OnHollywood 2006: May 2-4 @ The Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood.
OnHollywood is where cutting edge technology from the backstreets of Silicon Valley converges with Hollywood's media and entertainment elite. The three-day event borrows on the "film market" tradition by providing an open environment for digital media and entertainment entrepreneurs to meet the big-time studio, Telco and consumer electronics executives, venture capitalists and media. OnHollywood delves into the challenges, opportunities and business models of the digital era, and showcases the most innovative private companies that are revolutionizing the way media and entertainment is created, distributed and consumed.
About AlwaysOn
AlwaysOn is transforming the communications business with its online blogging network for technology, media and entertainment insiders, establishing it as a leader in the Open Media revolution. Borrowing from the underground traditions of blogging and social networking, AlwaysOn (http://www.alwayson-network/onhollywood) was launched in 2003. Today, AO's annual Summit @ Stanford and OnHollywood events, print "blogozine" and online services encourage direct collaboration between global thought leaders and technology insiders. No other media brand has dared allow such openness amongst its readers and participants. AlwaysOn LLC is a privately held company born out of and virtually headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Source: Orb Networks, Inc.
Web site: http://www.orb.com/
American Eagle Outfitters and DMX MUSIC Want to Take You on a 'Road Trip Party' With Platinum Interscope Recording Artists the All-American Rejects
Grand Prize Includes VIP Seating for One Winner and 15 Guests at a Private Concert to Be Held at an American Eagle Store in Los Angeles
American Eagle Outfitters sponsors a "Road Trip Party" with the All-American Rejects and audio and video foreground content provider DMX MUSIC. The online promotion runs until May 2, 2006 and participants can enter at http://www.ae.com/ and http://www.allamericanrejects.com/ .
As part of the promotion, American Eagle will offer an exclusive four-song DVD performance of the All-American Rejects' "Live at the Wiltern LG" with a purchase of $75 or more. DMX MUSIC has also developed targeted programming for American Eagle stores to run throughout the promotion that will include All-American Rejects' music, liners, videos and in-store voice-overs. Point- of-sale items include in-store signage and business card bag stuffers.
"American Eagle believes in young, up and coming artists. Our Road Trip Party with the All-American Rejects allows our customers the opportunity to do the things they love and still get excited about the brand," said Adam Diamond, Vice President of Marketing Operations.
"We are very excited to be able to bring this promotion to market," said Lynda Stenge, Strategic Promotions Manager for DMX MUSIC. "As one of the hottest bands around today, the All-American Rejects perfectly complement the cool, laid-back lifestyle of the American Eagle customer. A great strength of DMX MUSIC is that our in-house team has once again done a fantastic job of pairing the right band with the right brand."
The "Road Trip Party" Grand Prize package includes VIP seating for one grand prize winner and 15 guests, plus a meet & greet with the band prior to the private All-American Rejects concert at an undisclosed American Eagle store in Los Angeles, CA on June 24, 2006. Hotel, airfare and transportation in Los Angeles, plus a $500 "private shopping spree" gift card to American Eagle is also part of the Grand Prize package.
Each First Prize will consist of one guitar signed by the All-American Rejects and one $500 American Eagle gift card. Each Second Prize will consist of one $50 American Eagle gift card and one autographed All-American Rejects CD.
About American Eagle
American Eagle Outfitters is a leading retailer that designs, markets and sells its own brand of laidback, current clothing targeting 15 to 25 year-olds, providing high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. AE's original collection includes standards like jeans and graphic Ts as well as essentials like accessories, outerwear, footwear, basics and swimwear. American Eagle Outfitters currently operates 799 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 71 AE stores in Canada. AE also operates http://www.ae.com/ , which offers additional sizes and styles of favorite AE merchandise and ships around the world. The company plans to open MARTIN + OSA, a new sportswear concept targeting 25 to 40 year old women and men, in the fall of 2006. For additional information and updates, visit http://www.martinandosa.com/ .
About DMX MUSIC
For more than 30 years, DMX MUSIC has been an industry leader in the development and engineering of foreground music, audio message marketing and enhanced visual environments. Key to the company's success is its research- based understanding of consumer lifestyle behavior patterns as they relate to the strategies and goals of businesses. DMX MUSIC's customers represent top global industries and include such retailing category leaders as Nike, Hilton Hotels, The Limited Brands, PF Chang's, Restoration Hardware, Gold's Gym, California Pizza Kitchen and Starwood Hotels. For more information, visit us on the Web at http://www.dmxmusic.com/ .
Source: American Eagle Outfitters; DMX MUSIC
Web site: http://www.ae.com/
http://www.martinandosa.com/
http://www.dmxmusic.com/
http://www.allamericanrejects.com/
'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' Breaks Attendance Records Drawing 707,534 Visitors to The Museum Of Art | Fort Lauderdale
King Tut Attracts Visitors Round-the-Clock During Final Two Days The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale (MoA | FL) today announced that 707,534 people visited "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" during its run at the museum from December 15, 2005 to April 23, 2006. Sponsored by Northern Trust, the exhibition broke all previous attendance records at the museum and increased the membership base by 150 percent. The exhibit is organized by National Geographic, AEG Exhibitions and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, and is sponsored locally by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.
