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HEADLINES & LINKS FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 24th, 2008.

L.A. DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER TO SUPPLY GREEN POWER AND E-VILLAGE SOLAR TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL SOLAR POWER FOR TWO DAY AMERICAN IDOL FINALE   Fox Broadcasting Company has secured two renewable energy resources for the highly anticipated two-night American Idol finale. (Read More)

FOX TAKES BACK THE FUTURE WITH A SECOND SEASON OF "TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES"           FOX has picked up 13 episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for the 2008-2009 season.  Brian Austin Green Joins the Cast as a Series Regular.  (Read More)

 

"AMERICA’S MOST WANTED" ALL-STAR AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED           In February, television’s top crime-fighting show, America’s Most Wanted, asked Americans to help give special recognition to the police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders. (Read More) 

NEW NBC UNIVERSAL DIGITAL STUDIO UNVEILS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP DIGITAL & DAVIE BROWN ENTERTAINMENT, ANNOUNCES FIRST PRODUCTIONS AND SENIOR STAFF          NBC Universal has announced the formation of its new Digital Studio which has been created to develop and produce brand-centric, quality digital content experiences (Read More)

SURVEY SAYS!... AL ROKER TO HOST 'CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD' AS PART OF NBC'S ALL-AMERICAN SUMMER PREMIERING TUESDAY, JULY 1          One hundred people surveyed, top ten answers on the board and celebrity 'families' behind the buzzers. Al Roker will host all the action. (Read More)

NBC'S HIT ‘DEAL OR NO DEAL’ NEEDS YOUR HELP IN PICKING THE NEXT CASE MODEL; VIEWERS ALSO HAVE TWO CHANCES AT WINNING $10,000 PER EPISODE DURING THIS EXCITING CONTEST FROM APRIL 20-JUNE 24          Beginning Sunday, April 20 and continuing through Tuesday, June 24, fans of NBC’s hit game show "Deal or No Deal" will be given a special opportunity to help select one brand new case model who will debut in the fourth season premiere next Fall. (Read More)

QUOTABLES: 'THE CHRIS MATTHEWS SHOW'          Predictions From Sunday, April 20, 2008.  (Read More)

U.S. OLYMPIC HOPEFULS FEATURED IN NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY          The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Ad Council are joining qubo, NBC and the United States Olympic Committee to launch a new series of national public service advertisements.  (Read More)

ROSS 'THE INTERN' MATHEWS, FROM THE #1 LATE-NIGHT PROGRAM -- NBC'S 'THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO' WILL GUEST-STAR ON NBC'S DAYTIME DRAMA 'DAYS OF OUR LIVES' ON MAY 14           Ross Mathews ("Ross the Intern" on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno") will guest-star on the Wednesday, May 14 episode of NBC's acclaimed daytime drama "Days of our Lives". (Read More)

NBC SAYS DEAL! TO HOWIE MANDEL FOR NEW UNSCRIPTED COMEDY SERIES 'HOWIE DO IT' FROM MANDEL'S ALEVY PRODUCTION COMPANY           NBC has made a deal with Howie Mandel (host of NBC's hit game show "Deal or No Deal") for a new unscripted comedy series "Howie Do It". (Read More)

LISTINGS FOR 'LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY'          April 24, 25 & 28th, 2008.  (Read More)

'THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO' LISTINGS          April 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, May 1 & 2, 2008. (Read More)

UPDATED LISTINGS FOR 'LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN'          April 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, May 1 & 2, 2008. (Read More)

 

MYSPACE AND NBC NEWS LAUNCH 'DECISION ‘08' HUB ON WORLD’S LEADING SOCIAL NETWORK          MySpace, the world’s most popular social network, together with NBC News and msnbc.com, two of the most globally-respected names in news, today announced an exclusive partnership to launch Decision ‘08. (Read More)

NHL AND NBC ANNOUNCE CONTRACT EXTENSION          NBC Sports and the National Hockey League today announced that they have extended their partnership through the 2008-09 season. (Read More)

NBC'S "CELEBRITY CIRCUS" HITS THE HIGH WIRE WITH ALL-STAR CAST TO COMPETE IN DEATH DEFYING CIRCUS ACTS HOSTED BY JOEY FATONE TO PREMIERE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 (9:30-11 P.M. ET)          NBC's daring new series "Celebrity Circus" features six celebrities who will perform some of the most death-defying circus acts ever seen on television. (Read More)

ABC.COM LAUNCHES LOSTSCAPE           ABC.COM has announced the launch of Lostscape, a unique online environment where fans can explore "Lost" and view exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming episodes.  (Read More)

"UGLY BETTY" PREMIERES FIRST VIDEO PODCAST ON ABC.COM           "Ugly Betty" has premiered its first Video Podcast on ABC.COM. (Read More)

NEW YORK'S STEPHEN PALETTA WINS $1 MILLION ON "OPRAH'S BIG GIVE"           New York resident Stephen Paletta wins $1 Million on "Oprah's Big Give" and everyone goes home a winner. (Read More) 

ABC AFFILIATES RAISE NEARLY $4 MILLION IN THE SPIRIT OF "OPRAH'S BIG GIVE"           ABC and "Oprah's Big Give" Gave Affiliates a Million Dollars and Challenged Them To GIVE BIG and GIVE BACK to Their Communities.  (Read More)

2008 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINAL ROUNDS AIR ON ABC           Tom Bergeron hosts "The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee" Final rounds, when they air on ABC Live in primetime, Friday, May 30. (Read More)

THE "LATE SHOW" TOP TEN "Things Overheard During the Pope?s Visit to New York City"            (Read More)

COUNTRY SINGER TRACE ADKINS TO MAKE HIS DAYTIME DEBUT ON THE NUMBER ONE DAYTIME DRAMA, "THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS," FRIDAY, MAY 2          Country singer Trace Adkins will make his daytime debut on CBS's The Young & The Restless, on Friday, May 2. (Read More)

JOEY VILLASENOR WILL REPLACE MURILO "NINJA" RUA ON THE INAUGURAL "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS," SATURDAY, MAY 31 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK          MMA knockout artist Joey Villasenor, a native of Albuquerque, N.M., will replace Murilo "Ninja" Rua in a middleweight bout against Phil Baroni, in the first CBS ELITEXC Saturday Night Fights, Saturday, May 31. (Read More)

UPCOMING GUESTS ON "THE LATE LATE SHOW with CRAIG FERGUSON" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK          April 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, May 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 & 13, 2008.  (Read More)

UPCOMING GUESTS ON THE "LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK          April 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, May 1 & 2, 2008. (Read More)

