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Vme Launches New 24/7 Channel, Vme Kids (for Latino Preschoolers)
(Via press release).Today Vme strengthens its commitment to Latino families with the launch of a new channel for preschoolers – Vme Kids, America’s first and only 24/7 channel to focus specifically on preschoolers for whom Spanish is the home language.
From the magical gifts of Dibo (the Dragon), to the vivid imagination of Los Disfraces de Dougie (Dougie in Disguise) and the creative introductions of colors, numbers and reading from shows like Los Supernúmeros (Numberjacks), Bruno y los amigos Banana (Bruno & the Banana Bunch) and Cinco Minutos Más (Five Minutes More), Vme Kids offers a vibrant and diverse lineup to capture the attention of our young audience. The Vme Kids schedule will also feature hits including LazyTown, Jim de la Luna, Musti, 7 Pets, Pororo and Connie la Vaquita (Connie the Cow), among others.
Vme Kids launches on AT&T U-verse channel 3058 on September 1, 2010 with additional distributors to be announced. Vme will support each of its distribution partners with significant on-the-ground marketing events such as book tours with Vme’s sister company, Santillana USA and a LazyTown Live! school-based tour. (More news on Vme Kids and events can be found on Vme Ninos page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/vmeninos)
Since the successful launch of its broadcast network in 2007, Vme has built the largest library of educational Spanish kids programming in the US, making Vme the recognized network for quality programming for kids. In addition to the launch of Vme Kids, Vme continues to offer the only daily broadcast block of kids programming on its main network.
President and CEO Carmen M. DiRienzo said, “Building on the success of our kids block, Vme is uniquely positioned to offer this new channel for our littlest viewers and their caregivers. In addition to entertainment, the channel is designed to support the clear guidance of educators who emphasize how important it is for kids to learn in their first language…in order to be able to excel in learning other languages.”
In the development of Vme and Vme Kids programming, the network has consulted with leading policy makers, researchers and educators who share a unified concern about helping Hispanic preschool children overcome a widening language and literacy gap. Several research studies show that a strong early grounding in the language of the home – in this case, Spanish – builds fundamental language skills that facilitate and accelerate learning English.
Knowing that Latinos have a high level of co-viewing with their kids, Vme’s content goes beyond kids to offer information that helps parents reinforce the lessons from the screen into hands-on activities that can serve as the foundation for school readiness and success. Plus Vme Kids will offer programs and interstitials that help kids transfer Spanish language skills and vocabulary to English – strengthening their understanding, and even their parents understanding, of both languages.
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Nastia Liukin is a Supergirl bringing Super-Fashions to JCPenney
I love strong female characters. It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me. Strong female super heroes? The best.Girls need great role models. Women who are celebrate for their brains, not just their body. So many women struggle with self-respect and self-image. Finding modern day heroes can be hard. One of those heroes is Nastia Liukin, gold medal winning gymnast. Nastia Liukin is currently unveiling her new clothing line at JCPenny. Partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), on behalf of DC Comics, and JCPenney, Supergirl by Nastia offers fashionable clothes for 4 to 12-year-old girls (just in time for back-to-school). The line is available online at jcpenny.com or at your local store.
For those in California, you can meet Nastia at the JCPenney at the Glendale Galleria. Nastia will make a special appearance at this year’s Supergirl Jam set to take place on August 22 in Venice Beach, CA. Or on August 28th in Orlando, Florida at the Florida Mall.
The line will retail from $20 – $38, making it affordable and exciting for girls to style themselves like a Supergirl.The collection will include active fleece, dresses and tunics, knit pants, signature Supergirl tees, dancewear, fashion leggings, shrug tops and more.
Follow Nastia on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NLiukin
I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to raise awareness for the Supergirl by Nastia clothing collection. For information on Supergirl by Nastia – in time for back-to-school season, please visit: http://bit.ly/b9kJy3
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Zachary Levi Earns Pole Position in Qualifying for the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race
(Photo: Albert L. Ortega)Zachary Levi posted the fastest time of all celebrities to earn the pole position in the 34th-annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Levi, the star of the NBC sitcom “Chuck,” narrowly beat actors Adrien Brody and Brian Austin Green in the qualifying race. Levi will lead the pack tomorrow in what has become the world’s longest-running, most successful celebrity racing event. CART Champion Jimmy Vasser finished first among all drivers and won in the Pro category, followed closely by Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust.