Roughly a month after opening, attendance numbers to the King Tut exhibition surpassed the two previous MoA | FL blockbuster exhibitions combined. "Saint Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes" touted more than 150,000 visitors in 2003-2004 and "Diana: A Celebration" drew more than 130,000 patrons in 2004-2005.
"It has been a tremendous honor for Florida to host the 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' exhibit over the past four months," said Governor Jeb Bush. "More than 700,000 visitors have seen this awe-inspiring collection, which has made a positive impact on our state's economy. As one of the top travel destinations in the world, we thank those who have come from far and wide to view this historic exhibition."
"For hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Museum of Art, it has been a dazzling experience," said Irvin M. Lippman, president and executive director for Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale. "The excitement that has followed King Tut since the discovery of his tomb in 1922 has only increased in intensity to the status of phenomena. We are pleased to have been part of the international tour of one of the most important and beautiful exhibitions of ancient Egyptian art to travel to the United States."
The exhibition has had a significant impact on the local economy, bringing in an estimated $150 million in revenue to Broward County. Approximately 87.5 percent of tickets sold were from outside Ft. Lauderdale.
"We estimate that the King Tut exhibition at The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale generated approximately $150 million throughout the Broward County economy -- from the beaches to the Everglades," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Blockbuster cultural events mean business to Greater Fort Lauderdale. Only Super Bowl has had a greater impact on our area."
Total attendance for the exhibition, after its second U.S. stop, is more than 1.6 million. The Los Angeles engagement, which ran from June 16 to November 15, 2005, was the most attended art exhibition worldwide in 2005, as cited by The Arts Newspaper. The exhibition will now head to The Field Museum in Chicago where it will run from May 26, 2006 to Jan. 1, 2007, where approximately 150,000 tickets have been pre-sold.
ABOUT MUSEUM OF ART | FORT LAUDERDALE
On the strength of such exhibitions as "Saint Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes," "Diana: A Celebration," and now "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale has become one of South Florida's leading cultural institutions. The upcoming exhibition schedule includes Highwaymen Newton and Hair: The American Dream in the Sunshine State (June 1-November 20, 2006); Platonic Solids: A Light Installation by Matthew Schreiber the Museum's 2006 Artist in Residence (June 1 - October 16, 2006); Chicano Visions (November 8, 2006 - May 5, 2007) and Cradle of Christianity: Treasures from the Holy Land, a major exhibition about the shared roots of Christianity and Judaism and organized by the Israel Museum, Jerusalem (December 7, 2006 - April 15, 2007).
Source: Museum Of Art | Fort Lauderdale
Channel Mexico 22 to Broadcast Mexican Presidential Candidate Debates Live in the United States,
Alterna'TV, one of the largest channel distributors for Latin American television in the United States, and Channel Mexico 22, Mexico's cultural channel, will transmit the Mexican presidential candidate debates live, the first of which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, April 25, at 6:30 PM Pacific time, 8:30 PM Central time and 9:30 PM Eastern time.
Participating candidates in the first debate include: Felipe Calderon, candidate for the National Action Party (PAN); Roberto Madrazo, candidate for the Alliance for Mexico (PRI and the Green Ecological Party); Patricia Mercado, candidate for the Social Democrat and Farmers' Alternate Party; and Roberto Campa, candidate for the New Alliance Party.
Set-up on stage for the presidential candidates' debate will include five chairs or podiums, despite the fact that the candidate for the Coalition for Everyone's Welfare (PRD, PT and Convergence), Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, will not participate in the debate.
The second debate, which Channel Mexico 22 will also broadcast live in the United States, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6. As of today, all five candidates have confirmed their participation in this debate.
About MEXICO 22
Channel Mexico 22 is currently distributed through DirecTV PARA TODOS packages on a national level, and through Comcast's CableLatino and CharterLatino in select Hispanic markets. The channel gathers all of Mexico's artistic and cultural expressions in one single site: our roots, our origins, our traditions ... Channel Mexico 22, a signal that draws closer to you day by day! Please visit our website at http://www.22.mx.tv/ to learn more about MEXICO 22.
About ALTERNA'TV
ALTERNA'TV distributes channels that have been carefully selected as the leaders in their country of origin, such as: ONCE MEXICO, MEXICO 22, ECUAVISA INTERNACIONAL, NDTV THE DOMINICAN CHANNEL, CB TELEVISION MICHOACAN, LATINOAMERICA TELEVISION, MEXICANAL, AYM SPORTS and TEVE-DE-MENTE. ALTERNA'TV channels offer programming in different genres that include documentaries, art and culture, news, music, children's programming, cooking and entertainment in general. Please visit our website at http://www.alternatv.com.mx/
HP Streamlines Flow of Digital Entertainment From Content Creators to Consumers
HP () today announced new solutions that help companies and consumers benefit from the historic transition to digital entertainment.
The company introduced the HP Digital Media Solution, standards-based technology that automates the workflow for broadcasters and network operators, as well as a new workstation lineup with enhancements in performance and mobility for video editors and animators.
In addition to the product offerings, HP announced deployment successes with HP partners Time Broadband and Siemens Business Services. For Time Broadband, HP will act as the systems integrator for India's first commercial IPTV service, to be launched by MTNL, the state-owned telecom operator. As part of a Siemens solution for the BBC in the United Kingdom, HP will deploy a multi-petabyte data storage system designed to allow the broadcaster to efficiently store, transport and share digital content.
The announcements were made at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show, where HP is demonstrating solutions from across its digital media portfolio in booth No. SL3744 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
"HP is one of the few companies that contributes at every point in the digital media supply chain," said Sebastiano Tevarotto, vice president and general manager, Network and Service Provider Business, HP. "With our solutions and services -- plus our understanding of the consumer experience -- HP is driving the digital transformation, from the way entertainment is created and distributed to the way it is consumed and enjoyed."
HP automates digital workflow for broadcasters and network operators
The HP Digital Media Solution enables broadcasters and network operators to automate every aspect of the digital workflow, from ingestion or creation of new content, through editing, processing and storage, to archiving and retrieval.
Drawing on the HP Digital Media Platform, which enables media companies to create content once to distribute many times in any format, the HP Digital Media Solution includes four application-specific "editions" that are optimized for specialized business and operational needs. They are: the Syndicate Edition and IPTV Live Edition, available now, and the Mobile Edition and Archive Edition, expected to be available later this year.
HP named integrator for India IPTV service by Time Broadband
MTNL, the state-owned telecom operator, has selected Time Broadband Services Limited as its first broadband content partner for a new IPTV service. Time Broadband in turn chose HP to act as systems integrator for the IPTV deployments.
The new commercial IPTV service, India's first, will be launched initially in New Delhi and Mumbai, targeting 200,000 MTNL broadband subscribers in the first year.
"Time Broadband selected HP as its system integrator for this project due to its worldwide experience," said Sujata Dev, managing director, Time Broadband. "We needed an IT partner that we could rely upon in this exciting new project and who could act as an advisor and a partner to us."
The HP IPTV offerings include tools and processes to streamline IPTV service creation, configuration and management. HP and its partners provide a standards-based platform that enables service providers to integrate, deploy and manage a high-quality video delivery service for their subscribers.
New HP workstations for content creation
HP introduced four high-performance workstations for video editors, engineers, designers and animators.
The new desk-side HP xw6400 and xw8400 Workstations, based on dual-core Intel(R) Xeon(TM) processors, feature greater expandability, while the HP Compaq nw8440 and nw9440 Mobile Workstations offer the power of a workstation with the convenience of a notebook. The nw9440 Mobile Workstation is HP's most powerful mobile workstation to date.
HP also provides major movie studios and entertainment companies with high-performance, standards-based server platforms for creating or adapting digital content.
HP supports Siemens' comprehensive digital solution for the BBC
HP technology is an integral part of a comprehensive Siemens Business Services' solution for the BBC, as announced today by Siemens in a separate press release.
The HP Media Storage solution is designed for the specific needs of the broadcast and media industries. As a centralized storage repository for digital content, especially large media files, it reduces duplication, enhances collaboration, provides more cost-effective data lifecycle management, and enables higher throughput and faster time-to-market.
The solution uses HP StorageWorks XP, EVA and MSA SAN arrays, HP Virtual Tape Library and ESL/E tape libraries, and it features the policy-based data management software from HP partner, ADIC.
HP executive at NAB: "Digital Media - Hollywood Meets Silicon Valley"
Willem de Zoete, vice president and general manager of the Digital Entertainment Services business at HP, will deliver an address that describes how digital content management solutions and services can accelerate the strategies of video content publishers, post-production companies, distributors and retailers.
Part of the NAB Multimedia World Super Session series, the address is scheduled for Monday, April 24, from 5-6 p.m. in room S222 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. A panel discussion of industry leaders will follow de Zoete's address.
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About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2006, HP revenue totaled $87.9 billion. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.
Intel and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to anticipated operational and financial results; statements of expectation or belief; and any statement of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the achievement of expected results and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to the risks described in HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 31, 2006, and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2005. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
(C) 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Former Chairman of RTNDA and Emmy Award-Winning CBS News Director Mike Cavender Joins Medialink
Emmy Award-winning news veteran Mike Cavender has joined the regional business development team of Medialink Worldwide Incorporated (Nasdaq: MDLK), a global leader in providing news and media services for professional communicators and marketers, it was announced today. A former Chairman of the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), Cavender will provide strategic counsel to public relations and marketing professionals at corporations, agencies and not-for-profit organizations throughout the Southeast from his base in Atlanta.
