The Hollywood Radio & Television Society Joins AARP and Divided We Fail Initiative With Entertainment Industry Foundation and Motion Picture and Television Fund

The Hollywood Radio & Television Society Joins AARP and Divided We Fail Initiative With Entertainment Industry Foundation and Motion Picture and Television Fund

SALLY FIELD, JEFFREY KATZENBERG, NEAL BAER, LEEZA GIBBONS, D.L. HUGHLEY, BILL LAWRENCE, JOHN WELLS AND OTHERS EXPLORE WAYS TO ENGAGE HOLLYWOOD TO KEEP HEALTH CARE AND FINANCIAL SECURITY AT TOP OF DOMESTIC AGENDA

HRTS Presents It's Time To Rewrite The Story: Just Don't Get Sick! At Luncheon On May 29th at Beverly Hilton Hotel

LOS ANGELES, May 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Hollywood Radio & Television Society (HRTS) has joined Divided We Fail -- led by AARP -- along with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) to keep national attention on the two domestic issues that worry Americans most: health care and financial security, it was announced today by Chris Silbermann, President of HRTS.

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The upcoming HRTS luncheon on May 29 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel will bring together entertainment industry leaders from all parts of the business to learn more about Divided We Fail and engage them to join this important effort that seeks solutions to America's broken health care system.

At the luncheon, MPTF's Foundation Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg will highlight why MPTF and EIF have teamed up with the nation's largest advocacy group on this initiative and how Hollywood can play a pivotal role in building a national conversation around these issues. Academy Award-winning Actor Sally Field, as the keynote, will share real life stories and statistics about spiraling health care costs, and reinforce that the entertainment community is uniquely suited to play a critical role in communicating the urgent need for quality health care for all. The program will also include a panel discussion led by Actor/Producer Leeza Gibbons and will include Executive Producer Neal Baer, Actor/Comedian D.L. Hughley, Executive Producer Bill Lawrence, Executive Producer John Wells and AARP's Executive Vice President of Social Impact Nancy LeaMond, to explore ways directors, producers, screen writers, actors and others in the industry can get involved.

"Hollywood can make a major contribution to Divided We Fail by calling attention to these problems and helping galvanize the public into taking action, which is a key first step in solving them," said Katzenberg. "We are very grateful to HRTS for providing a premier networking forum to keep this dialogue moving forward."

"Our nation is at a critical crossroads -- a time when tens of millions of Americans lack any health insurance and are lacking the financial security needed to make ends meet," said Bill Novelli, Chief Executive Officer of AARP. "The entertainment industry is uniquely positioned to help with Divided We Fail as their words and ideas are watched by millions of people -- all potential voices for change. By working together to make everyone aware of the urgent need to take action, we can help ensure these challenges are successfully addressed."

"HRTS prides itself on being able to provide information and promote dialogue on issues important to the ongoing success of our members," said Silbermann. "We recognize that the issue of health and financial security is potentially the most important concern facing us as individuals and as a society. HRTS is proud that EIF and MPTF with AARP have chosen our organization to play a lead part in tipping this national discussion."

In November 2008, EIF and MPTF announced a three-year commitment collaboration to support Divided We Fail . Jointly they released a broadcast public service announcement (PSA) directed by Goldwyn with music composed by Philip Glass. The PSA features a diverse lineup of celebrities including: Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, Dakota Fanning, Morgan Freeman, Eva Mendes, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Piven and Reese Witherspoon. This HRTS event is the next step in the group's effort to call attention to the need for affordable, quality health care for all Americans.

AARP, Business Roundtable, the Service Employees International Union and the National Federation of Independent Business are leading Divided We Fail, an initiative to give voice to millions of Americans who are tired of letting Washington gridlock stand in the way of affordable, quality health care and long-term financial security -- the most pressing domestic issues facing our nation. Common sense solutions are needed, and everyone -- individuals, businesses and government -- has a role and a responsibility in ensuring health and financial security for all.

EIF and MPTF have long histories of working in the health care arena. EIF, which was founded in 1942 by Samuel Goldwyn, runs national initiatives to increase awareness of critical health care issues and raises millions of dollars for medical research. The 86 year-old MPTF is a major provider of health and human services for entertainment community members.

About HRTS

The HRTS is the entertainment industry's premiere networking and information forum. HRTS membership is comprised of leading executives from the networks, stations, studios, production companies, advertisers, ad agencies, cable companies, media companies, legal firms, publicity agencies, talent and management agencies, performers, services, suppliers and allied fields.

The HRTS is proud to be the only forum able to gather key decision makers from the entire industry under one roof, multiple times per year to network and address topics important to the ongoing success of our business. The HRTS is committed to promoting and facilitating higher standards of professionalism and community amongst the leaders in the entertainment field.

About EIF

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, harnesses the collective power of the entertainment industry and channels its unique assets to raise awareness and funds for critical health, educational and social issues. Some of EIF's national health initiatives have made significant contributions to "fast-tracking" important medical discoveries. Funds raised through EIF's Women's Cancer Programs, for example, helped accelerate work on the breast cancer drug Herceptin(R), approved by the FDA years ahead of schedule. EIF's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) provides funding to leading researchers who are making important breakthroughs in the effort to knock this disease from its position as the country's #2 cancer killer, and conducts public awareness campaigns encouraging people to get screened.

About MPTF

The Motion Picture & Television Fund, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Woodland Hills, CA, was founded in 1921 to provide "relief" for those in the film industry who had fallen on hard times. Today, MPTF is a major service provider to the entertainment community, providing health care, childcare, retirement living, and social/charitable services with compassion and respect for the dignity of the whole person.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, http://www.aarp.org/. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Source: AARP

CONTACT: Pam Golum or Lauren Kelcher of The Lippin Group,
+1-323-965-1990; Danielle Holland of AARP, +1-202-434-2597; Judi Ketcik of the
Entertainment Industry Foundation, +1-213-240-3920; or Kelly Gunther of the
Motion Picture & Television Fund, +1-516-626-6287

Web Site: http://www.aarp.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment