NEW YORK TELEVISION FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL SELECTIONS TO THE 2009 INDEPENDENT PILOT COMPETITION

ION Television joins fifth annual indie TV fest as Official Artist Sponsor, supporting artist screening events and networking functions.

[NEW YORK, NY, August 10, 2009] – The New York Television Festival (NYTVF) today announced the slate of 37 original television pilots featured this year in its Independent Pilot Competition. Submitted by independent producers around the world, the pilots will be presented for industry execs and TV fans at the fifth annual independent television showcase, held in Midtown Manhattan September 21-26. Also announced today, ION Television has teamed with the NYTVF to help support the competition as the 2009 Official Artist Sponsor. Launched in 2005, the NYTVF gives independent television producers and creators the chance to present their work directly to executives at broadcast networks, cable networks, and online content providers.

“We are excited to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the New York Television Festival,” said NYTVF founder Terence Gray. “As the independent television movement continues to grow, the Festival has grown with it to become a prominent platform for discovering new talent.”

“ION is thrilled to join the 2009 NYTVF and congratulates the artists on their selection to the Festival,” said Leslie Chesloff, EVP, Programming for ION Television.

The 2009 NYTVF will continue its tradition of hosting star-studded red-carpet premieres of new network shows as part of its “Prime Time” event series. This year’s programming will highlight some of the hottest topics and trends facing both television and Web video. Successful past NYTVF events returning in 2009 include Digital Day, an Internet-centric entertainment symposium; and Industry Day, an annual panel discussion series addressing all sides of the television and digital video industries. More details on these featured events will be announced soon.

The producers of Official Selections to the 2009 Independent Pilot Competition are eligible to be a part of the 2009 NYTVF Fellowship Program, in which they will have the opportunity to work with some of the biggest producers in TV. The Fellowship Program was inaugurated in 2007 and featured top names such as Tom Fontana, Michael Davies, Mitchell Hurwitz, and Phil Rosenthal. Producers will also have the chance to win the NYTVF People's Choice Award, development deals, and unmatched recognition. In past years, pilots that screened at the NYTVF have been purchased for development by networks including NBC, A&E, IFC, Sundance, and Versus.

As the Artist Sponsor, ION will provide each artist with a Festival Survival Kit and will help celebrate the start of independent pilot screenings on Thursday, September 24th with welcome events for artists and guests.

The pilots selected for the Festival’s Independent Pilot Competition represent a diverse slate of talent from the U.S. and Canada, as well as innovative series concepts that appeal to wide-ranging audiences. The pilots feature a number of names and faces recognizable to TV fans, such as Ice-T, Tom Arnold, Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), Lea Michele (“Glee”), Dan Lauria (“The Wonder Years”), Jonathan Katz (“Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist”), Tia and Tamara Mowry, Bob Balaban, and Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”). Additionally, this year’s Official Selection lineup includes a pilot created by one of the inaugural 2007 NYTVF Fellowship alumni, a series developed by the Canadian Film Centre, and entries created and produced by students at the University of Southern California and Chapman University.

The full pilots will be available to view online at MSN Video starting the week after the Festival; previews are available now on the NYTVF Media Showcase.

