PAULA KERGER, PBS PRESIDENT & CEO, TO CHAIR 38TH INTERNATIONAL EMMY® AWARDS GALA
NEW YORK, July 19, 2010 – Paula Kerger, President & Chief Executive Officer of PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), will serve as Gala Chair for the 38th International Emmy® Awards, which will take place on Monday, November 22, 2010 in New York City, announced today Bruce L. Paisner, President & CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Ms. Kerger will preside at the Gala and speak during the opening ceremony. During the awards, The International Academy will present Emmys in ten program categories as well as two special awards. American Idol Judge & Got Talent Executive Producer, Simon Cowell will receive the International Emmy Founders Award while Saturday Night Live Creator & Executive Producer, Lorne Michaels will receive the International Emmy Directorate Award.
“Paula Kerger has been involved with The International Academy as a Director on our Board for several years and we look forward to having her as Chair of this year’s Gala,” said Paisner. “As President of America’s Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Ms. Kerger leads the organization that presents some of the United States highest-quality television.”
“Great television can open minds, touch hearts and bring the world together,” said Kerger. “I’m honored to chair this year’s International Emmy Awards Gala celebrating the achievements of the outstanding, talented individuals whose work is transforming lives across the globe.”
In partnership with its nearly 360 independent member stations, PBS is the United States’ largest public media organization. Each month, PBS reaches more than 118 million people through television and nearly 21 million people online. Since Ms. Kerger became President & CEO in 2006, PBS has moved aggressively to transform itself from a solely broadcast organization to a multi-platform leader that serves Americans through television, mobile TV, the Web, interactive whiteboards in the classroom and many more platforms. PBS’ current innovative work in children’s media, journalism and the arts builds upon its mission to use technology in the public interest. In separate national polls PBS was recently named the #1 educational media brand for children and the most trusted national institution in America.
For the past three years, the Hollywood Reporter has included Ms. Kerger in the “Women in Entertainment Power 100,” an annual survey of the nation’s top women executives in media. Prior to joining PBS, Ms. Kerger served for more than a decade at Educational Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), the parent company of Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York, where her ultimate position was Executive Vice President & COO. Her tenure boasts many achievements, including WNET’s completion in 1997 of the largest successful endowment campaign ever undertaken by a public television station.
The 2010 International Emmy® Nominees will be announced at a press conference in Cannes at Mipcom on Monday, October 4, 2010. This year’s sponsors, to date, include: Dori Media, Ernst & Young, Globo TV, Microsoft, Phoenix Satellite Television, Reed Midem, Sofitel New York Hotel and Variety.
About The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a membership based organization comprised of leading media and entertainment figures from over 50 countries and 500 companies from all sectors of television including internet, mobile and technology. The Academy’s yearly schedule of events includes the prestigious International Emmy® Awards Ceremony held in New York, The International Digital Emmy® Awards at MIPTV and a series of industry events such as Academy Day, The International Emmy® World Television Festival and Panels on substantive industry topics. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television produced outside of the United States and it presents The International Emmy® Awards in the following fifteen categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Current Affairs; Children & Young People; Comedy; Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; Digital Program: Non-Fiction; Documentary; Drama Series; News; Non-Scripted Entertainment; Telenovela; TV Movie/Mini-Series. For more information go to www.iemmys.tv.
MEDIA CONTACTS
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Eva Obadia
Director, Marketing & PR
+(1) 212-489-6969
eva.obadia@iemmys.tv
The Lippin Group
Don Ciaramella
+(1) 212-986-7080
don@lippingroup.com