The Hallmark Channel airs "The Spirit of Mississippi" in Primetime Wednesday, September 01st, 2010
"The Spirit of Mississippi," features a variety of entertainers both performing and exploring local communities to highlight the best of Mississippi living. Filmed on location in Mississippi, the one hour special features onstage performances by several country and crossover stars, including Ricky Skaggs, Terri Clark, Taylor Hicks, Lone Star and Ace Young.
The show airs Wednesday, September 1st, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
CW Network to air THE GULF IS BACK concert special Friday, August 27th, 2010
THE CW TO AIR "THE GULF IS BACK," AN INSPIRING TRIBUTE CONCERT HONORING THE COURAGE OF GULF COAST RESIDENTS, ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 8:00-9:00 PM ET
David Hasselhoff Hosts the One-Hour Special Filled with Musical Performances and Real-Life Stories of Resiliency In the Face of an Environmental Disaster
Dean Cain, Shannon Elizabeth and B.B. King will appear, along with musical acts including Lonestar, Ricky Skaggs, Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice and Brian McKnight
August 17, 2010 (Burbank, CA) - The CW Network will air THE GULF IS BACK, an emotionally charged one-hour special paying tribute to the people of Mississippi and the entire Gulf region, on Friday, August 27 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET).
Actor and singer David Hasselhoff will host the special, which focuses on the resiliency of the residents of the Gulf Coast region and how they are bouncing back from the worst oil spill in the nation's history while working tirelessly to restore their communities and lives.
Musical performances filmed during two days of free concerts at the Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi will include such artists as Lonestar, Ricky Skaggs, Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, Ace Young, Kyle and Chris Massey, Terri Clark, Drake Bell and Brian McKnight.The show will also feature special appearances by stars including Dean Cain, Shannon Elizabeth and B.B. King, along with moving real-life stories of the heroic actions taken by everyday people to overcome problems caused by the devastating oil spill.Additional stars will be joining the show and filming segments during the next week.
The special is produced by Associated Television International and will air in HD.
On the Edge: The Poverty Crisis in Africa wins Daytime Emmy! Friday, June 25th, 2010
June 25, 2010 - Beverly Hills, CA
Associated Television International was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards and David McKenzie, Executive Producer and Director won for Outstanding Directing, Special Class.
EMMY AWARD WINNER REGIS PHILBIN TO HOST TO AIR LIVE, SUNDAY, JUNE 27 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK Monday, May 17th, 2010
May 17, 2010
Emmy Award winner Regis Philbin will host THE 37TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS, to air live from the Las Vegas Hilton Sunday, June 27 (9:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.
"I am delighted to host the Daytime Emmys this year," said Philbin. "It's going to be a great night with my daytime brothers and sisters, and I hope everyone wins an award this year."
"Regis Philbin is a TV icon," stated David McKenzie, executive producer of the telecast. "As a consummate entertainer, he is the perfect host to capture the energy and excitement of the inaugural Las Vegas-based Daytime Emmys."
"We are ecstatic to have Regis Philbin as the host of the Daytime Emmy Awards," said Herb Granath, Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. "We were honored to award him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. His continual excellence in the broadcast television medium is a true inspiration to all of us in the industry."
Since Philbin first stepped in front of the camera more than 40 years ago, he has ambitiously tackled talk shows, game shows and even the literary world, with multiple best-sellers to his credit. In May 2001, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored him with a Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Talk Show Host for his syndicated program, "Live with Regis," and another Emmy award as Outstanding Game Show Host for "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." He and co-host Kelly Ripa received the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Special for hosting the 2006 "Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade." In Fall 2009, he broke his own existing Guinness World Record for Most Hours on Camera, setting a new mark of 16,343 hours accumulated over his illustrious career, a career that was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at the 2008 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Currently in its 22nd season in national syndication, "LIVE! with Regis and Kelly" originated in 1983 when Philbin created "The Morning Show" for WABC in his native Manhattan. It quickly became the number one show in the market. Kathie Lee Gifford joined him in June 1985, and in September 1988 the program debuted in national syndication and the title was changed to "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee." In 2001, Philbin was joined by Ripa, and the program entered a new era as "LIVE! with Regis and Kelly."
Philbin took his daytime success to nighttime with ABC's ratings juggernaut "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in 1999. In August 2009, 10 years after making television history, the network brought back a special 11-episode anniversary run of the blockbuster game show with Philbin at the helm.
Following the initial run of "Millionaire" and the $10 million spin-off "Super Millionaire," Philbin returned to primetime as host of the NBC summer program "America's Got Talent." In early 2008, he was tapped by ABC to host the red carpet arrivals show for the 2008 Academy Awards, and later that year hosted "Million Dollar Password," on CBS.
In 2001, Philbin received a TV Guide Award as Personality of the Year, and a Broadcasting & Cable Lifetime Achievement Award. He also was presented with a Crystal Apple Award from then-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his contributions to the New York television industry. Other accolades include the Walter Camp "Distinguished American Award" at Yale University and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Philbin was the 2006 inductee into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and later that year was selected by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to be inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame.
A native of New York City, Philbin is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received an honorary doctorate of law degree for his contributions to Notre Dame and South Bend. Regis and his wife, Joy, have two grown daughters, Joanna and Jennifer.
