Posts Tagged ‘New York City’

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.

J. David Davis Named President and General Manager of WABC-TV New York

J. David (Dave) Davis, executive vice president, ABC News, has been named president and general manager of WABC-TV in New York, the ABC Television Stations Group’s flagship station in the nation’s largest television market, it was announced today by Rebecca S. Campbell, president of the ABC Television Stations Group. The appointment of Mr. Davis, an executive with 30 years experience in the station business, is effective immediately, and marks a return to the number one station that he successfully managed from 2003-07.

As WABC-TV President and General Manager, Mr. Davis has overall management responsibility for WABC-TV/Channel 7 and all of its ancillary businesses, including two additional digital TV channels (LiveWell HD and a local/regional weather channel powered by AccuWeather); 7online.com, the station’s Internet site; and “Live! with Regis and Kelly,” the long-running hit syndicated series produced by the station. Mr. Davis both preceded and succeeds Rebecca Campbell in the position.

“News is the lifeblood of our stations and Dave’s credentials are unmatched in that area, having spent more than 33 years in the business with 28 of those for the ABC Owned Station Group,” Ms. Campbell said. “His intimate knowledge of WABC and the New York market make him ideally suited for the top job at our flagship station.  We’re thrilled to welcome him back to our division and to Channel 7.”

In commenting on Mr. Davis’ appointment, David Westin, president ABC News, stated, “While we are sad to see Dave leave ABC News, the company deserves the very best for the number one station in the largest market in the country, and there’s no arguing that Dave is that person.  Our loss is WABC’s gain, and we look forward to working closely with Dave in New York.”

Mr. Davis added, “There’s a reason I’ve spent the vast majority of my career with local news stations – I have a true passion for the unique role and service they provide their communities.  I’m thrilled with this opportunity and look forward to again managing the number one station in the nation’s number one market.”

Mr. Davis started his career in broadcast news, as a News Photographer, in 1977 at KTRK-TV, the ABC-owned television station in Houston. He was subsequently promoted to News Reporter and then News Producer. In 1982, he moved to WFAA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Dallas, as Producer of the 6 p.m. news. Two years later, he returned to KTRK-TV as Executive Producer for news.

In 1986, Mr. Davis was promoted to News Director, WTVD, the ABC-owned television station in Raleigh-Durham. He joined WPVI-TV as News Director in 1990 and was promoted to President and General Manager in 1997. He was named President and General Manager of WABC-TV in 2003. In 2007 he moved to ABC News as Executive Vice President.

Mr. Davis is a graduate of Boston University with a BS in Communications.

July 6 Designated ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice Day’ in New York City; Free Concert at Bryant Park

It’s not often that Walt Disney Studios holds a world premiere in New York City, but having filmed just about all of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice throughout the city, we were thrilled to learn that the Big Apple will be playing host to one of the greatest summer blockbusters from Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer.

In addition to a formal ceremony dedicating the day to the film and Fantasia segment, rock bands OneRepublic and Alpha Rev will be holding a free concert in honor of the film that evening at Bryant Park. The concert, open to the public, will take place shortly after the world premiere at the New Amsterdam Theatre, home to Disney Theatrical’s Mary Poppins.

Stitch Kingdom will be live at the premiere covering the event which — like the film it’s honoring — takes place all over the greatest city in the world.

ESPNNewYork.com Sets Launch Date for April 2

ESPN is in a New York state of mind with ESPNNewYork.com, the latest edition of ESPN’s network of local sites and newest destination for New York sports news and information.  The site features exclusive, original content from local contributors, locally relevant content created from ESPN’s multiple platforms and branded programming.

“We are committed to offering a truly local experience with these sites, and thus with the launch of ESPNNewYork.com, we are dedicated to finding contributors and authentic voices that have a passion for all things New York, an expertise on the hometown teams and a real, meaningful connection with fans in the NY area,” said Jim Pastor, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Local.  “Our mission is to serve sports fans, and in just one year, we’ve managed to establish a deeper relationship on a local level with fans in Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Los Angeles.  They are each among the top local sports destinations for fans in their respective markets, and we have high hopes for New York as we build our presence from the solid foundation we’ve established through the success and reach of our owned and operated station, ESPN Radio 1050 AM.”

