Photos of tonight’s ceremony will be available to press following the illumination.
Today, in honor of ABC7 New York’s 75th anniversary, New York City Mayor Eric Adams named Aug 10 as WABC-TV Day and joined members of the WABC-TV team in the lobby of the Empire State Building for a special lighting ceremony. This evening the building will be bathed in “ABC7 Eyewitness News blue” light in honor of this momentous milestone.
In addition to Mayor Adams, attendees included ABC Owned Television Stations President Chad Matthews; WABC-TV President and General Manager Marilu Galvez; and WABC-TV anchorsSade Baderinwa, Shirleen Allicot, Mike Marza, Sam Champion and Sandra Bookman. They were joined by the commissioner of the city’s Department for the Aging and representatives from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens boroughs, as well as the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Food Bank for New York City, Harlem Stage, Neighborhood Technical Association Clinic, Friends of Firefighters, League of Women Voters and the Broadway Association.
WABC-TV is the No. 1 station in the country and has held that position for more than two decades, covering breaking news from the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the NY blackouts and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. WABC-TV actively supports the community by partnering with multiple organizations and nonprofits, and highlighting local events like the NYC Pride March, the NY Marathon, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, and more. WABC-TV was recently nominated for 40 New York Emmy® Awards and received four prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards earlier this year including the Overall Excellence Award.
About ABC7/WABC-TV New York WABC-TV has been the leader in local news and entertainment programming in the New York City area for more than 60 years. Producing more than 45 hours of live, local news and weather each week, Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” is the most-watched local news in New York and the United States. WABC-TV also produces the No. 1 syndicated talk show, “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” weekdays at 9:00 a.m., which is seen in more than 200 markets across the U.S. Quality news and programming, cutting-edge technology and ongoing community outreach are the hallmarks of excellence that have consistently kept WABC-TV New York’s No. 1 station and the most-watched television station in the nation.
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.
ABC 7 Eyewitness News Continues Dominant 4, 5, 6 and 10 P.M. News Winning Streak in Household and Key Demos in May 2023 Sweep
ABC 7 Chicago’s News at 10 p.m. continues an incredible household ratings winning streak during the May 2023 sweep, both Monday through Friday and Monday through Sunday. For more than 20 years, ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 10 p.m. has been the No. 1 News, excluding Olympic books with the exception of February 2022 where ABC 7 won despite Winter Olympics and Super Bowl programming. ABC 7 Eyewitness News at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. also continued an amazing first-place run in household ratings (for more than three decades) and demos, Monday through Friday – the No. 1 choice for news in Chicago.
In household ratings, ABC 7 has a 218% advantage at 4 p.m. over its nearest competitor, a 144% advantage at 5 p.m., a 163% advantage at 6 p.m. and a 70% advantage at 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the Monday through Sunday news race, ABC 7 has a 72% advantage over its closest competitor at 10 p.m. in household ratings.
Morning and middayABC 7 Eyewitness News also led the pack. At 4:30 a.m. ABC 7 has a 50% advantage over its nearest competitor in household ratings, a 27% advantage at 5 a.m., and ABC 7 ties in household ratings but wins in share at 6 a.m. At 11 a.m. ABC 7 won over its nearest competitor by 54% in household ratings.
“The ABC 7 news team, both on and off air, works hard every day and the results speak for themselves. Our truly amazing decadeslong winning streak continues to be a source of pride for all of us,” said John Idler, president & general manager, ABC 7 Chicago.
In the critical Persons 25-54 demo, ABC 7 has a 125% advantage at 4 p.m. over its nearest competitor, a 117% advantage at 5 p.m., a 180% advantage at 6 p.m. and a 78% advantage at 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the Monday through Sunday news race, ABC 7 has an 89% advantage over its closest competitor at 10 p.m. in Persons 25-54. At 11 a.m., ABC 7 has a 25% advantage over its closest competitor in Persons 25-54.
During this May sweep, ABC 7 was Chicago’s station of choice winning sign-on to sign-off in both household ratings with a 117% advantage and Persons 25-54 with an 80% advantage over its nearest competitor based on Monday through Sunday 6 a.m.-2 a.m.
Source: Nielsen Station Index (NSI) Household and Adults 25-54 data. May 2023 based on Chicago Live+SD (4/27 – 5/24/23).
