Skip to content

Author: James McCleary

Press Release

June 2, 2023

Media relations
Ambir Sniezko
ambir.sniezko@abc.com
Share this release

ABC Owned Television Stations Announces Its Annual Pride Programming Lineup

Pride Parade Coverage Will Air Live From San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago

Tune-in information for each station can be found here.

ABC Owned Television Stations today announces its annual Pride programming lineup to include live broadcasts from some of the country’s largest Pride parades and marches including San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago with simulcasts on ABC OTV streaming and digital platforms, Hulu and ABC News Live, as well as an extensive lineup of special event programming, community events and virtual town halls.  

Highlights include the following:

STATIONWIDE PROGRAMMING
“Pride Across America” –ABC News Live celebrates Pride like never before with Pride Across America. This unprecedented streaming event spans the entire country, featuring live anchored coverage from Pride marches in New York City with Eva Pilgrim, Gio Benitez, LZ Granderson and comedian Murray Hill; in Chicago with Ginger Zee and Alex Perez; and San Francisco with Christiane Cordero and Devin Dwyer. Live coverage starts at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday, June 25, on ABC News Live and will also stream on Hulu.

“Our America: Who I’m Meant To Be” – In partnership with ABC News, the one-hour special showcases six transgender people from The GenderCool Project. Each shares their personal stories offering insight into who they are, their ambitions, and what they want others to know about their generation. Hosted by Emmy® Award-winning ABC News correspondent Gio Benitez. The special premieres JUNE 1 across ABC OTV streaming and digital platforms, ABC News Live and Hulu; will make its linear debut beginning Saturday, JUNE 3; and will air across all eight ABC Owned Television Stations and on the award-winning Localish Network.

“On the Red Carpet Celebrates Pride” –On the Red Carpet is celebrating Pride Month with a look at how LGBTQIA+ celebrities are making history and how Hollywood is telling more inclusive stories. The show will air live from the Pride in the Park event in Downtown Los Angeles, Saturday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. PDT on ABC7 Los Angeles, then rebroadcast on the other owned television stations during the following week.

ABC7/KABC-TV LOS ANGELES
2023 L.A. Pride Parade – The parade will feature a special performance presented by the ACLU SoCal and staged by Morgan McMichaels to music by 14-time Oscar® nominee Diane Warren. It will air live Sunday, June 11, on longtime L.A. Pride broadcasting partner ABC7/KABC-TV beginning at 11:00 a.m. PDT. It will also air nationally on ABC News Live and Hulu, and wherever viewers stream KABC-TV including abc7.com and the ABC7LA mobile app. Anchor Ellen Leyva and reporter Christiane Cordero from ABC7 Eyewitness News will co-host the broadcast.

“On the Red Carpet Storytellers’ Spotlight” – Brandon Kazen-Maddox, an ASL performer who has worked with Disney on Broadway in the “Lion King” and “Newsies,” shares their story about being a nonbinary, two-spirited, biracial person and GODA (grandchild of deaf adults). The spotlight will be available here beginning Friday, June 2.

LGBTQIA+ Night at Dodger Stadium – KABC-TV will be broadcasting live from Dodger Stadium as the L.A. Dodgers battle the S.F. Giants on June 16 during the 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. PDT newscasts and – for the first time ever – both teams will be wearing Pride colors on their team caps.

ABC30/KFSN-TV FRESNO
Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade – KFSN will once again be a media sponsor of the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade, taking place Saturday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m. PDT in Fresno.

ABC7/KGO-TV SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration – One of the largest LGBTQIA+ celebrations in the world, the San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration will be broadcast and streamed live by KGO-TV, the exclusive media partner of San Francisco beginning at 10:30 a.m. PDT. Also airing on KGO-TV’s website, streaming channels and Hulu with more coverage on KGO-TV’s stream from 12:00-2:00 p.m.