Cavender brings to Medialink more than two decades of experience as a major market broadcast news executive, having served as a vice president and news director at CBS television affiliates in Washington D.C., Atlanta, Tampa, Fla., and Nashville, Tenn. In addition, his leadership work for the RTNDA includes his contributions as a trustee and former Chairman of RTNDF, the group's non-profit foundation. Earlier in his career, Cavender was a writer, producer and executive producer in both print and broadcast media.
Most recently, Cavender was a partner in an Atlanta-based media services firm, where he developed and managed the marketing, communications and media relations plans of several Fortune 500 companies. His broadcast media relations programs for clients have been honored with multiple Phoenix Awards by the Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in its annual statewide competition that recognizes excellence in the public relations profession.
"As an award-winning journalist and media professional, Mike possesses the knowledge, skills and experience to provide clients with solid counsel on how best to deliver content to newsrooms and across other media platforms," said Larry Thomas, chief operating officer of Medialink. "With his journalism expertise and stellar accomplishments as a media industry leader, Mike's record speaks for itself. We are honored to have him as part of our team."
Cavender will tap into Medialink's comprehensive suite of broadcast and broadband services to help PR and marketing clients meet their diverse communications objectives. In addition to business development activity, Cavender's responsibilities will include working with Medialink's team of seasoned media relations professionals to continue establishing and maintaining relationships with TV and radio news directors across the country.
"Increasingly, multimedia news and information is accessed on demand and on the go by audiences who want to stay informed on a variety of topics, and thousands of communications professionals rely upon Medialink's unmatched portfolio of services to harness the power of video and audio in this exciting new world," stated Cavender. "I look forward to working with clients to develop and implement strategies that engage audiences with meaningful messages delivered through the media that matter."
Medialink's vast array of media resources encompasses its global network of state-of-the-art broadcast facilities, including a Global Broadcast Center in New York and studios in Hollywood and London; a digital newsroom offering multimedia content via an online portal to Web publishers and journalists; and a full-time staff of producers and media relations experts, including a dedicated unit for Spanish-language services. The Company recently launched its direct-to-consumer broadband distribution platform that delivers client content in multiple formats to the public via the Internet and a host of mobile media-playing devices. By offering direct-to-consumer content, Medialink greatly expands the reach of is traditional analog and digital satellite delivery to broadcasters.
More than 150 professionals in Medialink's offices in the United States and United Kingdom bring together their diverse backgrounds in marketing and public relations, journalism, and digital content management and research to help the Company's 3,000 clients achieve communications success. Since its inception in 1986, a customer-focused approach has driven the development of Medialink's staff, which includes experienced employees from organizations such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, The BBC, Dow Jones, United Press International, and CNBC.
About Medialink:
Medialink is a global leader in providing unique news and marketing media strategies and solutions that enable corporations and organizations to inform and educate their target audiences with maximum impact on television, radio, print, and the Internet. The Company offers creative services and multimedia distribution programs including video and audio news and short-form programming, press release newswire distribution, and photography production and digital distribution. Through its subsidiaries, Medialink also provides Teletrax(TM), a global television tracking and media asset management service to help clients determine return on investment from their programming and advertising efforts. Based in New York, Medialink has offices in major cities throughout the United States and an international hub in London. For additional investor and financial information, please visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's Web site (http://www.medialink.com).
Nero Partners With Digital Rapids to Provide Professional AVC Solutions for Post- Production, Broadcast, IPTV and More
Nero, leaders in digital media technology, today announced a partnership with Digital Rapids, a leading developer of professional hardware and software solutions for post production, broadcast, IPTV, Video on Demand (VOD) and other advanced media applications.
The first collaboration between the two companies is the integration of Nero's industry-leading AVC/H.264 and High Efficiency AAC, which are core components of Nero's ISO-standard Nero Digital™ technologies. Supporting the best in audio and video compression, Nero Digital™ technology family includes MPEG-4 and AAC, AVC/H.264 and High Efficiency AAC for the ultimate viewing experience from mobile phones to High Definition video screens.
Moving forward, Nero and Digital Rapids will continue working on a number of market-facing solutions, combining Nero's superior technologies with Digital Rapids' industry-leading software and hardware solutions for professional video ingest, playout, encoding, transcoding, and delivery.
"Our partnership with Digital Rapids, a major player in the professional video industry, underscores the great potential of our Nero Digital codec in this market, " said Udo Eberlein, President, Nero, Inc. "Nero Digital offers superior compression technology with universal MPEG-4 compatibility, making it the ideal format for both professional and consumer audio and video applications."
"We're very pleased to be partnering with Nero to bring the benefits of Nero Digital technology to our customers through the Digital Rapids Pro AVC plug-in," said Brick Eksten , President of Digital Rapids Corporation. "Nero is setting the standard for MPEG-4 AVC, with the broadest install base and leading-edge commitments to Blu-ray and HD DVD. We look forward to working with Nero on further extensions of our technologies and enabling our customers to reach even wider audiences."