About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.6 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space to Chicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana and southeast Wisconsin. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, ABC 7 Eyewitness News produces “Chicago Proud,” a series of features that spotlights everyday heroes in and around Chicago. The station also produces the highest-rated New Year’s Eve special in Chicago, holiday kickoff special “The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival,” syndicated to a national audience, as well as the award-winning program series “Our Chicago,” which showcases the city’s diversity and highlights contributions in the Black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+ communities, among others. Every Friday, Windy City Weekend, entertains while giving Chicagoans everything they need to know about what’s happening in the city. ABC 7 is the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago’s rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates keeping Chicago’s electorate informed. ABC7’s outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives, one of the biggest one-day drives in the country and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.
ABC Owned Television Stations Documentary ‘Our America: Mental State’ to Premiere on Hulu Friday, May 26, and Will Air Across the Eight ABC Owned Television Stations Beginning May 27
ABC Owned Television Stations presents the original documentary “Our America: Mental State.” The one-hour documentary further continues the story from ABC30/KFSN’s award-winning five-part documentary series “A Critical State of Mind: A Look into California’s Mental Health,” examining the state of mental health in America, looking inside the lives of those who suffer, the stigma associated with mental illness, organizations making a difference, and those standing up to give hope.
The documentary explores five key areas:
The state of mental health in America — One in five adults in the United States is diagnosed with a mental disorder every year, with one in 10 children facing serious emotional disturbance. Despite cries for help and a pandemic that has brought to light these struggles, there are not enough mental health providers to help those in need and an insurance system that’s too complicated to navigate. How did we get here, and what needs to change?
Stigma — A look at the issues stigma creates and how we can break free of the misconceptions of mental illness.
Speaking up — Would you be able to recognize someone struggling with mental health? The mother of a high school football star who died by suicide is speaking up and using her trauma to help others.
Built from the ground up — A lack of mental health providers for children and adults can have dire consequences later in life. Experts agree that early prevention is crucial in staving off future issues. Meet the people building access to care for everyone from the ground up.
Change — Experts agree that early prevention can tremendously help anyone going through a mental health crisis. Dr. Felipe Mercado, an advocate and former drug addict, knew his life could have been different had someone intervened when he was younger. Hear his story and how he is determined to make a change by training the next generation of mental health experts.
The ABC Owned Television Stations, which collectively reach 23% of households across all U.S. television, have made a commitment to producing high-impact content representing various voices within communities and newsrooms across the country. “Our America: Mental State” will aim to inform and support those suffering from and affected by mental illness.
“Our America: Mental State” will be available onHulu beginning Friday, May 26, and will air as follows across the eight ABC Owned Television Stations and on ABC’s award-winning Localish Network:
Saturday, May 27 ABC7/WABC-TV New York at 1:00 p.m. EDT 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia at 2:00 p.m. EDT ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham at 2:00 p.m. EDT
Sunday, May 28 ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston at 12:30 a.m. CDT ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco at 10:00 p.m. PDT ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles at 11:30 a.m. PDT ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago at 1:00 p.m. CDT
Monday, May 29 Localish Network at 8:00 p.m. EDT
Sunday June 4 ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno at 10:30 p.m. PDT
Monday, June 5 ABC Localish at 8:00 p.m. EDT
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.
ABC Owned Television Stations Honor Earth Month With New Documentary Series in Partnership With ABC News and National Geographic, ‘Our America: Trouble on Tap’
Three-Part Documentary Series Examines the US Water Crisis and Will Feature a Number of Prominent Thought Leaders and Scientists, Including Michael S. Regan, Head of the US Environmental Protection Agency; US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Erik D. Olson, Senior Strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council; and More
Trailer Debuts Today, April 6; First Episode Available Beginning April 21
As issues of access to safe drinking water make headlines across the United States, ABC Owned Television Stations are producing a three-part documentary series with ABC News and National Geographic titled “Our America: Trouble on Tap.” The first episode will premiere April 21 – in time for Earth Day on April 22 – at ouramericaabc.com and on Hulu on April 22. The trailer is available here now.
“Our America: Trouble on Tap” is a three-part documentary series – produced by Tracy J. Wholf, coordinating producer of the climate unit at ABC News, and Justin Allen, executive producer with ABC Owned Television Stations – that looks at how environmental pollution, climate change and aging infrastructure are gradually eroding the ability for more and more communities across the United States to have access to free and potable drinking water. Over the last few decades, the safe and available drinking water that many Americans have taken for granted is now at risk. ABC Owned Television Stations and their Data Journalism unit, whose data was utilized to show the severity of the contamination levels across the United States and the communities they impact, in partnership with ABC News and National Geographic, will take viewers across America to examine this emerging crisis and offer solutions along the way.
“Our America: Trouble on Tap” is a powerful and thoughtful exploration of the growing issues surrounding Americans’ access to clean drinking water. The series brings together the talent and expertise of the amazing teams from ABC Owned Television Stations, National Geographic, and ABC News with national and local experts and leaders to ask what we can do to solve these problems and protect the health of people across the country. I’m incredibly proud of the work these teams have done to bring this informative and timely topic to light,” said Debra OConnell, President, Disney Entertainment, Networks.
“Issues around access to clean water vary across the country,” added Chad Matthews, president, ABC Owned Television Stations. “Our Data Journalism team is looking at information specific to local markets and working to help tell stories that offer viewers greater context and understanding around how water – or lack of water – may be impacting them. We focus on specific problems, possible solutions and tell the stories of those living it firsthand.”
The documentary series will include three hourlong episodes:
The first episode, “Life with Forever Chemicals,” premiering April 21, takes a look at per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination in North Carolina. This episode takes viewers to Cape Fear, North Carolina, often referred to as ground zero for PFAS water contamination or water polluted by toxic “forever chemicals.” For decades, the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 people was contaminated as a result of a chemical company dumping toxic PFAS into the Cape Fear River. Years after the contamination was first publicly revealed, the region continues to grapple with ongoing health concerns, multiple lawsuits, and constructing costly water treatment plants as it struggles to cope with decades of chronic exposure.
The second episode, “Chicago’s $8 Billion Water Problem,” will premiere in July and examine lead pipes and water infrastructure in Chicago. More than 30 years after lead was banned as a plumbing material by the federal government, lead-based pipes are still carrying water to millions of homes across America, including Chicago which has one of the highest concentrations of lead pipes in the country. With an estimated 400,000 lead pipes delivering water to Chicago-area residents, “It’s an $8 billion problem,” according to Andrea Cheng, Chicago’s water department commissioner. This episode examines the key issues of water infrastructure to explore whether bills such as Senator Cory Booker’s Water Infrastructure Funding Act and others will help alleviate some of the financial strain on communities and truly help solve the many issues hitting residents, often in communities that are predominantly Black, Latino and Indigenous.
The third episode, “Drilling into California’s Water Crisis,” will premiere in August and focus on the effects of drought in California. In late November 2022, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed that nearly 85% of California was in severe drought conditions or higher. While the current drought conditions have changed, due to recent winter 2023 precipitation, California continues to experience water emergencies throughout the state as resources continue to vary, based on current conditions. This episode takes viewers to Orosi, California, to check in with a family whose water supply from the state is set to expire in four months. What will happen to the water they use to drink, cook and bathe with? California Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan around water resilience and retention will be examined; and the process of subsidence, the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land, will also be explored, including the process as it relates to water and the effects it can have on land.
The series will debut April 22 on linear across the 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. It will be available on the 24/7 streaming platforms, 32 connected TV apps across streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and available April 22 on Hulu.
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 issues and voices within communities and newsrooms across the country. “Our America: Trouble on Tap” will aim to inform audiences on the complex challenges facing everyday residents and lawmakers alike, when it comes to access to clean drinking water in the United States. The series will feature scientists, government officials and activists, and will amplify the voices of a number of individuals and families directly affected by these water issues.
To view the trailer for “Our America: Trouble on Tap,” visit ouramericaabc.com.
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 Contacts: Anna Kukelhaus Director of Communications National Geographic Media and ABC Owned Television Stations (202) 258-8020 anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com
Beginning Saturday, March 25, and throughout the month, viewers can tune in for “Our America: Women on a Roll” hosted by the Emmy® Award-winning Tamron Hall, broadcast journalist host of the syndicated daytime talk show of the same name. In this Women’s History Month half-hour special, which will air across the eight ABC Owned Television Stations and ABC Localish, Tamron Hall laces up her skates and explores how the sport empowers women in cities across America and continues to move our culture forward decade after decade.
From an 11-year-old “shredding” in Philadelphia to a skating rink in Texas breaking down barriers, women are riding fearlessly into sports once dominated by men. “Women on a Roll” highlights diverse women and girls who are making a difference in their neighborhoods by uplifting and defining skate culture. From feminists fighting elbow-to-elbow on a roller derby flat track to a mother-and-daughter duo reshaping their community one rink at a time, these local skate icons share their inspiring stories, impart the lessons they’ve learned, and demonstrate how anyone can do anything with determination and perseverance – especially when one is on eight wheels.
The series will air as follows across the eight ABC Owned Television Stations and on ABC’s award-winning Localish network:
Saturday, March 25 ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston at 5:00 p.m. CDT ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles at 10:00 p.m. PDT ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco at 10:00 p.m. PDT ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno at 10:30 p.m. PDT
Sunday, March 26 ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago at 11:00 p.m. CDT
Monday, March 27 ABC Localish at 8:30 p.m. EDT
Sunday, April 2 ABC7/WABC-TV New York at 2:00 p.m. EDT 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia at 2:00 p.m. EDT ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham at 2:00 p.m. EDT
About ABC Owned Television Stations Disney Network’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.
The Walt Disney Archives has opened its vaults to mark 100 historic years of making magic! In honor of this global celebration of a century of Disney storytelling, the ABC Owned Television Stations will present a 30-minute special, “Disney100: The Exhibition — Making the Magic,”hosted by Alicia Vitarelli and TaRhonda Thomas of 6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia. The special will debut March 23 (7:30 p.m. EDT) on 6abc and across the ABC Owned Television Stations on linear, digital and streaming platforms, and will be available on the Localish network and for Hulu subscribers. For participating stations, viewers can check local listings.
The special goes behind the scenes of Disney100: The Exhibition, which debuted at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on Feb. 18, 2023. Created for the 100-year celebration of The Walt Disney Company, the exhibit, which is open to the public and where people can see many rare Disney artifacts for the very first time, runs through Aug. 27, 2023, before it travels to other destinations across the United States. A second unit of the exhibition opens in Munich in April.
“Disney100: The Exhibition — Making the Magic” is a dazzling journey through this immersive exhibit, featuring more than 250 artifacts and works of art, costumes and props, and memorabilia from the Walt Disney Archives’ vault of treasures, including many of its “crown jewels,” such as the following:
Disneyland Employee Badge No. 1, issued in 1955 to Walt Disney
Costumes from “Black Panther,” “Jungle Cruise,” “Cruella,” “Enchanted” and more
Prop storybooks featured in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”and “Sleeping Beauty”
Skywalker Lightsaber Hilt from “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” used by Daisy Ridley
Attraction vehicles from Matterhorn Bobsleds and Peter Pan’s Flight at Disneyland Park
Viewers will pay a visit to the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank to see how this incredible 15,000-square-foot exhibition was produced and will have an insider’s look into how Disney has created some of its most popular characters, films, shows and attractions—from Disneyland to Walt Disney World and beyond. It will also document for the viewer how the Walt Disney Archives crafted the 10 magnificent and imaginatively themed galleries at The Franklin Institute, featuring moving stories, unique interactive installations and exciting insider details, which take guests on a virtual journey through 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, celebrating the classics from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”to the upcoming “Peter Pan & Wendy” as well as the latest members of the Disney family—Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and National Geographic.
“Disney100: The Exhibition — Making the Magic” will reveal how the philosophies of visionary filmmaker and innovator Walt Disney laid the foundation for The Walt Disney Company. From the contract that established the company and the creation of Mickey Mouse to immersive theme parks and blockbuster films such as “Frozen” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” viewers will experience incredible moments from Disney’s rich legacy.
About the Walt Disney Archives For more than 50 years, the Walt Disney Archives has carefully safeguarded the most treasured items from The Walt Disney Company’s history, including original scripts, movie props and costumes, Walt Disney’s correspondence and script notes, theme park artifacts, merchandise, millions of archival photographs, and many of Walt’s personal effects. Founded by Disney Legend Dave Smith in 1970, the Walt Disney Archives is a vital resource for every part of Disney, as well as an important research center for Disney scholars, researchers, and writers. The Archives also shares its countless pieces with Disney fans everywhere through its exhibitions and close association with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.
About ABC Owned Television Stations Disney Network’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.
ABC Owned Television Stations Celebrate Women’s History Month
‘Our America: Women on A Roll’ Special With Host Tamron Hall
Women’s History Month stories will air in the Local Newscasts of the Eight ABC Owned Stations, and be available on ABC’s Localish channel as well as the Eight ABC Owned Stations’ 24/7 live and local streaming channels, websites, mobile apps and connected TV apps on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV
March marks the beginning of Women’s History Month, which is devoted to highlighting the achievements of women and girls both past and present, and the impact they have had on their communities and society as a whole. The ABC Owned Television Stations join in that celebration with a multiplatform slate of Women’s History Month content throughout the month that includes a variety of news stories, news coverage and premium content on the ABC Owned Television Stations’ 24/7 streaming channels, in addition to airing across these stations’ linear channels in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno, and the stations’ connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
The award-winning “Our America” series will present a Women’s History Month special – “Our America: Women on a Roll” hosted by the Emmy® Award-winning Tamron Hall, the broadcast journalist host of the nationally syndicated daytime talk show of the same name. In this Women’s History Month special, Tamron Hall will lace up her skates and explore how women have used skating as a platform to express their beliefs, form unbreakable bonds, and bring joy to themselves and their communities. “Our America: Women on a Roll” will air across the ABC Owned Television Stations and will be available on digital and streaming platforms.
“Women on a Roll” highlights diverse women and girls who are making a difference in their neighborhoods by uplifting and defining skate culture. From feminists fighting elbow to elbow on a roller derby flat track to a mother and daughter duo reshaping their community one rink at a time, these local skate icons share their inspiring stories, impart the lessons they’ve learned, and demonstrate how anyone can do anything with determination and perseverance – especially when one is on eight wheels.
ABC’s award-winning Localish channel will also broadcast other feel-good features highlighting extraordinary women across America throughout the month.
A brief overview of ABC Owned Television Stations celebrating Women’s History Month includes the following:
ABC7/WABC-TV New York: The No.1 station in New York and the most-watched television station in the nation is airing numerous news stories that celebrate women in their communities, its leaders and their instrumental role in every area of society. For the United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day 2023 on March 8, ABC award-winning news journalist Sade Baderinwa will host and deliver welcome remarks at the General Assembly Hall, United Nations Headquarters. The theme this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”Baderinwa will also host a panel with international women innovators, politicians and community advocates.
ABC7/KABC-TVLos Angeles: The most-watched station in Southern California will air numerous news segments, covering issues and interests that impact and celebrate women’s contributions to their communities.
ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month with special news reports, programming and vignettes throughout March. The market leader will air weekly specials on exceptional women from Chicago who are making history. One story will focus on a Chicagoan who is making history as the first Black woman to play the lead role of Christine in “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway. The station will also cover relevant news stories as they develop throughout the month.
6abc/WPVI-TV Philadelphia: For Women’s History Month, the market leader will air numerous news segments and stories celebrating female excellence, and highlighting local female heroes and notables.
ABC7/KGO-TV San Francisco: The Bay Area celebrates female leaders in business, sports and culture. ABC7/KGO-TV news anchor Jobina Fortson will interview Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal brand to talk about women in the workforce and her new book. Fortson will also be live on the court with the Golden State Warriors for the morning news to highlight the Women’s History Month events at the Chase Center. Additionally, Fortson will interview Bay Area artist Allison Hueman, who designed the rose jersey, and women-owned businesses at Thrive City outside the Chase Center.
The station also plans to air an interview with Marin County woman Zara Babitzke, founder of the nonprofit Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, which helps homeless and foster care youth become self-sufficient.
KGO is committed to featuring at least one Women’s History Month guest each week in March, and social media posts will highlight Women’s History Month with reflections on women of note.
ABC13/KTRK-TV Houston will celebrate Women’s History Month with a vast collection of stories. The station is producing several new Women’s History Month-themed stories for newscasts throughout March. One of those stories is a profile on retired U.S. Army Sergeant Kari Miller Ortiz who lost both legs to a drunk driver. She took up adaptive sports and won several Olympic medals as well as a Paralympian of the Year honor. Today, Ortiz is inspiring and working with other injured vets, teaching them a variety of adaptive sports and providing them with critical emotional support.
KTRK will air its locally produced half-hour special, “Our America: Celebrate Her Stories,” on its 24/7 channels.
KTRK also serves as the media partner for Dress for Success Houston. An ABC13 anchor will emcee its annual event gala.
ABC11/WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham will partner with Dress for Success Triangle NC in honor of International Women’s Day. The Dress for Success mobile boutique will come to the station for Glitz, Glam and Giving Back. The organization provides professional work attire for those who need it.
The station will air a multitude of news segments and community programming to celebrate Women’s History Month including stories covering Ya Liu and Maria Cervania, the first Asian American women elected to serve in the N.C. General Assembly. They are paving the way for more diverse representation in North Carolina.
The station will also highlight women-owned businesses such as Sugar Euphoria. The owner of Sugar Euphoria, Randi Smith, creates wedding cakes and has been featured in several publications. Sugar Euphoria also represents the only Black-owned business in Historic Raleigh.
ABC30/KFSN-TV Fresno will air numerous inspiring stories in newscasts highlighting Central California’s women of note throughout the month. Viewers can watch inspiring profiles about community members, individuals and women-owned businesses.
About ABC Owned Television Stations
Disney Network’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.
ABC Owned Television Stations Launch ‘Neighborhood Safety Tracker,’ the New Interactive Website
Provides Viewers with Essential Crime and Safety Data in Their Neighborhoods
The ABC Owned Television Stations’ Neighborhood Safety Tracker is a new interactive website and app that provides viewers with up-to-date crime and safety information tailored to each individual market. Working with data collected from local police departments, the Neighborhood Safety Tracker provides the latest crime data in the major cities community-by-community in each local market ABC covers — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno — to add authority to daily public safety stories and in-depth special reports by ABC’s award-winning investigative journalists.
The data is gleaned from the public record which individual police departments and state agencies release regularly. The ABC Owned Television Stations’ data journalism team then reviews this data and, while working with its reporters in the newsrooms across the country, produces stories that incorporate the data into breaking news stories and exclusive investigations. They also create interactive graphics and maps that enhance reporting on the news of the day, leading to more viewer engagement and important stories on the latest major crime figures where people live – and how that compares to past trends, impacting people’s lives and safety.
“The Neighborhood Safety Tracker is a groundbreaking news enhancement that delivers a reliable and essential view of safety where viewers live, providing more context for crime risk in cities and neighborhoods to help our viewers make informed decisions,” said Chad Matthews, president of the ABC Owned Television Stations. “News continues to be a top driver of engagement among our live TV viewers/subscribers. Our viewers have responded that being knowledgeable about crime trends in their area is essential in helping to protect themselves and their families and that their local TV stations are a trusted resource in keeping them informed and safe.”
While the data used in the Neighborhood Safety Tracker is not proprietary, the code used by the data journalism team is proprietary to the ABC Owned Television Stations. The code repeats the work daily or weekly, whenever new records become available, so the Neighborhood Safety Tracker is always up to date as the latest reports and records are released. Overnight, programs run to continuously gather, analyze and rebuild the site every day. The result is a unique site for each market that provides viewer-friendly, searchable categories including homicide, theft, assault and burglary, among others. The data also provides hard facts about what is happening and where – information that can be used to hold police and local officials accountable.
ABC Owned Television Stations created its data journalism team in 2019, led by director John Kelly, a veteran investigative journalist with a history of award-winning data projects. He assembled a team of data reporters to be based in each of OTV’s newsrooms. The data team is made up of journalists with special training in data, statistics and computer programming. Under his stewardship, there have been an increasing number of national investigations that the ABC Owned Television Stations team is developing with ABC News.
With the completion of the rollout of the Neighborhood Safety Tracker in all eight ABC Owned Television Station markets, the team will look to upgrade and expand to additional suburbs in the eight markets this year. Additional safety measures that are important to viewers, such as information on traffic accidents or safety lighting, may also be added. Meanwhile, the Neighborhood Safety Tracker’s use in daily crime coverage will continue to be a valuable tool for reporters using it for investigative and solutions journalism.
Following is a complete list of the Neighborhood Safety Tracker available in the eight ABC Owned Television Station markets:
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.
Press Release
November 3, 2022
Media relations
Anna Kukelhaus
Director of Communications
National Geographic Media and ABC Owned Television Stations
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
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.
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