TRACE ADKINS, BROOKS & DUNN, MIRANDA LAMBERT AND MONTGOMERY GENTRY SET TO PERFORM ON THE "43RD ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, SUNDAY, MAY 18 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK          Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and Montgomery Gentry are set to perform on "The 43rd Annual Country Music Awards", to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Sunday, May 18.  (Read More)

AS PART OF A WRITERS' CROSSOVER, "TWO AND A HALF MEN" AND "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" JOIN FORCES ON TWO UPCOMING EPISODES          A CSI team investigates a mysterious death at the Malibu beach house of Charlie Harper on a special Cross-Over episode of  "Two And A Half Men", and "C.S.I: Crime Scene Investigation". Starting Monday, May 5th and concluding on May 8th. (Read More)

 

 

L.A. DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER TO SUPPLY GREEN POWER AND E-VILLAGE SOLAR TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL SOLAR POWER FOR TWO DAY AMERICAN IDOL FINALE

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Fox Broadcasting Company has secured two renewable energy resources for the highly anticipated two-night American Idol finale at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live Tuesday, May 20 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) and Wednesday, May 21 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. These eco-friendly initiatives will reduce the carbon footprint of the finale, as part of FOX’s ongoing effort to reduce its impact on the world’s climate and become carbon-neutral by 2010.

In partnership with the LADWP, FOX secured renewable energy for the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live for the duration of the production. The power will be provided by LADWP’s "Green Power for a Green LA Program", and sources will include a combination of solar energy, wind energy and hydropower. Find out more about these low-carbon energy sources at http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp001220.jsp.

In addition, FOX will install a solar panel system provided by E-Village, Inc. (http://www.evillagesolar.com/) in the media arrivals area. This high-performance photovoltaic system will be integrated into the LADWP utility grid and will substantially contribute to the renewable energy mix. After the finale, the solar electric system will be donated to a school in California through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Solar 4 R Schools program.

The American Idol season finale will air live for two nights from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. On Tuesday, May 20 the Top 2 finalists will compete for the title before thousands of fans and millions of television viewers. On Wednesday, May 21 special guests and surprise performers will join Ryan Seacrest as he crowns the next American Idol.

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FOX TAKES BACK THE FUTURE WITH A SECOND SEASON OF "TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES"

 

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           FOX has picked up 13 episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for the 2008-2009 season.  Brian Austin Green Joins the Cast as a Series Regular. The explosive, season-ending cliffhanger left Cameron (Summer Glau) rocked by a car bomb and Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) close to locating an important Skynet component. Viewers were left with unanswered questions regarding Derek’s (Brian Austin Green) true intentions and John’s (Thomas Dekker) fate as the savior of mankind. These questions and more will be answered in season two of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  

 

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"AMERICA’S MOST WANTED" ALL-STAR AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           In February, television’s top crime-fighting show, America’s Most Wanted, asked Americans to help give special recognition to the police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders who are dedicated to protecting us by nominating their favorite hero for the AMW All-Star Award. The public responded by submitting the names of hundreds of brave men and women. Through online voting, Americans selected eight weekly finalists. Now, public voting began Thursday, April 17 to choose the Grand Prize Winner: the 2008 AMW All-Star.

          Voting in the fourth annual AMW All-Star Contest, sponsored by Sprint, is simple, and members of the public may vote once a day, every day, at the America’s Most Wanted website, www.amw.com, or by text message from your Sprint phone (details on how to vote by text message are available at the AMW website and standard text messaging charges apply). Voting for the Grand Prize winner closes on May 6. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter, and will be featured in an upcoming episode of America’s Most Wanted (Saturdays, 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX).

The eight finalists are:

 

·      Gary Fields, a Christiansburg, Virginia police officer who was one of the first to respond to the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University and is credited with saving the life of a gravely-injured student.

·      Scott Reid, a Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff’s Deputy whose day-off trip to a shopping mall turned into a life-or-death confrontation with an armed carjacking suspect.

·      Martin Lawing, a Burke County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Deputy who was shot while trying to help end a standoff.

·      Darrin Helton, an EMT and emergency room nurse in McDowell County, North Carolina.

·      Dennis Delano, a police detective from Buffalo, New York whose work helped clear a man wrongly-imprisoned on rape charges and a woman accused of killing her daughter.

·      Jeff Wheeler, the Assistant Chief of the Waverly/Barton Fire District in Waverly, New York, who was the first commander to arrive on the scene of a deadly tractor-trailer accident and who saved a burning victim.

·      Randy Botten, a sergeant with the Dorchester County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, whose quick thinking brought down a dangerous suspect who’d opened fire on him.

·      Brad Sherman, a lieutenant with the Fairfield Fire Department in Fairfield, Connecticut, who’s spent 30 years in public service and helped with the rescue efforts at Ground Zero and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

 

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NEW NBC UNIVERSAL DIGITAL STUDIO UNVEILS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP DIGITAL & DAVIE BROWN ENTERTAINMENT, ANNOUNCES FIRST PRODUCTIONS AND SENIOR STAFF

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           NBC Universal has announced the formation of its new Digital Studio which has been created to develop and produce brand-centric, quality digital content experiences, distribute them across NBCU's portfolio of digital properties and find and develop quality digital programming into which client brands can be organically integrated. Omnicom Media Group Digital (OMG Digital) has signed on as the first strategic partner. The first productions from the new unit are "Gemini Division," premiering this summer, and "Woke Up Dead." Additionally, new team members Suhaila Suhimi and Nichol DeGruccio have joined the ranks, led by Cameron Death, Vice President, NBC Universal Digital Studio. The announcements were made by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios and Vivi Zigler, Executive Vice President, NBC Digital Entertainment and New Media, to whom Death reports.

          "Under Cameron, this new Digital Studio is going to give us incredible opportunities to develop dynamic, ground-breaking projects using innovative business models," said Silverman. "We are proactively working with our clients, the advertisers, to deliver compelling content to our audiences, wherever they are."

          "By using the intrinsic creative assets of NBC Universal to produce and develop custom digital entertainment, we're ensuring a rich experience for our consumers and client brands alike," said Zigler. "We're expanding both the type of content we offer and our distribution methods, and are well positioned to reach entirely new consumers with our content, brands and experiences."

          In addition to original episodic programming across all genres, the NBC Universal Digital Studio will create deep interactive experiences that will drive high levels of engagement with audiences and the presenting brands. The Studio will offer advertisers full service solutions with access to top writers, producers and talent, high quality production expertise, consumer insights, measurements and analytics and scale to reach their target audiences.

          NBC Universal Digital Studio's flagship strategic partnership with OMG Digital, in cooperation with sister Omnicom companies Davie Brown Entertainment and OMG Entertainment and Sports, is a first-of-its-kind relationship to give brands a seat at the table during the development phase of original digital entertainment. NBC Universal Digital Studio's partnership with OMG Digital creates a new paradigm for branded entertainment in the industry by ensuring content is created around an advertiser's marketing plan.