The Daytime Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievement in all fields of daytime television production and are presented to individuals and programs broadcast from 2:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. during the 2009 calendar year. THE 37TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS is a presentation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in cooperation with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Las Vegas Hilton is the official hotel of the Daytime Emmy Awards. American Airlines is the official airline.
Associated Television International (ATI) will produce the show with ATI President and Emmy award-winning producer David McKenzie serving as executive producer.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) 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 Entertainment, Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment, Public & Community Service, Technology & Engineering, and Business & Financial Reporting. Regional Emmy Awards are given in 19 regions across the United States. NATAS also presents the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Global Media Awards which recognizes excellence in the world-wide intersection of digital entertainment and technology. Beyond awards, NATAS 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. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.emmyonline.tv.
Associated Television Intl. nominated for 3 2010 Emmy Awards! Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
New York - May 12, 2010 - The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 37th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards.
Associated Television International received 3 nominations -
Outstanding Special Class Series - Laura McKenzie's Traveler
Outstanding Special Class Special -On the Edge: the Poverty Crisis in Africa
Outstanding Special Class Directing -David McKenzie for "On the Edge"
CBS takes back Daytime Emmys Awards, scheduled for June 27, aired on CW last year Friday, April 23rd, 2010
Associated TV Int'l steps in for Hollywood event
By Michael Schneider Posted: Fri., April, 2010, 11:00am PT
A year after CBS dumped plans to air the Daytime Emmys -- leaving the kudocast temporarily orphaned -- the Eye has reversed course, and will air this year's ceremony.
CBS just announced that it will broadcast the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Sunday, June 27 at 9 p.m. As was previously reported, this year's awards show will take place in Las Vegas (at the Las Vegas Hilton) for the first time.
"Daytime series have a loyal and passionate following," said CBS' Jack Sussman, exec VP of specials, music and live events, in announcing the show.
Associated Television International, which came in last year to save the Daytime Emmys, will once again produce the show. ATI prexy David McKenzie will serve as exec producer.
Last year's Daytime Emmys nearly didn't happen at all. After CBS dropped its plans to air the kudocast, ABC also passed. From there, the awards show was shopped around town, but to no avail. ATI eventually contacted the National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, and together found a late summer home on the CW -- on Sunday night, where MGM Worldwide had a deal with the netlet to run a movie package.
As part of that time buy, MGM Worldwide TV Distribution sold the show internationally.
Given the unusual circumstances of last year's show, the Daytime Emmys posted record lows -- averaging 2.7 million viewers and just a 0.6 rating and 2 share among adults 18-49. That was down from 2008, when its run on ABC attracted a paltry 5.4 million.
Like most awards shows, the Daytime Emmys had been suffering from erosion for years -- but the telecast had experienced additional indignities in recent years. Once a May sweeps event, the telecast was later pushed into June, when viewer levels are lower.
Also, as tensions once again rose with rival Los Angeles-based org the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, NATAS lost the ability to rely on help from its much larger West Coast counterpart. NBC dropped out of the show in 2004, leaving just ABC and CBS to rotate coverage.
But over the past year, the ratings for other awards shows -- including the Grammys, the Primetime Emmys and the Academy Awards -- have seen ratings spikes. With interest in such events seemingly on the rise, CBS may have decided that it was worth giving the show another shot.
Nominations for the Daytime Emmys will be announced on May 12.
"The Daytime Emmy Awards are one of the cornerstones of our business and we are thrilled to be back on CBS," said NATAS chairman Herb Granath.
AWRT Announces 35th Annual Gracie National Award Winners Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Grand Award Winners to be Named at Annual Gala Featuring the Biggest Names in News and Entertainment
February 23, 2010 (McLean, VA) American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT) is pleased to announce the 2010 winners of the 35th Annual Gracie Awards. National award winners will be presented at a black-tie Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, May 25, 2010. Local market, public and student award winners will be announced later this week. After more than three decades in New York, the Gracies will be delivering its message of empowerment to a Los Angeles audience when the Gracie Awards go Hollywood.
From Drew Barrymore to Selena Gomez and Gayle King to Martha Stewart; from CNN Presents: Black in America 2 to CBS News Evening with Kate Couric, The Gracies each year recognize exemplary programming created for women, by women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment, as well as individuals who have made contributions to the industry. The awards program also encourages the realistic and multifaceted portrayal of women in entertainment, commercials, news, features and other programs.
In addition to the above, each year the Gracies Gala attracts the best and brightest in all aspects of the media. This year's national winners include:
Laura McKenzie's Traveler: Vietnam Outstanding Magazine Associated Television International
(See accompanying link pages for full release of winners.)
"The power of this year's Gracie Award winners showcase how vital a role women in the industry continue to have," stated 2010 Chair of AWRT, Sylvia Strobel, Esq. "We look forward to honoring these deserving programs and individuals. We're also delighted to have Dove and the Campaign for Real Beauty return as the Gracies' 2010 title sponsor."
The Gracies are presented by the Foundation of AWRT, the philanthropic arm of AWRT, which supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public and women in the media. The Gracie Awards, established in 1975, honor programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and webbased media, including news, drama, comedy, commercials, public service, documentary and sports.
For more details on the Gracies Gala including tickets information, go to the Gracies website http://www.thegracies.org/.
ATI @ NATPE - Premiering World's Funniest Moments Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Your favorite viral videos right on your television! The first TV series that brings the very best of the internet straight to you!
