April 9, 2008
Sony BMG: Donna Summer's "I'm A Fire" rises to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts
Celebrating four decades of milestones, DONNA SUMMER adds another accomplishment to her list with the recent success of "I'm A Fire." "I'm A Fire" has risen to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts making it her 13th #1 single to top the club charts and her 19th #1 charting single across all charts. This is Donna's first #1 hit in almost 10 years. Donna Summer is the only artist to have had a #1 charting dance hit in every decade since the 1970's.
"I'm A Fire" was remixed by several remixers including Solitaire, Craig C, Rod Carrillo, Redtop, Matty Soulflower and Baggi Begovic & Soul Conspiracy. The Rocasound original version is a track from Donna's upcoming CD Crayons which will be released on May 20 2008 on Sony BMG Music Entertainment's Burgundy Records. Crayons will be Donna's first album of all new material to be released in 17 years.
Containing a mix of the up-tempo tunes and ballads, the new album showcases new material that is written by Donna working with several renowned writers and producers.
TRACK LIST
STAMP YOUR FEET
MR. MUSIC
CRAYONS featuring Ziggy Marley
THE QUEEN IS BACK
FAME (THE GAME)
SAND ON MY FEET
DRIVIN' DOWN BRAZIL
I'M A FIRE
SLIDE OVER BACKWARDS
SCIENCE OF LOVE
BE MYSELF AGAIN
BRING DOWN THE REIGN
Source: Sony BMG
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:36 AM | Link to this Post
April 3, 2008
WNBC's '30 Rock,' AMC's 'Mad Men,' Bravo's 'Project Runway,' ABC News' Bob Woodruff among 67th Annual Peabody Awards Winners
Brian Williams to host Awards Ceremony on June 16 at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
ATHENS, Georgia, April 2, 2008 -- Thirty-five recipients of the 67th Annual Peabody Awards were announced today by the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. The winners, chosen by the Peabody board as the best in electronic media for 2007, were named in a ceremony in the Peabody Gallery on the University of Georgia Campus.
Recipients include "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central's cable-news satire, and "A Journey Across Afghanistan: Opium and Roses," a documentary from Bulgaria's Balkan News Corporation (bTV).
"Whole Lotta Shakin," the Texas Heritage Music Foundation's rollicking public-radio series chronicling the 1950s heyday of rockabilly music received the award, as did "Univision's Ya Es Hora," a public-service campaign that taught legal aliens how to apply for American citizenship.
Photo: A runway model on Bravo's "Project Runway" showcases a dress and matching vest designed by contestant Victorya Hong during the program's November 21st episode. Sarah Jessica Parker was featured on the show as a guest judge. (Photo Credit: Steve & Barry's, Barbara Nitke)
The entertainment series selected included "30 Rock," Tina Fey's hilarious send-up of TV sketch shows and her own network, NBC; and "Project Runway," Bravo's fashion-designer competition. Peabodys also went to "Mad Men," AMC's richly detailed and evocative drama set in the world of New York advertising in the early 1960s.
Photo: Two polar bear cubs follow their mother across the ice in Hudson Bay, Canada, during filming of the BBC's landmark series, Planet Earth. Discovery's "Planet Earth," a majestic use of HDTV technology showcasing natural wonders of the world, has been honored with Peabody Award. (Photo: BBC Worldwide Americas, Terry Andrewartha/naturepl.com)
In a strong year for local television news, Dallas' WFAA-TV earned a Peabody for four reports that underscored its commitment to investigative work: "Money for Nothing" revealed slipshod lending practices by the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
A Peabody went to "Speaking of Faith: The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi," from American Public Media. This edition of the long-running series explored resurgent interest in the 13th century Persian poet. "The Brian Lehrer Show," from New York's WNYC, was cited for being true "community-building radio," a shrewd blend of news analysis, civil conversation and call-ins that brings together the city's wildly diverse citizenry.
"White Horse," a beautiful and probing feature segment of BBC America's nightly newscast was recognized for illustrating the human and environmental toll of the Chinese government's massive efforts to modernize its hinterlands. A Peabody went to "CNN Presents: God's Warriors," a three-part, six-hour documentary series that examined the rise and impact of fundamentalism in Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
The Peabody Board is a 16-member group, comprised of television critics, broadcast and cable industry executives and experts in culture and the arts, that judges the entries. Selection is made by the board following review by special screening committees of UGA faculty, students and staff.
The Peabody Awards, the oldest honor in electronic media, do not recognize categories nor are there a set number of awards given each year. Today the Peabody recognizes distinguished achievement and meritorious public service by stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals.
"The range of genres, the variety of topics and the consistently high quality of submissions for Peabody consideration indicated again that amazing work is being done in electronic media," said Horace Newcomb, Director of the Peabody Awards. "The Peabody Board labored through many hours of discussion and deliberation to select these works from among more than a thousand outstanding entries."
"As always," Newcomb said, "it was exciting to discover deeply serious work in entertainment, entertaining work in documentaries, education in news reports and thoughtful perspectives on the news in everything from game shows to parody. The Peabody Awards, in all their diverse and innovative examples, are models for what can and should be done across the board."
The awards will be presented on June 16 at a luncheon at the Waldorf- Astoria Hotel in New York City. Brian Williams, the distinguished anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News," will be the master of ceremonies.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2007 PEABODY AWARD WINNERS
• 30 Rock Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video Television and Little Stranger Inc.
Tina Fey's creation is not only a great workplace comedy in the tradition of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," complete with fresh, indelible secondary characters, but also a sly, gleeful satire of corporate media, especially the network that airs it.
• Art:21 - Art in the 21st Century Art:21, Inc.
Trusting artists to speak for themselves and viewers to "get" what they talk about, the PBS series provides a unique forum for the display, analysis and appreciation of myriad forms of contemporary visual art.
• Speaking of Faith: The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi American Public Radio
Delving into the "adventurous, cosmopolitan" Islam of a 13th century Persian poet now enjoying revival worldwide, this public-radio series continues to illuminate connections among people of all faiths.
• Bob Woodruff Reporting: Wounds of War - The Long Road Home of Our Nation's Veterans ABC News
Severely injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq, Woodruff made wounded veterans and their struggle with recovery and red tape his special focus and served them well with his sensitive, dogged reporting.
• Money for Nothing, The Buried and the Dead, Television Justice, Kinder Prison WFAA-TV
The Dallas station distinguished itself with not one but four investigative series in 2007, probing dubious practices by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the Texas Railroad Commission, a police department that got too cozy with a TV sexual-predator sting operation and a Homeland Security Prison holding immigrant families.
• Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial NOVA/WGBH Educational Foundation, Vulcan Productions Inc., The Big Table Film Company
The centerpiece of this thoughtful, topical edition of NOVA was the recreation, verbatim, of key testimony and argument from a six-week trial in Pennsylvania that served as a crash course in modern evolutionary theory, the evidence for evolution and the nature of science.
• Whole Lotta Shakin' Texas Heritage Music Foundation
A red-hot retrospective of rockabilly music, this 10-part series distributed by Public Radio International blended rare interviews, archival radio broadcasts and foot-stomping tunes by obscure practitioners as well as legends such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
• White Horse BBC World News America, BBC America, BBC World
Uncommonly beautiful for a nightly news feature, but no less trenchant for being artful, it captured a rustic, sleepy inland village on the verge of obliteration by the Chinese government in its attempt to further the country's economic miracle.
• Just Words The Center for Emerging Media
Mark Steiner's 55 weekly radio reports, four minutes each, gave voice to marginalized people -- low-wage workers, recovering drug addicts, the homeless -- who rarely get to speak for themselves in the mainstream media and, in doing so, made common social issues immediate and personal.
• CNN Presents: God's Warriors CNN
In six hours over three nights, CNN explored how rising fundamentalist disenchantment with the modern, secular world has affected Judaism, Islam and Christianity in sometimes similar but also different ways.
• Dexter Showtime, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
With a premise that questions our fondness for avenging heroes -- a serial killer who channels his dark urges into police forensics and the killing of other sociopaths -- this Showtime series is a masterful psychological thriller and a complex and ambiguous meditation on morality.
• Planet Earth Discovery Channel, BBC
Awesome, spectacular, humbling, exhilarating -- pick your effusive adjective -- the 11-part series documented the natural wonders of our world, some familiar, others never before seen, in stunning high-definition clarity.
• CBS News Sunday Morning: The Way Home CBS News
Two unflinchingly candid women who lost limbs while serving in the military in Iraq were the centerpiece of this powerful, thought-provoking report by correspondent Kimberly Dozier, a recovering war casualty herself.
• Fight for Open Records WTAE-TV
The Pittsburgh station's relentless legal campaign to obtain public records of a state-run student loan program netted evidence of financial misconduct and pushed the state to rewrite an antiquated right-to-know law.
• To Die in Jerusalem HBO Documentary Films in association with Priddy Brothers
The anguish of the Israeli-Palestine conflict was embodied in this frank documentary about two mothers who lost their respective teenaged daughters, one a suicide bomber, the other her victim.
• Design Squad WGBH Educational Foundation
Created to inspire boys and girls in their 'tweens and teens to consider an engineering profession, this lively, fast-paced series puts an educational emphasis into the reality-competition television format.
• Craft in America: Memory, Landscape and Community Craft in America Inc.
This three-hour chronicle of America's rich, ongoing traditions of weaving, quilting, woodworking and other craft art was as carefully wrought and as beautifully shot as its subject matter.
• Univision's Ya Es Hora Univision Communications
More than a million legal Hispanic immigrants sought U.S. citizenship as the result of Univision's multi-faceted campaign to explain the benefits and responsibilities of becoming citizens and how to go about applying.
• NATURE: Silence of the Bees Partisan Pictures, Inc., Thirteen/WNET New York
The first in-depth investigation of an alarming, world-wide die-off of honeybees, this documentary underscored the critical role of these pollinators to our food supply and surveyed the forensics that have yet to solve the mystery.
• A Journey Across Afghanistan: Opium and Roses Balkan News Corporation - bTV
Surprising and visually distinctive, this Bulgarian news network's road trip yielded a rare, everyday Afghan perspective on the fighting between Taliban and western troops, while revealing fascinating efforts to supplant the growing of opium poppies with rose bushes to produce rose oil.
• The MTT Files American Public Media, San Francisco Symphony
Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas brought his wealth of knowledge and idiosyncratic insight to bear on subjects as diverse as Igor "Firebird" Stravinsky and James "Cold Sweat" Brown in this delightful, surprising public-radio series.
• Project Runway Bravo, The Weinstein Company, The Magical Elves, Full Picture
A series that redeems the reality-contest genre, this face-off competition among upstart fashion designers demands, displays and ultimately rewards creativity that can't be bluffed.
• Taxi to the Dark Side Jigsaw Pictures, Tall Woods, Wider Film, ZDF/ARTE
The brutal death of an Afghani cab driver while in U.S. military custody gave director Alex Gibney the central thread of his searing exploration of detainee interrogation techniques and who, ultimately, bears responsibility.
• Security Risks at Sky Harbor KNXV-TV
This Phoenix station's unnerving expose of outrageous lapses in baggage-screening at the city's main airport shook up the Transportation Security Administration all the way to Washington, D.C.
• Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me! National Public Radio, Chicago Public Radio, Urgent Haircut Productions
A zippy update of one of broadcasting's long-ago staples, this live quiz show reminds listeners of the week's news even as host Peter Sagal and various panelists make witty sport of it.
• Independent Lens: Sisters in Law Vixen Films, Independent Television Service (ITVS)
Directors Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi make viewers flies on the wall of a small-town courthouse in Cameroon overseen by two dynamic, wisecracking, larger-than-life sisters - one the court's president, the other its state prosecutor - who are helping women stand up to abuse.
• Virginia Tech Shooting: The First 48 Hours WSLS-TV
Covering the worst mass shooting in United States history and its immediate aftermath, the news staff of this station in Roanoke, Virginia, demonstrated knowledge of their community, mastery of their journalistic craft and remarkable, much-needed calm.
• The Brian Lehrer Show: Radio That Builds Community Rather Than Divides WNYC Radio
Lehrer's talk show is a wide open yet shrewdly managed forum in which every sort of political, social and cultural issue is considered and where New Yorkers, in all their diversity, can get to know each other.
• Nimrod Nation Sundance Channel, Public Road Productions, Wieden and Kennedy
The subject of Brett Morgen's lyrical, unhurried, eight-part exploration of small town life is Watersmeet, Michigan, a folksy hamlet reminiscent of Mayberry and Lake Wobegone, but undeniably, hearteningly real.
• FRONTLINE: Cheney's Law FRONTLINE, Kirk Documentary Group, Ltd., WGBH-Boston
In a strongly researched and reported hour that sometimes played like a political thriller, "FRONTLINE" traced the Bush Administration's expansion of Presidential wartime powers to a determined, secretive campaign by the Vice President, that stretches back three decades.
• mtvU: Half of Us mtvU
Responding to studies that have shown that nearly half of all college students have experienced bouts of disabling depression, mtvU created an impressive, multi-platform campaign that includes public-service spots and a comprehensive website where students can get information, advice, even upbeat music.
• Independent Lens: Billy Strayhorn - Lush Life
Robert Levi Films, Independent Television Service (ITVS) Along with celebrating the work of the often overlooked arranger and composer ("Take the 'A' Train") who was crucial to Duke Ellington's sound and success, the documentary sensitively explored the homophobia that kept Strayhorn in the shadows.
• CBS News 60 Minutes: The Killings in Haditha CBS News, 60 Minutes
This thorough, open-minded investigation of the worst single killing of civilians by American troops since Vietnam put not just the incident into better perspective but the entire Iraq War and the terrible choices it presents both soldier and civilian.
• Mad Men AMC, Lionsgate Pictures Television
The way they were on Madison Avenue, in the Manhattan towers and the bedroom communities of New York, circa 1960, is recalled in rich detail and a haze of cigarette smoke in this exemplary period dramatic series.
• The Colbert Report Hello Doggie Inc., Busboy Productions, and Spartina Productions
Let none dare call it "truthiness." Colbert, in his weeknight Comedy Central send-up of politics and all that is bombastic and self-serving in cable-news bloviasion, has come into his own as one of electronic media's sharpest satirists.
Source: Peabody Awards
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:29 PM | Link to this Post
April 2, 2008
Energy Drink "Red Bull" Arrives in France
Photo: Launch of Red Bull in France. Location: Paris, France April 1, 2008. (Photocredit: (c)Richard Walch/Red Bull Photofiles)
Red Bull made a spectacular entry into France on Tuesday April 1, 2008. The world's largest energy drink producer celebrated its long-awaited arrival in that country with 150 "Wings Teams" from around Europe forming a magnificent get together as they circled around the Arc de Triomphe in their distinctive blue and silver Minis just hours after a BASE jumper got the "Wings for Paris" day off to a flying start by leaping off the Eiffel Tower and a motorcycle rider made a gravity-defying ride over a 50-meter high landmark arch in the La Defense business district.
Photo: Launch of Red Bull in France. Location: Paris, France April 1, 2008. Athlete: Ueli Gegenschatz. B.A.S.E. Jumping. (Photocredit: (c)Schaad/Red Bull Photofiles)
Just after daybreak, Swiss BASE jumper Ueli Gegenschatz got the Red Bull "Wings for Paris" day off to a dazzling start with his picture-perfect leap off the top of Eiffel Tower, France's 324-meter high national landmark. "It was an exciting climb up and the jump went well with a nice opening," said Gegenschatz, who had made his clandestine ascent up the side of the tower in the early-morning hours under the cover of darkness. "It was pretty cold up there and there was quite a bit of wind. I was glad when the sun finally came up. It's a great way to introduce Red Bull to France."
Photo: Launch of Red Bull in France. Location: Paris, France April 1, 2008. Motorbike Trial. Athlete: Julien Dupont. (Photocredit: (c)Richard Walch/Red Bull Photofiles)
Photo: Launch of Red Bull in France. Location: Paris, France April 1, 2008. Motorbike Trial. Athlete: Julien Dupont. (Photocredit: (c)Dom Daher/Red Bull Photofiles)
About two hours later French trial motor bike specialist Julien Dupont gave countless thousands of rush-hour commuters in Paris's La Defense business district a rush of their own with a gravity-defying motorcycle ride up, over and down the other side the 50-meter-high arched concrete roof of the CNIT center building. "Everything went according to plan on the way up and it was my greatest accomplishment on the bike ever," said Dupont, who was helped by two tall women in short skirts who distracted security. "The roof was a bit slippery so I had to slow down a bit on the way back down the other side. It was tricky getting the (80-kilo) bike over the fence but that all worked out well."
The Austrian company known for its non-conformist style lived up to its reputation on April Fools' Day, picking April 1, of all days, to end the long dry spell for France. The energy drink is already available in over 140 countries with more than 3.5 billion cans sold in 2007.
Photo: Sampling cars drive in circles around the Arc de Triomphe as Red Bull launches its energy drink in France on April 1, 2008 at Paris. (Photocredit: (c)Richard Walch/Red Bull Photofiles)
Photo: Launch of Red Bull in France. Location: Paris, France April 1, 2008. (Photocredit: (c)Schaad/Red Bull Photofiles)
The highlight of the celebrations marking the arrival in Paris was a Red Bull-style car rally around the Arc de Triomphe by the "Wings Teams."
The roundabout around the famous arch at the end of the Champs-Elysees might be one of most challenging for motorists anywhere in Europe -- with swift-moving traffic entering and exiting from 12 different avenues. But the "Wings Teams" from 10 different countries across Europe skillfully navigated their Minis into and around the monument -- and after safely parking their cars they surprised curious Parisians by giving them wings -- free samples of the energy drink.
Source: Red Bull
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 8:51 AM | Link to this Post
April 1, 2008
Opportunity to own a very limited Gibson or Epiphone Slash Signature model Guitar
A very limited Gibson or Epiphone Slash Signature model guitars are now available at guitar retail stores across the world. The limited editions of each model roll out exclusively on Tuesday, April 1, 2008. Three very unique models of the Slash signature Les Paul guitar from Gibson Custom, Gibson USA and Epiphone will be released simultaneously around the world at 5 PM US EDT at select dealers and will not be reproduced once they're sold out.
Each of the three guitar models have been designed and produced in close co-operation with the legendary Velvet Revolver Guitarist Slash, offering consumers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a guitar inspired by the iconic rock legend himself. All of the models will combine individual design features with Slash's own personal touches.
Epiphone fretted instruments, amplifiers, strings and accessories are well known. One of Gibson's most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson in 1957. Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:04 AM | Link to this Post
March 29, 2008
SABEW 13th Annual Best in Business Journalism Contest Winners
Recognizing top publications and the best business news reporting during 2007, The Society of American Business Editors and Writers Inc. (SABEW), a not-for-profit organization made up of business journalists in North America, has announced the winners in its 13th annual Best in Business Contest. SABEW is headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
SABEW started the contest in 1995 to help set standards and recognize role models for outstanding business journalism. It has grown steadily since then. Categories for magazines and online sites were added this year. A record 842 entries were submitted for work in 2007 by daily newspapers, business weeklies, magazines, wire services and news Websites.
SABEW will hand out the awards during a ceremony at its annual conference, at 6 p.m. April 27 at The Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
Following is the full list of winners:
Overall Excellence
Giant Newspapers
(Average daily circulation above 325,000)
Arizona Republic
Los Angeles Times
The New York Times
USA Today
Certificates of Merit:
The Boston Globe
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
Large Newspapers
(circulation from 225,000 to 325,000)
The Miami Herald
Rocky Mountain News (Denver)
The Seattle Times
Certificates of Merit:
The Indianapolis Star
The Orange County Register
Detroit Free Press
Mid-sized Newspapers
(circulation from 125,000 to 224,999)
The Charlotte Observer
The Des Moines Register
The Detroit News
Grand RapidsPress
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Certificates of Merit:
St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Salt Lake Tribune
Small newspapers
(circulation under 125,000)
Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.)
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Certificates of Merit:
The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.)
The Post & Courier (Charleston, S.C.)
Weekly Business Newspapers
Advertising Age
Boston Business Journal
Crain's New York Business
Financial Week
Triangle Business Journal (Raleigh-Durham, N.C.)
Certificate of Merit:
Mass High Tech
Small Magazines
(circulation under 500,000)
Bloomberg Markets
Large Magazines
(circulation 500,000 and over)
Fast Company
Small Websites
(up to 500,000 average monthly unique visitors)
Wired.com
Certificate of Merit
Crain's Chicago Business
Mid-sized Websites
(500,000-2.5 million average monthly unique visitors)
AdAge.com
Certificate of Merit
Azstarbiz.com, Arizona Daily Star
Large Websites
(more than 2.5 million average monthly unique visitors)
MarketWatch
The New York Times Dealbook
The Wall Street Journal Online
Business News Reporting
Breaking News
Giant publications
• Patti Bond, Robert Luke, Tom Walker, Maria Saporta, Matt Kempner,
Marilyn Geewax, Duane D. Stanford, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"Nardelli's departure from Home Depot"
• Krishna Guha, Michael Mackenzie, Saskia Scholtes and Gillian Tett, The
Financial Times: "Federal Reserve"
• Robin Sidel, Aaron Lucchetti, Monica Langley, Carrick Mollenkamp, David
Reilly and David Enrich, The Wall Street Journal: "The fall of a
Citigroup Prince"
Large publications
• Staff, Detroit Free Press: GM/UAW settlement
• Staff, Detroit Free Press: Pfizer breaking news
• Roger Fillion, Chris Walsh, David Milstead, Charles Chamberlin,
Joyzelle Davis, Rob Reuteman and Jane Hoback, Rocky Mountain News:
Coors-Miller merger
Mid-sized Publications
• Stella M. Hopkins, Adam Bell, Gail Smith-Arrants, Sharif Durhams,
Christopher D. Kirkpatrick, Tommy Tomlinson, Kat Greene, Marion
Paynter, Mark Johnson and David Ingram, The Charlotte Observer: "Philip
Morris quits North Carolina"
• Amos Maki, Commercial Appeal (Memphis.): "Toyota's decision"
• Sharon Terlep, Bruce G. Hoffman, Eric Morath, Christine Tierney, Daniel
Howes, Louis Aguilar, Nathan Hurst, Brian J. O'Connor, Josee Valcourt
and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News: "UAW strike"
Small Publications
• Jack Gillum, Christie Smythe and David Wichner, Arizona Daily Star:
"First Magnus meltdown"
• Kathy Jumper, George Talbot, Russ Henderson, Sebastion Kitchen, Dan
Murtaugh, Kaija Wilkinson and Jeff Amy, Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.):
"Towering triumphs"
• Carol Benfell, The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.): "Hospital
closure"
Weekly Publications
• Brent Snavely, Crain's Detroit Business: "Icahn on Lear: company
positioned well in industry"
• Andrew Osterland, Marine Cole, Matthew Quinn, Nicholas Rummell and
Frank Byrt, Financial Week: "Credit crunch"
Real-time News Organizations
• Scott Lanman, Brendan Murray, Matthew Brockett, Caroline Salas, Anthony
Massucci, Lynn Thomasson and Shannon Harrington, Bloomberg News:
"Bernanke's world unravels"
• John D. Stoll and Stephen Wisnefski, Dow Jones News Service:
"DaimlerChrysler stock moves into high gear"
Enterprise
Giant Publications
• David Barboza, The New York Times: "A Chinese reformer betrays his
cause, and pays"
• Gretchen Morgenson, The New York Times: "Crisis looms in mortgages"
• Kate Kelly, The Wall Street Journal: "Bear CEO's handling of crisis
raises issues"
Large Publications
• Jeffrey Tomich, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Bet the farm"
• Pete Carey, San Jose Mercury News: "Harsh side of the boom"
• Kristi Heim, The Seattle Times: "China's eco-city"
Mid-sized Publications
• Rick Rothacker and David Ingram, The Charlotte Observer: "Is this a
conflict?"
• Sharon Terlep and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News: "Inside story"
• Rebecca Mowbray, New Orleans Times-Picayune: "Same house. Same repairs.
Same insurer. Why different prices?"
Small Publications
• Becky Pallack, Arizona Daily Star: "First Magnus: Boom to bust in three
weeks"
• Dan Kelley, Corpus Christi Caller-Times: "Is the city growing or
stretching?"
• George Talbot, Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.): "Several factors are key
to deal"
Weekly Publications
• Ron Leuty, San Francisco Business Times: "The fight of his life: Bay
Area tech execs and VCs rally to aid one of their own battling a rare
disease"
• Daniel Kaplan and Mark Mensheha, Street & Smith's SportBusiness
Journal: "American invasion: What's driving the gold rush to English
soccer?"
• Dan Monk and Tom Demeropolous, Business Courier of Cincinnati: "Dark
side of progress: The transformation of UC has taken more of a
financial toll than many in the campus community realize"
Real-time News Organizations
• John Schoen, MSNBC: "Mortgage mess"
• John Lippert, Bloomberg News: "Fall of Detroit"
• Melissa Davis, TheStreet.com: "Shattered hopes"
Columns
Giant Publications
• David Leonhardt, The New York Times
• Joseph Nocera, The New York Times
• Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post
Large Publications
• Eileen Ambrose, The Baltimore Sun
• Mary Jo Feldstein, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• Al Lewis, The Denver Post
Mid-sized Publications
• Mitchell Schnurman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
• George Gombossy, The Hartford Courant
• Liz Benston, Las Vegas Sun
Small Publications
• Gregory Karp, The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)
• Dan Voelpel, The News-Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
• Susan Miller, Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.)
Weekly Publications
• Brian Kaberline, Kansas City Business Journal
• Greg David, Crain's New York Business
• Steve Symanovich, San Francisco Business Times
Real-time News Organizations
• Jon Markman, MSN Money
• James Saft, Reuters
• Brett Arends, TheStreet.com
Projects
Giant Publications
• Patricia Callahan, Maurice Possley, Michael Oneal, Evan Osnos, Ted
Gregory and Sam Roe, Chicago Tribune: "Hidden hazards"
• Charles Duhigg, The New York Times: "Golden opportunities"
• Walt Bogdanich, The New York Times: "Toxic pipeline"
Large Publications
• Suzanne Rust, Meg Kissinger and Cary Spivak, Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel: "Chemical fallout"
• Mike Casey and Rick Montgomery, Kansas City Star: "Fatal failures"
• Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News: "Ethanol boom: Kernel to car"
Mid-sized Publications
• Binyamin Appelbaum, Lisa Hammersly, Ted Mellnik, Peter St. Onge, Stella
M. Hopkins, Liz Chandler, Mike Drummond, Pam Kelley, Gary Schwab and
Patrick Scott, The Charlotte Observer: "Sold a nightmare"
• Lee Rood, Lynn Hicks, Philip Brasher, Paula Lavigne, Jerry Perkins,
Perry Beeman, Jon Benedict, Jeff Bruner, Suzanne Behnke and Don Tormey,
Des Moines Register: "Fueling Iowa's future"
• Christine Tierney and Bill Vlasic: The Detroit News: "Death of a
Merger"
Small Publications
• Winston Ross, The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.): "Big fish in a big
pond"
• Richard M. Hogan, Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press: "Southwest Florida real
estate sellers beware"
• James L. Martin, Erie (Pa.) Times-News: "Made in Mexico"
Weekly Publications
• Bryant Ruiz Switzky, Katharine Grayson, Nancy Kuehn, Eric Johnson and
Dirk DeYoung, The Minneapolis- St. Paul Business Journal: "Operation
reintegration"
• Jeanne Lang Jones and Steve Wilhelm, Puget Sound Business Journal:
"Industrial land"
• Christopher Tritto, The St. Louis Business Journal: "Fig"
Real-time News Organizations
• David Dietz, Gary Cohn and Darrell Preston, Bloomberg News: "The
insurance hoax"
Magazine Cover Stories
Large Magazines
• Brian Grow and Keith Epstein, Business Week: "The poverty business"
• Ellen McGirt, Fast Company: "Al Gore's $100 million makeover"
Small Magazines
• David Evans, Richard Tomlinson, Seth Lubove and Daniel Taub, Bloomberg
Markets: "Toxic debt"
Online Excellence
Breaking News
Large Websites
• Tom Krazit, Caroline McCarthy, Erica Ogg, Kent German, Leslie Katz,
Brian Cooley, CNET News: "Launch of the iPhone"
• Staff, CNNMoney.com: "Turmoil in the mortgage and credit markets"
Small Websites
• Steve Daniels, Senior Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business: "LaSalle's
Richman near deal to join private bank"
• Alby Gallun, Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business: "Kennedy, developer
plan big Wolf Point project."
