NEW YORK and NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane Katrina was an unprecedented natural disaster in American history, and to commemorate its catastrophic and devastating effects on one of the country's most beloved cities, New Orleans, Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. stations in 25 media markets across the nation are airing two specials produced specifically for the first anniversary of the storm.
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"Song for New Orleans," a celebration of the city's musical legacy and its recovery, and "Seven Days that Changed New Orleans," an intimate look at people affected by the storm as seen through the eyes of the news team at WDSU-TV, the local Hearst-Argyle NBC affiliate in New Orleans, will air on and around the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on August 29. "Song for New Orleans" is also scheduled to air on the TV One cable network on August 29 at 9 p.m. Eastern, and will also be distributed in national syndication by NBC Universal in January and February 2007.
"Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath was an event that shocked the nation," said Emerson Coleman, Vice President of Programming of Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. "It unfolded before the country and the world through dramatic television images and cutting edge reporting, and it's a story that remains at the forefront of the American consciousness even one year later."
"Song for New Orleans," produced in cooperation with Hearst-Argyle by Boston-based Parallax Productions, tells the story of how Hurricane Katrina separated the Rebirth Brass Band -- one of the city's most iconic musical groups -- and the group's efforts to reunite and set out on a mission to reestablish the city's musical traditions, which includes being the birthplace of jazz, one of America's original art forms. Emmy Award winner Andre Braugher narrates the special, and the production also features New Orleans music stalwarts such as trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, jazz singer Charmaine Neville, jazzman and saxophonist Donald Harrison, Jr., and Mardi Gras Indian Big Chief Monk Boudreaux. New Orleans' own world-renowned Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis also make an appearance discussing Habitat for Humanity's Musicians Village development.
The second special, "Seven Days that Changed New Orleans," produced by Allen/Nee Productions in cooperation with Hearst-Argyle, is narrated by MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who also co-hosted two nationally televised New Orleans mayoral debates in conjunction with MSNBC and WDSU. "Seven Days" chronicles the week surrounding Hurricane Katrina's landfall and examines the lives of those who were most adversely affected by the storm -- as covered by the news team at WDSU-TV, which also serves as the home of the national NBC News bureau in New Orleans.
Commemorative DVD to Benefit Restoration Efforts
A DVD including both specials and extra programming features such as bonus concert footage and raw interview footage will be available through the website http://www.songforneworleans.com/ , which also can be accessed through the Hearst-Argyle corporate site, http://www.hearstargyle.com/, and is scheduled to be available on Amazon.com. A significant portion of the proceeds of the DVD will go to rebuilding efforts.
"No one will forget the images of residents plucked from their roofs by first responders in helicopters or the levee breaches that flooded New Orleans," said Mason Granger, President and General Manager of WDSU-TV. "Our dedicated news staffers covered the storm first hand, and the stories which are featured provide a new and revealing picture of the human spirit."
"Hearst-Argyle maintains the highest commitment to providing accurate, interesting, and unique insight in covering the news, and WDSU's work under the most harrowing of conditions was exemplary," said David Barrett, President and CEO, Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. "We felt the quality of the coverage and the scope of this American tragedy warranted a special insider's view of just what happened on the ground in New Orleans."
About Hearst-Argyle Television
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. owns 25 television stations, and manages an additional three television and two radio stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The Company's television stations reach approximately 18 percent of U.S. TV households, making it one of the largest U.S. television station groups. The Company owns 12 ABC-affiliated stations, and manages an additional ABC station owned by Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group. Hearst-Argyle owns 10 NBC affiliates, and is the second-largest NBC affiliate owner, and also owns two CBS affiliates.
Hearst-Argyle's stations are recognized news leaders. The station group has been honored with three consecutive Walter Cronkite Awards, presented by the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, for excellence in television political journalism, and is the only group to have received the award since its inception. Hearst-Argyle stations also are the recipients of many of television's other highest awards for excellence in journalism, programming and community service, including the Peabody, the du Pont-Columbia Journalism Award, the Sigma Delta Chi Award, the Gabriel, the Ad Council Silver Bell, the National Headliner Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Emmy.
Hearst-Argyle is majority owned by Hearst Corporation. Hearst-Argyle Series A Common Stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HTV." HTV debt is rated investment grade by Moody's (Baa3), Standard & Poor's (BBB-) and Fitch (BBB-), each with a stable outlook. The company's Web address is http://www.hearstargyle.com/ .
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