BREAKS RECORDS FOR HISTORY™
FIRST NIGHT OF THE SPECIAL BECOMES THE NETWORK’S HIGHEST-RATED & MOST-WATCHED OF ALL TIME
New York, April 26, 2010 – The first night of AMERICA THE STORY OF US has become the highest rated, most watched special in network history, it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager, HISTORY™. The first night was watched by 5.7 million total viewers and drew a 4.0 household rating. Last night 8-11pm will go down as HISTORY's best night ever across the board.
AMERICA, THE STORY OF US - 9-11PM
HH Rating: 4.0
Total Viewers: 5.7 million
A18-49: 2.6 million
A25-54: 2.7 million
M18-49: 1.6 million
M25-54: 1.6 million
“We’re thrilled by the launch of AMERICA THE STORY OF US,” said Ms. Dubuc. “The success personifies the hunger for information and the desire to re-connect with our past. Ultimately there’s no story more dramatic and gripping than the story of America itself. We’ve tried to present this incredibly diverse narrative in a way that is engaging for people today. We’re very pleased with the response and look forward to sharing the upcoming episodes with the American public.”
AMERICA THE STORY OF US is an epic six-night television event – new episodes premiere on HISTORY™ this Sunday, 5/2 at 9pm ET and with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9pm and culminating on Memorial Day 9pm ET.
This Sunday, May 2, 9-11pm ET, AMERICA THE STORY OF US follows westward expansion in WESTWARD (9pm Eastern) and as America experiences rapid change in trade, transport and manufacturing, quickly turning America into one of the wealthiest nations on Earth there is increasing animosity between North and South in DIVISION (10pm Eastern).
In conjunction with the broadcast, HISTORY has launched its largest ever educational outreach initiative and is for the first time offering a DVD of the entire 12-hour series to every single school and accredited college in America – free of charge. The series is being presented by Bank of America® and narrated by Liev Schreiber.
AMERICA THE STORY OF US tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented, looking at the moments where Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress— from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad, the internet of its day, to triumphing over vertical space through construction of steel structured buildings. The series is also a story of conflict – with Native American peoples, slavery, the revolutionary war that birthed the nation, the Civil War that divided it and the great world war that shaped its future. This is a look at the forces that have shaped our nation - the people, places and things that created this most astounding country. It’s a tough and thrilling adventure.
In addition, back-to-back premieres of PAWN STARS in the 8pm hour averaged a 3.6 HH rating and 5.0 million total viewers, up 24% and 28%, respectively, from the Season 2 to-date average.
AMERICA THE STORY OF US is produced for HISTORY by Nutopia, a new production company started by Jane Root, former President of Discovery Channel. Prior to that Jane ran BBC2, and was a founder of the production company Wall to Wall Television. Jane Root is Executive Producer, Michael Jackson is co-Executive Producer and Ben Goold is Series Showrunner. For HISTORY, Nancy Dubuc, David McKillop and Julian P. Hobbs are Executive Producers.
HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™ are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, Battle 360, How The Earth Was Made, Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars and The Universe, as well as acclaimed specials including 102 Minutes That Changed America, 1968 with Tom Brokaw, King, Life After People, Nostradamus: 2012, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and WWII in HD. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy® Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History® campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's latest initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY web site, located at www.history.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games and more.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Press Release: Premiere Night Ratings for America The Story of US
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Press Release: America The Story of Us
HISTORY’S EPIC 6-NIGHT EVENT
THE ADVENTURE THAT BECAME A NATION
PREMIERES SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010, 9pm ET/PT
Narrated by Liev Schreiber
Full Series Offered on DVD to Every School in the USA Free of Charge
Colin Powell, Sheryl Crow, Meryl Streep, P. Diddy, Michael Douglas,
Brian Williams, Buzz Aldrin, Henry Louis Gates, Tom Brokaw, Donald Trump and many more share their thoughts about being American
Historical Consultants
Professor Daniel Walker Howe, Professor David M. Kennedy
AMERICA THE STORY OF US, an epic 6-night television event series and national educational initiative covering 400 years of American history, will premiere on HISTORY™ on Sunday, April 25, 9pm ET/PT. In conjunction with the broadcast, HISTORY will launch its largest ever educational outreach initiative and will for the first time offer a DVD of the entire 12-hour series to every single school and accredited college in America – free of charge.
