ASPIREist, The Multiplatform Feature News Series From Emmy Award Winning Former 60 Minutes Producers, Returns For Its First Season On HLN

NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ASPIREist, the award-winning feature news show empowering viewers to take action on the issues that matter to them, is set to return for its first season on CNN sister network HLN. Produced by Emmy and Peabody Award winning former 60 Minutes producers Shawn Efran and Max McClellan, the show uses a team of millennial, multicultural hosts, comprising successful TED Talk alumni and other content creators, to put a spotlight on pressing cultural issues and inspirational stories and then enables viewers to take immediate action.

On the heels of winning the National Edward R. Murrow Award For Excellence In Innovation for its first season run, ASPIREist returns to explore issues spanning America's opioid crisis, an unexpected campaign acting on climate change, women's rights in some of the most vulnerable places on earth, empowering the communities of a war-ravaged country and much more. The show was created by media advertising leader Neal Weinberg and screenwriter Michal Zebede. Active International, a global leader in media and corporate trading for more than 30 years is a key financial partner in the production of ASPIREist.

ASPIREist will premiere on HLN on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 12:00PM ET and will air weekly thereafter.

Each half-hour episode in the four-episode season digs deep on two feature stories per episode. The hosts lead viewers through a four to five minute "ASPIREist Original" feature news segment, a "Look to the Stars" feature segment with celebrities including Ben Affleck, Russell Brand, Adrian Grenier, and some of today's top YouTube stars, and a "Found On…" segment that highlights compelling content found across the web. Each news segment concludes with a "Call to Action" that places the power in viewers' hands to take action on the issue covered.

ASPIREist Hosts include:

Shiza Shahid is a women's rights activist and co-founder of The Malala Fund alongside Malala Yousafzai, working to secure girls' right to a minimum of 12 years of quality education, particularly in the global south. Shiza at TEDxMidAtlantic 2013: There are no Superheroes, Just Us: My Journey with Malala

Seth Maxwell is the founder of Thirst Project, which involves over 320 high school and college campuses in solving the global water crisis. Seth at TEDxYouth@Hollywood 2013: A Clean Jump

Geena Rocero is a model, transgender advocate, and founder of Gender Proud, an advocacy and media production company that tells stories to elevate justice and equality for the transgender community. Geena at TED Conference 2014: Why I Must Come Out

Ben Gleib is a stand-up comedian, writer, executive producer and host of the Emmy nominated Idiotest, and host of the podcast Last Week on Earth which encourages listeners to explore current news and political issues with a fresh perspective.

Debi Nova is a Costa Rican singer-songwriter and an activist in the United Nations' campaign UNITE to End Violence Against Women organized by UN Women. Debi at TEDxJoven@PuraVida 2013: Soy (I Am). Her newest album Gran Ciudad is out now. 

Philippe Cousteau, Jr. is an environmental activist, special correspondent for CNN, host and executive producer of Xploration Awesome Planet, and host of Caribbean Pirate Treasure on Travel Channel. Philippe at TEDxPennsylvaniaAvenue 2017: Where's Richard Nixon When You Need Him?

Clint Smith is a teacher, poet, researcher, and doctoral candidate in Education at Harvard University with a concentration in Culture, Institutions, and Society. Clint at the TED Conference 2014: The Danger of Silence

ABOUT ASPIREist
ASPIREist is a half-hour reality feature news show that inspires people to aspire to action by telling stories that matter. Produced by former Emmy Award winning 60 Minutes producers, ASPIREist integrates inspirational stories across both linear and digital platforms, evolving today's traditional news show into a format grounded in the way young people currently find and consume content. Led by a roster of Millennial, multicultural TED Talk alumni and featuring celebrities including George Clooney, Nikki Reed, Ben Affleck, Russell Brand, and more, ASPIREist airs on HLN, Facebook, and YouTube. The show was created by media advertising leader Neal Weinberg and screenwriter Michal Zebede, and Active International, a global leader in media and corporate trading for more than 30 years is a key financial partner in the production of ASPIREist. To learn more, please visit www.aspireist.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/aspireist.

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