The site launches under the day-to-day editorial leadership of new executive editor Leon Carter, a news veteran with over 24 years of experience with the NY sports media world, most recently as sports editor for the New York Daily News and previously with Newsday.  He is an award-winning editor who has covered the NY area sports scene since 1984.

In 2009, Carter was honored with the Legacy Award from the National Association of Black Journalists for his efforts promoting diversity in the newsroom and guiding the careers of more than 250 minority journalists over the past 16 years.  He co-founded and continues to instruct at the Sports Journalism Institute, an intensive nine-week training and internship program for aspiring minority journalists held every summer since 1993.

“New York is one of the world’s greatest sports cities, home to one of most passionate fan bases and some of the most storied franchises in sports,” said Rob King, vice president and editor-in-chief, ESPN.com.  “Leon is a veteran of the NY media world who truly understands the NY area sports landscape.  His leadership will drive the editorial direction of ESPNNewYork.com and build a sports site for true NY sports fans.”

AFTER THE JUMP: More exciting details on the launch of ESPNNewYork.com

Legendary Location of New York City Disney Store Revealed; Store to Open Fall 2010

The closing of 2009 saw the end of an era for New York City in that the World of Disney, located in the world-famous Fifth Avenue shopping area, shuttered its doors forever. A taste of the Disney Parks, the World of Disney store was a sister store to its Downtown Disney counterparts, offering NYC residents and tourists the opportunity to purchase theme park merchandise, Disney on Broadway merchandise and — of course — NYC branded merchandise, some of which eventually became available at Youse Guys Moichendise in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The location was a holdover from when the city was virtually covered by Disney Stores. When Disney began closing the stores, all of the New York City stores fell victim, but Disney kept and held on to the Fifth Avenue store (which was the flagship Disney Store at the time) and eventually transferred it over to Disney Parks and Resorts, re-opening it as the World of Disney in October of 2004 as the license to operate the regular Disney Store chain was famously transferred to The Children’s Place.

Believe it or not, since Disney closed all the Disney Stores in NYC, there have been no Disney Stores to pop up in Manhattan. It would be a while before New York City would even see its first Disney Store in the outer boros. Perhaps The Childrens Place couldn’t open one in Manhattan by the terms of the agreement, but as there was no real overlap between the two in terms of merchandise, there was a giant pothole in the hearts of those longing for a local Disney Store.

In 2010, that pothole will finally be filled as Disney announced plans to open a Disney Store in Manhattan, at the tragic cost of losing the World of Disney store. One saving grace, however, is just like most anything in New York City, the new Disney Store will no doubt be a hotbed of activity flaunting the latest and greatest in technological advances and the Disney difference, offering an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

The location of the Disney Store, scheduled to open in fall of 2010, will be located at 1540 Broadway, in the heart of Times Square, between 45th and 46th Street. Now you may not know that address by name (MTV has its home at 1515 Broadway), but you may know the former occupant of that space, Virgin Megastore (as seen in the background of many movies, most recently 2012). At the time, the 3 floor, 60,000 square foot retail location (which included its own multiplex movie theater), was the largest Virgin Megastore in the world. There’s no mention of how much space Disney will be taking over, but the location is beyond ideal, located next to the world’s largest toy store, Toys R Us, which itself features a two-story tall ferris wheel.

The new Disney Store will incorporate technologically advanced displays including an interactive Disney Princess castle to serve as one of many magical centerpieces at the new Times Square location. An all-new children’s theater will feature the latest Disney entertainment, classic animation, and continue Disney’s rich tradition of storytelling.

“Bringing Disney Store to the center of Times Square is a monumental achievement, and we have created a retail experience that complements the energy and innovation that Times Square inspires,” said Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide. “We’re focused on reinvigorating retail and providing a unique shopping destination to millions of families from all over the world who travel to New York for a magical experience.”