          Matt Spiegel, CEO, OMG Digital, said, "This is the first time that programming with the distribution potential of NBC Universal will be centered from the start around advertisers. When we were presented the opportunity of a strategic alliance with NBC Universal Digital Studio, it was immediately apparent to all that combining the strength of NBC Universal's storytelling and the breadth of their distribution network with our insights and understanding of brands offered a unique way of giving brands a seat at the table with writers and producers in developing episodic programming that ties directly to brand needs."

          The first of the new unit's productions, "Gemini Division," stars Rosario Dawson and Justin Hartley. Set five minutes in the future, the live action and animated science-fiction series follows a New York City homicide detective, Anna Diaz, as she investigates the murder of her fiancé and uncovers an underworld of genetically fabricated life-forms that bring into question the legitimacy of her own relationships and being. Intel, Cisco, Microsoft, UPS and Acura TSX are the first brands to be involved with the development of the series. "Gemini Division" is produced in association with Electric Farm Entertainment, the team behind the groundbreaking online series "Afterworld."

          The second production from NBC Universal Digital Studio, "Woke Up Dead," is currently in pre-production. The series explores the unexpectedly macabre transformation of run-of-the-mill college student Drex Greene, examining both the physical and emotional struggles of his anything-but-ordinary circumstances. Yesterday his biggest worries were finals and his budding romance with long time pal, Cassie. Today he faces inexplicable zombie-like tendencies, like being submerged under water without having to come up for air. Drex's entire life is quickly thrown into a tailspin, as scientists, military officials, religious zealots, the United States government, even Cassie, race for answers,at any cost and by any means necessary. This series is also produced in association with Electric Farm Entertainment.

 

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SURVEY SAYS!... AL ROKER TO HOST 'CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD' AS PART OF NBC'S ALL-AMERICAN SUMMER PREMIERING TUESDAY, JULY 1

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           One hundred people surveyed, top ten answers on the board and celebrity 'families' behind the buzzers. Al Roker will host all the action when "Celebrity Family Feud" joins NBC's All-American Summer primetime line-up premiering Tuesday, July 1 (8-9 p.m. ET), it was jointly announced today by Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment and Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America.

          Produced by FremantleMedia North America, "Celebrity Family Feud" will be a star-studded version of the beloved and enduring game show, featuring four celebrity families matching wits each week to raise money for their respective charities. In some cases, competing families will each consist of one celebrity and their real-life relatives, while other episodes will feature nostalgic or current television clans. Gaby Johnston, executive producer of the current syndicated "Family Feud" hosted by John O'Hurley, and Toby Gorman, executive producer of the UK version "Family Fortunes," will executive produce. All celebrities will be announced at a later date.

          "This is a no-holds-barred, laugh-out-loud series that allows celebrities to be themselves among their family members or among longtime co-stars who have become like family," said Plestis. "Viewers can't help but play along, and with Al Roker at the helm, it promises to provide high energy, interactive fun…with the bonus of exposing the unscripted side of our favorite celebrities."

          "We're thrilled to once again bring a hugely successful game show format to primetime," says Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America, producers of the current syndicated version as well as the original classic game show. "It is one of the handful of game show formats that has stood the test of time and traveled the world successfully. Like 'The Price Is Right,' we're confident this primetime version will resonate with viewers of all ages."

 

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NBC'S HIT ‘DEAL OR NO DEAL’ NEEDS YOUR HELP IN PICKING THE NEXT CASE MODEL; VIEWERS ALSO HAVE TWO CHANCES AT WINNING $10,000 PER EPISODE DURING THIS EXCITING CONTEST FROM APRIL 20-JUNE 24

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Beginning Sunday, April 20 and continuing through Tuesday, June 24, fans of NBC’s hit game show "Deal or No Deal" will be given a special opportunity to help select one brand new case model who will debut in the fourth season premiere next Fall, and have two chances at winning $10,000 during each episode. Voting for the interactive "Deal or No Deal Model Search" can be done via premium text messaging and participants may also register online at NBC.com for a chance to win the prize.

          For the first time ever, the "Deal or No Deal Model Search" allows viewers to have the unique opportunity of choosing a brand new model from among 24 pre-selected women. For eight consecutive episodes, beginning Monday, April 21, a unique group of three women will have the opportunity to show off their personalities to try and win viewers votes. The top eight winners, one from each episode, will advance to the semi-finals. Additionally, one previously eliminated model will be granted the opportunity to compete as a "wildcard" and vie for a coveted spot in the finals. The contest culminates on Tuesday, June 24, when fans will pick from the three remaining potential models to determine the final winner who will be announced on NBC, Wednesday, June 25 at 8 p.m. ET prior to the premiere of the new reality series "The Baby Borrowers".

          At various points in the show, viewers will be alerted with instructions on how to vote for their favorite model by texting on their cell phones ($1.00 per text message plus standard text messaging charges). Each vote for their favorite model gives the participant a wallpaper shot for their phone featuring the model they selected, and automatic opportunity for two chances at winning $10,000 each episode in a random drawing. Others may log onto the "Deal or No Deal" website for free at www.nbc.com/DOND for a chance at the prize. The prize winners will be revealed and announced live at the end of the each show, with one winner selected from both the Eastern and Pacific Time zones.

          The list of new potential models and their hometowns are as follows: Britten Kelley, Cincinnati, Ohio; Tami Donaldson, Hollywood, Florida; Cora Skinner, San Luis Obispo, California; Nicole Panattoni, Murrieta, California; Kylah Kim, Dallas, Texas; Jennifer Hall, Perm, Minnesota; Casey Durkin, Boston, Massachusetts; Ravyn, New York, New York; Roxanne Siordia, Oceanside, California; Lindsay Christiansen, West Des Moines, Iowa; Krista Coyle, Chico, California; Amy Weller, Bizbee, Arizona; Nafeesa Defioras, Scottsdale, Arizona; Celine De Sauvage, France; Ashleah O’Shea, Santa Rosa, California; Sasha Formosa, Hoboken, New Jersey; Natalie Walker, Melbourne, Australia; Lisa Byrnes, Scottsdale, Arizona; Monica Flores, El Paso, Texas; Desiree Anderson, Switzerland; Leilani Mau, Alameda, California; Elizabeth Ashley, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Carrie Prejean, San Diego, California and Miki Black, Springfield, Illinois.

          For more information including bios, pictures, videos of the new models and contest rules log on to www.nbc.com/DOND.

 

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QUOTABLES: 'THE CHRIS MATTHEWS SHOW'
 
Predictions -- Sunday, April 20, 2008

DAVID GREGORY, NBC NEWS:
"President Bush is not known for sightseeing when he travels around the world, but this spring, he's commemorating the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel and he's going to be doing something interesting that will mean a lot to Jews around the world. He will climb Masada, which overlooks of course the Dead Sea, and I say climb -- I assume that given his proclivities, he will go up the snake path, as it's called, instead of the cable car, but everybody will be watching to find out."

