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THE HOLLYWOOD RADIO AND TELEVISION SOCIETY PRESENTS 
BROADCASTING REALITY NEWSMAKER LUNCHEON
Order your tickets here

BEVERLY HILTON, The Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS) will present Broadcasting Reality Newsmaker Luncheon, a candid discussion with the creators of today's biggest reality shows. April 22, 2009 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel

Taking part in the panel are:

Mark Burnett is a leading executive producer for primetime television, cable and the internet, and has produced over 1,100 hours of television programming which regularly airs in over 70 countries around the world.  Mark Burnett (President of MBP) revolutionized television with hits such as Survivor (CBS), The Apprentice (NBC), The Contender (Versus), Rock Star (CBS), the Steven Spielberg co-production On The Lot (FOX), the smash hit Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (FOX), which is currently being produced in 52 countries and the daytime syndicated hit Martha.  In the summers of 2007 and 2008, MBP entered the world of Award Shows, when Mark Burnett served as executive producer for the MTV Movie Awards. In October of 2007, MBP opened Mark Burnett Productions Asia; a joint venture with Genting International to both create new content for and adapt established formats in the Asian market. Since 2001, MBP has garnered a total of 51 Emmy nominations with Mark receiving 2 wins, along with 4 People’s Choice Awards.  Mark Burnett has been named one of the most influential people in the world by TIME magazine and named TV Guide’s most valuable player.  He has won both BRANDWEEK’S Marketer of the Year Award and the prestigious ROSE D’OR FRAPA Format Award.  In 2007, Mark Burnett was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. In 2008, Mark was honored with the announcement that he is to receive a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. 2009 has continued with new shows for MBP, including Toughest Cowboy (SPIKE), Star Maker (MTV), Wedding Day (TNT), Bully Beatdown (MTV), How’d You Get So Rich? (TV Land), Expedition (History Channel), pilots with FOX, ABC and CBS as well as Survivor 18 (along with the pick-up of season 19 and 20), Contender 4, Martha syndicated 4, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader 3, The 2009 MTV Movie Awards and Apprentice 8.

Michael Davies, one of the most prolific producers in the history of the television business, Davies has logged more than 500 episodes of primetime television, more than 1000 episodes of first-run syndication, more than 500 episodes of cable television and more than 1000 pieces of digital video content.   With the continued success of Emmy Award-winning Millionaire in syndication, Wife Swap (with RDF Media) in primetime and a wide range of projects in production for broadcast, cable and digital networks, Davies has firmly established himself as one of the most versatile show runners in the business. As President of Embassy Row, the global television format and digital production company that Davies sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment in late 2008, he and his team are dedicated to developing original concepts and adapting international formats for television networks, digital and wireless distribution in the U.S. and around the world.  Davies specializes in the genres of games, comedy, reality, factual, sports and food and is a pioneer in the fields of brand-supported and digital content. Davies’ latest credits include: Newlywed Game for GSN; America’s Strongest American for CBS primetime; Power of 10, the Rose D’Or-winning game show for CBS primetime that has been sold in 53 countries worldwide; Chain Reaction and Grand Slam for GSN; Fast Cars and Superstars: Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race, the major sporting show for ABC; The World Series of Pop Culture, the multi-platform quiz event for VH1 and POPTUB for YouTube.

Allison Grodner, a successful and award-winning Executive Producer of documentary and reality-based programming, Allison is the president of her own television production company specializing in unscripted programming for broadcast and cable networks. As Executive Producer on the successful CBS franchise BIG BROTHER for nearly a decade, Allison is currently in production on the show’s 11th season since revamping and executive producing BIG BROTHER 2 in 2001. In addition to executive producing the upcoming second season of the hit reality competition show, SHE’S GOT THE LOOK for TV Land, she is currently in production on a new series for Style and two specials for VH1 and TLC. Allison has also executive produced and created multiple series, including: THE FAMILY and BRAT CAMP for ABC; four season of Showtime’s late-night series FAMILY BUSINESS; BLOW OUT and SITUATION: COMEDY for Bravo; FLIPPED for MTV; A WEDDING STORY for TLC; FUNNIEST MOMS 3 for Nick at Nite; MINDING THE STORE for TBS; THE ROAD TO STARDOM WITH MISSY ELLIOTT and GET THIS PARTY STARTED for UPN and MY OTHER LIFE for CBS. Allison has also executive produced multiple specials and documentary series including DNA: GUILTY OR INNOCENT for CBS; DEAR SANTA for ABC; HYPE AND GLORY: SWEEPS MONTH for A&E, and SMALL TOWN ECSTASY, a critically acclaimed documentary for HBO.  In 1999, Allison was nominated for a DGA Award in Children’s Programming for THE TEEN FILES- SMOKING: TRUTH OR DARE? She received a total of three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Program for producing this series of documentary specials called, THE TEEN FILES that aired on UPN.  In 2000, the entire TEEN FILES series was granted the prestigious Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Allison began her career as part of the original producing and directing team on one of the first reality series, RESCUE 911, which ran for seven seasons on CBS.  

