New York Festivals๏ฟฝ International Television & Film Awards® celebrated the World’s Best TV Programs & Films® at NAB in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. The Grand Jury awarded 119 Gold World Medals, 145 Silver, 104 Bronze, and 327 Finalist Certificates from entries submitted from 50 countries. The following companies were honored with Grand Awards: Done and Dusted, UK for Olympic Opening Ceremony; A&E, USA for Paul Simon’s Graceland Journey: Under African Skies; and History Channel, USA for Hatfields & McCoys.
ESPN, USA earned the title of Broadcaster of the Year for the sixth year consecutive year and was recognized with 12 Gold World Medals, 20 Silver, eight Bronze, and 22 Finalist Certificates.
The Edge Picture Company was honored with the title Production Company of the Year for the seventh year in a row. The London-based company earned two Gold World Medals, two Silver, three Bronze, and six Finalist Certificates.
New York Festivals honored Susan Zirinsky, senior executive producer of the CBS News broadcast 48 HOURS with the third annual NYF Lifetime Achievement Award. Erin Moriarty, correspondent for 48 HOURS, presented the award to Zirinksy, whose extensive journalism career has provided her with a front seat to some of the most iconic moments in TV news history.
Chris Brown, executive vice president of conventions & business operations for NAB, presented a special award celebrating the 100-year anniversary of Indian Cinema to Dr. Kamal Haasan, legendary Indian film actor, screenwriter, producer and director.
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Sony Pictures Television/ Crackle), and Fresh Guacamole By PES (Showtime) earned Gold World Medals in the Online Entertainment Program category, and “Early Cuts” from the series Dexter (Showtime), and Temps mort /Time out (Societe Radio-Canada /Productions Babel) received Silver Medals. The Dalai Lama at St Paul’s (CTN Communications/The John Templeton Foundation, Online Special Events) and Memorable Moments. The Olympics (Yahoo! Studios, Online Sport Program) were honored with Gold Medals.
CNN’s 24-hour news coverage took center stage earning a total of 7 Gold World Medals, five Silver, two Bronze and eight Finalist Certificates. The network received top honors for their Gold Medal coverage for Selling a Miracle, CNN Presents: Soldier Guinea Pigs, Syria: Inside Aleppo, CNN Series of Reports from Homs, Syria by an Anonymous Journalist/Filmmaker, Refund Robbery, Awra Damon: Homs Wounded, and “AC360: Kids on Race: The Hidden Picture.” And, Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Inside West Papua; ESPN’s Outside the Lines’ “Kyle Maynard: No Excuses,” “Monika Korra: Breaking the Silence,” and “Defiance: The Story of FC Start,” were awarded Gold Medals.
The spotlight was on Prime Time Promos with “London Calling Brand Trail” (BBC Worldwide / BBC Global News); America’s Got Talent‘s “Magnet” (NBC), and “Crimson Petal Sizzle” (Encore Starz Entertainment) taking home Gold Medals. HBO’s “Hemingway & Gellhorn Behind The Scenes Campaign,” “Boardwalk Empire S3 Campaign,” “The Newsroom Trailer #1,” and “LUCK Campaign” along with Showtime’s “Writers Room Campaign” for Weeds and “Mirrors” for The Borgias received Silver Medals.
Brooklyn Castle (Producers Distribution Agency); Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (Show of Force/PBS); Perfectly Normal (Bunim-Murray); Good Karma $1 (Kids At Play and Fearless Cottage); and A Hell of a Living (ANTENA 3); each earned Gold World Medals for their documentary work.
Each year, NYF, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information, selects entries that exemplify the aims and ideals of the United Nations, and honors them with the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) awards. Inside Story, Discovery DCEGP, USA – Society & Social Issues, and Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta, Fredbird Entertainment and Northern Pictures, Australia – Community Portraits earned Gold UNDPI Awards. Perfectly Normal, Bunim-Murray Productions, USA – Documentaries garnered a Bronze UNDPI.
NYF’s 2013 Television & Film Awards ceremony and acceptance speeches will be available for viewing on the International Television & Film Awards website. To view this year’s award winners: http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/winners/2013/ or http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/nabshow2013/mobile/ . For more information visit: www.newyorkfestivals.com.
Supreme Court Allows Multibillion-Dollar Class Action Lawsuit To Proceed Against Meta
The Supreme Court is allowing a multibillion-dollar class action investors' lawsuit to proceed against Facebook parent Meta, stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.
The justices heard arguments in November in Meta's bid to shut down the lawsuit. On Friday, they decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place.
The high court dismissed the company's appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward.
Investors allege that Meta did not fully disclose the risks that Facebook users' personal information would be misused by Cambridge Analytica, a firm that supported Donald Trump 's first successful Republican presidential campaign in 2016.
Inadequacy of the disclosures led to two significant price drops in the price of the company's shares in 2018, after the public learned about the extent of the privacy scandal, the investors say.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the company was disappointed by the court's action. "The plaintiff's claims are baseless and we will continue to defend ourselves as this case is considered by the District Court," Stone said in an emailed statement.
Meta already has paid a $5.1 billion fine and reached a $725 million privacy settlement with users.
Cambridge Analytica had ties to Trump political strategist Steve Bannon. It had paid a Facebook app developer for access to the personal information of about 87 million Facebook users. That data was then used to target U.S. voters during the 2016 campaign.
The lawsuit is one of two high court cases involving class-action lawsuits against tech companies. The justices also are wrestling with whether to shut down a class action against Nvidia.... Read More