Narrated by Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, A View from the Bridge), AMERICA THE STORY OF US is the most in-depth television series ever produced by HISTORY, as well as the broadest educational outreach initiative the network has ever undertaken. It is the first television event in nearly forty years to present the history of America, and the most elaborate and ambitious in the scale of its cinematic vision. This is history with roots in the physical world: wilderness, animals, weather, and the sea.
“America’s history is a journey we all share and participate in, and we are thrilled to present this adventure as it has never been experienced before,” said Nancy Dubuc, President & General Manager, HISTORY. “Viewers will see key historical turning points unfold as if they are happening right in front of their eyes. America’s story is also about the innovative ideas of people who built this country from the ground up through their own determination and ingenuity. AMERICA THE STORY OF US weaves the stories of these everyday trailblazers together to help us gain a deeper understanding of who we are as a people, and how we all contribute to the history being created today.”
Ms. Dubuc continued, “We are extremely proud of the educational backbone of this series, the biggest commitment we’ve ever made, including making the full 12-hour series available to every single school in the country on DVD. In my mind, what Eyes on the Prize was to civil rights education, AMERICA THE STORY OF US will be to U.S. history. With its innovative and fresh approach to learning about the history of our nation, we think the series will quickly become an integral part of school curriculums throughout the country.”
AMERICA THE STORY OF US tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented, looking at the moments where Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress – from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad, the Internet of its day, to triumphing over vertical space through the construction of steel-
structured buildings. The series is also a story of conflict – with Native American peoples, slavery, the Revolutionary War that birthed the nation, the Civil War that divided it and the great world war that shaped its future. This is a look at the forces that have shaped our nation – the people, places and things that created this most astounding country. It’s a tough and thrilling adventure.
Jane Root, Executive Producer of AMERICA THE STORY OF US and Founder and Chief Executive of Nutopia, said of the series, “Our goal was to create a series that will ignite viewer interest, and make history exuberant and exciting. Among the breathtaking historical events that have been portrayed are a meteor that crashes through the Appalachian Mountains 300 million years ago to create the Cumberland Gap, the British Navy’s spectacular bombardment of the New York Harbor at the dawn of the Revolutionary War, New England whalers risking their lives to kill their valuable prey, the wide open western plains teeming with massive herds of buffalo, the construction of the Statue of Liberty, and the Erie Canal and transcontinental railroad that opened up central commercial routes and connected the continent together.”
Historical events covered in AMERICA THE STORY OF US include: the arrival of the first English settlers, the Revolutionary War, westward expansion, economic growth of the North and South, the Civil War, the settling of the Great Plains, the development of modern, industrialized cities, the California Gold Rush and the western frontier, the Great Depression and the Second World War.
Special consultants on AMERICA THE STORY OF US include Professors Daniel Walker Howe and David M. Kennedy. In addition, a chorus of notable Americans will speak from the heart, reflecting on our country and what it means to be an American. They include: Brian Williams, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Buzz Aldrin, Colin Powell, Sheryl Crow, Soledad O’Brien, David Baldacci, Meryl Streep, Donald Trump, Michael Douglas, and many more.
AMERICA THE STORY OF US is produced for HISTORY by Nutopia, a new production company started by Jane Root, former President of Discovery Channel. Prior to that Jane ran BBC2, and was a founder of the production company Wall to Wall Television. Jane Root is Executive Producer, Michael Jackson is co-Executive Producer and Ben Goold is Series Showrunner. For HISTORY, Nancy Dubuc, David McKillop and Julian P. Hobbs are Executive Producers.
Source: Electric Artists
A Change in Scenery - America: The Story of Us
Beverly Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA A public art event by ArtLumiere has transformed the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles, CA, celebrating America's past and promoting AMERICA THE STORY OF US, an epic 12-hour television event and national educational initiative covering 400 years of American history, which will premiere on HISTORY(TM) on Sunday, April 25, 9PM ET/PT with new episodes airing on Sundays through Memorial Day.
Photo courtesey Image.Net. Copyright 2010: Kevin Parry/ Getty Images for A&E TV via image.net.
During the week leading up to the series premiere of America: The Story of Us, several landmark buildings will be transformed into scenes from America's past.
The Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons' Hotel (Wilshire Blvd. & Rodeo Dr.), at the main concourse of NYC's famed Grand Central Terminal, and Washington D.C.’s historic Union Station will feature such scenes as a log cabin, a modern city-scape, a glass-paneled palace, or buffalo roaming around the Great Plains.
The "light shows" at these locations begins Monday, April 19 and continues through Sunday, April 25.