Mike Fleiss, founder of Next Entertainment, is executive producer of "The Bachelor," in addition to executive producing "The Bachelorette," "High School Reunion" and the upcoming "The Cougar." Fleiss also produced "The Real Gilligan's Island," a reality adaptation of the classic sitcom featuring real-life versions of the original show's characters. In addition, Fleiss produced "The WB's Superstar USA," "Trista & Ryan's Wedding" and "The Starlet." Fleiss, who has a multiyear, wide-ranging deal with Warner Horizon Television to create original series for network, syndication and cable, is a leading producer of reality programming and has made a significant impact on the genre. In total, he has produced over 250 hours of primetime television, including "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" "Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed," "Before They Were Stars" and "Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People." Two reality projects currently in pre-production are "Lady and the Champ" and "The Cougar." In addition to Fleiss' work in television, he also has three feature projects in the works. In addition, Fleiss produced the 2003 remake of the classic feature film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning." His other feature film producer credits include "Poseidon" for Warner Bros. and the "Hostel" movies. 

Arthur Smith, founded A. Smith & Co. Productions with longtime friend Kent Weed in 2000 and serves as Executive Producer on all the company’s productions.  Together, they have generated some of the most innovative, highly-rated and high quality unscripted programming for the domestic and international television marketplace.  Since its launch the company has created over 500 hours of programming and developed and produced the number one show in America an astonishing 12 times and a top 5 show over 50 times.  The company’s current production slate includes the Emmy® nominated hit show Hell’s Kitchen as well as Kitchen Nightmares with Chef Gordon Ramsay; I Survived a Japanese Game Show, Crash Course, Trading Spaces with host Paige Davis; the critically acclaimed documentary series American Gangster, Pros Vs Joes, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura and UFC Countdown. Past Highlights include hit series like Paradise Hotel, The Swan, and Skating with Celebrities. A Smith & Co.’s highly rated programming and executive team have been nominated for several awards including a DGA Award, Emmy Awards, Rose d’Or, and a NAACP Image Award.  In addition to heading up A. Smith & Co, Smith is also a lead consultant to major media companies and sport entities including clients such as Paul Allen, The Harlem Globetrotters, and Gemstar/TV Guide, and serves on the boards of several sports organizations. In 1982, Smith began producing network television at the age of 22 years old at CBC Network Sports, where he produced and directed major sporting events around the world, such as Executive Producing three Olympic Games for which he won numerous awards, including two prestigious Gemini Awards.  At the age of 28, Smith was named head of CBC Sports and continued to create sports content in an entertainment format filled with stylized graphics, driving music, high profile features, and technological innovations. Following CBC, Smith spent four years as Senior Vice President of Dick Clark Productions where he was responsible for Producing and Executive Producing When Stars Were Kids, and Caught in the Act for NBC and Battle of the Bands, The Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards, and The Great 18 Golf Championship for ABC. Smith went on to become Senior Vice President of MCA Television Group in 1995.  While at MCA Television, within months of arriving, Smith garnered commitments for shows from ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS.  Prior to launching A. Smith & Co. in November 2000, Smith held the role of Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News for FOX SPORTS where he launched the network into the cable sports business as well as overseeing what would become the fastest growing television sports network.  While at FOX, Smith launched 22 sports networks and acted as Executive Producer on over 4,500 events and thousands of original hours of programming each year.