“Zachary put on quite a display this afternoon,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “The hard work and determination he displayed throughout our training sessions paid off. The commitment and enthusiasm of all the drivers competing in this event demonstrates exactly what the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is all about.”
“I did it!” said an exuberant Levi at a news conference after the qualifying session. “This is a great race, with a terrific group of people, that benefits an amazing cause. I can’t describe how pumped I am for tomorrow’s race.”
As pole-position winner in the qualifying session, Levi designated his $15,000 donation in conjunction with the 13th-annual People Pole Award to the charity Operation Smile, which works to transform the lives of children who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.
Furthermore, Toyota will donate $5,000 to Racing for Kids in the name of each celebrity racer and an additional $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a national nonprofit program benefiting children hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated $1.8 million on behalf of the race and its participants to various children hospitals since 1991.
Saturday’s race starts at 11:50 a.m. PDT.
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Gen Art Film Festival Winners!
The 15TH Anniversary of the Gen Art Film Festival presented by Acura wrapped an exciting week that kicked off with the New York premiere of Sundance Audience Award winner “happythankyoumoreplease” and concluded last night with a ceremony announcing the winners of the Acura Grand Jury Awards, Wonderwall.com’s Stargazer Award and the Festival’s Audience Awards.
Following the closing night premiere of “Mercy,” the award winners were announced at BLVD. Gen Art Senior Vice President of Film Jeffrey Abramson, Gen Art Associate Director Aaron Levine and Jurors Shea Whigham and Eugene Hernandez announced the Festival winners.
The Acura Grand Jury Award for Best Feature went to Tatiana Von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini’s “Tanner Hall” with both directors on hand to receive their award last night, and the Acura Grand Jury Award for Best Short went to Vance Malone’s “The Poodle Trainer.” Prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 were presented by Acura to the Feature and Short winners respectively. Josh Radnor’s “happythankyoumoreplease” and Jeff Sousa’s “The Hirosaki Players” took home the Festival’s coveted Audience Awards.
Additionally, Wonderwall.com’s “Stargazer Award” recognized Rooney Mara (“Tanner Hall”) as the most talented emerging actor with “starstuff” from this year’s festival, selected by an esteemed group of festival alumni actors: Paul Schneider, Shea Whigham and Billy Burke. She will be featured in a special gallery on Wonderwall.com this week. The role was Rooney Mara’s first lead role, but she has since gone on to appear in indie films including “Youth in Revolt” and “Dare” both which opened theatrically early this year and late last year respectively, and she will be seen as a lead in the upcoming remake of the classic “A Nightmare on Elm Street” which opens nationally on April 30th. Rooney was on hand to accept the award last night.
During the past week, the Gen Art Film Festival presented by Acura showcased the New York premieres of seven features and seven shorts from emerging filmmakers, each followed by seven parties at New York City’s hottest venues, including SL, Juliet Supper Club, and Avenue. The cutting-edge festival allowed film buffs to experience a premiere like a true insider with interactive elements allowing filmmakers, media and the audience to share in the excitement.
“Happythankyoumoreplease” written and directed by Josh Radnor and featuring Radnor, Malin Akerman, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, Tony Hale and Richard Jenkins opened the festival on April 7th at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre. The remaining films included “Mercy,” “Tanner Hall,” “Waiting for Forever,” “The Wild Hunt,” “Teenage Paparazzo,” and “Elektra Luxx” which all premiered to capacity crowds at the completely redesigned, state-of-the-art Visual Arts Theater in Chelsea.
Celebrities in attendance throughout the week included Adrian Grenier, Josh Radnor, Rachel Bilson, Malin Akerman, Alexis Bledel, Blythe Danner, Diane Von Furstenberg, Carla Gugino, Tom Everett Scott, Kate Mara, Tom Sturridge, Anthony Mackie, Rooney Mara, Zoe Kazan among many others.