Associated Television International will be at NATPE in support of the rollout of the hilarious new series "World's Funniest Moments" which is being distributed by MGM TV Distribution. Riding the wave of the exploding popularity of the online video craze, this hilarious series finds the funniest video shorts - from life's little accidents, to parodies and crazy commercials. From amazing pets and laughing babies to comic send-ups of box office hits, this laugh out loud series has something funny for everyone. Erik and Laura find the best viral videos and brings them to television along with home bloopers that will make you fall down laughing. Celebrity guests Chris & Kyle Massey of Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel, help bring the laughs with hilarious "man on the street" gags. The best user submitted videos from our website funniestmomentstv.com also contribute and make this the greatest video shorts program on television! Shot in HD. [Visit funniestmomentstv.com] [Watch World's Funniest Moments promo]
Christmas Parade Back in Primetime Tuesday, December 08th, 2009
Associated TV Int'l steps in for Hollywood event
By Michael Schneider Posted: Tue., Dec. 8, 2009, 8:12pm
The production company that stepped in to save the Daytime Emmys is looking to
do the same for the Hollywood Christmas Parade.
After last year's annual event failed to be televised -- the lowest point yet
in the parade's lengthy decline -- Associated Television Intl. signed on to
produce this year's event and bring it back to primetime.
ATI plans to take footage from the Hollywood Christmas Parade, which took
place on Nov. 29, combine it with performances from the Christmas tree lighting
ceremony at L.A.'s Grove shopping center and turn it into a two-hour special.
"The Hollywood Christmas Parade" airs Thursday on MyNetworkTV and then again
on Christmas Eve.
"I've been going to the parade as long as I can remember," said ATI prexy
David McKenzie. "Then one year, it just fell apart, and I was sad about that.
There aren't many things in this town to take your family to if you don't have a
lot of money. So we came in at the 11th hour."
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce created the parade in 1928 (originally
dubbing it the "Santa Claus Lane Parade" -- immortalized by Gene Autry's "Here
Comes Santa Claus"). But after years of declining interest and lack of star
power, the kitschy parade turned into a money loser, and the org ended its run
after 2006.
The city of Los Angeles stepped in to take over the event in 2007, renaming
it the "Hollywood Santa Parade," but couldn't secure a TV partner in 2008.
The Hollywood parade had traditionally been telecast locally by KTLA (and
later, KCOP) and distributed nationally via syndication. NBC had aired the event
as a primetime special in 2004 as the "Blockbuster Hollywood Christmas
Spectacular," but auds didn't tune in.
ATI's McKenzie said he saw opportunity in retooling the special, bringing
back the "Hollywood Christmas Parade" name, for starters. It's something
McKenzie and ATI did earlier this year with the Daytime Emmys, which they
stepped in to produce after the kudocast couldn't find a home. (The Daytime
Emmys eventually ran on the CW; ATI will continue to produce it next year, but
there's no word yet on where it may air.)
"This is a long-term commitment for me," McKenzie said of the Hollywood
parade. "I don't want to see it go away. I'm pleased my daughter got to see a
parade."
But McKenzie also sees this year's parade as an opportunity to promote ATI's
new syndicated property "World's Funniest Moments," which the company plans to
distribute -- via a partnership with MGM -- to stations this fall.
"Moments," which previously ran as a series of specials on MyNet, is hosted
by Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie, who also hosted this year's "Hollywood
Christmas Parade."
The parade's roving reporters, Kyle Massey ("That's So Raven") and
Christopher Massey ("Zoey 101"), are also involved in the weekly "Moments."
Susan Lucci served as the grand marshal for this year's parade. Performances
to be included from the Grove event include Five for Fighting, Jon Secada and
Cirque du Soleil.
Hollywood Christmas Parade to get aired Tuesday, November 03rd, 2009
MyNetworkTV to air telecast Dec. 10
By Jennifer Konerman Posted: Tue., Nov. 3, 2009, 6:55pm PM
This year's Hollywood Christmas Parade, skedded for Nov. 29, is to be
aired nationally for the first time in its 80-year history.
MyNetworkTV
will air the two-hour telecast Dec. 10 and Christmas Eve at 8 p.m.
Proceeds from the telecasts will benefit the parade's official charity
for this year, Feed the Children, a nonprofit relief organization that
delivers food, medicine and clothing to families.
The parade will feature local high school bands, Christmas floats and celebrities from film and TV. Coca-Cola is the presenting sponsor of this edition of the Hollywood Christmas Parade along with the city of Los Angeles and Associated Television Intl., which will also produce a television special.
By Michael
Schneider Posted: Tue., Aug. 25, 2009, 8:00pm PT
Having rescued the Daytime Emmys from near death earlier this year, the
producers behind this year's event must now prove that the kudocast deserves to
be saved.
That's a
tough order -- but Associated Television Intl. president David
McKenzie, whose company partnered with MGM Worldwide TV to
revive the homeless awards show --said he believes there's still life in the
Daytime Emmys.
A group
of industry vets apparently agree, having rallied to make the show happen this
Sunday at downtown Los Angeles' Orpheum Theater.
"I
didn't want to see the Daytime Emmys go bye-bye," McKenzie said.
The
National Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, the New York-based org that handles
the Daytime Emmys, found its marquee awards show orphaned this year after CBS,
which had the option to run this year's kudocast, passed on it instead.
The
reason was pretty clear: Last year's Daytime Emmys, which had aired on ABC,
posted its lowest rating yet -- attracting just 5.4 million viewers and a
dismal 1.2 rating/4 share among adults 18-49.