KATTY KAY, BBC:
"The McCain camp went into the beginning of this year thinking the person they wanted to run against was Hillary Clinton. That's shifting. They're looking at the attacks Obama has taken recently, the debate performance he gave last Wednesday, the Wright issue, the middle-class bitterness issue, and they're starting to think that maybe they have a better shot against Barack Obama because he's weaker and they can attack him harder. The irony is they actually have quite a lot of respect for Hillary Clinton. They don't have a lot of respect for Barack Obama."

HOWARD FINEMAN, NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE:
"Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell is very strong for Hillary Clinton, and he's going to be strong through the Pennsylvania primary. Depending on what happens but almost regardless of what happens, look for Ed Rendell to be in the delegation of people going to Hillary Clinton at some point if necessary and saying it's time to hang it up. I think he's going to playing a broker's role down the road... He's telling people around town that that's the role he's going to play."

RENEE CHENAULT-FATTAH, WCAU-TV/PHILADELPHIA:
"During the Pennsylvania primary, given the close relationship that has developed between Senator Bob Casey and Senator Barack Obama, in the event that there is an Obama administration, don't be surprised to see Senator Casey in a super-heavyweight position."

 

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U.S. OLYMPIC HOPEFULS FEATURED IN NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Ad Council are joining qubo, NBC and the United States Olympic Committee to launch a new series of national public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to address childhood obesity. The new TV spots debut today to coincide with the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit in Chicago. The spots feature several U.S. Olympic Team hopefuls, as well as qubo's popular animated characters. qubo is the children's entertainment service featured Saturday mornings on NBC, "America's Olympic Network" which owns the exclusive U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2012.

          "A hundred years ago, about the only thing a child could do sitting still was read or draw," said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. "Now we have television, video games, the Internet and an epidemic of childhood obesity. We need to get kids up and moving, and that is what these PSAs aim to do. My thanks to all the organizations participating in this important effort."

          The PSAs are an extension of HHS' Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative, Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future, and the Ad Council's Coalition for Healthy Children (www.healthychildrencoalition.org). Created pro bono by qubo and its programming partners, the PSAs will begin airing this week through donated time on NBC, ION Television and the qubo Channel. Each of these broadcast and promotional partners are committed to addressing childhood obesity in America and will be supporting the new ads, along with other efforts promoting healthy lifestyles to kids and families, leading up to and throughout NBC's coverage of the Olympic Games in Beijing, which begin on August 8, 2008. The PSAs will also be supported nationally among other broadcast and cable networks as part of the Ad Council's traditional donated media model.

          "We are thrilled to partner with qubo and the U.S. Olympic Committee for this new series of PSAs featuring America's Olympic hopefuls," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "qubo's efforts are a wonderful example of how our Coalition for Healthy Children messages can be utilized to combat childhood obesity in our country."


U.S. Olympic hopefuls featured in the TV spots include:

Shawn Johnson (Gymnastics) The 16-year old 2007 world all-around champion from Des Moines, Iowa has established herself as one of the gymnasts to watch as the Beijing Games approach.

Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh (Beach Volleyball) Following their Olympic triumph in Athens, the California golden girls are looking to claim gold again at the Beijing Olympic Games this summer.

Sanya Richards (Track & Field) This 2004 Olympic gold medalist lives in Austin, Texas, where she met her fiancé, New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross, when they were both students at University of Texas at Austin. This 2004 Olympic gold medalist is the American record holder in the 400 meter dash. She is the only American to break 49 seconds and the youngest ever to do it.

          "We are extremely pleased to partner in this effort to positively affect the lives of our nation's youth, who are becoming increasingly sedentary," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. "Having such dedicated, high-profile athletes involved in this initiative with characters that resonate with today's young people will surely expand the reach of this important message."

          "It's important for kids to understand that they don't need to be an Olympian to be healthy," said Shawn Johnson, 2007 world all-around gymnastics champion. "It can be as easy and fun as getting up to play for an hour a day and keeping an eye on the amount and type of food you eat."

          qubo's animated characters from VeggieTales, Jane and the Dragon and 3-2-1 Penguins! also appear with the athletes in the new PSAs. The series of TV spots promote the Coalition for Healthy Children's research-based messages, including the importance of controlling food portions, maintaining energy balance, and participating in physical activity.

          "Creating these PSAs about healthy living is a logical extension of qubo's commitment every day to promoting pro-social values in an environment that parents can trust," said Rick Rodriguez, President and General Manager for qubo. "We are delighted to embark on our first partnership with HHS, the Ad Council and the USOC. By pairing qubo's animated characters with these Olympic hopefuls, we're sure kids will take notice!"

          The new PSAs aim to reach children ages 6-13 to communicate the message that being healthy can be simple and fun, and that you don't need to be an Olympic athlete to stay in shape. Additional ads featuring qubo's animated characters will also appear in print, outdoor and online media this summer and throughout the year. The PSAs direct children and families to visit www.smallstep.gov for fun and interactive experiences that can help everyone eat healthy and become more physically active. To view the spots, visit http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=45 and to learn more about the athletes featured in the PSAs, log on to NBCOlympics.com.

 

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ROSS 'THE INTERN' MATHEWS, FROM THE #1 LATE-NIGHT PROGRAM -- NBC'S 'THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO' -- WILL GUEST-STAR ON NBC'S DAYTIME DRAMA 'DAYS OF OUR LIVES' ON MAY 14

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Ross Mathews ("Ross the Intern" on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno") will guest-star on the Wednesday, May 14 episode of NBC's acclaimed daytime drama "Days of our Lives" as a patron at the Salem Health Club who befriends Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney).

          In this episode of "Days of our Lives," Sami Brady is working out at the Salem Health Club while trying to ignore the fact that she's jealous of her husband EJ DiMera's (James Scott) flirtations with Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker) when she meets Chris (Ross Mathews).

          At the treadmills, Sami confides in Chris about her jealousy over Nicole and EJ working out together. When Nicole and EJ disappear into the sauna together, she asks Chris to spy on the two of them for her. Chris is more than happy to help out his new friend, Sami, but what he reports back from visiting the sauna is not what Sami's going to want to hear.

          Mathews, known to late-night television viewers as Ross the Intern on the #1 late-night program, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the world and has made the nation laugh all the while. E! Entertainment Television named Mathews one of the 30 Most Outrageous Celebrities, solidifying his spot as one of the most exciting personalities on television today.