ABC13/KTRK-TV HOUSTON
“Action 13: Black LGBQTIA+ Mental Health Town Hall” – Streaming anchor Brittaney Wilmore leads a panel discussion on Black LGBTQIA+ Pride and mental health at the Black Queer Advancement Festival in Houston. The special will begin streaming Thursday, May 25.

Houston Pride Parade – KTRK-TV is the official media sponsor for45th Annual Houston Pride Parade on Saturday, June 24, beginning at 7:00 p.m. CDT in Downtown Houston. Viewers can tune in to join ABC13 Houston’s Erica Simon, Mayra Moreno, Pooja Lodhia and Bob Slovak for a live stream of the parade; encore presentations will air on linear and KTRK-TV’s 24/7 stream.

ABC7/WABC-TV NEW YORK
The NYC Pride March – From its beginning in 1970 – one year after the Stonewall Uprising – The NYC Pride March has been an annual civil rights demonstration. This year’s march on Saturday, June 24, will show “Strength in Solidarity” as NYC Pride seeks to spotlight the power and resiliency of the community. It airs at 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EDT and streams on abc7ny.com and YouTube.

“Pride 2023: Strength in Solidarity” – On Saturday, June 24, at 7:00 p.m. EDT, WABC will air a 30-minute special that examines and amplifies the theme of this year’s NYC Pride March, “Strength in Solidarity.” It will include profiles of inspiring LGBTQIA+ individuals, segments on the history of the community, important current events, and more in an uplifting, entertaining and informative celebration of unity.

ABC7/WLS-TV CHICAGO
52nd Annual Pride Parade – ABC7’s live broadcast and stream will begin at 12:00 p.m. CDT on Sunday, June 25, featuring anchors Tanja Babich, Hosea Sanders and Jason Knowles along with special guests Cody LaGrow and Kim Hunt. It will also stream on ABC News Live and the WLS-TV’s 24/7 stream.

6abc/WPVI-TV PHILADELPHIA:
Philadelphia Gay News Pride “Stonewall Awards Brunch” – To honor those who have impacted the LGBTQIA+ community, Philadelphia Gay News will host the Stonewall Awards Brunch taking place on Pride Day, June 4, at the Arts Ballroom in Center City. The event will be hosted by 6abc meteorologist Adam Joseph and livestreamed by WPVI-TV beginning at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

“6abc Philly Proud Town Hall Celebrating Pride Month” – Hosted by 6abc meteorologist Adam Joseph, WPVI-TV will honor community nonprofits and individuals making a difference in the local LGBTQIA+ community. The Town Hall will also feature interviews and discussion of current events affecting the community and will be available to stream beginning June 10.

“FYI Philly” – Philly’s weekly lifestyle show will feature a special 30-minute LGBTQIA+-themed special on Saturday, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. EDT on linear and streaming.

“Visions” Pride Month Special – Hosted by 6abc meteorologist Adam Joseph, this special episode on Sunday, June 17, at 7:00 p.m. will re-air on Sunday, June 18, at midnight and will be available on WPVI-TV’s digital platforms.                

ABC11/WTVD-TV RALEIGH-DURHAM
Out! Raleigh Pride – WTVD-TV is the official media sponsor of “Out! Raleigh Pride” on Saturday, June 24.  WTVD-TV talent will greet community members in a “pop-up studio” from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EDT. The festival is an inclusive and family-friendly event with live entertainment, local vendors and artists, food, a KidsZone, beer garden and a wellness pavilion with information on mental health, health disparities, financial literacy and more.

About ABC Owned Television Stations 
The eight owned ABC stations are multiplatform leaders in local news and information. Collectively No. 1 across all U.S. television, reaching 23% of households and more than 34 million Total Viewers and 62 million digital visitors a month, with a record of 2.2 billion minutes streamed, the eight stations are comprised of WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. WABC-New York has remained the No. 1 station in the country for 19 years.

Media Contact:
Ambir Sniezko
ambir.sniezko@abc.com

Press Release

November 3, 2022

Media relations
Anna Kukelhaus
Director of Communications
National Geographic Media and ABC Owned Television Stations
anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com
Fonda Berosini
Disney Entertainment, Networks
Fonda.berosini@disney.com
Ambir Sniezko
ambir.sniezko@abc.com
Share this release

ABC Owned Television Stations Honor Native Sovereignty in New Documentary in Partnership With National Geographic, ‘Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island’

Documentary Features Prominent Indigenous Voices Including Model and Activist, Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, and Artist and Black Eyed Peas Band Member Taboo

Special Is Based on Cover Story in July 2022 Issue of National Geographic Magazine, ‘We Are Here’

First Preview Clip Debuts Today, Nov. 3, in Commemoration of Native American Heritage Month; Full Documentary Airs Later this Month

WATCH AN EARLY CLIP FEATURING TRADITIONAL CORN GROWER ANGELA FERGUSON DISCUSSING THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND LEARN MORE HERE

SHARE CLIP HERE

VISUALS AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

KEY ART HERE

To raise awareness and elevate the conversation around Native American sovereignty, ABC Owned Television Stations have produced “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island,” with an early clip now available, commemorating Native American Heritage Month this November. The documentary will be available on November 18 at reclaimingturtleisland.abc.

The documentary special will debut beginning Nov. 19-20 on linear across eight ABC stations ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, 6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco, ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston, ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno, its 24/7 streaming platforms, 32 connected TV apps across streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and available on Hulu November 25, Native American Heritage Day.

“Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island” is an hourlong documentary special that will inform viewers about Native sovereignty, the inherent authority of American tribes to govern themselves and honor and preserve their cultures and traditions. Told through the lens and imagery of National Geographic Explorer and photographer Kiliii Yüyan, the special is produced by Nzinga Blake, Race and Culture executive producer at ABC Owned Television Stations, and edited by Tracy Quezada.

The documentary brings to life the July 2022 cover story for National Geographic magazine, “We Are Here,” with text by Charles C. Mann and photography by Yüyan, and features powerful individuals discussing the strides their nations and communities are taking to reclaim Turtle Island – a common Indigenous name for North America. Featured in the documentary are Taboo, a cultural activist Marvel comic creator, writer, and global music icon known for 1/3 of the pop group Black Eyed Peas; Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, a model and activist known for appearing on the 2020 Teen Vogue list of Top 21 under 21 and more; Jody Potts-Joseph, traditional tattoo practitioner and subject of the National Geographic series “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans”; historian and Native American artist G. Peter Jemison, whose art is featured in the documentary; and traditional corn grower Angela Ferguson.

The special will begin with Taboo reading the creation story about the origin of how and why North America is referred to as Turtle Island. Viewers will then journey from Minnesota to Southern California and then Western New York, connecting with tribes and Native American changemakers as they define what Native Sovereignty means to them and share how they are contributing to the movement through their platforms and activism.

The ABC Owned Television Stations, which collectively reach 23% of households across all U.S. television, have made a commitment to produce high-impact content representing various voices within communities and newsrooms across the country. “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island” will aim to inform and serve those underrepresented in the United States today by amplifying the voices of the Indigenous activists featured in the documentary.

“We hope that with this special event, we will continue the elevation of the Native American culture, and both educate and inspire current and future generations to come, including those audiences unfamiliar with the history and culture of Native indigenous communities,” said Chad Matthews, President, ABC Owned Television Stations.

In addition, ABC Owned Television Stations has partnered with the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP.org) to make “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island” accessible to blind and deaf audiences through audio description and captions. The DCMP has been committed to making quality educational programming accessible through audio description for over 30 years.

To learn more about Native American sovereignty and view the preview for “Our America: Reclaiming Turtle Island,” visit natgeo.com/nahm.

More information about ABC Owned Television Stations streaming channels can be found here: ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, 6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco, ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston, ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno.

For more on the July 2022 cover story by National Geographic, “We Are Here,” click HERE.

LINK TO KEY ART HERE

About ABC Owned Television Stations  

Disney Media Entertainment & Distribution’s eight owned ABC stations are multiplatform leaders in local news and information. Collectively No. 1 across all U.S. television, reaching 23% of households and more than 34 million Total Viewers and 62 million digital visitors a month, with a record of 2.2 billion minutes streamed, the eight stations are comprised of WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. WABC-New York has remained the No. 1 station in the country for 19 years.

Media Contacts:
Anna Kukelhaus
Director of Communications

National Geographic Media and ABC Owned Television Stations
(202) 258-8020
anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com

Vanessa Abron
Account Manager, One35 Agency
(312) 480-9050
vanessa@one35agency.com

Press Release

August 26, 2022

Media relations
Anna Kukelhaus
Director of Communications
National Geographic Media and ABC Owned Television Stations
anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com
Fonda Berosini
Disney Entertainment, Networks
Fonda.berosini@disney.com
Ambir Sniezko
ambir.sniezko@abc.com
Share this release

ABC Owned Television Stations Highlight the Search for the First Black US Marines in Documentary ‘Our America: Mission Montford Point’

Trailer Debuts Today, Aug. 26, in Honor of the 80th Anniversary of Black Marines Breaking the Color Barrier

WATCH TRAILER, LEARN MORE HERE
SHARE TRAILER HERE

History has largely overlooked the trailblazers who were the first Black men to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Montford Point Marines, named after the segregated section of Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where they trained. Today, FRIDAY, AUG. 26, on the 80th anniversary of when the first Montford Point Marines set foot on the Marine base, ABC Owned Television Stations debut the trailer of “Our America: Mission Montford Point.”

The documentary special will debut on ABC Owned Stations 24/7 streaming platforms, 32 connected TV apps across streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and Hulu beginning Sept. 20.

Chronicling the history of the Montford Point Marines, the one-hour special also highlights the dedicated individuals locating these Marines and their descendants in an effort to honor them with the Congressional Gold Medal the men collectively earned in 2012. Presently, an estimated 2,000 men have received the medal, leaving approximately 18,000 who are still due the honor.  

“The legacy of the Montford Point Marines has been a largely hidden story and it is our responsibility to amplify the voices of these heroes while attempting to right a historic wrong,” said ABC Owned Television Stations Race & Culture executive producer Porsha Grant. “We hope this news special will encourage the audience to not only embrace the Marines’ contributions but also to be inspired by the strength it took to serve and love a nation that did not always love them back.” 

The U.S. Marine Corps was the last of the armed forces to allow Black men to join. Still, the men came from far and wide and enlisted while staring down racism and discrimination. Housing conditions and treatment were harsh, but the Montford Point Marines persevered. Thousands saw combat in World War II’s Pacific Theater. Some of the Montford Pointers continued to serve with honor in the USMC after the end of segregation in the military, and others went on to have distinguished careers in public service and the private sector.

Those who served – or family members of deceased Montford Point Marines – can learn more on ABC7/ouramerica.com.

More information about ABC Owned Television Stations streaming channels can be found here: ABC7/WABC-TV New York, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago, 6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco, ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston, ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno.

About ABC Owned Television Stations   
Disney Media Entertainment & Distribution’s eight owned ABC stations are multiplatform leaders in local news and information. Collectively No. 1 across all U.S. television, reaching 23% of households and more than 34 million Total Viewers and 62 million digital visitors a month, with a record of 2.2 billion minutes streamed, the eight stations are comprised of WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. WABC-New York has remained the No. 1 station in the country for 19 years.

Media Contacts:
Vanessa Abron
Account Manager, One35 Agency
(312) 480-9050
vanessa@one35agency.com

Anna Kukelhaus
Director of Communications, National Geographic Media
anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com