Like most
awards shows, the Daytime Emmys had been suffering from erosion for years --
but the telecast had experienced additional indignities in recent years. Once a
May sweeps event, the telecast was later pushed into June, when viewer levels
are lower.
Also, as
tensions once again rose with rival Los Angeles-based org the Academy of TV
Arts & Sciences, NATAS lost the ability to rely on help from its much
larger West Coast counterpart.
NBC
dropped out of the show in 2004, leaving just ABC and CBS to rotate coverage.
But once CBS passed, ABC said it wasn't interested, either.
Meanwhile,
McKenzie said he got into the mix by accident: Having won a Daytime Emmy last
year -- for the special "America's
Invisible Children" -- the exec asked his assistant to find out how to buy
tickets for this year's ceremony.
One
problem: There was no ceremony. Over at NATAS, the org was mulling several
possibilities -- such as moving the ceremony to a cable network, or even
turning it into a webcast -- but things were looking grim at the start of this
year, as the clock for booking the event was running out.
"It's
tough for the networks because of the economy," McKenzie said.
"They're running fairly scared... (but) when we heard that the Daytime
Emmys was having trouble getting on TV, we stubbed our toes on this and said,
'That's just not right.' We called in a lot of folks we've known for a long
time and told them, 'We don't want this to go away, don't you
agree?' "
That's
when ATI's Jim Romanovich contacted the NATAS to see if there was a way to
help. ATI then brought MGM onboard.
MGM made
sense because it already controlled a block of primetime, at least until the
end of summer: the CW's Sunday night, where it runs a movie package. As a
result, the CW isn't paying a traditional license fee for the Daytime Emmys but
instead has a unique advertising relationship with NATAS, ATI and MGM for the
telecast.
ATI and
MGM also began calling around Hollywood,
sending out a plea for help to keep the Daytime Emmys alive.
That's
when they signed awards show vets such as Jeff Margolis, who's set to direct,
as well as writer Ken Shapiro. Other folks heavily involved include Al Schwartz,
who's exec producing with McKenzie and Romanovich, as well as co-exec producers
Jim Packer, Dan Goldman and Paul
Sharratt.
And in a sign
of the easing of tensions between the two TV acads (now that their long-running
legal battles have been dropped), ATAS topper John Shaffner is even involved,
serving as a production designer, along with partner Joe Stewart, through their
Shaffner Stewart company.
"The
cooperation has been terrific," McKenzie said. "Everyone understands
this is a difficult marketplace, and that every award show is being looked
at... (but) everyone wants this, needs this, to remain on the air."
It's a
tough order: The CW's Sunday night sked doesn't get much circulation, which is
one reason the Dub is dropping it altogether after Sept. 20. The older female
skew of the Daytime Emmys also doesn't necessarily mesh with the CW's aud.
What's
more, it's on a Sunday in late summer, when viewership is lower anyway -- and
still against tough original competish on cable, including HBO's "True
Blood," which also attracts a rabid femme crowd.
But
McKenzie and crew hope to conjure up interest through packages such as "Daytime
Gives Back," which features stars such as Susan Lucci in Kenya.
"(We're
hoping) people will say, it's not only an event that pats itself on the back, but
it did a lot of nice things too," McKenzie said.
Show will
also include a tribute to canceled sudser "Guiding Light" and
celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Sesame Street," and there will be a
mini fashion show. Vanessa Williams is hosting.
"We're
putting a lot more entertainment into the show this year and moving it at a
faster pace," McKenzie said.
Because
of the 11th hour save, the Daytime Emmys had to be pushed from its traditional
early summer home to Aug. 30 -- which puts it smack in the middle of Emmy
season for NATAS' Los Angelesrival, the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences.
But
McKenzie believes that could benefit the Daytime Emmys (which take place a
night after ATAS throws its annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards show), as some
of the Primetime Emmy hoopla potentially rubs off.
"This
is not a bad time for it," he said. "We'll be interested to see how
it does. Maybe it goes back to May or June; that remains to be seen. But I've
seen in my years of marketing that when you group something like this together,
for some reason they feed one another."
As for
next year, ATI and MGM are already onboard, while the CW has the first option
to bring it back. But should the Dub pass on it, McKenzie said he's confident
he'll be able to find another home for the show -- or even clear it in
syndication.
"That's
what I do. For years I've been clearing TV specials on a barter basis," he
said. "I could clear this one blindfolded. It's not like we're dead if
some network doesn't take it."
No character in soaps is more wonderfully self-obsessed than All My Children’s Erica Kane. But the rich, pampered mantrap—played by suds superstar Susan Lucci—is about to grow a social conscience. On August 20, Erica will go on location to Kenya with her talk show New Beginnings to bring attention to the starving children of that nation. She will return a changed woman.
“Erica has always been daytime’s Scarlett O’Hara—it’s why we adore her—and it was fun watching her thrive during the Me Generation,†notes AMC head writer Chuck Pratt. “But now it’s time to get her into the real world.â€
The plot twist was triggered by Lucci’s own recent sojourn to Kenya. She and General Hospital stars Tony Geary and Kelly Monaco went to the region on behalf of the philanthropic organization Feed the Children and footage from their trip will air in a “Daytime Gives Back†segment on the Daytime Emmys (August 30 on the CW). AMC took advantage of the opportunity and arranged for sequences to be shot in Kenya featuring Lucci in character.