 

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NBC SAYS DEAL! TO HOWIE MANDEL FOR NEW UNSCRIPTED COMEDY SERIES 'HOWIE DO IT' FROM MANDEL'S ALEVY PRODUCTION COMPANY

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           NBC has made a deal with Howie Mandel (host of NBC's hit game show "Deal or No Deal") for a new unscripted comedy series "Howie Do It" (working title) in which he will star and produce. The announcement was made today by Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment.

          "America loves Howie and we're so lucky to have another great show that will showcase his unique signature humor," said Plestis.

          "I can't tell you how excited I am to be in business with NBC once again," said Mandel. "Working with them on 'Deal or No Deal' continues to be a phenomenal experience."

 

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LISTINGS FOR 'LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY'

Thursday, April 24 - 894 Dov Davidoff / Dylan Ratigan with musical guests The Airborne Toxic Event

Friday, April 25 - 889 Andrew Zimmern with musical guest Matt Costa

Monday, April 28 - 895 John Cho with musical guest TBD

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'THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO' LISTINGS

Thursday, April 24: Show 3553 - Guests include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marilu Henner and musical guests Old 97's

XXFriday, April 25: Show 3554 - Guests include Hugh Laurie, Doug Fine and musical guest Prince

Monday, April 28: Show 3555 - Guests include Helen Hunt, Governor Bobby Jindal and musical guest Duffy

Tuesday, April 29: Show 3556 - Guests include Dr. Phil

Wednesday, April 30: Show 3557 - Guests include Cindy McCain, Ed Helms and musical guest Augustana

Thursday, May 1: Show 3558 - Guests include Cameron Diaz, Terrence Howard and musical guest Avril Lavigne

Friday, May 2: Show 3559 - Guests include Sally Field and Jesse Ventura

 

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UPDATED LISTINGS FOR 'LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN'

Thursday, April 24 - Show 2564 - Actress Amy Poehler (NBC's "Saturday Night Live")

Friday, April 25 - Show 2565 - Actress Tina Fey (NBC's "30 Rock"), actor Fred Willard, musical guest Say Anything

Monday, April 28 - Show 2566 - Actress Marisa Tomei, musical guest Santogold

Tuesday, April 29 - Show 2567 - Musical guest The Kills

Wednesday, April 30 - Show 2568 - Chef Gordon Ramsay, musical guest Feist

Thursday, May 1 - Show 2569 - TBA

Friday, May 2 - Show 2570 - Actor Matthew Broderick, musical guest Was (Not Was)

 

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MYSPACE AND NBC NEWS LAUNCH 'DECISION ‘08' HUB ON WORLD’S LEADING SOCIAL NETWORK

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           MySpace, the world’s most popular social network, together with NBC News and msnbc.com, two of the most globally-respected names in news, today announced an exclusive partnership to launch Decision ‘08 (www.myspace.com/decision08), a comprehensive online center for in-depth 2008 election-related news, analysis and discussion. Available to more than 100 million active MySpace users worldwide, Decision ‘08 will be an essential component of MySpace’s IMPACT Channel, the site’s popular hub for civic and social engagement. Decision ‘08 will also roll out innovative features and new, interactive opportunities for the online community to actively engage with NBC News and msnbc.com content, anchors and reporters in the upcoming months of the election season.

          Live today, Decision ‘08 presents up-to-the-minute election coverage, news feeds and daily videos from NBC News and msnbc.com, user-generated content from the MySpace community, and will link to profiles of NBC News and MSNBC anchors and reporters, including Brian Williams, Tim Russert and Chris Matthews. In addition to offering its content via MySpace, msnbc.com will also link to and integrate Decision ‘08 into its own Politics home page (www.politics.msnbc.com).

           "The 2008 election is proving to be the most youth- and technology-driven race in history, and MySpace is a significant forum for political discussion today," said Lee Brenner, Director of IMPACT and Executive Producer of Political Programming at MySpace. "We are privileged today to be partnering with such revered news organizations as NBC News and msnbc.com, and to be taking our first steps in what will be a unique and engaging collaboration for the MySpace community."

           "NBC News has never been more committed to delivering quality news and information where and when our users and viewers want it," said Mark Lukasiewicz, Vice President of Digital Media at NBC News. "The Decision ‘08 hub at MySpace will give everyone in the vast MySpace community access to the information and tools they need to engage in this crucial election."

          "Msnbc.com's best-in-the-business politics coverage and the power of the MySpace community are a perfect pair in this epic election season," said Jennifer Sizemore, Vice President and Editor-In-Chief of msnbc.com. "Users will be able to drive their own experiences with the best political tools, news and analysis."

          The Decision ‘08 hub will also introduce new resources for users, such as RSS feeds delivering news on all the major presidential candidates, the latest political news from msnbc.com’s exclusive political news blog, "First Read" (www.firstread.msnbc.com), as well as online voter registration, an interactive map with election statistics, and featured videos and photos from past MySpace IMPACT events. Additionally, Decision ’08 will give users the opportunity to participate in reporting from significant political events later this year, as well as contribute to online polls.

 

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NHL AND NBC ANNOUNCE CONTRACT EXTENSION

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           NBC Sports and the National Hockey League today announced that they have extended their partnership through the 2008-09 season with NBC exercising its option on the NHL. The joint announcement was made today by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.

          "We're thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with the NHL," said Ebersol. "There have been positive signs for the league, both on and off the ice. Ratings were up this year; the Winter Classic in Buffalo was a huge success; advertising sales were healthy; and the product on the ice has never been better, led by young, marketable stars such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. We believe this is a sport that will continue to grow."

          Bettman said, "This is great news for the NHL and its fans. NBC has been a great partner and its innovations to the broadcasts have helped bring fans inside the game like never before."

NHL "SUNDAY GAME OF THE WEEK" PLUS FLEX SCHEDULE:

          NBC will continue to broadcast the NHL "Sunday Game of the Week" during the regular season, highlighted by flexible scheduling. Under the flex policy instituted this season, NBC can select from up to three games on Sunday afternoons. At least 13 days prior to the scheduled games, NBC, in conjunction with the NHL, selects one of those games as the "Game of the Week" to be broadcast during the NBC window. The other games remain available to the teams' regional carrier but are not televised during NBC's broadcast window. NBC will air eight of its nine Sunday afternoon games at a consistent 12:30 p.m. ET start time. NBC also will offer extensive coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final, up to 15 post-season games in all.

"THE NHL HAS NEVER LOOKED OR SOUNDED BETTER"

          NBC's NHL coverage has received critical acclaim, earning praise for innovations such as "Inside the Glass," a reporter position between the teams' benches first introduced by NBC hockey producer Sam Flood. ESPN.com said of NBC's hockey coverage, "the NHL has never looked or sounded better in its free, on-the-air history." The Hockey News called "Inside the Glass," "the biggest innovation to hit televised hockey in recent years" and the Toronto Star said it "is proving to be one of the best broadcasting innovations since the advent of the second camera" providing viewers "with the kind of insights that only someone in that position could get." "Hockey has found a network that will let the sport be the sport," said the San Jose Mercury News. The Daily News said, "[Mike] Milbury has brought reality - and a sharp edge - to the Peacock's NHL studio. He also has displayed something many analysts - in all sports - lack: guts." "Pierre McGuire's verbal sparring with Milbury has been nothing short of classic theater," said the Philadelphia Inquirer.

