MSN Video and Tina Marie TV Will Offer Interviews From NAACP Image Awards

MSN Video and Tina Marie TV Will Offer Interviews From NAACP Image Awards

Interviews With Celebrities Will Be Available Free on MSN Video Beginning Tuesday, March 22

REDMOND, Wash. and LOS ANGELES, March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MSN and production company Tina Marie TV today announced they are teaming up to offer content from the 36th annual NAACP Image Awards free on MSN(R) Video (http://msnvideo.com/ ).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

The NAACP Image Awards, taped March 19 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, celebrate the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in literature, television, motion pictures and the performing arts. This year's top nominees include Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, Damon Wayans, Dave Chappelle, Usher and Kanye West. The NAACP Image Awards will honor Oprah Winfrey, who will receive the Hall of Fame Award; Prince, who will receive the Vanguard Award; and Barack Obama, who will receive the Chairman's Award.

MSN Video will have interviews with award nominees and winners, all hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Tina Marie. The content will appear on MSN Video beginning March 22. Each day leading up to broadcast of the event, MSN Video will launch a new interview with an NAACP Image Award nominee. The NAACP Image Awards will air on FOX TV March 25 at 8 p.m. EST/PST.

The unique MSN Video content will appear on MSN Video each day:

-- Tuesday, March 22, Kerry Washington, "Ray" -- Wednesday, March 23, Monique, "The Parkers" -- Thursday, March 24, Hill Harper, "CSI: NY" -- Friday, March 25, Gary Dourdan, "CSI" -- Saturday, March 26, highlights from the NAACP Image Awards

"We're thrilled to be a part of the excitement leading up to the NAACP Image Awards by bringing these interviews to MSN Video," said Rob Bennett, senior director of MSN Entertainment at Microsoft Corp. "These interviews capture some of the enthusiasm surrounding this awards ceremony saluting people of color who have made amazing contributions in the arts."

"As a woman-owned, minority-focused production company, we're pleased to work with MSN to bring the amazing achievements of minority artists and entertainers to a larger audience by making unique video content from the NAACP Image Awards available online," said Tina Marie Tyler, president and CEO of Tina Marie Tyler Television & Media LLC.

MSN Video, which launched in January 2004, serves more than 60 million consumers streaming video or audio each month. The advertising-supported service is free to users and includes streaming video from NBC News, the Discovery Communications Inc. network and HGTV, as well as music videos from dozens of top artists.

About NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards celebrate the achievements and performances of people of color in the arts as well as individuals and groups who promote social justice. The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. http://www.naacpimageawards.net/ .

About Tina Marie TV

Tina Marie TV is a division of Tina Marie Tyler Television & Media, LLC, an independent production company. TMT celebrates the perseverance and frailty of the human condition. Through powerful and emotional celebrity testimonies, Tina Marie TV is a vehicle through which the viewer is educated, enlightened, and empowered. Tina Marie creates a warm environment and asks the human questions. When Tina Marie asks, we all care. Tina Marie TV is located on the web at www.tinamarietv.com.

About MSN

MSN attracts more than 380 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 40 markets and 20 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering Web services to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. The most useful and innovative online service today, MSN brings consumers everything they need from the Web to make the most of their time online. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com/. MSN worldwide sites are located at http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: press only, Kirsten Wrolstad, +1-503-443-7000, or kirstenw@wagged.com, or Rapid Response Team, +1-503-443-7070, or rrt@wagged.com, both of Waggener Edstrom, for Microsoft; or TJ Willhight of Tina Marie TV, +1-310-854-4292, or twillhight@tinamarietv.com

Web site: http://www.naacpimageawards.net/

Web site: http://www.tinamarietv.com/

Web site: http://msnvideo.com/

Web site: http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx

Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft(R) Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .

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