The historical images were hand painted by ArtLumiere and created to fit the exact contours of Grand Central Terminal, and are so vibrant and clear that they give the impression the main concourse has been painted. The highly-advanced projection technology used to create the effect was invented and used exclusively by ArtLumiere, a New York-based company created by French-born artist Lucette de Rugy.
America: The Story of Us premieres April 25 at 9:00PM ET on The History Channel, and continues through Memorial Day.
Source: Image.net.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
America: The Story of Us Trailer
Source: Electric Artists
History Channel and America: The Story of Us Foursquare Contest
Featured Cities Include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, Austin, Denver, Phoenix, Detroit and Minneapolis
Randomly Selected Users Will Win AMERICA THE STORY OF US Prize Package
AMERICA THE STORY OF US PREMIERES on SUNDAY, APRIL 25 at 9:00 PM ET on HISTORY
New York, April 14, 2010 – Across the country, users of foursquare, the popular location-based social media platform for mobile phones, will be “checking in” to sites associated with American history in their local communities with the April 19 launch of the America The Story of Us Sweepstakes on foursquare. The promotion was created through a partnership between foursquare and HISTORY channel in conjunction with the network’s upcoming premiere of AMERICA THE STORY OF US, an epic 12-hour television event and education initiative that tells the tough and thrilling adventure that is America's 400-year history. The series debuts on Sunday, April 25 at 9pm ET on HISTORY.
Those interested in participating can download the foursquare application on their mobile device and or follow HISTORY at: www.foursquare.com/historychannel
Upon checking-in to select locations, users will receive a “Fun Fact Pop Up” with interesting information about the location by HISTORY. For example: users in New York who check in to St. Paul’s Chapel will discover George Washington worshipped there on his Inauguration in 1789 and users in Los Angeles who check in at the Cinerama Dome will find out it opened in 1963 with the premiere of 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' and that it’s the world’s only concrete geodesic dome. Users are also encouraged to leave their own comments about the sites for others to discover.
"Teaming up with foursquare for the AMERICA THE STORY OF US promotion reinforces the HISTORY brand's 360 degree approach of aggressively reaching our viewers in new platforms," says Chris Moseley, SVP of Marketing for HISTORY. "The connection to AMERICA THE STORY OF US is a perfect fit as it will allow users of foursquare to discover the history in their own cities as well as leave historical tips for others to experience."
Ten randomly selected foursquare users will win HISTORY prizes each week from April 25-June 6. Winners will receive a History sports bag filled with prizes such as a Classic 1935 Monopoly Game, portable cooler, grilling tools, picnic set, and more.
Narrated by Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, A View from the Bridge), AMERICA THE STORY OF US is the most in-depth television series ever produced by HISTORY, as well as the broadest educational outreach initiative the network has ever undertaken. It is the first television event in nearly forty years to present the history of America, and the most elaborate and ambitious in the scale of its cinematic vision.
Source: Electric Artists
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Facts about Ida, Subject of History Channel's The Link
The recent discovery of a primate fossil that could be the earliest transitional species in human evolution may be a revolutionary find. Named "Ida," the specimen is 47 million years old, which is 20 times older than most other remains found so far. HistoryR explains that Ida displays, "....characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line (prosimians, such as lemurs), but she is more related to the human evolutionary line (anthropoids, such as monkeys, apes and humans). This places Ida at the very root of anthropoid evolution — when primates were first developing the features that would evolve into our own." The findings were published by PLoS One, the source journal of the Public Library of Science.
The History ChannelR will air "The Link" on Monday, May 25, 9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT. Thanks to Ally Bank, the television special will air with limited commercial interruptions. The documentary is produced by Atlantic Productions.
The fossil is nearly 95% complete. Scientists have been conducting secret forensic analyses for almost two years. "This specimen is like finding the lost ark for archaeologists," said Dr. Jørn Hurum of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum. "This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years."
Ida is a European fossil, which immediately sets it apart from other primate fossils, such as Lucy, found in Africa's Cradle of Mankind. The recent find was discovered in Germany's Messel Pit, a mile-wide crater featuring oil-rich shale that has become "...a significant site for fossils of the Eocene period."
The fossil's opposable bit toes with nails in place of claws confirmed that Ida was a primate. She is about three-feet long with a soft body. Her age at death is estimated to be nine months. The fossil is so complete that her last meal is preserved - fruits, seeds, and leaves. X-rays show both baby and adult teeth, but a lack of a toothcomb or toilet claw, which are found in lemurs. What links Ida to humans is ankle! Although smaller in size, the talus bone is the same shape as ours.