 

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NBC'S "CELEBRITY CIRCUS" HITS THE HIGH WIRE WITH ALL-STAR CAST TO COMPETE IN DEATH DEFYING CIRCUS ACTS HOSTED BY JOEY FATONE TO PREMIERE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 (9:30-11 P.M. ET)

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           NBC's daring new series "Celebrity Circus" features six celebrities who will perform some of the most death-defying circus acts ever seen on television. Antonio Sabato Jr., Blu Cantrell, Christopher Knight, Janet Evans, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna and Rachel Hunter will attempt breathtaking stunts in a head-to-head competition in front of a live studio audience. Each week viewers at home will cast their votes for the best acts and determine which of the celebrities is going home. Hosted by former *NSYNC member and Emmy Red Carpet host Joey Fatone, "Celebrity Circus" brings the incredible world of the Big Top into America's living rooms in a special 90 minute premiere on Wednesday, June 11 at 9:30 P.M. ET.

          With stunning visuals, dramatic stories, and breathtaking stunts, "Celebrity Circus" will follow the entire journey from the star's first terrifying climb up the high wire ladder to the last nerve-wracking rehearsal. Guided by top experts in specialties like High Wire, Fire Dancing, Hand Balancing, Flying Trapeze, Chinese Poles, Aerial Silks, and the Wheel of Death, the stars will have eight weeks to train and perfect their acts. Then, in a stunning and magical circus environment, they will showcase their amazing skills for America. To perform at their best, they will have to go beyond anything they have done before, pushing their bodies and minds to the limits. The stars will be joined on stage by the experts who trained them to create rich, multi-dimensional acts. After each performance the competitors will face our judges, experts from the cirque world, who will be candidly honest in their assessment of each act.


ABOUT THE CELEBRITY CONTESTANTS

Antonio Sabato Jr. is best known for his roles on various television shows including "General Hospital" and "Melrose Place." He was also seen opposite Mark Wahlberg in the feature film "The Big Hit." Sabato Jr. was a part of the most successful Calvin Klein underwear campaign in the company's history.

Blu Cantrell is a Grammy and AMA nominated R&B soul singer. Cantrell's debut album "So Blu" was released in 2001 and eventually went platinum. The album featured the hit single "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oopps!)" and peaked at the #2 spot on the US Billboard top 100 singles chart.

Christopher Knight is best known for his role as Peter Brady on the classic television show "The Brady Bunch." In addition to acting, Knight has also had a very successful career in marketing and technology companies often doubling their bottom lines.

Janet Evans is one of the most well known Olympic athletes in recent history. In 1988 she won three individual gold medals at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Evans also won individual gold and silver medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

Jason "Wee Man" Acuna is an accomplished television host and actor. Best known for his starring role in "Jackass," Acuna continues to shock his audiences with his outrageous and comedic stunts. He is also a professional skateboarder.

Rachel Hunter is a supermodel and actress. Hunter began her modeling career at the age of 17 and rose to the top as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model in the late 80's and early 90's.

 

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ABC.COM LAUNCHES LOSTSCAPE

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           ABC.COM has announced the launch of Lostscape, a unique online environment where fans can explore "Lost" and view exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming episodes. Fans Can Also Enter for a Chance to Win a Trip for Two to the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con.

          ABC.com today launched LOSTscape, a unique, engaging, immersive environment where fans can explore and interact with iconic items from the hit series "Lost." Fans can also view 34 clips from the show in which the items were used, as well as enjoy sneak peeks of upcoming original episodes not available anywhere else. In addition, they can enter for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con to attend the "Lost" panel in person.

          Participants will instantly be immersed in the setting of the island and its immediate surroundings, discovering and collecting objects along the way. As visitors scroll across the LOSTscape, they'll encounter various items, some obvious, some not. Most items trigger a popup window containing a brief video clip from the episode in which they first appeared, along with textual, story-related information about it. There are 34 items to be found, but once fans have identified seven, they'll be invited to enter for a chance to win a trip to Comic-Con for themselves and a friend.

          The Comic-Con trip will consist of round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations and transportation for two people to San Diego, CA to attend the "Lost" panel. In addition to preferred seating, there will be a meet-and-greet with special cast members and executives from the show. Entry deadline is June 30. No purchase necessary. Go to https://r.abc.go.com/abc/primetime/lost/lostscape/rules for official rules.

 

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"UGLY BETTY" PREMIERES FIRST VIDEO PODCAST ON ABC.COM

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           "Ugly Betty" has premiered its first Video Podcast on ABC.COM. Michael Urie and Becki Newton, aka "Ugly Betty's" devious duo, Marc and Amanda, host the show's first-ever video podcast, which debuted on ABC.com this week. The podcast features Urie and Newton interviewing "Ugly Betty" composer Jeff Beal, and a new song by Beal to celebrate Betty's return to America's TV sets, "Ready for Betty." Urie and Newton also go behind the scenes on set at "Ugly Betty" to catch up with cast mates like Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Tony Plana, Ashley Jensen, Mark Indelicato and of course, Betty herself, America Ferrera.

 

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NEW YORK'S STEPHEN PALETTA WINS $1 MILLION ON "OPRAH'S BIG GIVE"

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           New York resident Stephen Paletta wins $1 Million on "Oprah's Big Give" and everyone goes home a winner. Across the Country, "Oprah's Big Give" Challenges Result in Nearly $4 million in Donations to Organizations and People in Need in Communities Across the U.S. New York-based contractor and father of three Stephen Paletta, 43, was awarded $1 million in the season finale of the hit ABC series.

          Paletta completed challenges in eight episodes of the series, ranging from giving away $100,0000 over 24 hours to helping grant the last wishes of two terminally ill parents, and he was the unanimous choice of "Oprah's Big Give" judges Jamie Oliver, Malaak Compton-Rock, and Tony Gonzalez.

          Paletta beat out competitors Brandi Milloy, 24, a pageant queen from Sierra Vista, Arizona and Cameron Johnson, 23, an entrepreneur from Roanoke, Virginia, to win the title of Biggest Giver in the season finale. After announcing his win, Winfrey then told Paletta he could use $500,000 for himself, and the other $500,000 to give back.

          Said Paletta, "I'm in shock. It was such an incredible honor and privilege to be part of this show and to be chosen as the Biggest Giver with all these wonderful people."