But don’t assume this new enlightened Erica will go over well with her audience. When the first of two planned specials on the crisis in Kenya airs on New Beginnings, viewer turnout is low. The producers quickly drop the second episode and switch to a show about beauty makeovers, during which an angry Erica goes rogue on live television—a la Howard Beale in “Networkâ€â€”and gets back on topic. Come September, she’ll raise funds for the cause with a massive dance marathon, like the movie “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?†Says Pratt: “It’s the most complicated, ambitious thing we’ve ever done.â€
We spoke with the Emmy-winning Lucci about her life-altering journey.
You spent time in the Nairobi area known as Kibera, the largest slum in Africa with a population of over one million. That’s a far cry from Pine Valley. It was an overwhelming and eye-opening experience. There’s no way, with my American sensibilities, that I could have envisioned what that slum is like, and the circumstances these children are living in. Kibera goes on for miles and miles [much of it with] with no water, no electricity, no sewage system. It’s all rubble. AIDS and HIV is everywhere. The situation is heartbreaking.
Yet still promising? The children have so little but their spirits are not broken. They have bright eyes, big smiles, they’re curious, they want to learn. They’re so full of potential! You just give them a little bit of attention and they light up. The immediate need is food and goods, but it’s education that will ultimately change the future of Africa.
You weren’t just there to observe. You took action. We rescued this little boy, Bernard, and took him to this amazing center for abandoned babies that was started by Larry and Frances Jones who launched Feed the Children. He was 2-years-old but, lacking the proper nutrition, he could not yet walk and had all sorts of medical issues. His mother is a 22-year-old single woman with HIV. The father of the child had died. In the Kenyan culture, it’s dictated that the husband’s family disowns the wife. They took all her belongings and she was left alone in this 4-foot-by-8-foot dwelling with nothing but a mattress. She rode with us in the van to the center and she can visit Bernard as often as she wants. The idea is to reunite the mother and child once the child gets proper care. We went in there to lend a helping hand but, in the end, we got to leave and she had to stay. It’s tragic.
How do you not get swept up in the hugeness of it all? The situation there seems insurmountable. You could get overwhelmed and think there’s no hope, but then you look at the extraordinary work done by Larry and Frances and see the possibilities. They started Feed the Children in 1979 and now the organization is all over the world, including our own country, and you say “Thank God for people like them who don’t get overwhelmed.†The first step for this generation is to feed them and often the only real food these children get is at school—if they’re lucky enough to go to school. The children are so grateful and generous. Some of them eat only part of what they’re given, then take the rest home to share with their families. We visited one of the schools and helped give out a combo of kidney beans and corn, and the children are flourishing on that. Each child must have a uniform to go to school and for only $30 a year Feed the Children can provide a uniform and one to two meals a day. That’s for an entire year! I got a chance to ask the children in the 6th grade class what they want to be. Many want to be doctors. One of the girls wants to be an airplane pilot. They showed such respect for their teacher and each other. When they were fed they lined up starting with the youngest and there was no pushing, no grabbing. It’s amazing. We handed out lollipops and you would have thought we’d given them a pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow. We brought along some brightly colored rubber balls and you wouldn’t believe how something so simple was so appreciated. It takes so little to make them happy.
Susan, I’ve known you forever and I can hear it in your voice—you’re a changed lady. The trip was a gift from God, the opportunity of a lifetime. For me and* Erica.
It’s interesting that the audience for New Beginnings doesn’t feel the same way. They don’t want to see this Kenya stuff. And that’s a huge shock for my character. [When the ratings on the first Kenya show tank] the producer says to Erica, “People don’t expect this from you. They want you to be lighthearted and hopeful and happy, happy, happy. That’s all they want from you.†Erica is really thrown by that but, by coincidence, some people come to the studio for the makeover show and tell her how terrific and meaningful the Kenya show was for them, and she’s re-empowered by that. She sees that there are people out there who do get it! She goes on camera and dutifully tries to do the makeover show but she can’t. She just has to bust out and say what she really feels.
Will this stick? Is this the Erica of the future? What I love is that this storyline carries on the legacy of [AMC creator] Agnes Nixon, who was famous for bringing big topical issues to daytime
drama. It’ll be interesting to see how this changes Erica. We don’t
want to lose what people love about the character but I think we’re
going to see a deepening of her point of view. We’ll see behavior on
her part that mirrors what she witnessed in Kenya. She’ll try to make a
positive difference in the world. Maybe there will be more of an
earthiness to her. I would like that. Susan Lucci is not going to
forget this experience and, from what I’ve seen in scripts so far,
neither is Erica Kane.
DAYTIME EMMYS HEAD TO CW Tuesday, April 07th, 2009
Awards show set for Aug. 30 at Orpheum
As expected, the Daytime Emmys are heading to the CW this August.
The National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences made it official on Tuesday, announcing that the kudofest would take place on Sunday, Aug. 30 at downtown Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre.
Associated Television International will produce the broadcast, while MGM Worldwide Television has signed on to distribute the kudos internationally.
The Daytime Emmys will pre-empt CW's MGM-distribbed movie package for the night; it's believed that the Dub net isn't paying a traditional license fee for the Daytime Emmys, but instead has acquired the telecast through a barter advertising arrangement with NATAS, ATI and MGM.
"The Daytime Emmy Awards are one of the cornerstones of our business," said NATAS prexy/chief marketing officer Frank Radice. "There wouldn't be a television awards season without them."