Nero will be showcasing Nero Digital at NAB show, Booth SL 193. For additional information, visit www.nerodigital.com .
About Nero
Nero (www.nero.com) develops and distributes the world's leading digital media solutions for consumers and professionals. Today more than 200 million users worldwide rely on Nero's award-winning and trusted, industry approved applications to manage the needs of the connected digital home and forward-thinking corporations.
Nero's rapidly-growing portfolio of products defines new levels of innovation in the company's three key areas of focus: Digital Media Solutions - delivering multimedia applications for audio, video, photo and TV capturing, editing, burning, managing and sharing; Audio and Video Compression Technologies - providing world-class interoperable standards-based solutions for encoding and decoding digital content with support for Next Generation HD and popular handheld formats; and VoIP Solutions - providing cost-effective voice, text and video communication over the Internet for home and business.
Nero products are globally distributed by leading hardware manufacturers, international distribution partners and online portals, and can be purchased directly at www.nero.com. Nero provides worldwide coverage through Nero AG, based in Karlsbad , Germany and two subsidiaries: Nero Inc. in Glendale , California , USA and Nero K.K. in Yokohama , Japan .
About Digital Rapids Corporation
Digital Rapids is a leading developer of professional hardware and software solutions for real-time video ingest, playout, transcoding, and streaming. Product lines include Stream video ingest and transcoding solutions, Copper for the secure and error corrected distribution of digital media over diverse networks, StreamZHD and CarbonHD, an HD product line for real-time HD acquisition, playout, and transcoding. Digital Rapids products integrate seamlessly into existing post production, broadcast, and corporate environments, dramatically increasing the volume and quality of media produced while increasing productivity and lowering overall costs. Digital Rapids Corporation (www.digital-rapids.com) is headquartered in Ontario , Canada and has sales offices in California, the UK and Australia .
Warner Home Video Has Mother's Day All Wrapped Up; Mother's Day Gift Sets Include a Mother's Day Card, Envelope and Gift Bag On-Packed with the DVD;
Warner Home Video (WHV) is taking all the work out of Mother's Day gift shopping this year with the April 18 introduction of Mother's Day gift sets.
Eight sure-to-please female-oriented titles will be sold complete with a Mother's Day card, envelope and gift-wrap sleeve on-packed with the DVDs. Shoppers will have their choice of the following popular titles -- "The American President," "The Bodyguard: Special Edition," "A Cinderella Story," "Message in a Bottle," "Must Love Dogs," "Phantom of the Opera," "Sweet November" and "You've Got Mail." Each DVD gift set will sell for $12.76 SRP.
First Nero Digital™ Certified High-Definition Media Player Now Available from KiSS Networked Entertainment
Trial offerings of Nero Digital™ media solutions ensure high quality audio and video content output
Nero, leaders in digital media technology, announces that KiSS Networked Entertainment is shipping its first Nero Digital™ Certified High-Definition Media Player, the DP-600. Nero Digital™ audio and video compression technology blends MPEG-4 and AAC, and AVC/H.264 and High Efficiency AAC with subtitles, multiple language tracks and chapter marks for the ultimate entertainment experience.
Nero, leaders in digital media technology, announces that KiSS Networked Entertainment is shipping its first Nero Digital™ Certified High-Definition Media Player, the DP-600. Nero Digital™ audio and video compression technology blends MPEG-4 and AAC, and AVC/H.264 and High Efficiency AAC with subtitles, multiple language tracks and chapter marks for the ultimate entertainment experience.The KiSS DP-600 is the first of a new generation of networked media players that combine high-definition video functionality with Ethernet and WiFi network connectivity. Designed to enhance the TV entertainment experience, the player allows users to subscribe, stream and view Video-On-Demand and IP-Television services. Viewers can enjoy content from many different audio and video sources, such as for example DVDs, CDs, MPEG-1, -2, and -4 video, XviD, MP3, Ogg Vorbis audio and many others. Details can be found at www.kiss-technology.com.
The DP-600 also ships with 30-day trials of Nero ShowTime 2 CE, Recode 2-CE, and MediaHome CE encoding software. Equipped with these powerful digital media solutions, the DP-600 is able to access, transfer and deliver high quality audio and video content.
"The KiSS DP-600 gives consumers an unprecedented degree of control over their digital home entertainment network," said Martin Manniche, Senior Director, KiSS Networked Entertainment. “The Nero Digital codec ensures that the content coursing through the network is of the highest quality.
"The KiSS DP-600 delivers the very latest possibilities and functionalities
to the digital home entertainment experience," said Udo Eberlein, President, Nero Inc. "Nero Digital, along with Nero Showtime 2 CE, Nero Recode 2 CE, and Nero MediaHome CE, allows audio and video content to be easily managed without losing any of its original quality, particularly in the cases of high definition video and surround sound audio."
For more information, visit www.nerodigital.com .