Tyra Banks, is Creator/Executive Producer/Judge of “America’s Next Top Model” As an icon in the international, cultural, and entertainment communities, Tyra Banks has broken down barriers to become one of the most admired and watched individuals in media today. In spring 2008, Banks appeared on the cover of The New York Times Magazine in a piece titled “Martha, Oprah, Tyra; Is She the Next Big Female Branded Self?” and Entertainment Weekly featured her on the cover saying “America’s Next Top Mogul.” In the same year, she was honored in Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment,” Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Smartest in Television,” Glamour magazine’s coveted “Women of the Year,” and came in at #1 on Forbes “Primetime TV’s Top Earning Women” report. In 2007, Banks was saluted as a trailblazer and received a BET Honors award for her work in media alongside Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons and other notables.  Also in 2007, Banks was placed in Time Magazine’s “Most Influential People in the World” report for the second year in a row. In 2003, Banks became a true pioneer in reality TV when she created, executive produced, and hosted the tremendously successful “America’s Next Top Model.” The show quickly became a phenomenon and was UPN's most-watched program for six cycles.  In 2006, “Top Model” was chosen to launch the brand new CW Network.  The premiere was the best ever in the 18-34 demographic and one of the largest viewing audiences in the show’s history. “Top Model” is also a hit internationally, with the American edition appearing in more than 100 countries, with an additional 20 countries adapting their own version. With the launch of her syndicated daily talk show “The Tyra Banks Show,” Banks became one of the few women to be seen regularly on both daytime and primetime television.  Premiered in 2005, the talk show quickly became one of the most popular new daytime programs on the air, and continues to boast the youngest audience in daytime. In 2007, “The Tyra Banks Show” moved production from Los Angeles to New York, where the city acts as an energizing backdrop.  From a sleek New York set, Banks tackles issues both serious and fun, but always entertaining.   Every day, Banks reaches millions of viewers discussing topics from personal style to body image to politics.  In 2008, the show was one of the few television programs to conduct one-hour interviews with leading presidential candidates, including Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Senator John Edwards.  “The Tyra Banks Show” is produced by Banks’s own Bankable Productions in association with Telepictures Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution.  The dedicated efforts of the crew and the highly successful progression of the talk show were validated in June 2008, when the “Tyra Banks Show” won the Daytime Emmy Award for Talk Show, Informative – the first talk show to ever be awarded in this new category.

MODERATOR:

Jeff Probst, Emmy Award-winning host and producer Jeff Probst returns for the seventeenth installment of the phenomenally successful series "SURVIVOR." 

In 2002, Probst wrote and directed "Finder's Fee", starring James Earl Jones, Robert Forster and Ryan Reynolds, along with Matthew Lillard and Erik Palladino.  The film won many awards and thanks to the critical success, Probst was selected as one of 2001's "Ten Directors to Watch" in a series presented by the American Cinematheque showcasing innovative and exciting new directors from around the world. Probst previously served as host of VH1's "Rock and Roll Jeopardy," hosted several programs for FX and traveled around the world as a correspondent for "Access Hollywood." In 2007, Probst founded The Serpentine Project (www.theserpentineproject.com) a non profit designed to help young adults transition out of the foster care system. Probst is also a national spokesperson for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is actively involved with St. Jude, having helped raise over $5 million dollars by teaming up with Chili’s Bar and Grill for the “Create A Pepper” campaign. Probst is the Collegiate Spokesperson for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation (EGPAF). During "Survivor: Africa," Probst was instrumental in initiating a very successful relationship between "SURVIVOR" and EGPAF.  Each season Survivor memorabilia is auctioned off, and to date, the auctions have raised more than $2 million for the organization.

Broadcasting Reality Newsmaker Luncheon is co-chaired by Kevin Beggs and Sean Perry

For reservations or information please call (818)789-1182 or visit www.hrts.org

The 2008-2009 HRTS Newsmaker Luncheon Season is sponsored in part by:
PriceWaterhouseCoopers and The Lippin Group. 

 
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HRTS Since 1947 the HRTS has been the entertainment industry’s premiere information and networking forum. HRTS events are the only place where leading executives from across the industry gather under one roof, multiple times a year to discuss issues relevant to the ongoing success of our business. HRTS Members and our industry partners represent the best and the brightest in town. Is your company ready to join the ranks of HRTS? There are many ways for individuals and companies to get more involved. To find out how, call (818) 789-1182 or email info@hrts.org

 


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