November 17, 2009

LOS ANGELES DODGERS RECIPIENT OF ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES LOS ANGELES AREA GOVERNORS AWARD

Honored to be presented at the Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards on September 6

North Hollywood, CA –The Los Angeles Dodgers will be the recipient of the prestigious Los Angeles Area Governors Award, it was announced today by Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chairman John Shaffner.

The Governors Award is the most prestigious honor given to an individual, company or an organization for outstanding achievement in the arts, sciences, or management of television, consistently over a period of years, or in recognition of an outstanding singular achievement or contribution.

The Award will be presented at the Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards on Saturday, September 6 at the Television Academy's Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers are a true staple of Los Angeles history and have had tremendous impact on the city and in broadcasting for the last 50 years,” said Shaffner.

“We are very pleased that the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to bestow this well-deserved honor on an organization that not only brings enjoyment to the television community but is also committed to making a difference in our city,” he continued.

This year, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated the 50th Anniversary of their move to the Southern California. This not only positioned them as the first major professional sports franchise to be broadcast in the City of the Angels, but as a focal point of summertime entertainment for families and children in Los Angeles and the Southland.

With Vin Scully (a recipient of the Governors Award in 1991) announcing every game, the Dodgers quickly became highly respected organization both on and off the field and have continued to be the impetus for local television viewing throughout its history in Los Angeles.

As pioneers of bringing major league baseball to the west coast, the Dodger organization set the standard of giving back to the community. Through programs like the Dodgers Dream Foundation, Play Ball LA, equipment and canned food drives, Dodgers WIN (Women’s Initiative and Network) headed by team president Jamie McCourt, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and the Jackie Robinson Scholarship Fund, the Dodgers have made a tremendous impact on the Los Angeles community.

Founded in 1998, the Dodger Dream Foundation was created to provide educational, athletic and recreational opportunities for the youth of LA. Under this initiative, the “Team Think Blue” Times in Education program was born. Through this program, students use the newspaper to help develop literacy and language arts skills as well as a healthy and active lifestyle.

Last year, their support helped to reach over 225,000 students in the Los Angeles area schools. In July 2007, the Dodgers along with the McCourt family, the City of Hope and the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, launched “ThinkCure,” a charity whose purpose is to raise funds to support cancer research and find a cure for cancer.

Other community outreach programs include: The Team 42 Scholarship Program in honor of Jackie Robinson which awards 42 scholarships to students in the greater LA area attending a 4-year college or university; the Dodgers Reading Dugout Program which donates books and custom Dodger bookcases to elementary school classroom and community centers; Caring for Kids which sends players to visit children in local hospitals;

Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer which generates awareness about breast cancer, raises funds to help fight the disease and supports the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation; and, The Dodger Dream Fields program which consists of renovating local baseball and softball fields to provide a safe environment for children to engage in those sports.
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The team also visits with students of the Los Angeles Unified School District throughout the year for baseball clinics, inspirational seminars on the value of education, teamwork, health, steroid awareness and ethics and integrity. During the holidays, they host a Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway and Christmas Party for deserving children in low income communities.

The Governors Award has been bestowed upon many individuals, companies and organizations who have made an impact in the Los Angeles Community. Past recipients include Bill Stout, Hal Fishman, Johnny Grant, KCET, Ted Meyers, Bill Welch, Vin Scully, Jerry Dunphy, Larry McCormick, George Putnam, Gene Autry, KTLA, KMEX, Jess Marlow, Kelly Lange, Joel Tator, Chick Hearn, Pete Noyes, Dr. George Fischbeck, KMEX Univision, Bob Eubanks, Stan Freberg and Telemundo’s KVEA.

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About the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences



The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry.



In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy® Award, the Television Academy publishes Emmy® Magazine and stages many industry-related programs, services and year-round events for the television community.



For additional press information and resources concerning the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, please direct your inquiries to Robin Mesger of The Lippin Group at (323) 965-1990.

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Press Contacts

For the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:
Robin Mesger

The Lippin Group

(323) 965-1990

rmesger@lippingroup.com



Lauren Kelcher

The Lippin Group

(323) 965-1990

lkelcher@lippingroup.com

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