ESPN Networks and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Top NAMIC Vision Award Nominations

New Online Event Format Showcasing Winning Programs To Be Launched Via The 2011 NAMIC Vision Awards Winners Gallery

First-Ever NAMIC Members' Choice Award To Be Selected From Winning Entries

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Apr 06, 2011, 03:18 ET

NEW YORK, April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), today announced the nominees for the 2011 NAMIC Vision Awards. ESPN Networks and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. led all nominated networks and distributors vying for NAMIC Vision Awards honoring original, multi-platform programming that depicts the lives, spirit and contributions of people of color and best reflects the diversity of the global viewing audience.

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With a boost from the 2010 FIFA World Cup programming, ESPN and its brand of networks, E:60, ESPN Deportes and ESPN International garnered a collective 12 nominations to lead all others vying for this year's NAMIC Vision Awards. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., encompassing CNN, TBS and TNT, garnered 11 nominations. HBO was the third leading network earning a total of eight nods.

Founded in 1994 by NAMIC – Southern California, the NAMIC Vision Awards are presented in 16 categories: Animation, Best Performance – Comedy, Best Performance – Drama. Children's, Comedy, Digital Media – Short Form, Digital Media – Long Form, Documentary, Drama, Foreign Language, Lifestyle, News/Informational, Original Movie or Special, Reality, Sports and Variety/Talk Show. Commencing with the presentation of this year's winners, NAMIC has announced plans to transition the recognition to an online event format with the unveiling of the new 2011 NAMIC Vision Awards Winners Gallery. Starting in early May, :60 second clips of the winning entries in each of the 16 categories may be viewed at http://www.namic.com.

"The transition to the online awards format is a direct response to the emergence of digital media and its reach to a broader audience across the communications industry as well as the global marketplace," said Marco Williams, director - Talent Sourcing, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. and president, NAMIC – Southern California. "We are excited to continue our tradition of honoring achievements in multi-ethnic and cultural programming diversity by showcasing Vision Award winners in this optimal digital environment." Williams added: "On behalf of the NAMIC - Southern California Chapter, I'd like to congratulate all of this year's nominees and thank them for their resolute commitment to creating multi-ethnic and culturally-relevant original programming."

Also new this year, is the launch of the first-ever NAMIC Members' Choice Award. For the first-time in the 17-year history of the Vision Awards, NAMIC members will have the opportunity to cast their votes and select their favorite program from the field of winning entries. Clips will be available for viewing and voting for the NAMIC Members' Choice Award as of mid-May.

The NAMIC Vision Awards competition extends eligibility to national broadcast and cable networks; local affiliates; local origination programs from cable operators; and VOD content produced for digital platforms. Entries were judged by a distinguished panel of entertainment industry executives. Judging is focused on overall imagery (creative merit, originality, and presentation quality), sensitivity (the consideration given to cultural nuances), writing (the depiction of issues relevant to people of color) and the quality of acting in the performance categories.

A complete list of nominees for the 2011 NAMIC Vision Awards follows. For more information, visit www.namic.com or contact Sandra Girado, director of Meetings and Events, at the NAMIC national headquarters, 212-594-5985.

2011 NAMIC Vision Awards Nominees:

ANIMATION

2010 FIFA World Cup - Day One Open – ESPN
El Perro y El Gato: De Aqui Para Alla, from Here to There – HBO
The Cleveland Show – FOX Broadcasting Company

BEST PERFORMANCE - COMEDY

Terry Crews - Are We There Yet? – TBS
China Anne McClain -Tyler Perry's House of Payne – TBS
Anisha Nagarajan - Outsourced – NBC/Universal Media Studios
Victor Rasuk - How to Make it in America: Never Say Die – HBO

BEST PERFORMANCE - DRAMA

Khandi Alexander - Treme – HBO
Omari Hardwick - Dark Blue – TNT
Wendell Pierce - Treme – HBO
Alfre Woodard - Memphis Beat – TNT

CHILDREN'S

Brave New Voices 2010 – HBO
Dora the Explorer – Nickelodeon
El Perro y El Gato: De Aqui Para Alla, from Here to There – HBO
Ni Hao, Kai-lan – Nickelodeon

COMEDY

30 Rock – NBC/Universal Media Studios
Are We There Yet? – TBS
Love That Girl – TV One
Outsourced – NBC/Universal Media Studios

DIGITAL MEDIA - LONG FORM

I Scored a Goal – ESPN
Umlando - Through My Father's Eyes – ESPN

DIGITAL MEDIA - SHORT FORM

2010 FIFA World Cup - Voices of South America – ESPN
Beauty and the East TV – PlanetPix Media & Entertainment Group
Giovanni Segura Feature – ESPN International
Mariano Rivera Feature – ESPN Deportes

DOCUMENTARY

A Small Act – Home Box Office
Heart of the City: Chicago's Cancer Divide – BET Networks
New Orleans Rising – CNN Rescued: The Children of Haiti – CNN

DRAMA

Friday Night Lights – NBC/Universal Media Studios
Grey's Anatomy – ABC Studios
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit – NBC/Universal Media Studios
Luther – BBC America

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Buscando Asilo – Discovery Latin America - US Hispanic
Comcast Latino Family Festival – Comcast
Deportados – Discovery Latin America - US Hispanic

LIFESTYLE

2010 FIFA World Cup - Sal Masekela – ESPN
Chinese Food Made Easy – Cooking Channel
Sprite Step Off – MTV2
Sucker Free Summit – MTV2

NEWS / INFORMATIONAL

2010 FIFA World Cup - Youth Day – ESPN
Anderson Cooper 360: Black or White: Kids on Race – CNN
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Pakistan Hope Floats – CNN
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel – HBO

ORIGINAL MOVIE OR SPECIAL

Black Girls Rock – BET Networks
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute – CNN
Fela! On Stage/Off Stage – The Africa Channel
Lies in Plain Sight – Lifetime Movie Network

REALITY

America's Best Dance Crew "Champions for Charity" – MTV
Fantasia For Real – VH1
Project Runway Season 8 - Lifetime Television
Umlando - Through My Father's Eyes – ESPN

SPORTS

2010 FIFA World Cup - Sports Features – ESPN
Boxing: Before the Bell – The Africa Channel
E:60 - Jason Heyward – E:60/ESPN
Her Story: Ten Times Over – ESPN

VARIETY / TALK SHOW

BET Awards Special: Music Around the Globe – BET International
Lopez Tonight – TBS
The African Music Scene with Wendy Williams – BET International
The Mo'Nique Show – BET Networks

NOMINATIONS BY NETWORK/DISTRIBUTOR

ABC Studios - 1
BBC America - 1
BET Networks - 3
BET International - 2
CNN - 5
Comcast - 1
Cooking Channel - 1
Discovery Latin America - US Hispanic - 2
E:60/ESPN - 1
ESPN- 9
ESPN Deportes - 1
ESPN International - 1
FOX Broadcasting Company - 1
HBO - 8
Lifetime Movie Network - 1
Lifetime Television - 1
MTV - 1
MTV2 - 2
NBC/Universal Media Studios - 5
Nickelodeon - 2
PlanetPix Media & Entertainment Group - 1
TBS - 4
The Africa Channel - 2
TNT - 2
TV One - 1
VH1 - 1

ABOUT NAMIC

NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC comprises over 2,200 professionals belonging to a network of 16 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation's communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com and stay connected to NAMIC on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and DiversityLive: The Business > Social NAMIC Network.

SOURCE NAMIC