{"id":119,"date":"2009-12-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-12-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonbonjovisoulfoundation.sparkart.wpengine.com\/?p=115"},"modified":"2009-12-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2009-12-02T08:00:00","slug":"usa-network-and-tom-brokaw-to-cohost-firstever-characters-unite-national-town-hall-on-healing-americas-division","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jbjsf.org\/news\/2009\/12\/02\/usa-network-and-tom-brokaw-to-cohost-firstever-characters-unite-national-town-hall-on-healing-americas-division\/","title":{"rendered":"USA NETWORK AND TOM BROKAW TO CO-HOST FIRST-EVER CHARACTERS UNITE NATIONAL TOWN HALL ON HEALING AMERICA\u2019S DIVISION"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK, NEW YORK \u2013 November 10, 2009 \u2013 USA Network and Tom Brokaw announced today the first-ever Characters Unite National Town Hall<\/strong>, a ground-breaking high-level discussion on how America\u2019s increasingly diverse and divided population can find common ground on today\u2019s complex social issues. Inspired by USA Network\u2019s community affairs campaign \u2013 Characters Unite — this event will bring together a diverse panel of distinguished leaders to generate fresh ideas for actions by individuals, communities and government to overcome social injustices and bridge cultural divides. Tom Brokaw, NBC News Special Correspondent, will moderate the panel at the Newseum in Washington, DC, on December 2.<\/p>\n

Confirmed Town Hall participants include:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Mike Allen, Chief White House Correspondent, Politico<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Representative, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 The Honorable Cory Booker, Mayor, Newark, NJ<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 The Honorable Max Cleland, Secretary, American Battle Monuments Commission<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Wade Henderson,* President and CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights*<\/p>\n

\u2022 **Jon Bon Jovi,* Singer, Songwriter, Philanthropist***<\/p>\n

\u2022 David Mixner, Writer and Civil Rights Activist<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Kathleen Parker, Syndicated Columnist<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Chancellor Michelle Rhee, DC Public Schools<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 Dr. Christine Sierra, Professor of Political Science, University of New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n

Actor Dul\u00e9 Hill<\/strong>, co-star of USA Network\u2019s \u201cPsych\u201d will also be a special guest in attendance.<\/p>\n

“It’s time to get past the labeling. We’re all different, and we all bring something unique to the table,” said Bonnie Hammer, president, NBCU Cable Entertainment and Universal Cable Productions. “We need our differences to unite us, not drive us apart.”<\/p>\n

“People across the country are making tough decisions every day and working to maintain their own unique American character. Too often, instead of coming together to address conflicts, groups demonize each other because of their different beliefs and opinions,” said Tom Brokaw, NBC News Special Correspondent.<\/p>\n

During the Characters Unite Town Hall, Brokaw will preview his new documentary, American Character Along Highway 50<\/em><\/strong>, produced by Peacock Productions, set to premiere on USA Network on Martin Luther King Day, January 18, 2010. The film follows Brokaw\u2019s journey at a pivotal point in our country\u2019s history as he travels across legendary US Highway 50 discovering how Americans are fairing during these extraordinary times, immersing himself in the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people to reveal uniquely American stories of hardship, survival and hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom Brokaw\u2019s upcoming documentary makes him the ideal moderator for this conversation,\u201d said Hammer. \u201cWe\u2019re confident that he will steer the Town Hall toward fresh ideas for individual and collective actions aimed at bringing all of us, with the combined strength of our diversity, together.\u201d<\/p>\n

In conjunction with the Town Hall, USA Network will announce the results of a new Characters Unite national opinion poll, the United or Divided Survey<\/strong>, which will provide an in-depth profile of American attitudes on prejudice, discrimination and intolerance. The nationally representative poll is being conducted by two of America’s leading public opinion research firms representing both sides of the political aisle — Hart Research Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R). The survey will examine how Americans view the social trends that are transforming the nation, and will look across generations, race, ethnicity and gender at how change is affecting our country\u2019s social fabric.<\/p>\n

In partnership with Charter and Comcast, high schools across the country will have the opportunity to submit questions for the panel and five students will win a trip to Washington, DC, to attend the Town Hall event.<\/p>\n

Cisco Webex Solutions will serve as the technology partner for the Characters Unite National Town Hall. The event will be webcast live for free, and viewers may register in advance at www.passtheball.com.<\/p>\n

Following the Town Hall, the first Characters Unite Award<\/strong> will be presented to an individual who has made a significant and lasting difference in efforts to fight discrimination, champion civil rights and promote respect. The honoree will be profiled on charactersunite.com and receive a $10,000 grant to support his\/her project or nonprofit organization. Nominations for the award are being made by the Characters Unite campaign\u2019s 20 non-governmental partners, which include the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the National Parent Teacher Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Council of La Raza, GLAAD, National Council of Women\u2019s Organizations, American Federation of Teachers, Anti-Defamation League, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Asian American Justice Center, Children\u2019s Defense Fund, General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church, Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights First, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association of Counties, National Congress of American Indians, National Education Association and Southern Poverty Law Center.<\/p>\n

For more information and to visit the Characters Unite website, please Click HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

To watch a recording of the live Webinar, please Click HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT USA NETWORK<\/em><\/strong>
\nUSA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 98.5 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
\nUSA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.<\/p>\n

***ABOUT CHARACTERS UNITE ***
\nCharacters Unite, USA Network\u2019s new community affairs program, was created in January 2009 to address the social injustices and cultural divides still prevalent in our society. Created on the simple premise that life is richer when people see beyond stereotypes and appreciate individual differences, Characters Unite kicked off with a national on-air public service campaign and a multimedia pledge drive for unity and understanding.<\/p>\n

Inspired by USA Network\u2019s iconic \u201cCharacters Welcome\u201d brand and with the support of leading national not-for-profit organizations, the ongoing, multimedia campaign is dedicated to supporting activities and messaging that combat prejudice and intolerance while promoting understanding and acceptance \u2013 on-air, online, and in communities across the country.<\/p>\n

ABOUT \u201cAMERICAN CHARACTER ALONG HIGHWAY 50\u201d<\/em><\/strong>
\nPremieres January 2010
\nUSA Network and legendary journalist Tom Brokaw have set out to capture the changing face of a nation in the documentary \u201cAmerican Character Along Highway 50.\u201d As he traverses the 12 states along this 3000 mile transcontinental road, beginning on the eastern shore of Maryland and making his way west to California, Brokaw is documenting the lives of the Americans he encounters, exploring the profound economic, political and cultural changes they are experiencing during these uncertain, and particularly historic, times. As Brokaw journeys from big cities to small towns across the country, he will present stories of hardship and hope and chronicle an America on the threshold of a new era. \u201cAmerican Character Along Highway 50\u201d is produced by Peacock Productions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brokaw to Moderate Panel of Prominent National Leaders from Government, Academia, Business, Media, the Arts and Non-Governmental Organizations<\/p>\n

Jon Bon Jovi, DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Syndicated Columnist Kathleen Parker, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Rep. Xavier Becerra, and Senator Max Cleland Among Those Participating<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[26,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n