Posts Tagged ‘ABC’

Fans Invited to Vote on Official ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Poster Art for Season Seven

As a thank you to the loyal viewers of “Grey’s Anatomy,” executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, along with ABC, are giving the series’ Facebook fans the opportunity to select the official poster art for Season Seven.

Beginning today, September 7, six images will be uploaded to the official “Grey’s Anatomy” Facebook page. Fans will have until Thursday, September 16 at 9:00 p.m., ET to cast their votes. The poster image that receives the most Facebook “comments” and “likes” will become the official art.

Select fans who participate may also be recipients of a surprise collectors’ item from the show.

The new season of “Grey’s Anatomy” begins Thursday, September 23 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

ABC and CafePress Now Offer Fan-Designed Merchandise for Popular ABC Programs

ABC Entertainment Group and CafePress, a market-leading online destination for user-designed T-shirts and gifts, today announced a groundbreaking new merchandising agreement that builds upon the success of their existing relationship. CafePress will power a new, cutting-edge ABC Online Store, located at www.abctvstore.com, where fans of ABC’s popular shows will be able to buy official merchandise alongside merchandise designed by fellow fans. The new online store will fully leverage CafePress’ proprietary Print-on-Demand technology and product customization tools that facilitate real-time retail planning and high-touch consumer engagement.

Starting today, the consumer will visit a redesigned ABC Online Store that truly puts the “fan” back into fan gear. CafePress’ technology will enable the fans themselves to express and share their passion for ABC shows by designing their own T-shirts, posters, SIGG water bottles and other custom products. These fan-designed products will live alongside official merchandise in the ABC Online Store, thereby providing a compelling one-stop-shop for fans of hit ABC shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Castle.”

On the back end, CafePress’ Print-on-Demand technology will power fast and seamless fulfillment of these customized orders. Additionally, CafePress will manage a variety of unique third party fulfillment items for the ABC Online Store, such as the ever-popular Lost bobbleheads. When consumers place orders online, CafePress will print, package and ship all purchases. Not only will CafePress’ technology eliminate ABC’s need to accrue or house surplus inventory, but it will also afford ABC the ability to more agilely update its branded merchandise for real-time control of its retail strategy and real-time engagement with its core fan community.

“In keeping with ABC’s ongoing commitment to technological innovation, we sought a merchandising solution that would fully leverage the power of the internet to significantly enhance and deepen our relationship with the ABC viewer. Embracing the voices and enthusiasm of our fans is very important to us. Of equal importance to us was the ability to incorporate the latest in supply chain optimization technologies to enable us to more nimbly execute our retail strategy,” said Mia Rondinella, VP of Business Planning & Development at ABCEG. “We selected CafePress based on its proven experience engaging and monetizing mass consumer audiences online, as well as for its cutting-edge, seamless technology solutions.”

This new arrangement expands upon a licensing agreement announced earlier this year which enabled fans of selected hit ABC television shows to design and sell authorized show merchandise on CafePress.com. Fans of ABC shows will continue to utilize the same online tools to design their own merchandise according to official guidelines, and fan designers will continue to receive a commission on the sale of each of their items. Unlike the previous arrangement, popular fan designs will enjoy increased exposure to the larger ABC fan community through inclusion in the official ABC Online Store.

“Our exceptional Print-on-Demand service means that ABC can have literally thousands of goods available at any given time, because the goods are only printed when an order is placed,” comments CafePress Vice President of Marketing Amy Maniatis. “Our relationship with ABC is the perfect way to facilitate real-time retail planning while engaging fans with custom merchandise.”

ABC’s ‘Detroit 1-8-7′ to Open New York Television Festival; Michael Imperioli to Offer Q&A Session

The New York Television Festival (NYTVF) today announced the Primetime lineup for its sixth annual Festival, offering audiences a sneak peek at the networks’ most highly anticipated fall premieres on ABC, BBC America, FOX, IFC and NBC. This year’s Festival is highlighted by the red carpet premieres of ABC’s “Detroit 1-8-7” with Michael Imperioli, IFC’s “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” with David Cross, and “Running Wilde” with Will Arnett. The Primetime line up also features special screenings of NBC’s “Short Cuts” hosted by Greg Giraldo and BBC America’s US premiere of the mini-series “Luther.”

“In our fifth installment of the NYTVF Primetime Event Series, we’re thrilled to welcome these new programs and the world-class talent behind them,” said NYTVF founder Terence Gray. “NYTVF audiences are passionate about television and the opportunity to bring TV royalty like Michael Imperioli, David Cross and Will Arnett to the Festival is exciting and inspiring for artists and fans alike.”

ABC will open this year’s Festival with the red-carpet premiere of “Detroit 1-8-7.” Series star Michael Imperioli and Executive Producers David Zabel and Jason Richman will also participate in a Q&A following the screening.

“We’re excited to be opening the Festival again this year with ‘Detroit 1-8-7,’ following the great success we had last year with ‘Modern Family,’” said Michael Benson, Executive Vice President, Marketing, ABC Entertainment Group.  “It’s a terrific event and the perfect platform to launch this new series.”