          Runners-up Milloy and Johnson also went home winners, each receiving $100,000. In a surprise twist, the remaining of the original ten contestants, including Rachael Hollingsworth (Los Angeles, CA), Kim Prentiss (Brentwood, TN), Eric Klein (Los Angeles, CA), Carlana Stone (Glendale, CA), Angelo Adams (Ann Arbor, MI), and Marlene Snipes (Chicago, IL), each received $30,000 from the production and special guest Jennifer Aniston.

          Aniston's appearance followed those by other celebrity guest stars during the series' run, including John Travolta, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Trump, Natalie Cole, Gayle King, Danica Patrick, Andre Agassi and Tony Hawk.

          Throughout the course of the series, ABC asked its affiliates to give back to their local communities, providing each with $10,000 of seed money. Ninety ABC stations have spread the spirit of the "Big Give" by raising nearly $4 million in donations to organizations and people in need in communities across the U.S. From over $1 million raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana for a new series of community trails, to a peanut butter drive in Dallas, Texas that resulted in nearly 10,000 jars of peanut butter to help feed those in need, the spirit of the "Big Give" was evident.

 

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ABC AFFILIATES RAISE NEARLY $4 MILLION IN THE SPIRIT OF "OPRAH'S BIG GIVE"

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           ABC and "Oprah's Big Give" Gave Affiliates a Million Dollars and Challenged Them To GIVE BIG and GIVE BACK to Their Communities. In the spirit of the inspiring reality series "Oprah's Big Give," ABC handed over a million dollars to local ABC affiliates and challenged them to give big and give back to their communities during an eight-week campaign. Ninety stations raised nearly four million dollars in cash and in-kind donations in excess of the original seed money, and that number continues to grow.

          In a surprise twist, three of the participating affiliates were rewarded for their phenomenal campaigns, and each received an extra $30,000 from ABC and "Oprah's Big Give." The three judges from "Oprah's Big Give" -- Jamie Oliver, Tony Gonzalez and Malaak Compton-Rock - recognized the three affiliates based on who they felt accomplished the "Biggest Give." The outpouring of support in all of the communities has exceeded everyone's expectations.

          "We couldn't be more thrilled with the fabulous response from all of the affiliates. Their work went above and beyond our expectations and has proven to be unbelievably rewarding," said Marla Provencio, executive vice president, Marketing, ABC Entertainment.

          "This has been so inspiring for everyone involved. By working together with our affiliates, we were able to generate a legacy in their individual communities in a very powerful and lasting way," said John Rouse, senior vice president, ABC Affiliate Relations.

          Participating stations were each given $10,000 and asked to be creative and make the money grow to pay it forward in a unique way and make a difference in their community. Almost 100 markets participated in this exciting promotion and transformed the money into even more dollars for their community. Some of the causes the affiliates undertook ranged from helping a family of a paralyzed teenager to creating scholarship funds for homeless teens who want to attend college.

The three affiliates who were surprised to find out their station would receive an extra $30,000 are:

* WPTA-TV, Fort Wayne, IN - With the help of the City of Fort Wayne, viewers and even the state of Indiana, this affiliate raised $1,147,219 in cash and in-kind donations for Aboite New Trails, whose goal is to promote the expansion of multi-use trails throughout Southwest Allen County in Illinois. Six Years ago Sharon Repka's husband, Ron, was struck by a drunk driver while riding his bike. Sharon started the Ronald G. Repka Foundation, which advocates bicycle/driver safety awareness. With this contribution, Aboite New Trails can help Sharon get the word out on how to create safer trails for cyclists and runners in their community. Former Colts coach Tony Dungy was on hand to greet the large crowd at the presentation.

* WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC - The affiliate put out a call to action asking local businesses to match their initial $10,000 donation, as well as to collect donations from their viewers. Almost $40,000 was raised, which will enable Second Harvest of Metolina to send 1,500 children home with backpacks filled with food every weekend for an entire year. The station partnered with race car driver Martin Truex Jr., and his foundation donated items and sought cash donations from other NASCAR drivers and team sponsors.

* KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT - The affiliate turned the station's $10,000 seed money into a project worth well over $200,000 for Hearts 2 Homes and Utah Foster Care Foundation. John and Cayce Thill, who have two biological and 12 adopted children, believe in eating dinner together but didn't have a dining room large enough. What started off as a dining room makeover -- so a foster care family of 16 could eat together -- turned into hundreds of volunteers and companies donating to make over the entire house. The Thills are paying their gift forward by helping other parents with foster child training and organizing a foster family retreat.

 

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2008 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINAL ROUNDS AIR ON ABC

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Tom Bergeron hosts "The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee" Final rounds, when they air on ABC Live in primetime, Friday, May 30. Erin Andrews of ESPN is Correspondent for ABC and ESPN Broadcast; Chris McKendry Hosts ESPN Portion Emmy Award-winning Tom Bergeron ("Dancing with the Stars," "America's Funniest Home Videos") hosts live television coverage of the final championship rounds of "The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee," Friday, May 30 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), live from Washington, DC. Preliminary championship rounds will air live earlier in the day on ESPN, which has televised the Bee in its entirety since 1994. ESPN's live telecast (simulcast on ESPN360.com) is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., ET. ESPN360.com will provide coverage of the quarterfinal rounds from 2:00-5:30 p.m., ET on Thursday, May 29 on ESPN 360.com. ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews will be a correspondent for both the ABC and ESPN broadcasts.

          Can you spell u-b-i-q-u-i-t-o-u-s? With his ready wit and impeccable timing, Tom Bergeron is one of television's most valuable players, and, when "Dancing with the Stars" is on the air, he has the most primetime hours on TV of any host. In addition to hosting DWTS and AFHV on ABC, he is a special correspondent for "Good Morning America" and produces and hosts the new series "Supper Club" for Planet Green in June. In the past, his hosting duties have included the TV stalwarts the "Miss America Pageant," "The 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards" and "Hollywood Squares."

          Also new to this year's Bee is correspondent Erin Andrews, who has reported for many ESPN broadcasts since joining the network in 2004, including coverage of Major League Baseball, the Little League World Series, college football, college basketball, college world series, NHL and others.

 

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THE "LATE SHOW" TOP TEN "Things Overheard During the Pope?s Visit to New York City"  

10.       "Sir, when did you realize your Popemobile was missing?"

9.         "Hey, pal, take off the hat."

8.         "He looks a lot popier in person."

7.         "Tell you what, since you're the Pope, you can have the Rolex for $20."

6.         "Thank you, heavenly father, for letting me survive that cab ride."

5.         "He wanted a tour of all the places they whacked guys on ‘The Sopranos'?"

4.         "Relax, the Virgin Megastore isn't what it sounds like."

3.         "I don't care who he is - he can wait in line for his vanilla latte like the rest of us."