• Chad Eric Watt, Staff Writer; Dave Moore, Staff Writer, Dallas Business
Journal: "Questions dog press club"
Projects
Large Websites
• Rex Nutting, Amy Hoak and Alistair Barr, Marketwatch: "Subprime
shakedown: Will 'lemming loans' drive economy off cliff?"
• Art Lenehan, Anh Ly, Suzanne McGee and Chris Oster, MSN Money: "Keeping
up with the Wangs"
• David Barboza, Keith Bradsher, Howard French, Joseph Kahn, Jim Yardley
and the staff of The New York Times and nytimes.com: "Choking on
growth: China's environmental crisis"
Mid-sized Websites
• Ted Mellnik, Bill Pitzer, Phillip Hoffman, David Enna, The Charlotte
Observer: "Sold a nightmare"
Small Websites
Certificate of Merit
• Rich Laden, Nichole Montanez, Mark Reis, Christian Murdock, David
Bitton and Joanna Bean, The Gazette (Colorado Springs): "Academy
Boulevard at a crossroads"
Audio/Visual Reports
Large Websites
• John Authers, Financial Times: "Short view"
• Jenalia Moreno and Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle: "Olive oil"
• David Pogue, The New York Times: "The iPhone challenge: keep it quiet"
Mid-sized Websites
• Hoag Levins, Ad Age: "3-Minute Ad Age"
• Stephanie AuWerter and Stacey Bradford, SmartMoney.com: "Smart Advice
video: avoiding foreclosure"
Blogs
Large Websites
• Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle: "Techblog"
• Staff, The New York Times: "Bits"
• Staff, The Wall Street Journal: "Deal Journal"
Mid-sized Websites
• Bill Bowen, Jim Fuquay, Dianna Hunt, Mike Lee, Richard Stubbe and Scott
Nishimura, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Barnett Shale: Drilling for
answers about the natural gas boom in North Texas"
• Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register: "Lansner on real estate"
• Todd Bishop, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog"
Creative Use of Online
Large Websites
• Roben Farzad, Business Week: Narrated slideshows
• Staff, MarketWatch: "The heat is on"
• Staff, CNNMoney.com: "2007 best places to live"
Student Contest
For stories written for professional publications
• Daniel Johnson, Seattle Times: "Grape-growing town not on wine lovers'
map"
For stories written for student publications
• Jessica Nunez, Columbia Missourian: "Funding farming"
Source: The Society of American Business Editors and Writers
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:01 PM | Link to this Post
March 28, 2008
General Motors was the Heaviest Online Advertiser Among Auto Manufacturers in January 2008: comScore Ad Metrix
Photo 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
Photo: 2008 Saturn Astra XR 3-door
GM delivers 27 percent more display ads than Toyota in total, but Toyota delivers 32 percent more ads per person reach, this was revealed today by edcomScore, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCOR). edcomScore, Inc. released a study using data from the comScore Ad Metrix service that examined online advertising by auto manufacturers in January 2008. comScore Ad Metrix provides detailed reporting of the number and types of online display ads viewed by Internet users (from both the publisher and advertiser perspectives) for the U.S. market, with January marking the first public release of the advertiser- level data.
comScore Ad Metrix measures the number of times each advertisers' ads are viewed and where they are viewed, along with information on the demographics and online behavior of those Internet users being reached. comScore Ad Metrix also provides reach and frequency calculations, samples of the creative ad units delivered, and information on ad sizes.
Photo: 2008 Honda Civic Coupe
Photo: Honda Acura 2009 TSX
GM Leads in Online Ads among Auto Manufacturers: General Motors was the top online advertiser among auto manufacturers in January, delivering nearly 1.7 billion total display ad views in the U.S., followed by Toyota (1.4 billion) and Ford Motor Company (1.1 billion). General Motors also led in reach, with approximately 103 million unique individuals receiving their display ads during the month, followed by Ford which reached 95 million people and Toyota which reached 62 million. But, both General Motors and Ford were outnumbered by Toyota in terms of ads delivered per person reached. Toyota delivered a frequency of 22 ads per person during the month, compared to 16 for General Motors and 11 for Ford.
Top Auto Manufacturer Online Advertisers
(by Total Display AdViews in January 2008)
Advertiser • Ad Views (000) • Share • Visitors (000) • Frequency
General Motors • 1,687,065 • 32.8% • 102,574 • 16.4
Toyota • 1,356,782 • 26.4% • 62,428 • 21.7
Ford Motor • 1,075,831 • 20.9% • 94,987 • 11.3
Honda • 377,863 • 7.3% • 57,923 • 6.5
Nissan • 291,666 • 5.7% • 31,262 • 9.3
Chrysler LLC • 123,868 • 2.4% • 22,142 • 5.6
Hyundai Motors • 95,246 • 1.9% • 16,723 • 5.7
Volkswagen • 60,498 • 1.2% • 7,126 • 8.5
Suzuki Motor • 42,491 • 0.8% • 5,389 • 2.8
Harley Davidson • 35,287 • 0.7% • 6,109 • 5.8
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Ad Metrix
"GM has really led the auto industry in its use of online advertising," says Alistair Sutcliffe, vice president of comScore Advertising Solutions, "And, their recent announcement that half of their $3 billion annual advertising budget would be spent online in the coming years is likely to be a bellwether for many industries. Many traditional advertisers are beginning to understand that the Internet enables them to efficiently build their brands by achieving their demographic reach and frequency goals while at the same time reaching the most attractive, behaviorally-defined target segments. This is a winning recipe for achieving an attractive return on one's advertising investment."
Photo: 2008 Toyota Camry
Photo: 2008 Toyota Sequoia
Auto Manufacturers Advertise Heavily on Portals and Auto Resource Sites: The top publisher sites on which auto manufacturers advertise are primarily portals and auto resource sites. Yahoo! Sites (936 million display ad views) and Microsoft Sites (585 million display ad views) deliver the most total impressions for auto manufacturers, and both also deliver significant reach with these impressions.
Auto resource sites also factor prominently into auto manufacturers' online advertising strategies, with AutoTrader (114 million display ad views) and Edmunds.com (98 million display ad views) leading the way. Though these sites have a narrower reach than portals, they represent a desirable and highly targeted audience for auto manufacturers.
Auto Manufacturer Display Ads Appearance
Top Properties in January 2008
Property • Ad Views (000) • Share • Visitors (000) • Frequency
Yahoo! Sites • 935,550 • 18.0% • 72,041 • 13.0
Microsoft Sites • 584,889 • 11.2% • 39,615 • 14.8
Fox Interactive • 550,288 • 10.6% • 41,660 • 13.2
AOL LLC • 316,772 • 6.1% • 33,808 • 9.4
AutoTrader • 113,764 • 2.2% • 3,698 • 30.8
Edmunds.com • 97,579 • 1.9% • 4,359 • 22.4
KBB.com • 83,529 • 1.6% • 4,669 • 17.9
eBay • 80,918 • 1.6% • 15,027 • 5.4
Time Warner (Excl. AOL) • 53,674 • 1.0% • 8,855 • 6.1
Google Sites • 50,306 • 1.0% • 16,192 • 3.1
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Ad Metrix
Toyota Scion xB Has Most Viewed Display Ad among Auto Manufacturers in January: The majority of the top 10 auto manufacturer display ads in January were for new model introductions, with the Toyota Scion xB 120 x 240 flash (swf) ad ranking atop the list with 12.6 percent of all display ad views in the category. Honda's "Battle of the Bands" ad ranked second with 2.9 percent, followed by a Chevy Malibu new model ad with a 2.4-percent share.
Top Online Display Ad (Creatives)
(Among Auto Manufacturers in January 2008)
Company • Make • Model • Ad Size & Type • % of Total
Toyota • Scion • xB • 120 X 240 swf • 12.6%
Honda • Honda • n/a • 175 X 110 gif • 2.9%
GM • Chevrolet • Malibu • 350 X 200 swf • 2.4%
GM • Saturn • All • 350 X 200 swf • 2.2%
GM • Chevrolet • Malibu • 728 X 90 swf • 2.1%
GM • Chevrolet • Malibu • 300 X 250 swf • 2.0%
GM • Chevrolet • Malibu • 300 X 250 swf • 2.0%
Toyota • Toyota • Sequoia • 300 X 250 swf • 1.7%
Toyota • Toyota • n/a • 88 X 31 gif • 1.5%
Honda • Acura • n/a • 468 X 60 gif • 1.3%
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Ad Metrix
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:34 PM | Link to this Post
March 24, 2008
RICOH JAPAN OPENING SERIES 2008: Boston Red Sox will Wear EMC Sleeve Patch on their Right Shoulders
Photo: EMC is running this ad on Tokyo Metro trains during the Ricoh Japan Opening Series, featuring the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A's March 25-26 at the Tokyo Dome. In English, the ad's headline says: "The moment when confidence becomes conviction. IT strategy based on EMC's technology is the winning approach."
Photo: Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka throws a ball during his team's practice in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, March 24, 2008. Matsuzaka is expected to pitch against the Oakland Athletics in Tuesday's Major League Baseball regular season opener at the Tokyo dome. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
TOKYO, March 24 -- As Major League Baseball travels to Tokyo for the RICOH JAPAN OPENING SERIES 2008, the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox will begin their quest to repeat with a pair of games against the Oakland A's at the Tokyo Dome on March 25 and 26. Just as it was throughout their 2007 championship season, the Red Sox' EMC information infrastructure will be working in the background to help provide an information advantage. This time, though, the Red Sox also will be wearing an EMC logo patch on their sleeves when they take the field.
Photo: Boston Red Sox will take the field with this EMC sleeve patch on their right shoulders for the Ricoh Japan Opening Series March 25-26 at the Tokyo Dome. This will mark the first time in their history the Red Sox have worn a sponsor logo on their uniforms.
EMC Corporation, a world leader in information infrastructure solutions, is an Official Sponsor of Major League Baseball (MLB) Japan, and has expanded its partnership with the Boston Red Sox to support the RICOH JAPAN OPENING SERIES 2008. For the games in Japan, the Red Sox will wear specially designed sleeve patches featuring the EMC and "JAPAN 2008" logos, marking the first-ever sponsor logo on the team's uniforms. The initiative would reinforce EMC's expanding brand awareness in Japan, one of the world's largest and most advanced markets for information technology.
EMC provides state-of-the-art mobile information storage, which allows Red Sox players and coaches to access digitized video of their own performances and mechanics as well as their opponents', whether the team is on the road or at Fenway Park in Boston. The system will be up and running at the Tokyo Dome.
As the Official Information Infrastructure Provider of the Boston Red Sox, EMC provides the systems, software and services that enable a variety of traditional business applications, such as e-mail, transaction systems, and online editing of video and other content for the broadcast and print news media, as well as some highly specialized ones, such as digitized video access. In total, the Red Sox have deployed nearly 100 terabytes of capacity on EMC networked storage systems.
EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC) is a leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions to organizations of all sizes. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 10:29 AM | Link to this Post
March 4, 2008
Capitol/EMI: Frank Sinatra's Best Classic Recordings for Films Collected for 'Sinatra at the Movies'
New 20-Track CD and Digital Collection to be Released April 15 by Capitol/EMI
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 4 -- Frank Sinatra was a titan of 20th Century entertainment, with record-breaking successes in both music and film throughout his legendary career. Capitol/EMI celebrates his musical contributions to many of Hollywood's most memorable classic films, in several of which he also starred, with the April 15 release of a new 20-track CD and digital collection titled Sinatra At The Movies.
Sinatra At The Movies includes title themes from The Tender Trap, From Here To Eternity, Young At Heart, Three Coins In The Fountain and Not As A Stranger, as well as "Chicago" and "All The Way" from The Joker Is Wild, "I Could Write A Book" and "The Lady Is A Tramp" from Pal Joey, "How Deep Is The Ocean" and "All Of Me" from Meet Danny Wilson, "To Love And Be Loved" from Some Came Running, and more.
Other upcoming salutes to Sinatra include a commemorative U.S. postage stamp to enter circulation on May 13 and special TV programming, co-hosted by his children, through the month of May on Turner Classic Movies (TCM), including more than 30 of Sinatra's films and four of his television specials.
Also known as "Ol' Blue Eyes," "The Chairman of the Board" and "The Voice," Sinatra racked up 31 gold albums. He won 10 Grammy Awards(R). Sinatra appeared in 58 films and won three Academy Awards(R) (including an honorary Oscar(R) for The House I Live In). He also starred in his own television show and in numerous specials, earning Emmys(R) and a Peabody Award(R), and he performed thousands of tour dates around the world. Sinatra was saluted by The Kennedy Center Honors as a cultural icon, and was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal (Congress' highest civilian award). |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:11 AM | Link to this Post
February 12, 2008
Nokia launches premier mobile advertising network
Nokia Media Network, comprised of top operators and publishers including AccuWeather, Discovery, Hearst, Reuters, and Sprint is resulting in industry-leading response rates for advertisers
Photos: Nokia at the Mobile World Congress 2008, Barcelona, Spain.
Mobile World Congress 2008, Barcelona, Spain/Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced the launch of the global Nokia Media Network, a premium advertising network including over 70 leading publisher and operators as well as Nokia media properties. AccuWeather, Discovery, Hearst, Reuters, and Sprint have joined with Nokia to form the first global mobile ad network of top tier publishers. Nokia Media Network's wide reach of the most desirable mobile audience is yielding click-through rates averaging 10% in certain channels, the highest reported response rates in the industry.
"Nokia is building upon an unrivaled understanding of the mobile consumer, our relationships with blue chip publishers and top tier operators, and a legacy of campaign optimization through analytics to create a high-performing solution for advertisers," said Vice President and Head of Nokia Interactive, Mike Baker. "The biggest brands in the world trust us with their mobile advertising because they know the Nokia Media Network enables them to reach the largest, highest quality audience on mobile and provides the best ROI."
Nokia enables advertisers to place ads on high quality and brand-safe publisher and operator mobile Web pages, as well as Nokia properties, representing an unprecedented global consumer reach - more than 100 million mobile consumers around the globe. As part of the turn-key service for advertisers, the award-winning mobile marketing team from Nokia creates mobile campaigns for hundreds of top brands, including BMW, Paramount, and MobiTV.
Nokia acquired mobile advertising leader, Enpocket, in October 2007. Nokia leverages Enpocket's ground breaking analytics technology to optimize campaigns, improve conversions, and measure campaign performance across the network.
"Mobile has been beneficial in helping BMW reach consumers at the lower end of the funnel, when they are close to making their vehicle-buying decision," said Samuel Martinez Ballesteros, Marketing Communication
Internet and New Media, BMW Ibérica. "Nokia has helped us reach our target audience, resulting in increased visibility and lead generation for us."
To share expertise with brands, agencies, and publishers globally, Nokia has expanded its account management and media sales teams to include offices in Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Minneapolis, Mumbai, Munich, New York, Paris, Singapore and Shanghai. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:21 AM | Link to this Post
February 7, 2008
2008 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin
High-Class Fashion Event and
World Premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz CLC Coupé
The second Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin (January 27 to 31, 2008) made its stages and catwalks available for the creations of established fashion designers from Germany and abroad, as well as up-and-coming young design talent. Mercedes-Benz is a sponsor of the event which bears its name, and has created a remarkable key visual for this high-class fashion event. It shows top model Eva Padberg with the CLC Sports Coupé, which is celebrating its world premiere during the event.
In addition to its involvement in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, the Stuttgart-based premium manufacturer sponsors other international fashion events that include the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, which is immediately following the shows in Berlin from February 1 to 8. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:35 AM | Link to this Post
January 16, 2008
Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications to Form New Joint Venture: 'OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network'
Photo: Discovery Communications President and CEO David Zaslav and Oprah Winfrey announce the launch of "OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network" today, January 15, 2008, in Chicago.
CHICAGO, Jan. 15 -- Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced plans today to create "OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network." The new multi-platform media venture will be designed to entertain, inform and inspire people to live their best lives. OWN will debut in 2009 in more than 70 million homes, on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel.
OWN's mission is to create multiple platforms for women, men and their families with a purpose and a passion: to celebrate life, to inspire and entertain, empowering viewers around the world to live their best lives, and by doing so, lift the lives of those around them in ever-widening circles.
In addition to providing her talent, and personal commitment, Winfrey will have full editorial control over the joint venture and will be responsible for OWN's programming, branding and creative vision.
Winfrey will serve as Chairman of The Oprah Winfrey Network, LLC and the venture will be 50/50 owned by Discovery and Harpo. This is a cashless transaction and The Oprah Winfrey Network, LLC will be an independent company. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:34 AM | Link to this Post
January 15, 2008
Emerson Hart's 'Flyin' to be Featured in Premiere Episode of ABC-TV's New Drama, 'Eli Stone'
NEW YORK -- "Flyin" from former Tonic frontman/singer/songwriter EMERSON HART's solo debut, Cigarettes and Gasoline, will be featured in the premiere episode of the new ABC-TV drama, "Eli Stone." The new series stars Jonny Lee Miller and debuts on Thursday, January 31.
Emerson Hart's music has become a favorite with TV shows. Last year, "When She Loves You" and "Run To" were licensed by the new hit TV show "Cane," and "Friend To A Stranger" was featured on "One Tree Hill." All three songs are on Cigarettes and Gasoline. Hart also wrote the award-winning theme song, "Generations," for the TV show "American Dreams."
Source: Manhattan Records
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:18 AM | Link to this Post
January 13, 2008
ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine Announces 2008 International Car of the Year Awards Winners
Photo: Honda Accord Sedan
DETROIT -- ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine (RTM) announced its 12th Annual International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) winners at a black tie ceremony January 12. Held at the MGM Grand Detroit, RTM hosted more than 600 industry leaders and media on the eve of press week of the North American International Auto Show.
Photo: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
A jury of nationally-renowned automotive journalists selected the award- winning vehicles with ballots tabulated by J.D. Power and Associates. And the winners are:
• International Car of the Year: Honda Accord Sedan
• International Truck of the Year: Chrysler Town & Country
• Pick Up Truck of the Year: "Most Athletic" GMC Sierra Denali
• Sports Car of the Year: "Most Sex Appeal" Audi R8
• Sedan of the Year: "Most Dependable" Honda Accord Sedan
• Luxury Car of the Year: "Most Respected" Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
• Minivan of the Year: "Most Compatible" Chrysler Town & Country
• Entry Level Car of the Year: "Most Spirited" Volvo C30
• Crossover of the Year: "Most Versatile" Buick Enclave
• SUV of the Year: "Most Resourceful" Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
Photo: VOLVO C30
Photo: Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG
Opening remarks at the ICOTY event were made by Congressman John D. Dingell, the "Dean of the House of Representatives," and Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. In addition, U.S. Senator Carl Levin, RTM Editor-in-Chief Courtney Caldwell and Edmunds.com Editorial Director Kevin Smith co-presented the inaugural EARTH ANGEL Award, to General Motors Corporation as the most environmentally-friendly automaker. The award, sponsored by Bridgestone, was created to shine a spotlight on the positive strides automakers are making with global warming issues on a worldwide level.
RTM recognized veteran automotive journalist Thos L. Bryant, editor-in- chief of Road & Track, with its 5th annual Lifetime Achievement Award. RTM also presented its annual HEART STRING Award for best car commercial in 2007 for Dodge Caravan's "Rooms." |GlobalGiants.com|
Source: ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:29 AM | Link to this Post
January 12, 2008
Consumer Reports' 2008 Car Brand Perception Survey: Drivers See Toyota, Honda as Best Overall
But Perception is Not Always Reality
Photo: LEXUS 2008 IS F High-Performance Sport Sedan
Photo: Buick Riviera Concept
NEW YORK -- Consumers perceived Toyota and Honda brands to be best by a wide margin, followed by Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC, according to Consumer Reports' 2008 Car Brand Perception Survey. The survey also revealed that car buyers consider safety and quality as the most important considerations, followed by value, performance, environmental friendliness, design, and technical innovation.
The latest Auto Pulse survey conducted by Consumer Reports' National Research Center, the Car Brand Perception Survey, focused on how consumers perceive and rank car brands in the seven key areas mentioned above.
Photo: VOLVO XC90 R-DESIGN
Photo: Mercedes-Benz Vision GLK FREESIDE
Toyota and Honda topped overall rankings with scores of 189 and 146 points, respectively, and took a place in the top five in six of the seven categories. Ford finished third with 112 points, followed by Chevrolet with 110, and GMC with 102. Chevrolet and Ford are the only U.S. brands that rank in the top five in more than one category; each makes the cut in three areas. Among brands that fared worst, Acura finished with eight points, followed by Audi (14 pts.). Mitsubishi (21 pts.), Mercury (22 pts.), and Buick (25 pts.).
Dig deeper, though, and in many cases, consumers' views do not accurately reflect the automaker's recent track record. For example, Mercedes-Benz finished in the top five for quality. But the brand placed 33rd out of 36th in Consumer Reports' latest rankings for predicted reliability, a measure of quality over time. Toyota earned a top spot in this category. And while its vehicles have typically rated well in areas associated with quality, the brand slipped from first place to fifth in the same predicted reliability ratings.
"It is well worth doing your research before making a purchase," said Jeff Bartlett, deputy autos editor, ConsumerReports.org. "Depreciation, reliability, safety and other factors may be different from what you associate with a particular brand." ...
With a score of 77 percent in the Safety category, Volvo is clearly first in consumers' minds. No other category is so unilaterally dominated by one brand. But in another example of perception over reality, Subaru scored well in the Safety category, yet many lower-trim models don't include electronic stability control, a highly recommended safety feature. Other automakers consistently on the cutting edge of safety technology -- such as BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz --- don't make it into the top five. Among new-car shoppers, 63 percent felt safety is the most important consideration.
When it comes to Value, Korean brand Kia finished well with 23 percent of consumers saying they think the brand is a good buy. While this could be a reflection of the make's low-cost models and long warranty, the predicted depreciation for some Kia models is poor -- not a good-value characteristic.
While some perceptions don't match reality, others do. BMW and Porsche led the Performance category with 28 and 25 percentage points, respectively. The vehicles from both brands have consistently earned high ratings in performance in testing at Consumer Reports' 327-acre Auto Test Center.
Coming in at 49 percent, Toyota dominated the Environmentally Friendly/Green category, likely due to the company's role as a pioneer in hybrid technology and its strong-selling Prius hybrid. The Prius is also one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles Consumer Reports has tested. Consumers consider environmental friendliness substantially more significant (35%) than styling (23%), and more than twice as significant as technology and innovation (15%).
In the Design/Style category, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus virtually tied (24%), with both holding a slim margin over Cadillac (23%). In general, car buyers in this survey rated styling low among purchase considerations, but it's easy to underestimate the sales potential of head-turning styling. This is the only category in which Toyota and Honda did not rank in the top five.
As for Technology/Innovation, Toyota (30%), Lexus (29%), Honda (20%), Cadillac (18%), and BMW (17%) rounded out the top five brands.
[Source: Consumer Reports] |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:11 AM | Link to this Post
GM Style Event: Fashion Models Compare Outfits During A Fitting Session
Photo: Fashion models compare outfits during a fitting session at the General Motors Design Center Friday, January 11, 2008 in Warren, Michigan. The models are preparing for the GM Style event that will kick-off the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. (Photo by Tom Pidgeon for General Motors)
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:59 AM | Link to this Post
January 11, 2008
Actress and New Mother Hayek Named Ambassador of Pampers' 'One Pack = One Vaccine' Program Providing Life-Saving Tetanus Vaccines in Developing Countries
CINCINNATI, Jan. 10 -- After the birth of her daughter last year, award-winning actress and "Ugly Betty" producer Salma Hayek is grateful for her daughter's health and, like most mothers, wants other moms around the world to be able to share in the basic medical advances.
To help mothers across the globe, she is teaming up with Pampers and UNICEF to help stop the spread of life-threatening maternal and neonatal tetanus in developing nations worldwide. Pampers, a leader in baby care, has announced that Hayek will serve as the North American ambassador for its "One Pack = One Vaccine" global initiative with UNICEF. The immensely successful program, which launched in 2006 in the UK and expanded in 2007 to other countries in Western Europe, and debuts in the U.S. and Canada in spring 2008, has already helped provide UNICEF with funding for more than 25 million life-saving tetanus vaccines distributed throughout Africa and Asia. The goal for the North American campaign is to provide at least 27 million more vaccines, which would bring the total global donations to more than 50 million vaccines.
Pampers is a trademark of Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) and the company's largest global brand and is also the world's top-selling diaper brand. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:32 AM | Link to this Post
January 6, 2008
Jean Rah Fya Records: Chantel Christie to Release 'Here We Are Again' Debut Single
LOS ANGELES -- Chantel "Chani" Christie, daughter of NBA power couple, Doug and Jackie Christie, is set to release her new single for the independent label, Jean Rah Fya Records with electrifying producer Ralph Stacy. Ralph Stacy has worked with Luther Vandross, Pink, Paula Abdul, Dru Hill, Aaron Hall, Kci & JoJo, B5, Houston, Color Me Badd, Jagger Edge, Xscape, Bobby Brown, to current superstar Mario. Chani's single titled "Here We Are Again" will be released on January 25, 2008.
Chani, a native of Washington State, began her musical journey singing and studying music at an early age. She has worked with some of the most respected and sought after people in the music industry including vocal coach Nick Cooper who trained Beyonce, Jordan Taylor and many others. She has a sweet, fresh and soulful sound even at the age of 14. "I believe in God and I think he has given me a gift. My Family has always stood behind me and encouraged me in my singing, and I'm very grateful," says Chani. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:36 AM | Link to this Post
January 1, 2008
Australian Rules Maddo Breaks World Record on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas
Photo: Robbie Maddison, from Kiama, Australia, broke the Guinness World Record for longest motorcycle jump at 322 feet 7.5 inches during the Red Bull Experiment at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 1 -- Australian motocross superstar Robbie Maddison literally leapt into the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records by jumping his motorcycle 322 feet 7-1/2 inches over the length of a regulation football field to shatter the previous record of 277 feet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The jump was the first-ever Red Bull Experiment, which involves world-class athletes attempting world-first athletic achievements.
Photo: Robbie Maddison in an action sequence breaking the Guinness World Record for longest motorcycle jump (322 feet 7.5 inches) during the Red Bull Experiment at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Telecast live on ESPN's New Year, No Limits program shortly after the ball dropped in Times Square signifying 2008, Maddison hit the take-off ramp at 94 miles per hour on his Honda CR 500, reaching a height of more than 60 feet, and soared into history. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:28 AM | Link to this Post
December 28, 2007
Legendary American Soprano Kathleen Battle and Superstar Chinese Pianist Lang Lang to Perform at International Opening of China's National Centre for the Performing Arts
Two of classical music's most beloved and acclaimed superstars, American soprano Kathleen Battle and Chinese pianist Lang Lang, will perform at the international opening of The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing's brand-new state-of-the-art performing arts center. Both artists will appear in special gala performances on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with the China National Symphony Orchestra led by the highly sought-after Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa, who is currently the music director of the Vienna State Opera, and featuring an appearance by Russia's leading violinist Vadim Repin.
Taking place December 31st, 2007, at 8 pm and January 1st, 2008, at 7:30 pm, the gala performances celebrate the eagerly anticipated international opening of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Located in central Beijing, adjacent to the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Square, the Centre is the new Chinese focus for the performing arts and an important foundation for the creative cultural scene in China. |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:17 AM | Link to this Post
December 17, 2007
Virgin America Teams Up With The Lakers
Photo: Actress Jessica Alba sits with Cash Warren as they watch the Golden State Warriors play the Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill).
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17 -- Virgin America is now a "Sponsor of the Los Angeles Lakers" for all of the superstar team's 41 2007-08 home games. Fans seated in Virgin America's courtside seats will get the "celeb treatment" with Virgin America gift bags and VIP service during selected games from Virgin America's courtside "flight attendants."
Launched in August 2007, Virgin America flies to San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, San Diego (starting Feb. 12, 2008) and Seattle (starting March 18, 2008). |GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:27 AM | Link to this Post
