The Paley Center for Media today announced that its annual Los Angeles gala will celebrate the critical role television has played in the issue of LGBT equality over six decades, and will launch an expanded LGBT media collection chronicling the history of LGBT images in the medium. The fundraising evening will recognize television’s impact on LGBT equality and celebrate the trailblazing work by networks, studios, producers, series, and other creative talents across the media landscape which, character by character and show by show, changed America’s awareness, understanding, and perceptions, ultimately helping bring this country to the precipice of full LGBT equality. The evening is set for November 12, 2014, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and will benefit and grow the Paley Center’s public, industry, and education programs. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Hearst Corporation, Viacom & Paramount Pictures are Co-Chairs,joining a Gala Committee that includes AMC Networks, CBS/Showtime Networks, Disney/ABC Television Group, HBO, Interpublic Group, Shine America, 21st Century Fox, World of Wonder Productions, and more.
“From All in the Family, Soap, All My Children, An Early Frost, LA Law and Roseanne to Will & Grace, The Real World, Ellen, Six Feet Under, The L Word, Glee, Modern Family and dozens more, television has reshaped and redefined American identity and culture and has led to important social change,” noted Maureen Reidy, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media. “We believe this is the perfect time to celebrate television’s role in LGBT progress, including almost six decades of programming from the Paley Center’s collection that trace the evolution of this issue in the media, and to announce the expansion of our LGBT Collection.”
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who are among the creative talents who have lent their support to the Paley Center's effort and are Gala Co-Chairs, commented "congratulations to the Paley Center and congratulations to the LGBT and the progress we have made."
As part of its mission, The Paley Center for Media plays a critical role in preserving, exploring, discussing, and interpreting key issues as they are appear in media. The LGBT Collection is one of many special collections that are part of the more than 160,000 programs in the curated archives of the Paley Center in Los Angeles and New York, used by educators, scholars, media creators, and the general public. Recent notable additions to the Paley Center Collection include programs resulting from a partnership between the Paley Center, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Paley Center Trustee Emeritus Gordon Crawford that offer the first comprehensive archive of Olympic Games broadcasts. Additionally, ESPN recently donated hundreds of hours of programming, including episodes of SportsCenter, The ESPY’s and the documentary series 30 for 30.
For information about tables, tickets, or sponsorship for the November 12th gala benefit please contact Suzy Dyer at 310.786.1062 or sdyer@paleycenter.org.