“Disney’s bold move to restore 42nd Street’s greatest landmark theater in the 1990s was THE turning point in Times Square’s recent history. We are thrilled that Disney is bringing its creative energies yet again to Times Square with this new Disney Store. An iconic brand is coming again to America’s most iconic place,” said Tim Tompkins, president of Times Square Alliance.

Renovations will begin soon at the Times Square location, designed to showcase a wide assortment of products inspired by iconic Disney characters and key entertainment properties. The newly-designed Disney Store will facilitate interactive play and imagination, host children’s activities, special events, and celebrity appearances. Over the next five years Disney Store plans to strategically balance its retail portfolio, enter new markets, and transform more than 300 locations across the US and Europe to feature the new design.

Update: 1/5/10 - Although Disney is not yet ready to discuss how much of the space will be used, sources have indicated it will be approximately 25,000 square feet, or nearly half of the existing space. By comparison, it’s estimated that the former World of Disney location consumed about 36,000 square feet.

Jenny McCarthy, Dean McDermott Seek ‘Elves’ to Help Set Guiness Record in NYC December 7

Burbank, CA (November 23, 2009) – In support of its new original holiday movie, “Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe,” and the network’s annual 25 Days of Christmas event – the biggest programming event on cable – ABC Family will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record™ for the largest gathering of Santa’s “elves” together in one place! ABC Family’s World Record Elf Party will take place in New York’s The Pond at Bryant Park (Midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets and 5th and 6th Avenues) on Monday, December 7 from 12:00 Noon-2:00PM ET. “Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe” stars Jenny McCarthy and Dean McDermott will be on hand to help gather over 250 “elves” to set the new world record.

For those people in New York who want to be a part of the record-breaking attempt, official elf costumes (approved by Guinness World Records) will be handed out to adults and children on-site at the event. The costumes fit easily over your clothes and are yours to keep. The festivities kick off at Noon, so come early to ensure you and your loved ones are part of Christmas history! Prizes, including a flat-screen TV, will also be up for grabs!

In the holiday movie, ”Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe,” McCarthy stars as Santa’s business-minded daughter, Mary Class, who must contend both with Santa’s mid-life crisis and his elves going on strike right at the height of Christmas madness. Santa’s tired of the responsibilities of the job and is ready to pass on the reins to Mary, who feels torn between the family business and running her own high stakes firm in New York City, along with balancing a relationship with the love of her life, Luke (Dean McDermott). The situation gets increasingly dire when a disgruntled former elf, Teri (Kelly Stables), in cunning disguise, sows dissension at the North Pole in an effort to take over Christmas. “Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe” premieres on Sunday, December 13 (8:00-10:00PM ET/PT).

ESPN Zone to Commence Search for 2010 ‘Ultimate Couch Potato’ in New York, Chicago and Baltimore

BURBANK, Calif., Nov. 11 — Every die-hard sports fan has at one time or another gone on a sports-watching marathon, logging hours of non-stop sports viewing all for the sake of fandom. ESPN Zone wants to reward those that do it best with its ninth-annual “Ultimate Couch Potato” competition, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 1, 2010.

ESPN Zone’s New York, Chicago, and Baltimore locations are seeking four Couch Potato hopefuls at each site to go head-to-head to see who can watch the most continuous hours of televised sports. The Guinness Book of World Records mark for most continuous hours of televised sports watching is 69 hours, 48 minutes, set by Suresh Joachim in 2005.

2009 UCP Champ Jessica Mosley sat for an unofficial Guinness record of 70 hours, 45 minutes in 2009.

To enter ESPN Zone’s Ultimate Couch Potato competition, hopefuls must send an e-mail to couchpotato@espnzone.com, and in 200 words or less, describe why they have what it takes to become ESPN Zone’s Ultimate Couch Potato. Entries will be judged on passion for sports, competitive spirit and overall creativity. Each entry must include the phone number and mailing address of the sender and be received no later than 11:59 p.m. (ET) on December 9, 2009. Eight finalists will be chosen at each site, who will then take part in an on-camera interview to see just how deeply their fandom runs, before four finalists are chosen to compete for the title of Ultimate Couch Potato.

