USA Network

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 9:50am on Friday, February 5th, 2010

USA Network Announces Second Annual Character Approved Awards

New York, February 5, 2010 -- USA Network announced today the ten honorees for the second annual Character Approved Awards, a multimedia campaign honoring individuals who are changing the face of American culture. Inspired by USA's Characters Welcome brand, the initiative is dedicated to celebrating the true trailblazers across a variety of disciplines such as art, philanthropy, new media and film.

"Character Approved is a celebration of the real Characters making an impact on our culture today," said Chris McCumber, USA executive vice president, marketing, digital and brand strategy. "Our honorees are all at the top of their game, and we're thrilled to shine a light on their unique accomplishments."

Character Approved honorees are innovators in their field who are influencing our opinions, our style and our view of the world. They surprise us and inspire us with fresh ideas. They are celebrated by their peers and have an authentic style. USA recognizes these ten individuals for their cultural impact, legacy and persona with the hallmark of recognition, the USA Network "seal of approval." :

-- Green Day, Grammy Award-winning rock band (Music)
-- Kathryn Bigelow, Academy Award-nominated film director, "The Hurt Locker" (Film/TV)
-- Nora Ephron, best-selling novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright (Writing)
-- Narciso Rodriguez, multiple award-winning American fashion designer (Fashion)
-- Angela Brooks, groundbreaking sustainable architect, principal of Pugh + Scarpa Architects (Architecture)
-- Kehinde Wiley, revolutionary urban arts painter (Art)
-- Yves Behar, innovative industrial designer of the Jawbone Bluetooth headset and the $100 XO laptop (Design)
-- Dan Barber, renowned restaurateur, Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture (Food)
-- Jessica Jackley, social entrepreneur and microfinancier, co-founder Kiva.org (Giving)
-- Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, game creators of Guitar Hero and Rock Band (New Media/Technology)

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 9:27am on Monday, February 1st, 2010

USA Network & Westminster Present Annual Dog Show

New York (January 29, 2010) -- USA Network announced today that MSNBC's Tamron Hall will replace Mario Lopez as the co-host of the 134th "Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show," presented by Pedigree. Hall will be co-hosting the event with David Frei in his 21st consecutive year with the show. Also joining the team again this year will be NBC Sports' Tiffany Simons as a sideline reporter.

This year also introduces three newly recognized breeds to the main event. The Irish Red and White Setter joins the Sporting Group; the Norwegian Buhund and the Pyrenean Shepherd debut in the Herding Group. Despite its name, the Irish Red and White Setter is a distinct breed, not just a different colored version of the Irish Setter. Bred primarily for the field, they are strong, powerful and athletic, with a keen and intelligent attitude. Once the cherished companion of Vikings, the Norwegian Buhund is a versatile farm dog from Norway that herds livestock, guards property and has been used for hunting game. The Pyrenean Shepherd is also known by its French name, Berger des Pyrenees, but fanciers of the breed in America often shorten his name to "Pyr shep."

The highest breed entered this year came from the Australian Shepherds with 44; other large entries include Rhodesian Ridgebacks (43), Labrador Retrievers (42), Golden Retrievers (40), Pugs (36), French Bulldogs (36) and German Shorthaired Pointers (36).

The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all breed, benched dog show held every year at New York's Madison Square Garden. The show is America's second longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby. For additional information, log on to www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 12:37pm on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

USA Network Tops Cable Growth, The Hollywood Reporter reported on December 28, 2009:

"Not only was USA the most-watched cable network this year, the channel grew its total primetime audience by 15% -- more than any of its top competitors. USA's drama series hit factory grew along with "True Blood"-fueled pay network HBO (+41%), and BET (+23%), the latter boosted by its coverage of Michael Jackson's death. Food Network (+26%) cooked up a good year, "Jon & Kate" helped TLC (+18%) and sophomore hit "Sons of Anarchy" aided FX (+10%).

On the downside, CNN (-30%) fell more than any other cable network. Lifetime, despite gaining sampling with "Project Runway," dropped sharply (-20%), as did competitor Hallmark (-18%). Several MTV Networks brands slumped, with SpikeTV (-18%), Comedy Central (-10%) and MTV (-10%) down."

The full story:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i5b1f69da4015d79c118004f6e2c99404

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 5:02pm on Friday, November 20th, 2009

World Wrestling Entertainment and USA Network announced a four-year renewal agreement that will keep WWE Monday Night Raw on the network through fall 2014. The announcement was made on November 16, 2009.

WWE Monday Night Raw has been a cable mainstay for more than 16 years.

"I couldn't be happier about continuing one of the most successful collaborations in television history," said Bonnie Hammer, President, NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and Universal Cable Productions. "Vince McMahon and his entire team are an invaluable part of the USA family."

"USA Network is a true partner and not just a network that distributes WWE's premiere television show, WWE Monday Night Raw," said Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. "I am thrilled to have a long term deal with USA Network."

In recent months, WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW has featured celebrity guest hosts from the worlds of TV, movies, sports and music including Shaquille O'Neal, Jeremy Piven, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Barker, Snoop Dogg, Ben Roethlisberger, Rev. Al Sharpton and many more.

WWE Monday Night Raw is currently averaging 5.5 million total viewers on USA Network.