Printer Friendly Format

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 128-03
May 15, 2003

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG HOSTS RECEPTION IN HONOR OF 30TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg hosted a reception this evening for over 500 members of the daytime television community including Daytime Emmy nominees, television executives and industry leaders.  The Mayor honored four representatives from the daytime television community for their outstanding service to the City: Agnes Nixon, Tony Roberts, Star Jones and the children’s television program Sesame Street. Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting (MOFTB) Commissioner Katherine Oliver and National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences President Peter Price also attended the event held at Gracie Mansion.
 
“Television production is one of New York City’s signature industries and we are committed to making the Big Apple the most attractive location in the world,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We are delighted to have with us today so many distinguished guests, including a number of Emmy honorees, who have contributed so much to the daytime television industry, particularly here in New York City.  Daytime television plays a huge part in the City’s economy: the Daytime Emmy Awards contribute $15 million to our economy and television production spends more than $2 billion here annually.  I thank NATAS President Peter Price and the entire television community for all that you do for New York.  You are a part of the fabric that makes this City great.”

“The quality soaps, chat shows and children’s programming that are produced here constitute a vivid and ever-present advertisement for New York City as the ultimate location for television production,” said MOFTB Commissioner Katherine Oliver.  “New York City has the best locations in the world and a superb array of flexible, state-of-the-art facilities.  We are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of our talented television community on the eve of the City’s very own Daytime Emmy Awards.”
 
“The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is delighted to welcome a record number of nominees and prominent entertainment executives to this 30th Anniversary of the Daytime Emmy Awards,” NATAS President Peter Price. “We are privileged to be personally received and recognized by Mayor Bloomberg who has made supporting the television production community, as well as the film and theatre production communities, a top priority in New York City.”
 
Entertainment production in New York City contributes $5 billion annually to the City’s economy and employs 100,000 New Yorkers with $2 billion specifically generated by the television industry. Of the 120 television series that called New York City home this year, 35 or one-third are daytime television series. 

More than half of the daytime shows in New York City are represented among this year’s nominees including The View, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, Martha Stewart Living, One Life To Live, Between The Lions, Guiding Light, The Montel Williams Show, Reading Rainbow, Sesame Street, As The World Turns, Live With Regis and Kelly, All My Children, Win Ben Stein’s Money, Bear In The Big Blue House, 76th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Breakfast with The Arts, Essence of Emeril, TRL: Total Request Live and Blue’s Clues. Over 540 New Yorkers who worked on these shows are nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards.
 
During this evening’s program, the Mayor honored four representatives from the daytime television community for their outstanding service to New York City including:
 
Known as the queen of contemporary soap opera, Agnes Nixon is the single most significant force behind soap operas in New York City.  Nixon alone created two of the four current soaps produced in New York City, One Life to Live (1968) and All My Children (1970), and co-created As The World Turns (1957).  Having started her career in radio with soap opera’s creator Irna Philips, Nixon went on to write and create for several New York City soap operas.  She was the head writer for The Guiding Light from 1959 and 1965, and Another World from 1965 to 1967.  She also created Loving (1983), now known as The City.  Nixon is best known and most honored for leading the exploration of social issues in daytime drama.  Her stories were among the first to address female health problems, child abuse, abortion, political nonconformity and issues of race. 

The multi-talented Tony Roberts started his acting career working in commercials when he first landed in New York, and was soon picked up for a regular stint on the television soap opera The Edge of Night.  Not only is Roberts’ voice well known from the 1970s dramatic series The CBS Radio Mystery Theater, he has also appeared in four Broadway plays, including Play it Again, Sam. He has appeared in the Woody Allen films Annie Hall, Stardust Memories, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy and Radio Days.  Roberts chalked up primetime television credits as well when he co-starred in the 1977 adventure series Rossetti and Ryan.

Star Jones, a lawyer and former prosecutor, is currently host of The View.  In this role, she has made valuable contributions to the show’s commentary on the law, self-esteem, race, family, education, religion and the media, which earned her Emmy nominations as Outstanding Talk Show Host.  Ms. Jones debuted on television in 1991, when she appeared as a studio commentator for Court TV.  She subsequently became the NBC legal correspondent for The Today Show and Nightly News, which led to her own syndicated show, Jones & Jury.  After completing her law degree at the University of Houston, Ms. Jones landed a position in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office. In 2002, Ms. Jones launched her own not-for-profit foundation, “The Starlet Fund,” which makes financial grants to individuals and organizations that are dedicated to the support and encouragement of women and girls.

The longest running children’s show on television in the country, Sesame Street was born on the streets of New York City on November 10, 1969.  Since that time, Sesame Street has shot 4,000 episodes in the City and is seen daily on more than 300 PBS stations.  It is the most widely watched television series in the world, and its English-language series is seen in 94 countries. The first to introduce the use of television as an educational tool, the show has captured over 100 major awards including 90 Emmys, more than any other show in history.  Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to a changing social landscape, the show has featured episodes to help children deal with fear and anxiety post 9/11, and to teach about traditions and cultures through the new Global Grover segments.





CONTACT:

Edward Skyler / Jennifer Falk   (212) 788-2958

Julianne Cho   (MOFTB)
(212) 489-6710 x226


More Resources
Watch Emmy reception in 56k or 300k