Deal reps the first time in its 36-year history that the Daytime Emmys has run on a network other than the Big 3. But the kudocast almost didn't make it to air at all this year: CBS had the option to air this year's show, but passed. ABC, which aired the Daytime Emmys last year and had been rotating with the Eye since 2004 (when NBC dropped out), opted not to step in and take it over.
After CBS and ABC passed, rumors had floated that NATAS might move the telecast back to the afternoon - where the show got its start - or even turn it into a webcast. Several cable networks were also discussed.
Last year, the Daytime Emmys posted its lowest rating yet, attracting just 5.4 million viewers and a 1.2 rating and 4 share among adults 18-49.
The kudocast - the first major awards franchise to land on the CW -- skews older than the Dub net's core audience, but it does attract mostly women - and will air right before the launch of the net's fall schedule, giving the Dub a targeted, if small, promo platform.
"It is not only a terrifically entertaining show with a core female following similar to our own, but will also give us a promotional platform as we launch our Fall 2009 schedule," said CW Entertainment prexy Dawn Ostroff.
Schedule change means the Daytime Emmys will now take place smack in the middle of Primetime Emmy season - which is administered by NATAS' West Coast rival, the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences.
The Daytime Emmys will actually take place the very next night after ATAS throws its annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards show - marking quite possibly the first time two major Emmy events took place on the same weekend. (The Primetime Emmy Creative Arts Awards will take place on Sept. 12, while the Primetime Emmy kudocast, which airs this year on CBS, transpires on Sept. 20.)
ATI prexy David McKenzie is set to exec produce the show with Paul Sharratt.
"As the producers of many successful event specials, including the World Magic Awards, and as fans of the daytime genre, it is our quest to make this a fast-paced, fun-filled entertainment special," said Jim Romanovich, ATI's president of worldwide media and entertainment.
Nominations for this year's Daytime Emmys are set to be announced on May 14 during NBC's fourth-hour of the "Today" show, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
ATI's David McKenzie on Socially Conscious Programming Thursday, February 19th, 2009
by Lindsey Gibb
When asked what made him get into producing socially conscious programming, David McKenzie, president of Associated Television International, immediately responds: his daughter.
"If you watch children's programming you become concerned and you say to yourself, 'What would I like her to watch? What can I sit and watch with her that will make an impression on her?'" This thought lead McKenzie and his company to make an effort to create, what he calls, "important shows."
As syndicators for nearly 40 years, McKenzie says ATI's in the enviable position of being able to get nearly anything it creates on television. But he feels that this comes with a responsibility. The company had donated its services to charities in the past, but McKenzie felt they could do more. "Now we do about six to 10 major projects every year that really speak to important topics that people should be concerned with. We try to garner a large audience and work it so we either syndicate it on a national basis or we get one of the networks we work with to carry it."
ATI works with channels from ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC to USA Network, E!, Spike TV and TLC, and as for their socially conscious programming, CW Network opted to carry the two specials they created last year: America's Invisible Children and Who's Who of World Giving. Both programs were nominated for Emmys and America's Invisible Children, a Joan Lunden-hosted look at the plight of homeless children in America, won the Emmy for Best Television Special.
McKenzie says that recognition from the Academy helps them to convince networks to run this type of programming. "Is it easy to place this sort of programming? Absolutely not. It's really tough. It's a firefight," he says. "Sometimes they just don't think it's commercial. However, in the environment that we're in currently, and seeing the track record of what we've been doing over the last few years, that's just not true."
McKenzie knows this not only from the ratings, but also from audience response. For each program ATI makes about a social issue, it also creates a website to go with it where viewers can send feedback. The production company has had to increase the capabilities of its websites to meet the demands of viewers, who flock to them after each airing.
ATI fills MyNetTV Pipeline Wednesday, January 07th, 2009
By Nellie Andreeva January 07, 2009
After providing MyNetworkTV with a steady stream of specials for the past two years, Associated Television International has emerged as a major supplier for the network with three series.
Following ATI's four "Masters of Illusion" specials for the net last season, the franchise featuring magicians performing in front of a live audience launched as a regular series Monday.
It is joined by “Vice Squad,” a documentary look at undercover officers that premiered Tuesday, and the return of Arsenio Hall – hosted “Worlds Funniest Moments” tonight.
“MyNetwork has become our go-to network,” said James Romanovitch, ATI president of worldwide media and entertainment.
Under ATI president David McKenzie, the company also plans to expand its brand of socially conscious programming. Last year, ATI produced five humanitarian specials, two of which earned Daytime Emmy noms in the special class category and one — the CW's "America's Invisible Children" — which took home the award.
Another special, MNT’s “Eyes on Kenya,” is being developed into a series featuring celebrities helping people in need.
Also being developed into a series is ATI’s 2008 MNT special “Heroes at Home,” in which veterans receive a home makeover.
ATI’s development slate, overseen by senior vp Justin Pierce, also includes an unscripted show that revolves around two popular teen actors.
ATI shows premiere on MyNetworkTV in January! Thursday, January 01st, 2009
ATI has two more new series on MyNetworkTV starting in January! On January 5th -the best magic acts performing today appear in the ongoing series - "Masters of Illusion"! Comedy magic, up close manipulation, daring escapes, amazing levitation and disappearing objects of every size, shape and description! It's a fun and stupifying event for the entire family!