2.         "No joke - I just saw the Pope and two rabbis walk into a bar."

1.         "Wanna perform a miracle?  Help the Knicks win a game."

 

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COUNTRY SINGER TRACE ADKINS TO MAKE HIS DAYTIME DEBUT ON THE NUMBER ONE DAYTIME DRAMA, "THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS," FRIDAY, MAY 2

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Country singer Trace Adkins will make his daytime debut on CBS's The Young & The Restless, on Friday, May 2 on the CBS Television Network. Adkins makes an appearance in Genoa City to help Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) surprise his wife, Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), for their first anniversary.  He performs his Number One country single "You're Gonna Miss This."

 

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JOEY VILLASENOR WILL REPLACE MURILO "NINJA" RUA ON THE INAUGURAL "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS," SATURDAY, MAY 31 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           MMA knockout artist Joey Villasenor, a native of Albuquerque, N.M., will replace Murilo "Ninja" Rua in a middleweight bout against Phil Baroni, in the first CBS ELITEXC Saturday Night Fights, Saturday, May 31 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.  Villasenor, a protégé of MMA guru Greg Jackson, established a record for the fastest knockout in an MMA fight, a four-second victory over Hank Weis in 2004.  Villasenor most recently scored an exciting first-round knockout over Ryan Jensen on March 29.

The following five primetime matchups are confirmed for May 31.

Kimbo Slice vs. James "Colossus" Thompson (Heavyweights)

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler vs. Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith (for EliteXC Middleweight title)

Gina "Conviction" Carano vs. Kaitlin Young (140 lb. weight class) 

Phil Baroni vs. Joey Villasenor (Middleweights)

Brett "The Grim" Rogers vs. Jon Murphy (Heavyweights)

 

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UPCOMING GUESTS ON "THE LATE LATE SHOW with CRAIG FERGUSON" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

 Thursday, April 24                    Actor Ben Stein; actress Alicia Witt; comedian Andrew Norelli

Friday, April 25                        Actor Jason Segel from the CBS comedy series "How I Met Your Mother"; author Connie Schultz

Monday, April 28                     Actor Ewan McGregor; music by Morrissey

Tuesday, April 29                     Actress Kathy Griffin; music by Morrissey

Wednesday, April 30                Actor Jeff Bridges; actress Valerie Edmond; music by Grand Archives

Thursday, May 1                      Actress Sigourney Weaver; actor Eric Mabius; music by She & Him;

Friday, May 2                          Actress Helen Hunt; Actor Kal Penn

*Monday, May 5                   Actor Hugh Laurie; author Michael Starr

Tuesday, May 6                       Actor John Goodman; music by Jason Aldean

Wednesday, May 7                  Actress Felicity Huffman; music by Mike Doughty

*Thursday, May 8                 Actress Emily Deschanel;

*Friday, May 9                      Actress Rachel Griffiths; Melvin Lardy of "Ax Men"

*Monday, May 12                 Actor John Stamos; author Judith Smith-Levin; music by Jaymay

*Tuesday, May 13                 Actor John Cusack; actress Paraminder Nagra

 

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UPCOMING GUESTS ON THE "LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN" ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK  

*Thursday, April 24                           Actress Tina Fey; Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre; musical guest Estelle

Friday, April 25                                    Craig Ferguson, host of CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"; humorist/radio host Ira Glass; musical guests The Black Crowes

Monday, April 28                                 Actress Gwyneth Paltrow; comedian Richard Lewis; musical guests The Roots with Chrisette Michele

Tuesday, April 29                                 Actor Robert Downey Jr.; musical guest Alicia Keys

*Wednesday, April 30                       Actor Matthew Broderick; reality show star Heidi Montag; musical guest Josh Groban

Thursday, May 1                                  Actor John Goodman; author/adventurer Bear Grylls; musical guest Robyn

Friday, May 2                                      Actor Patrick Dempsey; actress Isabella Rossellini; musical guest Nick Lowe

 

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TRACE ADKINS, BROOKS & DUNN, MIRANDA LAMBERT AND MONTGOMERY GENTRY SET TO PERFORM ON THE "43RD ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, SUNDAY, MAY 18 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK  

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and Montgomery Gentry are set to perform on "The 43rd Annual Country Music Awards", to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Sunday, May 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.  The event honors country music's top talent as well as the industry's hottest emerging talent. 

          They join previously announced performers Rodney Atkins, Dolly Parton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.  Country music superstar Reba McEntire returns to host the show for the 10th time.

          Trace Adkins' current single, "You're Gonna Miss This," was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Country charts.  Fresh from his appearance on "Celebrity Apprentice," the two-time Academy nominee will release his next album later this fall.

          Fourteen-time Top Vocal Duo winners Brooks & Dunn are nominated for the 17th time in the same category.  They are currently on tour promoting their album, Cowboy Town, which debuted at number four on the charts.  With 24 awards, they have the highest number of ACM wins ever.

          Last year's Top New Female Vocalist, Miranda Lambert, is nominated for three awards, including Top Female Vocalist, Single of the Year for "Famous in a Small Town" and Album of the Year for her number one Platinum-selling album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, for which she co-wrote eight of the 11 songs.  Her nominated hit, "Famous in a Small Town," is her highest charting single to date. 

          Montgomery Gentry is nominated for Top Vocal Duo.  This June, they will release their eagerly awaited album, Back When I Knew it All, the follow-up to Some People Change, which delivered three back-to-back Top Five singles, including the number one "Lucky Man."  Their new single, "Back When I Knew it All," is currently the duo's fastest rising to date and already a Top 20 hit on the country charts.

 

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AS PART OF A WRITERS' CROSSOVER, "TWO AND A HALF MEN" AND "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" JOIN FORCES ON TWO UPCOMING EPISODES  

(Thursday, April 24th, 2008.  -  Editor)           A CSI team investigates a mysterious death at the Malibu beach house of Charlie Harper on a special Cross-Over episode of the number one comedy on television, "Two And A Half Men", and the night one scripted drama on television, "C.S.I: Crime Scene Investigation". Starting Monday, May 5th on an episode of "Two And A Half Men", titled "Fish in a Drawer" and concluding on C.S.I. on May 8th, on the CBS Television Network.

           Robert Wagner ("Hart to Hart," "Austin Powers:  The Spy Who Shagged Me") returns as Teddy, Evelyn's new husband.  Jenny McCarthy ("Scary Movie 3," Louder than words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism) returns as Courtney, his devious daughter.  George Eads ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") makes a cameo appearance.

          The episode was written by writers from television's number one drama, "CSI:  Crime Scene Investigation," as part of a crossover with the writers of television's number one comedy, "Two and a Half Men."  The "CSI" episode written by the "Two and a Half Men" writers will be broadcast Thursday, May 8 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS.

 

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