“To celebrate our 15th year we sought to program films that would really excite our audience and by all measures we succeeded in doing such” said Jeffrey Abramson. “Our audience award reactions were exceptionally high and enthusiastic and the # of passholders and repeat attendees significantly increased”
“To kick off Spring 2010 with a sold-out 15 Anniversary Film Festival that brought together the highest profile and critically acclaimed set of independent films that we have showcased in our history, that also had such filmmaker and talent support at the festival, was truly inspiring” said Gen Art CEO and co-Founder Ian Gerard. “And to have our festival partner Acura there with us for an eighth year – was the icing on the cake.”
Once the run of the festival was determined, the films were submitted to the official festival jury, comprised of the following:
Feature Jury: Ben Barenholz (Producer), Charles Thorp (NY Entertainment Journalist), Eugene Hernandez (indieWIRE), Kacey Hagler (Fox Searchlight), Meira Bluastein (Woodstock Film Festival)
Short Jury: David Fear (Time Out NY), David Miller (Director, My Suicide), Marc Webb (Alumnus Director, 500 Days of Summer), Robin Bronk (The Creative Coalition), Tom Everett Scott (Actor/ Alumnus Director, “Glock”)
Stargazer Jury (all alumni Gen Art actors): Billy Burke, Paul Schnieder, Shea Whigham
Filmmaker DavidJR created videos encapsulating each night’s premiere and they can be viewed at http://www.genart.org/filmfestival/video.
In addition to Acura, the festival was made possible through the sponsor support of Amazon, Andaz Hotels, Cannon, Chase, Crunch, Don Julio Tequila, General Snus, Honest Tea, Kodak, New York Magazine, Ovation TV, and Stella Artois.
For more information, upcoming events and pictures and video please visit Gen Art’s website at www.genart.org.
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Joshua Radnor at screening of happythankyoumoreplease
If you missed it Joshua Radnor (Ted, How I Met Your Mother) made a movie! happythankyoumoreplease written and directed by Radnor, is a dramedy, which focuses on several 20-something relationships in the city. The film was screened last night at Opening Night of the 15th Anniversary of the Gen Art Film Festival presented by Acura which runs from April 7-13th in NYC.Here’s some photos of Joshua and Malin Ackerman & Kate Mara:
(Photo: Michael Algieri & Josh Radnor)
(Photo Credit: Rob Loud)
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Doing Something Good: Help Out Operation Smile by Uploading a Photo!
Every year 200,000 children are born with a severe cleft condition that leaves them unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. Too often their parents can’t afford the costly surgery to help their children out. That’s where Operation Smile comes in. Operation Smile is an organization that provides surgeries for these children, giving them the chance to smile and lead a normal life.Celebrity Jessica Simpson has been working with Operation Smile for seven years and in her new reality series “The Price of Beauty” she’s taking a trip to India to meet Meena, a 13 year old girl who suffers from a cleft lip and cleft palate. The episode, which airs March 29 on VH1, will document Meena’s journey as volunteers from Operation Smile perform an operation to correct Meena’s condition.
How Can You Help
Operation Smile and VH1 are encouraging viewers to share their smiles during this season of “The Price of Beauty.” As part of the Smiles for Smiles campaign, people are invited to upload photos of their own smiles, which will become part of a mosaic composite featuring photos from the show. For every photo uploaded VH1 will donate $1 to Operation Smile. Visit www.vh1smile.com to upload photos, check out other smile mosaics and donate to Operation Smile.Want to Do More?
Visit www.operationsmile.org and read about the various ways to get involved and donate to the organization.(Photo: Jessica Simpson, Meena and Ken Paves – Photo from Operation Smile)
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Check Out Between the Lions’ Roadshow!
Leona & Theo Reading © WGBH/Sirius ThinkingIf you’re along the East Coast or Southern USA and have preschool age kids you’re gonna want to check out Between the Lions Live!. I share a special love for this show not only because it always makes me do a double take (Between the Lines Studios being our podcast group’s name), but also because it encourages kids to read!
