CBS News Anchor Russ Mitchell to Host the 2008 Mid-America Emmy(R) Awards Presented by Lumiere Place

CBS News Anchor Russ Mitchell to Host the 2008 Mid-America Emmy(R) Awards Presented by Lumiere Place

Gala set for October 4, 2008, in the Grand Ballroom at the Four Seasons St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced today that CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell will host the 32nd Annual Emmy(R) Awards Gala presented by Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels. The Gala will be held for the first time in the Grand Ballroom of the new Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis.

"We are honored to have a respected television journalist of Russ Mitchell's caliber to host this year's Gala," said NATAS Mid-America Chapter President and KETC Senior Producer Jim Kirchherr. "Russ is a two-time Emmy(R) award winner himself. He is a St. Louis native who worked his way up at stations in St. Louis and Kansas City to become a trusted network news anchor."

Mitchell is the anchor of the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News, as well as news anchor of The Early Show weekday mornings on CBS. Mitchell is also a correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, and is a substitute anchor for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

CBS News President Sean McManus has called Russ Mitchell "one of the most versatile anchors" at CBS News. Mitchell previously served as a CBS News correspondent from New York and Washington who covered the 1996 presidential race and contributed to the CBS Evening News during the 1996 Republican National Convention.

"I'm excited to come back to St. Louis to host the 2008 Mid-America Emmy(R) Awards," said Mitchell. "My time at KTVI and KMOV in St. Louis and at KMBC in Kansas City helped prepare me to become a national correspondent and network anchor. I have fond memories of the Midwest and I'm honored to be chosen to host the Emmys."

The 2008 Mid-America Emmy(R) Awards presented by Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels will be held Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. Cocktails will be served from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the adjacent 6th floor terrace overlooking the Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis. Dinner and the awards ceremony will follow in the ballroom.

The black-tie affair is open to the public. Tickets are available online at http://www.emmymid-america.org/ or by calling (314) 647-EMMY (3669).

The Mid-America chapter was chartered in 1962 and began honoring outstanding achievement in this region with local Emmy Awards in 1976. The Mid-America chapter includes the television markets primarily in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois and surrounding DMAs: St. Louis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Springfield (MO), St. Joseph, Columbia-Jefferson City, Joplin-Pittsburg, Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk, Ottumwa-Kirksville, Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg, Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Fort Smith-Fayettville-Springdale-Rogers, Jonesboro, Monroe-Eldorado and Shreveport (LA).

About NATAS Mid-America Chapter:

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Award. For more information visit http://www.emmymid-america.org/ .

                        Media Inquiries    At NATAS Mid-America:             At The Vandiver Group:    Jim Kirchherr                     Andy Likes    President                         Senior Team Leader    (314) 512-9000                    (314) 606-1878 (cell)  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

CONTACT: Jim Kirchherr, President of NATAS Mid-America, +1-314-512-9000;
or Andy Likes, Senior Team Leader of The Vandiver Group, cell,
+1-314-606-1878, for NATAS Mid-America

Web site: http://www.emmymid-america.org/

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