About Nero
Nero (www.nero.com) develops and distributes the world's leading digital media solutions for consumers and professionals. Today more than 200 million users worldwide rely on Nero's award-winning and trusted, industry approved applications to manage the needs of the connected digital home and forward-thinking corporations.
Nero's rapidly-growing portfolio of products defines new levels of innovation in the company's three key areas of focus: Digital Media Solutions - delivering multimedia applications for audio, video, photo and TV capturing, editing, burning, managing and sharing; Audio and Video Compression Technologies - providing world-class interoperable standards-based solutions for encoding and decoding digital content with support for Next Generation HD and popular handheld formats; and VoIP Solutions - providing cost-effective voice, text and video communication over the Internet for home and business.
Nero products are globally distributed by leading hardware manufacturers, international distribution partners and online portals, and can be purchased directly at www.nero.com. Nero provides worldwide coverage through Nero AG, based in Karlsbad , Germany and two subsidiaries: Nero Inc. in Glendale , California , USA and Nero K.K. in Yokohama , Japan .
KiSS Networked Entertainment, based in Hørsholm , Denmark , is a subsidiary of Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems. K iSS stands for Keep it Simple Solutions - and this concept is the back-bone of all KiSS products and all R&D in the company. This gives KiSS the unique strength of having an entrepreneurial approach to constructing home consumer goods with it-technology thus creating a bridge between what we normally experience in front of our computer screen to our living room.
Harmonic to Add Support for Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today announced that Harmonic Inc. (Nasdaq: HLIT), a leading provider of digital video, broadband networking, and IP-delivery systems, plans to support Dolby® Digital Plus, Dolby’s next-generation audio technology for high-definition programming, in Harmonic’s future products. Harmonic and Dolby are closely collaborating on cost-effective, integrated solutions that would streamline the audio/video service provider’s delivery architecture with several key advanced audio features.
“Our industry leading DiviCom® HD and SD encoders, the most widely deployed in their categories, set the benchmark for innovation, integration, performance, and video quality,” said Arnaud Perrier, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Advanced and HD Encoding at Harmonic Inc. “As we look at the needs of the broadcast industry, and particularly considering the move to an all-HD world, audio plays an important role in the overall TV experience. Dolby Digital Plus is a key audio technology that can improve the viewer’s listening experience while helping to reduce overall bandwidth utilization. As a result, we are planning to integrate Dolby Digital Plus into our future high-definition products.”
Dolby Digital Plus offers the same quality available today with Dolby Digital but requires less bandwidth while maintaining compatibility with millions of existing Dolby Digital receivers. Built on Dolby Digital, the sound of DVD and HD broadcasts worldwide, Dolby Digital Plus was designed for the delivery formats of the future, including H.264 and VC-1. All Dolby Digital Plus decoders provide an output stream fully compatible with all current A/V receivers.
“Harmonic and Dolby share a common goal of providing broadcasters with the technologies and products that ease the delivery and enhance the quality of content provided to viewers,” said Jeff Nelson, Broadcast Channel Manager, Dolby Laboratories. “With next-generation systems such as IPTV, Dolby Digital Plus offers broadcasters the flexibility to deliver higher quality audio at a reduced data rate.”
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For four decades Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com
SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland & Dodger Baseball
Oakland 6, Texas 4 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington
Oakland Record: (10-12)
Texas Record: (11-11)
Winning pitcher - Justin Duchscherer (2-1)
Losing pitcher - C.J. Wilson (1-2)
SV - Joe Kennedy (1)
OAK HR - B. Crosby (2) D. Johnson (1) F. Thomas (5)
TEX HR - K. Mench (6)
Los Angeles 5, Houston 8 at Minute Maid Park
Los Angeles Record: (10-12)
Houston Record: (15-6)
Winning pitcher - Wandy Rodriguez (4-0)
Losing pitcher - Odalis Perez (3-1)
LAD HR - J. Repko (3)
HOU HR - L. Berkman (8)
Expo(TM) Coming to the Orange County Fairgrounds and Expo Center May 19-
21st;
;Jonnie Landers Will Attempt a Half-Pipe Motorcycle Jump for the First Time Ever!
COSTA MESA, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- April 24, 2006 Extreme motorsports diehards, as well as those new to the sport, are setting their sights on the fourth annual Extreme Motorsports Expo, set to thunder into the Orange County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
May 19-21, 2006.
The largest event of its kind on the West Coast, Extreme Motorsports Expo promises a weekend of non-stop thrills and chills that kicks off Friday, May 19th with Orange County's own Jonnie Landers, the Ball of Steel stuntman, attempting to do a half-pipe on a motorcycle. This jump has been done on bikes and skateboards but never before on a motorcycle. Landers will attempt the half-pipe each day of the show. Other event highlights will include the breathtaking "Ball of Steel" Show and FMX jumping - backflips and all!
Spread out over more than 11 acres of outdoor exhibits on the Fairgrounds and 128,000 sq. ft. of indoor exhibits at the Expo Center, the 2006 Extreme Motorsports Expo will be overflowing with hot new sand buggies, 4 x 4's, prerunners, 50's, ATV's, lifted trucks, sand rails, street and dune buggies, Jeeps monster trucks, motorcycles, Hummers, cycles, karts, toy haulers, extreme carts and the newest "must-have" products for off-road and outdoors enthusiasts.