Between the Lions’ Roadshow performances are designed to bring the television series to life, encouraging children to read, sing along with the Lions, and recognize words in the world around them. Engaging and animated books such as Is Your Mama a Llama? and Click, Clack, Moo will encourage audience participation, and Aaron Nigel Smith, founder of FUNdamentals of Music and Movement, will be back to join the Roadshow, adding his original award-winning music to the mix.
Tour Dates and Venues
Catch Theo and Leona’s live performances in Atlanta, GA on Friday, April 30 (venue TBA). Next, they spend five days at the Georgia State Fair in Macon, GA from May 1-5. Finally, the lions travel to Columbia, SC on May 6 and Charlotte, NC from May 7-8 (venues TBA).Tune in to Between the Lions
Between the Lions airs nationally on PBS KIDS (check your local listings). If you live in one of the areas located on the fourth annual Roadshow tour, you can catch the series on:-Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) weekdays at 1:00 p.m.
-South Carolina ETV (SCETV) weekdays at 1:30 p.m.
-UNC-TV (North Carolina) Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 12:00 noonFor more information on the series and to view updates to the schedule of tour dates and venues, please visit: pbskids.org/lions
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A&E Gives Facebook Fans a Sneak Peek of Fugitive Chronicles
I love a great social media marketing campaign and A&E is doing it up right with their new series Fugitive Chronicles. To get some buzz going before the first episode airs they’re offering Facebook fans a sneak peek on Facebook.
Just add their fan page -> http://www.facebook.com/FugitiveChronicles
On Thursday March 25th at 9/8c, a link will be posted on the official Facebook page where you will be able to watch a secret preview on AETV.com!
I love real life crime story docudramas, so this series looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. First episode airs Wednesday, April 1st, 10/9C on A&E.
Photo courtesy of A&E/ElectricArtists
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Fans Can Help Transylvania Television Produce a Halloween Special!
Fans of the cult hit Transylvania Television (TVTV) can pledge their “undying” loyalty and money through http://www.kickstarter.com. Funds raised will help produce an hour-long Halloween special on the Twin Cities network CW (formally known as WB23). Fans can locate the pledge page by visiting http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/transylvaniatv/transylvania-television-halloween-special. Pledges can be as little as $10 and depending on the level of sponsorships, fans and donors can receive various gifts for their pledges including buttons, character shrinky-dinks, autographed pieces from the set, and personalized video greetings from the Transylvania Television cast.
For over two years, TVTV has been attracting college and Generation X audiences by blending traditional stand up, sitcom television, and pop culture references with their own cutting edge humor. TVTV continues to gather steam as they launch their third season and the producers and fleece animators of TVTV continue to expand their audience base. Using the Web and guerilla marketing tactics, TVTV has been reaching out to audiences via Facebook (under transylvaniatv), iTunes, and Twitter while creating an army of “zombie minions” for their cult hit.
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What Makes an Oscar Worthy Movie? Find Out with TCM!
If you haven’t been catching the amazing marathon over at TCM, you’re missing out. To celebrate the 2010 Oscars they’ve been playing 360 different Oscar-winning movies! The festival of movies started on Feb 1st Kevin Bacon and James Coco in Only When I Laugh (1981). The final movie in the festival, Diner (1982), starring Bacon, will bring the entire month full circle. Apparently TCM can play 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon too!
I’m looking forward to rewatching The Bells are Ringing with Dean Martin. And maybe discovering some new favorite films!
Click here to visit the official site and see the schedule.
The Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented live on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
I wrote this article after receiving a press release from YouCast Corporation. I received a TCM Oscar Party pack including popcorn, coasters and other party items as a thank you.
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Conan Won’t Be Unemployed…
Mrs. Fields has officially offered a job to Conan O’Brien should he end up leaving the Tonight Show at NBC. The national cookie company states that O’Brien has his pick of working at any of their over 300 stores nationwide, or at their corporate offices in Salt Lake City, UT. Details of the position as well as salary are pending negotiations and interest from O’Brien.