Also premiering January 6th is the gritty police reality show - "Vice Squad" featuring the toughest cops from around the country working in the toughest police division - Vice. Watch as these undercover officers bust the gangs, drugs, prostitution, and gambling rings that work the streets of every major city in the US!
Upcoming Television Specials from ATI Wednesday, November 19th, 2008
MyNetworkTV will be presenting ATI's World Magic Awards 2008 on November 26th at 8 PM. Tune in a magical evening!
On December 3rd the network will be airing Eyes on Kenya - an important documentary featuring some of your favorite celebrities!
Tuesday December 16th brings us The Spirit of Christmas featuring musical performances many great singers including Al Jerreau, Natalie Cole, Brian McKnight, Jeffrey Osborne and many, many more!
ATI presents Heroes at Home Saturday, November 08th, 2008
MyNetworkTV presents Heroes at Home -
Six military heroes, from California to Connecticut, will share their personal experiences of service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Each account is different, but all are touching examples of the sacrifices ordinary men and women make to protect our freedom.While we could never give them back what they’ve lost, we hope to ease their current burdens, and say thank you with much needed merchandise.
"Real Vice Cops Uncut" Performs Beyond Expectations for Spike TV Friday, August 29th, 2008
For males 18-49, Spike has become the destination of choice on Wednesday nights at 10 PM and 10:30 PM for all new episodes of this break out reality cop show. This key demographic is tuning into Spike in greater numbers as the audience builds in both time periods from week to week.
Voluntourism attracts stars to Kenyan slum Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Picture in your mind's eye a trip to Africa. I am willing to bet you see Robert Redford or Meryl Streep gallivanting around the Masai Mara. Or perhaps you imagine scuba and a daiquiri in Zanzibar?
You probably didn't picture a day trip through the notorious Kibera slum in Nairobi. But Kibera is now a stopover for a new type of tourist: They're calling it Voluntourism. I followed a group of celebrities around Kibera and to the other poorer reaches of Nairobi. They were in Kenya to film a documentary for Feed the Children, an organization that supports more than 100,000 children in the capital's slums.
TV star Dean Cain's "Lois and Clark" series might have stopped airing in the U.S. more than 10 years ago, but it's now airing in Kenya. And every kid he met called him 'Superman.' "When you come here and you sit down and look a girl and a boy in the eye and you have a conversation with them it becomes a lot more personal," he tells me.
Like most people, celebrity or otherwise, a trip to these areas is an eye opener. We travel to the slums frequently to report (though not with an 11 car entourage), so it's easy to forget what an impact the experience can have the first time.
Actress and model Shannon Elizabeth, star of the first "American Pie" film, fits into that mold. Sitting with her in an abandoned children's center, she said that it puts things into perspective. "It really teaches you that things that we think really matter at home don't. Like people get mad because there is a long Starbucks line...it really don't doesn't matter." It was a refrain I heard time and time again. Though they were here to help raise money, the trip clearly has a big impact.
"People send money a lot and they go and wear their tuxedos and they sign their checks and feel that's it, that will cover it," says actor Louis Gossett Junior, whose credits include the hit film "An Officer and a Gentleman," but he feels people now want to get their hands dirty. Unlike some of the other celebrities, he is not new to Africa. He first came here in 1979.
But the true veteran and legend of this group is James Bond himself. Roger Moore has been heavily involved in promoting children's rights for well over a decade. In some ways his humanitarian work has eclipsed his acting career. It meant a lot to him personally. "It's the first time in my life I have done something worthwhile instead of saying my name is Bond or my name is Simon Templar (a British TV character he played)," he says. "We feel a little warmer at night. Even though there is snow on the ground outside."
Real Vice Cops Uncut Premieres August 6th Monday, August 04th, 2008
"Real Vice Cops Uncut," a new reality series from Associated Television International, premieres on Spike TV - August 6th, 2008 at 10 PM. Filmed on location in various American cities, the series features exclusive ride-along access with local police agencies as they take down real-life criminals involved in the world of narcotics, prostitution and gambling.
America's Invisible Children wins Emmy Award! Friday, June 13th, 2008
June 13, 2008 - ATI's show "America's Invisible Children" won the Emmy award for Special Class Special at the Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards held in New York City. Another one of ATI's specials - "Who's Who of World Giving" was also nominated in the same category.
Cupid's Funniest Moments Sets Time-Period Mark for MyNetworkTV Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Reality Clip Show Draws 818,000 18-49 Viewers, 1.7M Total Viewers By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/20/2008 4:34:00 PM
MyNetworkTV shot an arrow into the air and hit enough 18-49 viewers to set a Wednesday-night time-period record for the netlet. According to the network, its Feb. 13 airing of reality clip show Cupid's Funniest Moments set a time-period record from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. with 818,000 18-49 viewers (a 0.6 rating), as well as a record for total viewers with 1.7 million. News Corp.-owned MyNetworkTV launched in fall 2006.
ATI earns MyNetwork's highest rating ever! Thursday, February 14th, 2008
My Network had one of its strongest weeks to date (0.5/1 in 18-49, 1.20 million viewers) thanks to Wednesday spec "Cupid's Funniest Moments" (0.6/2, 1.71m) and improved numbers for Monday's combo of "Celebrity Expose" (0.6/2, 1.41m) and "Paradise Hotel 2" (0.6/1, 1.05m).
