 |
A Night of A Thousand Stars at the June 4, 2009 New York, NY - June 4, 2009 - Last night, New York City's Times Square shone a little brighter as American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) descended upon the Marriott Marquis on Broadway, where the 2009 National Gracie Award winners were honored in a star-studded gala. Hosted by the Style Network's Clean House and Comedy Central Reno 911's Niecy Nash, the Gracies Awards Gala recognizes exemplary programming created for women, by women, and about women in all facets of electronic media, including radio, television, cable and new media. The black-tie Gala attracted the best and brightest in the field, including: XM Oprah & Friends' Dr. Maya Angelou and Gayle King; NBC Law & Order: SVU's Mariska Hargitay and Stephanie March; Bravo My Life on the D List's Kathy Griffin; Bravo Real Housewives of New York City's LuAnn de Lesseps, Kelly Bensimon, Alex McCord, and Jill Zarin; CBS News' Katie Couric and Bob Schieffer; NBC News' Ann Curry; CNN's Anderson Cooper, Candy Crowley and Erica Hill; HBO Big Love's Branka Katic; USA Network's Traylor Howard of Monk; CNBC's Suze Orman; Jane Pauley; Melissa Rivers; ABC All My Children's Debbi Morgan and Cornelius Smith, Jr.; Nickelodeon's Keke Palmer; ESPN's Hannah Storm and Lisa Salters, as well as many others. Movie and television star, Amy Poehler, was honored with the 2009 Dove Real Beauty Award. Since 2004, AWRT has partnered with Dove on the Campaign for Real Beauty, and created the Dove Real Beauty Award to honor an individual who best embodies and expresses the "substance and spirit" of real beauty through her life and career. On screen and off, Amy Poehler has consistently demonstrated her dedication to empowering women and girls everywhere. Through her network series Parks and Recreation, and her digital series for the ON Networks, Smart Girls at the Party, Amy continues to acknowledge and support girls who are "changing the world by being themselves". MTV Networks' Chairman and CEO, Judy McGrath, received the 2009 Foundation of AWRT Achievement Award, to honor the extraordinary strides and tremendous successes she's accomplished in the field of electronic media. As a long time member of the MTV family, McGrath has helped turn MTV into the influential global brand it is today, symbolizing a culture, a style, an attitude and a vibrant musical landscape which indelibly brought the creativity of music, with its passion, originality and energy, to television. Rachael Ray, entertainment icon, daytime talk show host and best-selling author, received the AWRT Tribute Award, which is given to one who, through their work, truly makes a difference in the media and beyond. Rachael's tremendous accomplishments, in a short period of time and in a cross section of media properties, have sent a strong message of empowerment to women around the world. The audience was dazzled by R&B songstress LaShell Griffin, who captivated the crowd with her towering voice, singing a track from her sophomore album, Dreams Are Possible. "AWRT is proud to honor such amazing women who not only make the electronic media industry an exciting, intelligent and informative arena, but also inspire all of us and women everywhere to be the best we can be," emphasized AWRT President Maria E. Brennan, CAE. "We congratulate and commend all of this year's winners." The Gracies are presented by the Foundation of AWRT, the philanthropic arm of AWRT that supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Gracie Awards, established in 1975, honors programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and web-based media, including news, drama, comedy, commercials, public service, documentary and sports. The event is made possible through the generous support of the 2009 title sponsor Dove and The Campaign for Real Beauty and the following additional sponsors: Arbitron, CBS News, Clear Channel, CNBC, CNN, Disney-ABC Television Group, Ford Motor Company Fund, Katz Media Group, MTV Networks, National Public Radio, NBC, NCTA, Oprah Radio, The Rachael Ray Show, The Style Network, VCI Solutions, and WE tv. 2009 Gracie Awards National Award Winners (In Alphabetical Order) Alexandra Wallace All My Children America's Dirty Little Barbara Walters Brian Ross Investigates: Raped in Iraq Candy Crowley Reports on Hillary Clinton's Bid for the White House Child Soldiers, D.R. Congo China's Devastating Quake CNN Heroes 2008 CNN Presents: Sarah Palin Revealed Corny Koehl Debbi Morgan in All My Children Designing Women - Alba Colon Dianne Wiest in In Treatment Dr. Maya Angelou Show Dr. Phil E! True Hollywood Story: Every Woman Counts Campaign Half of Us - Cutters Healthcare '08: Search for Solutions High School Confidential I Am American Business Kathy Griffin in My Life on the D List Katie Couric Lady Mechanics Laura Linney in John Adams Live in Concert Maria Hinojosa Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: SVU Mighty Macs Miley Cyrus Molly Solomon Muslim Polygamy in America Picking Up the Pieces Polygamy: A World Apart - Segments: Escape & the Reunion President Musharraf Rachel Maddow Ramona & the Unruly Dog Ruby Samantha Who? Section 60 Sharon Liese Susanna White Suze Orman in The Suze Orman Show The Bonnie Hunt Show The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo The Satellite Sisters The Secret Life of the American Teenager Family Till Fear Do Us Part Traylor Howard in Monk True Jackson, VP Unsung . . . Family Voices on Mental Illness Who Cares About Girls: Sex Workers or Victims WordGirl About American Women in Radio & Television, Southern California Chapter: About AWRT SoCal Genii Awards: # # # More Press Releases
|
Saluting the Notable Achievements of Excellence by
Individuals in the Southern CA Broadcasting Industry
Join AWRT SoCal and start networking
with other industry professionals.
View industry-related employment
opportunities in the Southern CA area.
