August 3, 2000, Los Angeles—The 2nd Annual Family Television Awards, held on August 3 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, honored recipients in nine categories for their outstanding work in family friendly television entertainment. The event, which was taped, will be aired on the CBS Television Network on Thursday, August 10 at 9:00 —10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Comedy — "Everybody Loves Raymond" — CBS
Drama — "The West Wing" — NBC
Movies/Miniseries/Specials — "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays with Morrie"– ABC
Inspiring Stories/Pride in Our Heritage — "A&E Biography" — A&E
Reality Programming — "National Geographic Explorer"– CNBC
Alternative Programming — "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" — ABC
Actor — Michael J. Fox
Actress — Della Reese
Lifetime Achievement — "The Wonderful World of Disney" — ABC
At the star-studded event, country singer Reba McEntire served as the Awards’ effervescent host. The two-time Grammy Award winner, and holder of four successive CMA Awards as Female Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, is herself a major hit with family audiences.
Guests were entertained by Billy Gilman, at 11-years-old one of country music’s hottest and youngest stars. He is best known for the success of his new album "One Voice" and his recent appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards that also aired on CBS.
The Family Television Awards show was produced by dick clark productions.
The Awards are part of a range of initiatives of the Family Friendly Programming Forum, a group of 43 major advertisers — all members of the Association of National Advertisers, Inc. (ANA) — that seek to encourage the television community to produce more programs during primetime that are relevant and interesting to a broad audience and that the average parent would enjoy viewing together with a child. The Forum also supports a scholarship program and a script development program to encourage the development of more family entertainment for television.
"Each of these honorees is an outstanding contributor in the area of family friendly television entertainment," noted Robert L. Wehling, co-chair of the Forum and global marketing officer at Procter & Gamble. "They have all raised the bar by creating quality programming that is relevant and enjoyable to a broad family audience."
"We are delighted with the fact that the Awards are being televised this year," noted Andrea Alstrup, co-chair of the Forum and corporate vice president, advertising at Johnson & Johnson. "Millions of families will watch the show together and know that television executives and advertisers care about providing entertaining and informative family programming."
The 2nd Annual Family Television Award Honorees:
Comedy — "Everybody Loves Raymond" — CBS
CBS’s Monday night comedy hit "Everybody Loves Raymond" depicts sportswriter Ray Barone, his wife Debra and their three children as they cope with life in close proximity to Ray’s extended family. The show’s humor, warmth and genuine portrayal of the ups and downs of family life have struck a chord with fans of all ages.
Drama — "The West Wing" — NBC
In an age where politics too often seem to devolve into scandal or farce, NBC’s behind-the-scenes look at the workings of the Oval Office offers families an honest and multi-layered view of America’s highest office that entertains, educates and encourages viewers to become more engaged in the political process.
Movies/Miniseries/Specials — "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays With Morrie"– ABC
Based on Detroit Free Press reporter Mitch Albom’s best-selling book of the same name and produced by Oprah Winfrey, ABC’s prime time movie "Tuesdays With Morrie" presented viewers with a compelling, complex and ultimately uplifting relationship between a young writer and his ailing former professor, Morrie Schwartz.
Inspiring Stories/Pride in Our Heritage — "A&E Biography" — A&E
Since first airing in 1987, A&E’s Emmy Award-winning series "Biography" has offered its viewers a remarkable variety of profiles of important individuals, each presented with depth, detail and historical accuracy. The quality and broad appeal of the program have enabled it to become the longest-running documentary series on television.
Reality Programming — "National Geographic Explorer"– CNBC
Each two-hour "National Geographic Explorer" features a powerful mix of adventure, science, natural history and human interest that entertains the whole family while it educates and inspires. The program has won more than 400 awards including 32 Emmy’s and 13 CableACE awards.
Alternative Programming — "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" — ABC
Perhaps no show in recent memory has been as successful in bringing families together for prime time as ABC’s phenomenon "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." As contestants work toward the ultimate prize, families across the country tune in to match wits against the show’s diverse list of questions.
Actor — Michael J. Fox
From his first hit role as money-loving but lovable Alex P. Keaton on "Family Ties," Michael J. Fox has appealed to a broad range of viewers with intelligence, heart and superb comedic timing. The award-winning actor has consistently appeared in meaningful programming that resonates across generations, and is now making a new kind of impact as he shares his private battle against Parkinson’s disease with a devoted public.
Actress–Della Reese
Now entering its seventh season, CBS’s enormously popular drama "Touched By An Angel" continues to speak to large family audiences in great part because of the emotional and honest work of Della Reese. With an approach that is both compassionate and straightforward, the actress serves as the heart of a show, which proves that addressing questions of faith can be both relevant and entertaining.
Lifetime Achievement–"The Wonderful World of Disney" — ABC
Currently the longest-running primetime series on television, "The Wonderful World of Disney" first began entertaining Americans of all ages in 1954. This Sunday-night favorite, now on ABC, continues to emphasize quality entertainment and variety for the whole family, setting a standard for outstanding achievement in the primetime hours.
The Family Friendly Programming Forum comprises these 43 companies:
Ace Hardware Corporation, American Airlines, AT&T Corporation, BellSouth Corporation, Bestfoods, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, The Coca-Cola Company, ConAgra, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, FedEx Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, The Gillette Company, Hallmark Cards, Inc., Hershey Foods Corporation, H&R Block, Inc., IBM Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg Company, KFC Corporation, Liberty Mutual, McCormick & Company, Inc., McDonald’s Corporation, M&M/Mars, Merck & Co., Nabisco, Inc., Inc., Nationwide, Nestlé USA, Inc., Pfizer Inc, The Pillsbury Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, Sears, Roebuck and Co., SBC Communications, Schering-Plough Corporation, SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare, Sprint Communications, State Farm Insurance Companies, Tyson Foods, Inc., Unilever United States, Inc., Verizon, Warner-Lambert Consumer Group — a division of Pfizer, Welch Foods Inc., Wendy’s International, Inc.
Presentations will include an in-depth look at topics including:
- An analysis of the current regulatory climate in Washington regarding issues that may impact television and advertising;
- How consumers will be "wired" in the future to receive television, phone and Internet, and who will control delivery;
- The potential impact of personal video recorder technology on TV programming and advertisers;
- The current state of television audience measurement, with a focus on recent efforts by Nielsen Media Research;
- An update on the use of optimizers for media planning;
- A status report on the 2000 SAG/AFTRA contract negotiations;
- Future plans and achievements of the Family Friendly Programming Forum, a growing initiative of American advertisers to encourage more choices on television that parents and children can enjoy together; and
- What a panel of young people think about television programming.
Journalists who would like to cover this event should call Susan Pralgever, director of communications, at 212-455-8019 or email spralgever@ana.net. Others interested in attending can register by calling 212-697-5950 or get more information by visiting our Web site at www.ana.net. The cost is $595 for ANA members; $695 for ANA guests; and $950 for non-members.