	Around the Block (Reality) Created by: Daniel Lir, Bryan Sarkinen, and Bayou Bennett—New York, NY
	Astoria, Queens (Seriocomedy) Created by: Kyle Thomas Coker—New York, NY
	Ben Again (Drama) Created by: John J. Ricci—New York, NY
	Blog of a Pool Boy (Comedy) Created by: Greg Burke, AJ Morales, and Lou Perez—New York, NY
	Blue Movies (Comedy) Created by: Scott Brown—Los Angeles, CA
	The Call Center (Comedy/Mockumentary) Created by: Rumana Huq—New York, NY
	Calvin and Freddie's Cosmic Encounters (Live Action Family Sitcom) Created by: Rugg Williams, Sabina Cabe, and Troy Rowland—Los Angeles, CA
	Cost of Living (Recession Comedy) Created by: Akshay Ahuja, Thom Blaylock, Jules DiBiase, and Samuel Frank–New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA
	Dog (Drama) Created by: Barry Gribble—Washington, DC
	Genetisphere (Animated Sci-Fi Action) Created by: Earthstar Jai Smith—Vancouver, BC, Canada
	God & Co. (Animated Comedy) Created by: Stephen Levinson and Joel Levinson—Brooklyn, NY
	Gold (Comedy) Created by: David Nett—Los Angeles, CA
	Green Room (Drama) Created by: Vince Parenti—New York, NY
	Halfway There (Scenario-Based Improvised Comedy) Created by: Michelle Best–New York, NY
	Hell Froze Over (Romantic Comedy) Created by: J. Wilder Konschak, Michael Benni Pierce, Shaun Boyle, and Alli Hartley—Brooklyn, NY
	HomeSchooled (Comedy) Created by: Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler—New York City, NY
	Idiots, Dating (Comedy) Created by: Dan Gregor and Doug Mand—New York, NY
	Johnny B. Homeless (Comedy) Created by: Al Thompson—New York City, NY
	Kate So Far (Drama) Created by: Heather Schlossnagle—Huntington Beach, CA
	Leaving Bliss (Comedy) Created by: Shanna Micko—Los Angeles, CA
	Lost Cities (Mock Travel Show) Created by: Dan McNamara and Chad Von Nau—Jersey City, NJ
	Man-Man (Animated Comedy) Created by: Chris Prine and Tom Silvestro—Brooklyn, NY
	MERRIme.com (Comedy) Created by: Kaily Smith and David Weidoff—Los Angeles, CA
	Monster Brothers (Reality) Created by: Ryan Golembeske and Josh Golembeske—Santa Monica, CA
	My Pal Satan (Comedy) Created by: Dennis Heaton—Toronto, Ontario, Canada
	The New 20s (Drama) Created by: Tracy Taylor—Los Angeles, CA
	NYCMusicShow (Music Documentary) Created by: David Schumacher—New York, NY
	Odd Jobs (Comedy) Created by: Jeremy Redleaf—New York, NY
	Pet Tripperz (Lifestyle/Travel/Pets) Created by: Bartley Argo and Stacy Studstill—Savannah, GA
	The Pocket Mayors (Nonscripted Travel) Created by: Elias Zajchenco and Trent Ermes—New York, NY
	Streak to Win (Documentary/Comedy) Created by: Sean Tice and Adam Bedient—Brooklyn, NY
	The Stressful Adventures of Boxhead and Roundhead (Surreal Animated Comedy) Created by: Elliot Cowan—Bayside, NY
	Team A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E (Comedy) Created by: Nick Armstrong—Los Angeles, CA
	The Tenderloins (Comedy) Created by: James Murray, Joe Gatto, Sal Vulcano, and Brian Quinn—Staten Island, NY
	Titsburg (Comedy) Created by: Tavon Bolourchi and Chioke Nassor—Brooklyn, NY
	Who's the Baddest (Nonscripted Reality) Created by: Elis Pacheco—New York, NY
	Why Can't I Sell My House? (Workplace Comedy) Created by: Sandy Abernathy and Russ Johnson—Dallas, TX
The NYTVF is also excited to announce the inclusion of two out-of-competition independent pilot screenings. Specialty Screenings - Not in Competition
	Call Me Bessie (Family/Animated TV Series) Created by: Diane Kredensor and Dana Galin—Brooklyn, NY
	Rx (Drama) Created by: Zachary Dehm—Los Angeles, CA

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The New York Television Festival will take place Sept. 21-26, 2009. All Access Passes and Industry Packages will be available in the coming weeks at www.nytvf.com by selecting “Box Office.”

The NYTVF is supported by sponsors such as Proctor & Gamble Productions, People’s Choice, MSN, and the WME Agency. Official Network Sponsors for the 2009 NYTVF include ABC, FOX, NBC, CBS and more. The NYTVF works in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of New York City.

For tickets or more information on the NYTVF, please visit www.nytvf.com.

Press inquiries may be sent to: press09[at]nytvf.com

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About the New York Television Festival

The NYTVF was founded in 2005 as the industry’s first recognized independent television festival, providing a platform to elevate the work of artists creating for the small screen. Held annually each fall in New York City, the birthplace of modern television, the Festival unites artists, executives, industry figures, and fans together in one forum to celebrate the medium and to help shape its future. Along with the Independent Pilot Competition, the Festival features panel discussions, network premiere screenings, and other special events designed to honor television as an institution and an art form.

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For the latest Festival information, please visit www.nytvf.com

Regards,

--NYTVF