ABC’s “Detroit 1-8-7,” shot entirely in Detroit, Michigan, is a gritty cop drama that follows the men and women of one of Detroit’s finest Homicide units. Starring Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos,” “Life on Mars”), James McDaniel (“NYPD Blue”), Aisha Hinds (“True Blood”), D.J. Cotrona (“Windfall”), Jon Michael Hill (Broadway’s Superior Donuts), Shaun Majumder (“24,” Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle), Natalie Martinez (Death Race) and Erin Cummings (“Mad Men”), the series centers on the damaged but driven Detective Louis Fitch (Imperioli) and the passionate team who know that behind every crime are real people with real problems.  Experience the crisis and revelation, heartbreak and heroism that characterize these inner city cops when “Detroit 1-8-7” premieres Tuesday, September 21 at 10/9c on ABC.

David Zabel (“ER”), Jason Richman (Swing Vote), Kevin Hooks (“Prison Break”), David Hoberman (The Proposal) and Todd Lieberman (The Proposal) are executive producers. “Detroit 1-8-7” is a production of ABC Studios.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the event, click here.

‘Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution’ Renewed for Second Season

The Emmy Award-winning reality series “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” has received a second season pick-up and will premiere later this season on ABC. In the new season, Jamie Oliver, the impassioned chef, TV personality and best-selling author, will bring the revolution to the nation’s second largest city of Los Angeles, CA and take on his biggest challenge yet. The series, which recently won the 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program, will run for six episodes.

In the inspiring series from Fresh One and Ryan Seacrest Productions, Jamie attacks the problems of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in this country–where our nation’s children are the first generation not expected to live as long as their parents. Jamie invites viewers to take a stand and change the way they eat in their homes and schools. The first six episodes were set in Huntington, West Virginia.

The series is loosely based on Jamie’s U.K. series, “Jamie’s Ministry of Food” and “Jamie’s School Dinners,” which changed what British schoolchildren are fed at school. In America he’s turning his attention to helping people of all ages change their eating habits by learning to cook and choosing fresh food over processed in schools, homes, workplaces and even restaurants.

Jamie’s recent television credits include “Oprah’s Big Give” for ABC and “Jamie at Home” on the Cooking Channel. He is the author of ten popular cookbooks, including The Naked Chef, Cook with Jamie and the New York Times best-selling Jamie’s Food Revolution. Hyperion will publish his newest cookbook, Jamie’s America: Easy Twists on Great American Classics and More!, in October 2010.

Disney Channel, ABC and ABC Family Offer High-Definition TV Per-Episode Rentals via iTunes (Details)

As expected, Apple today announced that television programs in HD format will now be available for rent through iTunes 10, which is now available for download. Apple promises thousands of episodes, many of which will be available the day after broadcast. The Disney/ABC Television Group is well represented in the initial offering, with shows from ABC, ABC Family and Disney Channel joining shows from Fox and BBC America.

Each episode rental costs $.99 and can be viewed on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV. You’ll have thirty days from rental to begin watching the episode and 48 hours from that point to complete watching it before the rental period expires.

TV rental requires iOS 4.1 for the iPhone and iPod touch users. iOS 4.1 works with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and second, third and fourth generation iPod touch and is only currently available within the United States.

In response to the announcement, Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group, has offered the following statement:

“When we put our shows on iTunes five years ago, it was revolutionary. Since then, we’ve continued to provide viewers with innovative new ways to access our programming, and today we’re proud to team with Apple on a rental option for fans of our shows.”

‘Dancing With The Stars’ Celebrity Pairings for Season 11 Announced

The celebrity and professional pairings for the fall 2010 season of Dancing With The Stars was announced this morning on ABC’s Good Morning America and are as follows:

• Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough
• Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas
• Brandy and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
• Margaret Cho and Louis Van Amstel
• Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani
• Florence Henderson and Corky Ballas
• Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino and Karina Smirnoff
• Kurt Warner and Anna Trebunskaya
• Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke
• David Hasselhoff and Kym Johnson
• Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer
• Michael Bolton and Chelsie Hightower

ABC’s NoOrdinaryContest.com to Award One Extraordinary Family Walt Disney World Vacation

The contest we first told you about when we gave you the key to watching the series premiere of “No Ordinary Family” is now live!

Even the most ordinary of families are extraordinary in their own special way. Now ABC’s “No Ordinary Family” is looking for the most extraordinary family to tell America what makes theirs stand out from the rest. Submit a video to ABC at www.NoOrdinaryContest.com telling us what makes your family extraordinary and we might send you on No Ordinary VIP vacation for five days and four nights to the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida.

Are you a single parent raising your kids and volunteering at the local community center? Are your kids on the honor roll while you work full time and are still able to coach little league? Is your spouse in the military and you still manage to work full time while raising the kids? We know there are extraordinary families out there and we want to hear your story!

