Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer to Host 33rd College Television Awards

Los Angeles, CA - Franklin & Bash co-stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer will bring their sizzle out of the court room and on to the stage as co-hosts of the 33rd College Television Awards, taking place on March 31 at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood.

The gala will also include a presentation of the Innovation in Television Award to HBO, in recognition of the network’s commitment to cutting edge programming that routinely sets the bar for young content producers. Previous honorees include Mark Burnett, Nigel Lythgoe, the Creators of Glee and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Michael Lombardo, President, HBO Programming, will accept the award on behalf of HBO.

“Our goal is to support programs like the College Television Awards which empower emerging producers by granting them access to the tools, knowledge and mentoring necessary for a bright future in the Industry,” said Michael Lombardo, president of programming, HBO. “We have been long supporters of the Television Academy Foundation, and being recognized by them is a great honor.”

“The College Television Awards has become a premier industry event in Hollywood, paving the way for future innovators in the television community,” said Norma Provencio Pichardo, executive director, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. “We couldn’t be more proud to share the evening with Mark-Paul, Breckin and our friends at HBO.”

The Television Academy Foundation’s College Television Awards is a nationwide competition recognizing excellence in college student produced video, digital and film production. Each year, hundreds of students from around the country submit their work in 12 categories, which are then judged by television industry power-players, all of whom are Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members.

The winners are invited to attend the star-studded gala in Los Angeles, where the awards are presented by some of television’s hottest stars. Tickets to the College Television Awards can be purchased through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation website Emmysfoundation.org in late February.

For the second consecutive year, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media is partnering with the Foundation to present the Focus on Diversity and Gender Equality in Children’s Media Award—a $5,000 award for the student producer who best showcases diversity and gender equality for children aged 2 -11 in their work.

This also marks the third year that the College Television Awards will include a presentation of the $10,000 Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Scholarship, made possible by the Loreen Arbus Foundation. The scholarship recognizes student producers who shed light on people with disabilities, helps emerging artists gain recognition and increases visibility for artists with disabilities.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue, Raising the Bar, Commander in Chief) and Breckin Meyer (Clueless, Road Trip, 54, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) currently co-star in Franklin & Bash, TNT’s buddy comedy about two young, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants street lawyers who cause a seismic culture clash when they join a legendary, buttoned-down law firm.

Meyer plays Jared Franklin, who loves sticking it to authority every chance he gets. Gosselaar is Peter Bash, who has a knack for connecting with judge and jury. Season two of the hit series airs summer 2012.

MTV’s Peabody- and Emmy@reg; Award-winning 24-hour college network, mtvU, is serving as the online media partner for the sixth year in a row, hosting online submissions and judging at www.bestfilmoncampus.com.

mtvU is the largest and most comprehensive media network for college students, reaching 750 campuses and more than 9 million college students nationwide, including the Best Film on Campus community.