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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 270-09
June 15, 2009

MAYOR BLOOMBERG PRESENTS FOURTH ANNUAL "MADE IN NY" AWARDS

Mayor Honors New York City's Entertainment Industry

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today presented the fourth annual “Made in NY” awards to five individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the City’s entertainment industry. Actress Edie Falco; Broadway composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda; Gerry Byrne, Senior Vice President for the Entertainment Group at Nielson Business Media; Hungry Man, a New York-based commercial production company; Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, a not-for-profit advocacy organization; and Sesame Street, which celebrates its fortieth anniversary this fall, were honored at the ceremony at Gracie Mansion.  The Mayor was introduced by Sesame Street’s Elmo and joined by Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert C. Lieber and Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting Commissioner Katherine Oliver.

“New York City is home of some of the most talented people on the planet, and tonight’s honorees prove just that,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “They have become stars here in the City in various facets of the entertainment industry, and we’re proud to call them all New Yorkers. Our film and television industry is critical to our city’s economic success, and it’s the reason we created the ‘Made in NY’ tax incentive. We look forward to working with the industry to extend the credit in a fiscally responsible way.”

“The ‘Made in NY’ Awards truly are the perfect way to celebrate the City’s vibrant entertainment industry,” said Commissioner Oliver. “Today we honor those who diligently work behind the scenes, in front of the camera, and behind desks to contribute to the films, TV shows, theatrical productions, commercials, and publications that showcase the best New York City has to offer.”

At the ceremony, Mayor Bloomberg acknowledged the CBS daytime drama Guiding Light, which will come to an end this fall after fifty-seven years on air. The show, which the Guinness Book of World Records named the world’s longest-running TV drama, has been based in New York City since 1949 when it was a radio serial. The Mayor also recognized recent New York City College of Technology graduate Michael McLean, the first recipient of the “Made in NY” Scholarship, which is awarded to students who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree in the Entertainment Technology field at the New York City College of Technology.

Since 2002, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting  has been at the forefront of the New York City’s entertainment industry, supporting the film, television, music video, and commercial projects that shoot throughout the five boroughs. Last year, 208 films were shot on location here, and during the 2008-2009 season, twelve new broadcast and cable series came to New York City.

This winter, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting unveiled a public service announcement entitled “Reel Jobs. Reel Proud. Real New Yorkers.” The electronic and print campaign featured local New Yorkers who work in the production industry in an effort to thank local residents for hosting film and television production in their neighborhoods and explain the importance of the industry.

In recent weeks, the “Made in NY: Walking Tours of Film and Television Locations in New York City” was launched. Narrated by actors Julianna Margulies and Matthew Modine, these free and downloadable podcast walking tours, which are available on www.nyc.gov and iTunes, offer listeners an informative and fun way to learn about the rich and fascinating history of film and television location shooting in New York City.

2009 “Made in NY” Award Recipient Biographies

Lin-Manuel Miranda - A native New Yorker, Lin-Manuel Miranda is the composer-lyricist-star of the 2008 Tony Winner for Best Musical In the Heights. In the Heights received four 2008 Tony Awards, nine Drama Desk Nominations, including Best Music, Best Lyrics, and an award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. Recently, he collaborated with Stephen Sondheim to translate selected songs in the new revival of West Side Story into Spanish. He has also composed music for PBS’s new show The Electric Company.

Edie Falco - Edie Falco is known to television audiences from her Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award-winning role of Carmela Soprano the groundbreaking HBO series The Sopranos. She has also been featured in recurring roles on the HBO dramatic series Oz and the NBC series Law & Order and Homicide. Falco has appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning play Sideman and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune. She can currently be seen in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie, which is filmed entirely in New York City.

Hungry Man - Since its founding in 1997, Hungry Man has been an award-winning international production company headquartered in New York. Hungry Man is home to 20 top-ranking directors worldwide and has produced some of the most popular spots in the world today. During the past year, Hungry Man produced the high profile brand launches of Microsoft as well the Sprint campaign featuring many iconic New York City images and memorable spots for American Express starring Martin Scorsese and Tina Fey. Hungry Man is currently run by its three partners: directors Hank Perlman and Bryan Buckley and Executive Producer Kevin Byrne.

Sesame Street - Sesame Street stands out as the most thoroughly developed and researched preschool television program and media offering with a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child. Produced in New York since its inception forty years ago, Sesame Street has introduced generations of children to information and experiences ranging from nutrition and space exploration to lessons about cooperation, friendship, and diversity with the help of the beloved Muppets including Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster. Honored with more Emmy awards than any other television show in history, Sesame Street continues to set the gold standard for excellence in educational media, giving children the best head start in school and life. On November 10, 2009, the show enters it 40th season celebrating the special way it is making the world a little brighter.

Gerry Byrne - In 2008, Gerry Byrne was named to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Entertainment Group for Nielsen Business Media. In his new role, he has responsibility for the global entertainment, music and literary publishing enterprises across digital, print and face-to-face platforms. Brands in the portfolio include Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Back Stage, Kirkus Reviews, The Bookseller, Film Journal International, and film industry expositions. In January 2009 the Media cluster of Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, Editor & Publisher and the Clio Awards were added to his group.

Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts - Established in 1986, Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is a national not-for-profit advocacy organization based in New York City that seeks solutions to the problems of racism and exclusion in theatre, film, and television. It serves as an expert advocate and educational resource for the full creative participation of American arts and entertainment professionals who are African American, Asian American, Native American, Latino, South Asian, Arab American, those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, or who have intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. The Alliance promotes and facilitates inclusive hiring practices and standards, diversity in leadership, and balanced portrayals of persons of color and persons with disabilities.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Evelyn Erskine   (212) 788-2958

Julianne Cho / Marybeth Ihle (MOFTB)   (212) 489-6710 x247




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