Extreme Motorsports Expo has quickly gained a reputation for featuring high profile, off-the-chart events, and the 2006 show will be no exception. The most anticipated of these include:
-- RBP Diesel Performance will award a fully-loaded Ford F-550 valued at $100,000 on Sunday, May 21st at 5:00pm. This truck features engine modifications like RBP custom ceramic coated exhaust, Airaid air intake, Edge Products, Juice module with Attitude in cab controller, custom 243" suspension lift with King piggyback shocks, fabricated by BTW Performance in Azusa, CA. Also packaged on this truck are 22.5 Alcoa wheels with 49" industrial 100,000-mile rubber, full A-pillar gauges, custom sound system with three TV's, full custom leather and suede interior rap up the inside and much more. Registration for this one-of-a-kind truck has been open for the past year and will culminate in the gala giveaway at Extreme Motorsports Expo.
-- "Best of Sand" and "Giants of Off Road" featuring the premier sand buggies in the industry and showcasing the latest and greatest lifted trucks and prerunners, rock crawlers, Jeeps, 4x4's and all-terrain vehicles.
-- San Diego Off Road Coalition will award a Chenoweth Exodus Sand Buggy valued at more than $60,000 on Sunday, May 21st at 3:30pm.
Other signature events that have made Extreme Motorsports Expo such a success in its first three outings are back for a fourth year, including:
-- The Amazing Ball of Steel Stunts will present multiple shows daily filled with outrageous wheelies, freestyle motorcross jumps, backflips and various freestyle tricks including "The Superman," "Cliffhanger," "No Footer Can Cans," and "Heel Clickers." These daredevils will also perform the breathtaking "Ball of Steel Show" which brings three motorcycle riders together in a 20-ft. high round steel cage traveling over and under at the same time. The "Ball of Steel Show" is the Australian Chase Race and no other team has been able to perform this feat successfully.
-- Monster "Cool Bus" Rides, offered multiple times daily, feature a fully-tricked out school bus that does impossible stunts designed to shock and delight passengers and spectators alike.
The first 500 attendees at the door each day will receive $250 worth of free merchandise compliments of L.A. Racing Experience with the Foyt Brothers, Improv Comedy Club, Cycle Parts West, Wild Rivers, Dave & Buster's and Chipotle Restaurants. 1800TheLaw2 will also be giving away passes for Monster "Cool Bus" rides to the first 500 patrons at the door.
Extreme Motorsports Expo is sponsored by Just Tires, JACK-FM, KROQ-FM, Cycle Parts West, and 1800TheLaw2 and is produced by Outdoor Sports World. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 8-11 years old, and free for children 7 and under and are available in advance through Ticketmaster or at the door. Discount tickets are available at all Just Tires Southern California locations. Show hours are Friday, May 19th from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm; Saturday, May 20th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday, May 21st from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The NBA is a Slam Dunk With Avid Fans in San Antonio; Sacramento, CA; and Indianapolis, IN; According to Scarborough Sports Marketing
Avid NBA Fans Are Top Spenders On Athletic Clothing
Scarborough Sports Marketing, the leading provider of in-depth information on American sports fans, released an analysis which finds that San Antonio is not only top local U.S. market for Avid NBA Fans* but consumers in this market are nearly four times as likely as all adults nationally to be Avid NBA Fans. Thirty-three percent of San Antonio adults indicated in the Scarborough Sports Marketing analysis that they are Avid NBA Fans -- meaning they are "very interested" in the NBA. Sacramento, CA (19 percent of consumers are Avid NBA Fans), Indianapolis, IN (18 percent), Memphis, TN (17 percent) and Detroit (17 percent) round out the top local markets for Avid NBA fans. Nationally, nine percent of adults are Avid NBA Fans.
Last year, the San Antonio Spurs captured their second championship in three years and their third championship in seven years. With this winning trend, it is no surprise that Scarborough finds fan avidity on the rise in San Antonio. There is a 38 percent increase in Avid NBA Fans in San Antonio from Scarborough's 2001 study. San Antonio has added about 200,000 Avid NBA Fans to its ranks since then.
Additionally, San Antonio is also the number one market for likelihood of consumers to have attended an NBA game. San Antonio adults are more than four times as likely as all consumers nationally to have attended one or more NBA games during the past year. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of all consumers in San Antonio have attended one or more NBA games in the past year, well above the national average of eight percent.
"With San Antonio's successful regular season, winning the Western Conference, fan avidity is thriving in this city," said Howard Goldberg, Senior Vice President, Scarborough Sports Marketing. "San Antonio consistently sells over 98 percent capacity of their stadium** which is not a surprise as it is the leading city for likelihood of consumers who have attended one or more games."
