MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
May 25 – June 1, 2006 Edition
NBC, MSNBC to Allow
TV Audiences to Vote
On Quill Publishing Awards
NEW YORK, NY/5/23/06Returning in its second year, The Quill Awards, supported by Reed Business Information (RBI) and the NBC Universal Television Stations, will be presented on October 10, 2006, during a gala ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Again carried on the NBC Universal Television Stations and produced by Al Roker Productions, Inc., the awards program will also be syndicated through NBC Universal Television Distribution, significantly increasing national coverage of the show. For the first time, the Quills will also have an exclusive presence on MSNBC.com, the number one TV news site on the web, averaging 25 million unique visitors per month. In addition to being a main source for consumer voting, MSNBC.com will create and feature unique content about the Quills, which is the first awards program to honor excellence in publishing and include consumers in the voting process. Borders Books & Music® and Barnes & Noble are participating supporters.
As a 2006 Quills Literacy Initiative, the Quills Board will provide financial support to rebuild and restore Americas public libraries through its new Save the Library program. In partnership with Reed Business Informations Library Journal, The Quills Literacy Foundation will donate initial funding to the New Orleans Public Librarys Rebuild program. In addition, the Quills Foundation is committing its support to Chicagos Battle of the Books program, a school student competition based on reading.
Gerry Byrne is Chairman of The Quill Awards and Chairman of The Quills Literacy Foundation, which he founded. Building on the strength of last years Quill Awards, we have broadened our literacy initiative and will again bring well-deserved recognition to writers while interesting more people in buying and reading books, said Byrne.
The Quills are the only consumer-driven awards that acknowledge the power and importance of the written word, noted Jay Ireland, President, NBC Universal Television Stations, and were excited to create even greater awareness for the awards in year two, starting with the expansion of the television broadcast to include syndication through additional NBC affiliates. Ireland added, In addition, we welcome continued growth of the consumers role in the Quills as we significantly boost the use of our online platforms, through MSNBC.com and the NBC Television Stations websites.
We are very excited to be working closely with the NBC Universal stations and Reed Business to help bring more exposure to The Quill Awards, said Barry Wallach, President, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution. The Quills literacy initiative makes this truly a worthwhile and rewarding effort that local stations throughout the country are responding to.
Bill McGorry, Publisher of Publishers Weekly, observed, This is the kind of broad-based awards program that promotes increased interest in and demand for books, at the same time that it benefits literacy causes. It is an award that speaks to everyone who participates in the publishing industry writers, publishers, booksellers, and of course readers.
The award event will be held in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Designed to inspire reading while promoting literacy, the Quills will honor winners in more than 21 different categories, including Book of the Year, Debut Author of the Year, a Quills Corporate Literacy Award, and a new special honor, Best Book to Film. Produced by Al Roker Productions, Inc., the Quill Awards television special will be carried on the 14 NBC Universal Owned and Operated Television Stations and via syndication on Saturday, October 21, 2006.
Reed Business Information is North America’s largest business-to-business information provider, covering 23 market sectors with more than 100 market-leading publications and 75 websites, as well as a range of services. It is publisher of Publishers Weekly, Variety, Library Journal, and School Library Journal.
The NBC Universal Television Stations are owned and operated by NBC Universal, one of the worlds leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
For further information on The Quill Awards and a complete list of the book award categories, please visit www.thequills.org . Information on The Quills Literacy Foundation can be found at www.quillsliteracy.org.