“People see ESPN Zone as the ultimate sports bar and ESPN as the gold standard in sports broadcasting, which makes us perfect for hosting a search for the ultimate sports-loving couch potato,” said Christine Baum, national director of marketing, sales and communications for ESPN Zone. “Everyone knows someone out there that fits the description of Couch Potato; we want to sift through the spuds to find the Ultimate Couch Potato.”

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Report: Jim Carrey, Bob Zemeckis, et al Bring ‘A Christmas Carol’ Train Tour to New York

[SinglePic not found] Dozens of commuters got a big thrill early Friday morning when they caught a glimpse of actor Jim Carrey being driven through Grand Central Terminal on a pargo courtesy of the FDNY Fire Chief (well, let’s face it, it’s New York, so make it about 3 commuters who even noticed). Singing the theme to The Flintstones as he ‘pedaled’ the slow moving vehicle along, Carrey waved to and graciously greeted his fans as the vehicle’s light flashed and siren blared.

Rewind to just a few minutes before when Walt Disney Studios held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the final stop on the cross-country train tour to promote Disney’s A Christmas Carol. At a press conference held in front of the facade of the large, inflatable theater showing previews of the film, media, execs and guests were treated to a pre-show involving Christmas carolers and vaudevillian-type performers (who were also out entertaining passerbys all weekend long as well).

Kicking off the presentation was new Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, Rich Ross, who first introduced and brought to stage the Chief Marketing Officers of Amtrak and Hewlett-Packard, partners in the train tour promotion. Ross then introduced director Robert Zemeckis and Jim Carrey who took the stage together, although it was Carrey who ultimately commanded the stage. Also in presence were ImageMover Digital partners and producers of the film, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke.

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Exclusive The Princess and the Frog Fan Rate: Save 30% on Limited Engagements in New York and Los Angeles

The most enchanting event this holiday season just got even more magical. Not only do moviegoers have an opportunity to see Disney’s The Princess and the Frog in New York City and the Los Angeles area before the rest of the country as well as live out the Ultimate Disney Experience as we mentioned here, but now those planning on taking advantage of this special event can buy tickets online for a 30% discount.

General admission tickets which are normally $30 can be purchased exclusively at Facebook page for The Princess and the Frog for just $21 each for both the movie before its theatrical release in a unique environment along with the Ultimate Disney Experience.

The number of tickets at this discounted price is very limited, so be sure to buy yours today by visiting the page here.

Walt Disney Studios Hosts Special Engagement of the Princess and the Frog; Ziegfeld in New York

UPDATE: SEE OUR FULL REVIEW ALONG WITH DOZENS OF PHOTOS OF THE ULTIMATE DISNEY EXPERIENCE HERE!

BURBANK, Calif. & NEW YORK — In celebration of Disney’s newest animated musical “The Princess and The Frog,” Walt Disney Studios is opening its Burbank gates to the public for a once-in-a-lifetime advance special engagement, welcoming Disney fans to experience its newest animated musical comedy Nov. 25-Dec. 13, 2009. The advance special engagement will also be featured in Clearview’s historic Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Following the film, fans on both coasts will also be treated to The Ultimate Disney Experience, an exciting extravaganza that will feature—for the first time ever—all nine of the Disney princesses (including the film’s Princess Tiana, Disney’s newest princess), as well as exciting Bayou games, movie archives, how-to presentations from Disney animators, Studio tours (for L.A. guests) and more. Tickets went on sale at midnight last night.

“We’re welcoming families to our Studio to see where Walt Disney made real movie magic,” said Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. “Our Studio is not open to the public, so it’s an unprecedented opportunity for Disney fans to experience a movie right here on the Disney lot where we’ve filmed Disney classics like ‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Princess Diaries,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and many more. In fact, Walt built the original theater on the Studio lot back in 1940; it opened just in time for special audiences to view his ‘Fantasia.’ With a newly renovated, state-of-the-art theater, the Studio will open its gates once again, inviting audiences to not only see our newest animated musical, but to take part in a one-of-a-kind experience after the movie. We’re bringing the same exciting experience to New York City at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre and Roseland Ballroom.”

Themed to the film’s setting, New Orleans, The Ultimate Disney Experience will feature something for the whole family.

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