Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2000

Release #428-00

 
Contact:

Michael Anton / Lynn Rasic (212) 788-2958

 

Julianne Cho (Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting) (212) 489-6710 x230

MAYOR GIULIANI HONORS THE CASTS AND PRODUCERS OF NEW YORK'S PRIMETIME TELEVISION SHOWS FOR THE RENAISSANCE OF PRIMETIME TELEVISION PROGRAMMING IN THE CITY

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani this evening held a reception at Gracie Mansion in honor of the casts and producers of the city's 16 primetime television series, to celebrate the renaissance of primetime television programming in New York City.

Among those in attendance were Dick Wolf, Angie Harmon and Diane Wiest from "Law & Order"; Dann Florek from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". Edie Falco, Robert Iler, Dominic Chianese, Katherine Narducci, Aida Turturro, Michael Imperioli, Federico Castelluccio Steven Van Zandt and Jamie-Lynn Sigler from "The Sopranos"; Tom Fontana and Dean Winters from "Oz"; Gabriel Byrne, Sabrina Lloyd and Grant Shaud from Madigan Men; David Eigenberg from Sex & the City; Janet Hubert, Adam Ferrara, Julian Acosta, and Lenny Clark from "The Job"; Amy Carlson from "Third Watch"; Christian Campbell, Melissa De Sousas, and Rick Hoffman from "The Street"; and Jim Gaffigan, Christine Baranski and Sara Gilbert from "Welcome to New York".

"Just seven years ago our City was home to only three primetime series productions," Mayor Giuliani said. "Today 16 series are filmed in New York City, and the economic impact of television has increased from $77 million seven years ago to $484 million this year. The result of having so many programs filmed here has meant not only an enormous economic impact on the City, but also a sense of pride among New Yorkers as the entertainment industry captures the excitement of New York City for the rest of the world to see."

"The prime talent creating New York's boom of 16 primetime television series has spelled out the City's storytelling potential in capital letters," said Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting Director Patricia Reed-Scott. "It's a remarkable case of quality driving quantity, and that's cause for celebration."

New York City is currently producing an historic, record-breaking number of primetime television series. Prior to the Giuliani Administration, New York City was host to only one primetime series with an annual economic impact of $22 million. The number of series here has grown tremendously since 1993, reaching 16 in 2000 with an annual economic impact of $484 million, an increase of $462 million since 1993. They are:

· Law & Order (Dick Wolf, NBC)
· Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Dick Wolf, NBC)
· Deadline (Dick Wolf, NBC)
· The Sopranos (David Chase)
· Oz (Tom Fontana, HBO)
· Third Watch (John Wells, NBC, also the creator of ER and West Wing)
· Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Regis Philbin)
· Sex & The City (Darren Star, HBO)
· Welcome to New York (A Letterman production)
· The Street (Darren Star, Fox)
· The Job (Denis Leary, ABC/Dreamworks)
· Madigan Men (Cindy Chupack and Gabriel Byrne, co-creators, ABC)
· 100 Centre Street (Sidney Lumet, A&E)

Currently in pre-production:

· The Big Apple (Ron Schwary; Glenn Gordon Caron a co-creator)
· Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Dick Wolf)
· A series by David Milch about the FBI.


Overall television production shooting days in the city have increased by 80% since 1993, from 3,598 days to 8,112 in 1999.

New York shows swept the lion's share of television awards at the Golden Globes this year. Michael J. Fox won Best Actor in a Comedy; Sex & the City won Best Comedy, with Sarah Jessica Parker also winning for Best Actress. The Sopranos garnered Best Drama, along with Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Actor to Edie Falco, Nancy Marchand and James Gandolfini, respectively. The show also won the prestigious Peabody Award. Law & Order, now in its 11th season, won the 1997 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Drama Series.

The record-breaking trend in primetime series has galvanized the development of studios and stages in the City. Over the past two years, Silvercup Studios opened Silvercup East, a facility with 5 new stages and home to the shows The Sopranos, Welcome to New York, Sex and the City and The Big Apple. Kaufman Astoria studios acquired property adjacent to its studios and will be constructing a seventh, 15,000 square foot stage and a 25,000 square foot support space. Welcome to New York, Madigan Men and 100 Centre Street currently shoot at Kaufman Astoria Studios. Groundbreaking will begin soon on the sound stages at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with plans to develop several stages varying in size from 12,000 to 40,000 square feet.

The reception was sponsored by Variety Gotham and Kodak, with contributions from Le Cirque 2000, Chambord Liqueur Royal de France, Antinori Wines, Perugina Chocolates, Piper Heidsieck Champagne, Air Light Industries, Zeze Flowers, and National Video.



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