Women are well represented among avid basketball fans. Thirty-eight percent of Avid NBA Fans are female and 54 percent of Avid WNBA Fans are female.
Avid NBA Fans wear their league pride. Twenty-one percent of Avid NBA Fans bought sports apparel or clothing with an NBA team logo in the past year. Avid NBA Fans are among the nations' top spenders on athletic apparel. They are 55 percent more likely than adults nationally to have spent more than $100 on athletic shoes and 76 percent more likely than all adults to have spent more than $100 on athletic clothing during the past year.
Two especially relevant advertising categories for sports leagues are quick service restaurants and telecommunications. Avid NBA Fans are 43 percent more likely than all consumers to have eaten at a fast food restaurant 10 or more times in the past month. A very high percent (94 percent) of Avid NBA Fans have been to a fast food restaurant during the past month.
In the cellular category, 67 percent of Avid NBA Fans are wireless subscribers. Avid NBA Fans are 50 percent more likely than all consumers nationally to spend $150 or more on their monthly wireless bill. They are 21 percent more likely to plan to switch wireless carriers in the next year.
* Avid NBA Fan = Consumers 18+ that are "very interested in the NBA"
** Sports Business Journal, March 6-12, Turnstile Tracker
Source: Study Scarborough USA+ 2005 Release 2
See chart following for full list of percent of Avid NBA fans in local markets
About Scarborough Sports Marketing
Scarborough Sports Marketing (www.scarborough.com, info@scarborough.com) measures local and national consumer and lifestyle information by interviewing over 210,000 adults (18+) in 80 Top-Tier Markets and 6 Mid-Tier Markets including all professional sports markets. Scarborough sports measurements include fan avidity; multi-media measures including sports viewing and listening; corporate sponsorship information including fans' shopping and product/service usage; and leisure activities. Scarborough delivers twice-yearly updates of its local market reports to a diverse client base, spanning all major media, advertisers and their agencies. Scarborough Sports Marketing is a division of Scarborough Research, a joint venture between Arbitron Inc. and VNU Media Measurement & Information.
Scarborough Local Market Analysis:
Local Markets (DMAs) For Avid NBA Fans
DMA (R)*** Percent
San Antonio, TX (Spurs) 33%
Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA (Kings) 19%
Indianapolis, IN (Pacers) 18%
Memphis, TN (Grizzlies) 17%
Detroit, MI (Pistons) 17%
Los Angeles, CA (Clippers, Lakers) 15%
Phoenix, AZ (Suns) 14%
Houston, TX (Rockets) 14%
Salt Lake City, UT (Jazz) 13%
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Heat) 13%
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (Mavericks) 13%
El Paso, TX 13%
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI 12%
Washington, D.C. (Wizards) 12%
Las Vegas, NV 11%
Chicago, IL (Bulls) 11%
Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News, VA 11%
Honolulu, HI 11%
Cleveland/Akron, OH (Cavaliers) 11%
Atlanta, GA (Hawks) 11%
Louisville, KY 10%
Philadelphia, PA (76ers) 10%
Richmond/Petersburg, VA 10%
New York, NY (Knicks, Nets) 9%
Raleigh/Durham, SC 9%
Tucson, AZ 9%
Seattle/Tacoma, WA (SuperSonics) 9%
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI 9%
Fresno/Visalia, CA 9%
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (Timberwolves) 9%
Dayton, OH 9%
San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA (Golden State Warriors) 8%
Portland, OR (Trail Blazers) 8%
Milwaukee, WI (Bucks) 8%
Baltimore, MD 8%
Austin, TX 8%
Mobile/Pensacola, FL 8%
Lexington, KY 8%
Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL (Magic) 8%
Charlotte, NC (Bobcats) 8%
West Palm Beach/Fort Pierce, FL 8%
Birmingham, AL 7%
Kansas City, MO 7%
Hartford/New Haven, CT 7%
Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, NC 7%
Denver, CO (Nuggets) 7%
Oklahoma City, OK (Hornets) 7%
San Diego, CA 7%
Syracuse, NY 7%
Jacksonville, FL 7%
Toledo, OH 6%
Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL 6%
Boston, MA (Celtics) 6%
Nashville, TN 6%
Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA 6%
Columbus, OH 6%
Charleston/Huntington, WV 6%
Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM 6%
Knoxville, TN 5%
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA 5%
Tulsa, OK 5%
St. Louis, MO 5%
Spokane, WA 5%
Rochester, NY 5%
Des Moines/Ames, IA 5%
Fort Myers/Naples, FL 5%
Providence/New Bedford, RI 5%
Pittsburgh, PA 5%
Cincinnati, OH 5%
Wichita/Hutchinson, KS 4%
Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson, SC 4%
Buffalo, NY 4%
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY 4%
Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA 4%
Source: Study Scarborough USA+ 2005 Release 2
*** DMA(R) or Designated Market Area, is a trademark of Nielsen Media
Research.
NOTE: New Orleans is not represented in this market ranking as Hurricane
Katrina impacted data collection.
Source:
