PBS's National Memorial Day Concert Wins 2011 Writers Guild Award

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Capital Concerts is proud to announce that veteran television writer Joan Meyerson was honored Saturday, February 5, 2011, with a Writers Guild  Award for outstanding achievement in writing for television.  For her work on the 2010 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, Meyerson was the recipient of the WGA Award for Outstanding Script Television Comedy/Variety – Music, Awards, Tributes – Specials.  She previously won this award for the 2006 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT.

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For more than 20 years, PBS has been proud to honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, their families at home and all those who have given their lives for our country with the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT.  The multi award-winning event, broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, airs live in HD on PBS before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network.  The 2011 event will air on Sunday, May 29, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings).  The evening, that has become an American tradition, offers viewers a time to remember, to heal and bring our country together.  

About Capital Concerts

Capital Concerts is the production force behind two of television's longest-running and highest-rated live programs commemorating America's most important holidays.  THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, the nation's tribute to our men and women in uniform, and A CAPITOL FOURTH, our country's biggest birthday party, have consistently ranked among the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade.  2010 saw the programs reach new heights as these cornerstones of PBS's annual programming became the number one (A CAPITOL FOURTH) and number four (THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT) top-rated programs in primetime on the network.  Both holiday specials have been honored with over 55 awards including the New York Film Festival Award, the Telly Award, the Golden Cine Award, the Videographer Award, the National Education Association Award, the Aurora Award, the Christopher Award, the Communicator's Award, the AXIEM Award, the Omni Award and the Writer's Guild of America Award.

Production Credits

The program is a co-production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C.  For the event, executive producer Jerry Colbert and producer Michael Colbert have assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television's most prestigious entertainment awards shows.  The team includes: Emmy award-winning producer Walter C. Miller, America's leading director and producer of live programs including the GRAMMY AWARDS and COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS; award-winning director Paul Miller whose credits include THE COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE; and veteran television writer Joan Meyerson.

Underwriters

The NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT is made possible by grants from Disabled American Veterans and Golden Corral Restaurants, the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, the National Endowment for the Arts,  PBS and public television stations nationwide.  Air travel is provided by American Airlines.

Companion Web Site

A companion Web Site at www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert features a comprehensive viewer's guide to the concert and a special remembrance area where veterans and their families can send eulogies for their loved ones and friends to be delivered to the national memorials in Washington, D.C.  You can also visit us on Facebook.  Broadcast quality video footage is available at the following FTP site: http://capitalconcerts.org/mediacenter/mem-day/.  Additional press materials can be found at: www.pbs.org/pressroom.

SOURCE Capital Concerts