Videos can be submitted beginning Tuesday, August 31 at 12:01 p.m., PT through Monday, September 13 at 11:59 p.m., PT. The top five video submissions will be posted on www.NoOrdinaryContest.com and public voting will be open from 12:00 p.m., PT on Monday, September 27 through 12:00 p.m., PT on Friday, October 1. The family who wins the extraordinary vacation package to the Walt Disney World® Resort will be announced during the “No Ordinary Family” episode airing on Tuesday, October 5 at 8|7c on the ABC Television Network.

The prize package includes roundtrip airfare for four and ground transfers, hotel accommodations for four nights including one night in the Cinderella Castle Suite at the Magic Kingdom® Park, a $1,500 Disney Gift Card, a VIP Guided Tour, and VIP viewing to select parades and shows. Visit www.NoOrdinaryContest.com for full details and the Official Rules.

“No Ordinary Family” stars Michael Chiklis as Jim Powell, Julie Benz as Stephanie Powell, Romany Malco as George St. Cloud, Autumn Reeser as Katie Andrews, Kay Panabaker as Daphne Powell, Jimmy Bennett as JJ Powell and Stephen Collins as Dr. Dayton King.

Video: ABC Announces ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Celebrities for Season 11

Earlier tonight during an episode of Bachelor Pad, ABC announced the list of celebrities in the upcoming fall 2010 season of Dancing With The Stars for the first time in press conference format. Announced by DWTS co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke, the list of celebrities scheduled to appear is as follows:

• Brandy
• Jennifer Grey
• Margaret Cho
• Audrina Patridge
• Florence Henderson
• Bristol Palin
• Michael Bolton
• Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino
• David Hasselhoff
• Kurt Warner
• Kyle Massey
• Rick Fox

The press conference will be available for online viewing beginning tomorrow at abc.com

The next season of Dancing With The Stars begins September 20, 2010 on ABC with all 12 couples dancing live performing either the Viennese Waltz or Cha Cha. The couple with the lowest combined judges’ scores and public votes for their performance will be sent home on Tuesday, September 21 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) in the season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show.” Music legend Santana and rock band Daughtry are slated to perform.

Other key dates this season include:

• “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show,” regular time premiere, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET)
• “Dancing with the Stars” 200th Episode Celebration, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1 and TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 (Time is TBD)
• “Dancing with the Stars,” final performance show, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (Time is TBD)
• “Dancing with the Stars” season finale, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23 (Time is TBD)

AFTER THE JUMP: Video of the Announcement and Press Conference

Disney/ABC Television Group Takes Home 19 Emmys, Including Six for ‘Modern Family’

ABC Network’s critically acclaimed freshman hit comedy series, “Modern Family,” swept more categories than any other series with three wins, including the top comedy series prize, at the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards, presented last night. In addition to winning for Outstanding Comedy Series, “Modern Family’s” Eric Stonestreet captured his first-ever Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and executive producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd took the Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series prize for the pilot episode.

“Modern Family” won a total of six Emmys, with the other three awards for Casting, Sound Mixing and Picture Editing announced at the Creative Arts Emmys on Aug. 21.

With the combination of wins at the Primetime ceremony and the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Disney/ABC Television Group won a total of 19 awards, with ABC leading all broadcast networks with a total of 18 wins.

ABC’s “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” series captured a first-time win for Reality Program, and Walt Disney Animation Studios and ABC were big winners in the animation category at the Creative Emmy Awards announced on August 21, as their holiday special “Disney Prep & Landing” took home four Emmys, the most for any broadcast program, including one for Outstanding Animated Program. Individual Achievement Emmy Awards were also presented for storyboard artist Joe Mateo, art director Andy Harkness and background key designer William M. George III. “Disney Prep & Landing” is ABC’s first television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Producers from Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie” won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Series at the Creative Arts Emmys.

Additional winners announced at the Creative ceremony include: Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) for “Grey’s Anatomy”; Outstanding Costumes for a Variety/Music Program or a Special for “Jimmy Kimmel Live”; Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or a Special for “Dancing with the Stars”; Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety, Music or Nonfiction

Programming for the “82^nd Annual Academy Awards”; Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series for “Lost”; Outstanding Stunt Coordination for “FlashForward” and Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series for “Dancing with the Stars.”

Photos/Video: Miss America 2011 Contestants Visit Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

All 53 contestants for the title of Miss America 2011 visited Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort on Friday, August 27, 2010. Representing fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, the ladies continued the Miss America tradition of walking together down Main Street USA toward Cinderella Castle. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Cinderella and Belle met the 53 contestants for photos before the women broke up into smaller groups to see the rest of the park. Through the day, guests may have spotted contestants on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, Mad Tea Party, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and other attractions. The 53 Miss American 2011 contestants also recorded interviews that are scheduled to appear in the 2011 Miss America Pageant broadcast. Returning to ABC for the 90th anniversary of the Miss America Pageant, the competition will broadcast live from Las Vegas on Saturday, January 15 at 8 P.M. ET. As the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation’s leading achievement programs, the Miss America Organization last year made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. The 53 Miss America 2011 contestants are in the Orlando area to attend the annual Miss America Outstanding Teen Competition.

[View with PicLens]

Video courtesy of Walt Disney World