The Tampa Natives Show Celebrates Its 100th Live Broadcast on May 2, 2013

TAMPA, Fla., April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its debut in 2008, Tampa Natives has evolved from an active Facebook community to an engaging Tampa public access television show; and on May 2, 2013, The Tampa Natives Show will celebrate its 100^th live broadcast with special guest Ray Villadonga, a popular local musician and radio show host. Collectively, The Tampa Natives Show and Tampa Natives social media communities provide a forum for long-time residents to share their memories, photos and civic pride while reliving the history of growing up in Tampa.

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"It's been tremendous to connect with so many people who share our interest in Tampa's history, and to see how The Tampa Natives Show has grown and evolved over this time," enthused Mario Nunez, co-host and architect of The Tampa Natives Show. "Our viewers and guests have contributed so many interesting stories — that's what makes our show 'the fastest hour in cable broadcast history'! To our knowledge, there isn't another TV show like it anywhere in the world, where so many people are actively involved in keeping their city's history alive. It's very rewarding."

In celebration of The Tampa Natives Show's 100^th broadcast, hosts Mario Nunez, Sally Nunez (known among fans as the "15 Minute Girl") and Steve Cannella will air highlights of memorable past shows. The trio will also welcome featured guest Ray Villadonga, a third-generation Tampa resident who has been with WMNF community radio for 25 years and is the bandleader of rayzilla's Dreamboats.

Numerous local celebrities and public figures have appeared on previous broadcasts of The Tampa Natives Show, including Tampa-born baseball legend Lou Piniella; Richard Gonzmart, fourth-generation owner of Ybor City's historic Columbia restaurant; Jack Espinosa, a top performer of the '40s/'50s; Ricky Gallon, a Jefferson High School basketball legend who played for the University of Louisville and enjoyed a professional career in the European league; and many other special guests.

"Our goal is to engage and entertain, while promoting community pride and preserving our history," explained Cannella. "The response to The Tampa Natives Show has exceeded our expectations. Not only do we have viewers throughout the bay area, but we have former Tampa residents around the world who stream our shows online. We're grateful for public-access television and Tampa Bay Community Network. It's broadcast platforms such as this where a show like ours has the opportunity to thrive."

The Tampa Natives Show airs weekly every Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern on BrightHouse, Comcast, Verizon and live online at http://tbcn.org/live. In recognition of the show's historic preservation efforts, the University of South Florida has archived The Tampa Natives Show episodes in its Digital Collections for posterity. Past shows can also be viewed on The Tampa Natives Show website and Tampa Natives YouTube channel.

Current and former Tampa residents are invited to be part of The Tampa Natives Show's 100^th episode by tuning in on Thursday, May 2, from 7-8 p.m. Eastern and calling at 813-977-6800 to share their memories. Fans may also connect with the show and its hosts throughout the week via Facebook, email or the voicemail comment line at 813-920-2508. For more information, visit http://www.TampaNativesShow.com.

About The Tampa Natives Show

Tampa Natives began in 2008, when third-generation Tampa native Steve Cannella created a Facebook group to encourage local residents to share their memories of community landmarks, events and personalities. Cannella met Mario Nunez, a fellow third-generation Tampa native, at a local mixer, and a partnership was formed. Nunez conceived the idea for a televised broadcast, and The Tampa Natives Show made its TV debut on September 1, 2010. Today, Nunez and Cannella are joined by Sally Nunez; and the trio co-host a live, hour-long look into Tampa's unique cultural history on three local cable channels each week. Videos of each broadcast are posted online at http://www.TampaNativesShow.com and are permanently archived by the University of South Florida's Historical Collections Department. Watch The Tampa Natives Show every Thursday at 7 p.m. on the Tampa public-access channel TBCN (BrightHouse channel 950, Comcast channel 20 and Verizon channel 30), and connect with the Tampa Natives group and The Tampa Natives Show on Facebook and Twitter (@TheTampaNatives).

Media Inquiries:
Mario Nunez  
Co-host 
Tampa Natives Show 
(813) 966-6966

This press release distribution was issued by PR Syndication.

SOURCE The Tampa Natives Show