JORDAN AND ARGENTINA WIN FIRST INTERNATIONAL EMMYS AT THE 36th INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARDS GALA Jordan Honored for Telenovela, Argentina Honored for TV Movie / Mini-Series UK Wins in Seven Categories including Best Performance by an Actor & Best Performance by an Actress NEW YORK, November 24, 2008 The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 36th International Emmy Awards tonight at a Gala event held in the New York Hilton, hosted by award-winning stage and screen actor Roger Bart, currently leading in Mel Brooks new Broadway musical, Young Frankenstein. A cast of international celebrities including Sam Waterston, Judith Light, Kelly Rutherford, John Waters, Paul Blackthorne, Willie Garson, Andrea Roth, Lance Reddick, Dann Florek, Linus Roache, Michaela McManus, Heather Tom and U.S. Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, presented the International Emmy statue to the winners in front of an international audience of 1,000 entertainment professionals and media executives. This year, Argentina and Jordan made history taking home their first ever International Emmy Awards. Argentina won for Television Por La Identidad in the TV Movie/Mini Series category and Jordan won for its Telenovela Al-Igtiyah in the category’s inaugural year. The Netherlands won in the Non-Scripted Entertainment category with The Big Donor Show, a pretend reality show staged as though a terminally ill woman were to donate a kidney to one of three contestants. Best Performance by an Actor went to David Suchet winning for his performance as Robert Maxwell in the biography series Maxwell. Best Performance by an Actress was won by British actress Lucy Cohu for her performance as Liz in the drama series Forgiven. Other than the performance categories, British programs also won in the Arts Programming, Children & Young People, Comedy, Documentary and Drama Series categories. We would like to extend our congratulations to this year’s winners. They help us fulfill The International Academy’s mission to recognize those who have made an impact in television on a global level, said Academy President & CEO Bruce Paisner, also President of Hearst Entertainment. Law & Order Creator and Executive Producer, Dick Wolf, one of television’s most prolific writers and producers, and architect of the Law & Order brand, was honored with the International Emmy Founders Award for his creative achievements and international success. Cast members from all three Law & Order dramas took the stage to present him with the award. The Directorate Award was presented to Liu Changle, Chairman and Chief executive officer of Phoenix Satellite Television by U.S. Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao for being the catalyst behind the wide ranging success of a global multimedia empire broadcasting in over 150 countries. Dick Wolf started his television career as a staff writer on Hill Street Blues and was nominated for his first Emmy for an episode on which he was the only writer. He moved from there to Miami Vice where he was a supervising producer. Wolf’s Law & Order is the second-longest-running dramatic show in television history. The show has been nominated for the most consecutive Emmy Awards of any primetime drama series. Wolf serves as creator and executive producer of the three current Law & Order dramas. Wolf’s company also produced Twin Towers, the 2003 Academy Award-winning Short Documentary. Currently Wolf is involved with the production of a theatrical film that will document the rock group The Doors. In 2007, Wolf received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Liu Changle, born in Shanghai, China graduated from the Communication University of China in 1980. After graduation, he joined the Central People’s Radio Station and served in various positions from journalist, editor, and commentator to senior management executive. In 1989, Liu launched his own business venture which has activities in the petroleum, real estate, trading, infrastructure, broadcasting and publishing sectors in China and internationally. On March 31, 1996, Mr. Liu’s Today’s Asia Ltd. teamed up with Rupert Murdoch’s Star TV and China Wise International to establish the Phoenix Satellite Television Co Ltd. He serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ever since then. Phoenix went public in 2000 and is listed on the Hong Kong Growth Enterprise Market, and since its launch, it has rapidly expanded from a single general entertainment channel to an integrated multi-media group with five television channels broadcasting in Mandarin Chinese and covering over 150 countries around the world. About the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Founded in 1969, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is the largest organization of global broadcasters, with over 600 members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television programming produced outside of the United States, and it presents the International Emmy Award to programs in fifteen categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Children & Young People; Comedy; Current Affairs; Documentary; Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; Digital Program: Non-Fiction; Drama Series; News; Non-Scripted Entertainment; Telenovela and TV Movie/Mini-Series. The Academy is a unique, independent organization comprised of the world’s leading media and entertainment professionals and media leaders who come together to exchange ideas, discuss common issues and promote new strategies for the future development of quality global television programming. The International Emmy World Television Festival held Saturday and Sunday, November 22 and 23 featured unique screenings, panels and presentations from around the world. More information can be found online at http://www.iemmys.tv .