“At the age of 22 Conan applied for a job at Mrs. Fields, but sadly never received a call back,” explained John Lauck, President of Mrs. Fields. “We want to officially call you back, and make amends for what we now know was a huge oversight in talent recruitment.”
Mrs. Fields Famous Brands, which also owns TCBY, The Country’s Best Yogurt, additionally stated that should O’Brien’s interest in cookies no longer be as strong, he is eagerly invited to enter This Could Be Yours, the Great TCBY Store giveaway. Should he win this national contest, Conan would find himself the owner of a brand new TCBY store in a location of his choosing.
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Looking for a Great Last Minute Christmas Gift? Give the gift of music!
If you’re like me, there’s a couple people on your Christmas list that are almost impossible to find gifts for. You could get a tacky Christmas gift pack from Walmart, but where’s the fun in that? Instead why not give them the gift of music?
Beginning Monday December 14, the Amazon Music Store will begin a week of hot lightning deals, and they’ve done all the guess work for you. Visit the calendar for great prices on music, including a day of all Beatles deals: http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=2233633011
So head on over and get your family or friends some great tunes to get them through 2010!
(Photo: SXC.hu/LotusHead)
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Please Vote for Buffy Between the Lines
Our sister podcast, Buffy Between the Lines, is a finalist in the prestigious Podcast Awards and we’d love your help in helping it win it’s category. If you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer or appreciate the work that Between the Lines Studios does (like this podcast) we’d really appreciate your help.
If Buffy Between the Lines wins we’re going to do a full episode explaining what happened after the Season 7 conclusion. So if you want to know what Buffy and company did after Sunnydale became a sink hole, please go and rock the vote!
Please vote ONCE a day, every day between today and November 30th. You must validate your vote via email, so enter a real email address.
Click here to sign up for a daily email reminder: Subscribe to Buffy Between the Lines by Email
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The Plan is out.
Buy Battlestar Galactica: The Planon Amazon.
I stumbled on a couple of reminders that the Battlestar Galactica movie, “The Plan” is out now. The first was the big ol’ email that I got from Universal Studios Home Entertainment that said “Hey, The Plan’s out. Buy it.” and the other was this month’s Maxim magazine. It features a photoshoot with Tricia Helfer and Grace Park and being Maxim, it’s looong on cheesecake (and tongue in cheek humor) and short on interview, but if you must have everything BSG – then… I’m sure you’ll have fun getting it signed at the next con. The 10-second article does have Park hinting about just how Released-to-DVD differs from basic cable (she uses the term “T, C, & A”, if that tells you anything) and Helfer mentioning hosting a kitten adoption (awww… no really, kittens are cute).
To read Tabz’s review of “The Plan” click here.
And – if you’ve never heard of the magazine, there is (of course) a Wikipedia article (hint: they’re the ones that printed a review of a Black Crowes album without actually listening to it. Some people were amazed at their accuracy. They’ve also had Eliza Dushku on the cover twice.)
(Photo: SyFy)
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The 6th Annual ‘Wear Your Cap To School Day’ Event for Pediatric Cancer Kicks-Off on October 23rd!
The non-profit organization Caps for Kids, along with national sponsors New Era Cap Co. and Hatworld/Lids, are proud to announce that the 6th Annual “Wear Your Cap to School Day” event will take place on October 23rd in schools across the United States. This fundraising initiative encourages students to donate $1.00 for the chance to wear their favorite cap in the classroom. All monies raised support Caps for Kids’ mission of providing celebrity signed headwear and scarves to children being treated for cancer.
“Having cancer at any age is a traumatic experience but having it as a child is even more anguishing,” says John DeWaal, Caps for Kids President. “Wear Your Cap To School Day is a great opportunity to illustrate to students that their small donation can have a big impact to kids in their community.”
Interest in the program continues to spread across the US with schools in more than 38 states participating and over $340,000 raised to date to benefit Caps for Kids. In 2008 alone, more than $90,000 was generated, marking a record of growth for the organization.
For more information on Wear Your Cap to School Day visit www.wearyourcaptoschoolday.com and Caps for Kids visitwww.capsforkids.org.
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