Flash in the can: associated TV builds niche with instant videos based on pop culture hits Monday, July 03rd, 2006
by Joel Russell
DAVID McKenzie thinks most independent producers in Hollywood have the process backward. Instead of developing a movie concept and then trying to sell it to a studio, he believes they should start with the moment of final sale and work in reverse back to creation.
That seemingly odd strategy has paid off for McKenzie's Associated Television International, a Los Angeles-based producer of syndicated TV shows and home videos. Then again, McKenzie has an advantage. His fare includes quasi-documentary instant knockoffs of popular movies such as the "The Da Vinci Code," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the recent Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line." "We are a sales and marketing organization first and then we are producers, said McKenzie "Our business strategy is based on the idea that no one in retail wants something they have to explain. If you have a product that cleans scissors, it explains itself. If you have an inspirational video called 'My Mountain Isn't High Enough,' the customer has to pick it up, read the packaging and make a decision. That doesn't work for video retailers."
Instant books on popular themes, such as the Iraq War or Paris Hilton, have been staples of the publishing industry for years. Now they are paying off well for Associated Television as it has moved the concept to video. Take retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which told McKenzie it wanted a documentary about police SWAT teams to take advantage of the hype surrounding an upcoming movie, "S.W.A.T." from Columbia Pictures.
Other companies might have reacted by putting together a production deal, but Wal-Mart wanted the video in six weeks. Since Associated was already staffed to produce a great deal of material, it had in place the infrastructure of writers, directors, producers, camera crews and editors. In just five weeks, the company churned out "S.W.A.T.: The Real Story," which soon became Wal-Mart's No. 3-selling video. The company has replicated the technique by producing easy-sell titles. If retailers think politics, movies, holidays or a celebrity death will throw a subject into the spotlight of public opinion, ATI can deliver a relevant video.
The company hit the mother lode of knockoffs with the success of Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code." First ATI examined the book's thesis objectively in "Unlocking Da Vinci's Code." Anticipating that ardent Christians would object to the book, ATI produced a video rebuttal called "Exposing the Da Vinci Code." Then came "Da Vinci Code Tour," which took viewers to locations portrayed in the book. The final video examines the eccentric artist at the center of the controversy: "The Secret Life of Leonardo Da Vinci." A more typical example occurred with the death of Johnny Cash and the release of the biographical film "Walk the Line." ATI answered with "The Unauthorized Biography of Johnny Cash."
"The idea in the market was that people were interested in Johnny Cash," said John Ross, the supervising producer at ATI, who turned around the project in four months. "But we saw this as a documentary that would stand on its own, not just because of the release of the film. People will be interested in Johnny Cash and listening to his music for a long time."
ATI titles such as "Real Pirates of the Caribbean" "The Spirit of Princess Diana" (including directions for conducting a seance to contact her) and "A Tribute to Pope John Paul II" feature subjects that enjoy occasional publicity jolts, but are also permanently embedded in the public consciousness. As a result, ATI can sell through various distribution channels, including broadcast syndication, cable, pay-per-view, foreign TV, in-flight and home video.
Spotlighting the market
ATI started in 1967, producing specials for the three broadcast networks. Currently, its TV output is focused on syndication and international sales. Top shows include "American Adventurer" with Erik Estrada, "Laura McKenzie's Travel America," and "Mysteries, Magic & Miracles."
An hour of syndicated programming runs 48 minutes, leaving 12 minutes for commercials. ATI gets six minutes, which it normally sells to national advertisers. The other six minutes go to the TV station for local ads. In a typical month, ATI controls about $18 million in syndicated ad time, McKenzie estimates. As the company has moved into the home video market, it has frequently leveraged that time by using it to flog its own products. When the Johnny Cash bio launched, it had almost 800 30-second TV spots behind it.
McKenzie's advice to other entrepreneurs comes down to a single word: control.
"If you do not have control of the marketing, you do not control your fate," said McKenzie. "'If you don't control the money, you're in trouble. You have to be as close to the source of sales as possible," he said.
While McKenzie refused to divulge the ATI's total revenues, he said the company expects a profit of 30 percent to 35 percent on each product. That figures grows as the product moves through its various distribution windows.
However, Robert Lorsch, chief executive of holding company RHL Group in Los Angeles, has advertised some of his companies on ATI's syndicated shows as well as invested in TV projects. "The good news is I never lost money. That doesn't come easy in the television business," said Lorsch, who is working with them to promote his latest venture, mymedicalrecords.com, by sponsoring segments on medical and travel shows.
ATI @ NATPE - Premiering World's Funniest Moments Wednesday, December 31st, 1969
Your favorite viral videos right on your television! The first TV series that brings the very best of the internet straight to you!
Associated Television International will be at NATPE in support of the rollout of the hilarious new series "World's Funniest Moments" which is being distributed by MGM TV Distribution. Riding the wave of the exploding popularity of the online video craze, this hilarious series finds the funniest video shorts - from life’s little accidents, to parodies and crazy commercials. From amazing pets and laughing babies to comic send-ups of box office hits, this laugh out loud series has something funny for everyone. Erik and Laura find the best viral videos and brings them to television along with home bloopers that will make you fall down laughing. Celebrity guests Chris & Kyle Massey of Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel, h
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Picture in your mind's eye a trip to Africa. I am willing to bet you see Robert Redford or Meryl Streep gallivanting around the Masai Mara. Or perhaps you imagine scuba and a daiquiri in Zanzibar? 
