NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS Corporation today announced the launch of "EYE Speak," a program designed to promote female empowerment and help forge a path of growth and opportunity for women in the Company as well as the entertainment industry as a whole. The program was announced today by Jo Ann Ross, President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS Corporation. "EYE Speak" was conceived and developed by colleagues at CBS Television Studios, CBS Entertainment Diversity and Inclusion, CBS Corporate Communications and CBS Sales.
To launch the initiative, CBS Television Studios will host a kickoff event on March 14 in Los Angeles featuring a panel of some of the strongest female voices in front of and behind the camera. They include: Maria Bello (NCIS), Sonequa Martin-Green (STAR TREK: DISCOVERY), Sara Ramirez (MADAM SECRETARY), Gina Rodriguez (JANE THE VIRGIN), Lori McCreary (MADAM SECRETARY), Aline Brosh McKenna (CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND) and Jennie Snyder Urman (JANE THE VIRGIN). They will unite to share their personal stories and how each of them is helping to move the conversation forward.
The launch event for "EYE Speak" will be in concert with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and its #SeeHer campaign. #SeeHer was created with the mission to portray girls and women accurately in media. The goal is for women and girls, by 2020, to see themselves reflected as they truly are. The "EYE Speak" kickoff event is part of CBS' ongoing partnership with the ANA to promote the initiative's mission.
As part of "EYE Speak," CBS plans to host events throughout the year, including mentorship programs and fireside chats for employees at various CBS campuses, where they will have direct access to CBS executives and high-profile women in all areas of entertainment. The company also will look to build themed events and programs around certain CBS series and creative talent to create more opportunities for learning and growth.
To support the mission of "EYE Speak," CBS Television Studios' critically acclaimed series THE GOOD FIGHT for CBS All Access will host a special season two premiere screening at The Wing, a network of women's co-working and community spaces, in New York on Feb. 26. The event will include an intimate discussion with the strong female voices of the series. Participating in the panel will be the series' stars Christine Baranski, Rose Leslie, Audra McDonald, executive producer/showrunner Michelle King, and Brooke Kennedy, who serves as an executive producer and director.
"I am extremely proud to be associated with 'EYE Speak' because it addresses my passion to help women at CBS learn, grow and flourish," said Jo Ann Ross. "It's a wonderful opportunity to continue building on the positive impact that the CBS Women's Networking Group and other women's initiatives have already had on so many. I look forward to contributing to 'EYE Speak's' success and to having a front-row seat in observing ANA's #SeeHer's mission come to life."
"We are delighted to continue to partner with CBS," added ANA #SeeHer chair Stephen Quinn. "EYE Speak is another initiative showcasing that CBS understands the role media plays influencing how women and girls see themselves, and another bold step to reduce unconscious bias. Together we are working hard to attain our goal of improving representation of girls and women in media 20% by 2020, the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote."
About EYE Speak
The "EYE Speak" Leadership program is a natural outgrowth of CBS Corporation's ongoing commitment to provide insight and opportunities for women – both within the Company and media industry as a whole. Launched in February 2018, "EYE Speak" holds events and conversations designed to build a successful support system by allowing for an open and empowering exchange about growth and change in the workplace. For more information on EYE Speak, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CBSEYEspeak
About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company that creates and distributes industry-leading content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date back to the dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures that operate on the leading edge of media. CBS owns the most-watched television network in the U.S. and one of the world's largest libraries of entertainment content, making its brand — "the Eye" — one of the most-recognized in business. The Company's operations span virtually every field of media and entertainment, including cable, publishing, local TV, film, and interactive and socially responsible media. CBS' businesses include CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), Network Ten Australia, CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International, CBS Television Distribution, CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Interactive, CBS Films, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, Pop (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate), Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television Stations, and CBS EcoMedia. For more information, go to www.cbscorporation.com.
About the #SeeHer Movement
Despite the strides made to accurately portray women and girls in media, an unconscious bias persists against women and girls in advertising, media, and programming. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Alliance for Family Entertainment (AFE) launched the #SeeHer initiative in June 2016 in a partnership with The Female Quotient, as part of the United State of Women in Washington DC. The #SeeHer Initiative mission is to accurately portray all women and girls in media by 2020, the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the U.S. For more information, visit www.SeeHer.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About the Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) makes a difference for individuals, brands, and the industry by driving growth, advancing the interests of marketers, and promoting and protecting the well-being of the marketing community. Founded in 1910, the ANA provides leadership that advances marketing excellence and shapes the future of the industry. The ANA's membership includes more than 1,000 companies with 15,000 brands that collectively spend or support more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually. The membership is comprised of more than 750 client-side marketers and 300 associate members, which include leading agencies, law firms, suppliers, consultants, and vendors. Further enriching the ecosystem is the work of the nonprofit ANA Educational Foundation (AEF), which has the mission of enhancing the understanding of advertising and marketing within the academic and marketing communities. For more information, visit www.ana.net, follow us on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.
SOURCE CBS Corporation
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