While attending a fossil fair in Hamburg, Germany, Dr. Hurum heard about a unique fossil. He arranged a private meeting with the fossil dealer. After viewing the fossil and confirming its authenticity, Hurum was able to raise the funds to purchase it for the University of Oslo Natural History Museum. He then carefully selected a "dream team" of experts to "...decode the fossil." Among the scientists working on the project are:
"1. Dr. Holly Smith, top U.S. dental anthropologist, University of Michigan: 'In terms of a complete skeleton, it's hard to think of anything else in primate evolution that's as complete as this fossil. It's certainly the most beautiful fossil primate I've ever seen.'
"2. Dr. Jens Franzen, German fossil and Messel Pit expert, Senckenberg Research Institute: 'This is by far the most complete fossil primate ever found in the world. When the results of our investigations are published this will be just like an asteroid hitting the earth.'
"3. Prof. Philip Gingerich, leading U.S. primate specialist, University of Michigan: 'It's really a kind of Rosetta Stone because it ties together parts we haven’t been able to associate before.'
"4. Dr Jörg Habersetzer, German fossil expert and radiologist, Senckenberg Research Institute: 'This fossil rewrites our understanding of the evolution of primates.'"
If you would like to see Ida in person, a cast of the fossil is on display in the Extreme Mammals exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Closeup of Ida
News Conference For The Global Unveiling Of "Ida"
NEW YORK - MAY 19: (L-R) Dr. Holly Smith, Dr. Jorn Hurum and Dr. Jens Franzen speak at the news conference for the global unveiling of "Ida," hosted by HISTORY, the University of Oslo and the Senckenberg Research Institute at the American Museum of Natural History on May 19, 2009 in New York City. "Ida" is a landmark 47 million-year-old primate fossil and subject of the History Channel special, The Link. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/image.net)
Images of the Primate Fossil Ida
News Conference For The Global Unveiling Of "Ida"
NEW YORK - MAY 19: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg attends the global unveiling of "Ida," hosted by HISTORY, the University of Oslo and the Senckenberg Research Institute at the American Museum of Natural History on May 19, 2009 in New York City. "Ida" is a landmark 47 million-year-old primate fossil and subject of the History Channel special, The Link. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/image.net)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Missing Link?
May 20, 2010
HISTORY SPECIAL DOCUMENTING DISCOVERY TO AIR MAY 25 AT 9PM ET/PT
HISTORY CHANNEL™, THE UNIVERSITY OF OSLO AND THE SENCKENBERG RESEARCH INSTITUTE REVEAL LANDMARK SCIENTIFIC FIND
47 Million Year Old Primate Fossil Set to Revolutionize Understanding of Human Evolution
HISTORY, together with the University of Oslo and the Senckenberg Research Institute, today reveal a landmark scientific find: the 47 million year old fossilized remains of a primate. The most complete fossil primate ever found, the young female specimen — known as "Ida" — is set to revolutionize our understanding of human evolution. Twenty times older than most fossils that explain human evolution, "Ida" is a transitional species showing characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line (prosimians, such as lemurs), but she is more related to the human evolutionary line (anthropoids, such as monkeys, apes and humans). This places Ida at the very root of anthropoid evolution — when primates were first developing the features that would evolve into our own. The scientists' findings are published today by PLoS One, the open source journal of the Public Library of Science.
The find is lauded as the most important scientific discovery of recent times. HISTORY will premiere the major television special —"THE LINK"— chronicling the discovery and study of the fossil. The two-hour program, produced by London-based Atlantic Productions, will air on HISTORY on Monday, May 25 at 9pm ET/PT. "THE LINK" is presented with limited commercials made possible by Ally Bank.
Source: Image Net.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Predator X Photos
A scientist gives us a perspective of the size of the jaws of Predator X.
Paleontologists believe Predator X's flippers would have looked like this.
An idea of how the fins of Predator X would look if it were still alive.
History Channel premieres "Predator X," Sunday, March 29, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.
For more about History Channel's "Predator X" special, check out the minisite. There is a discussion board, previews, and a bio of Jørn Harald Hurum, the scientist behind the expedition.
Check out History Daily on Twitter.
All photos are (c) 2009 The History Channel. All rights reserved.
Monster of the Arctic
You've heard about the remarkable find by University of Oslo Natural History Museum paleontologists of a monstrous prehistoric creature, aptly named "Predator X." Said to make a T-Rex "look like a puppy," the find has captured the world's attention.
Sunday, March 29, The History Channel will broadcast a two-hour special from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET that follows the research from the earliest stages when researchers assessed the area where the dig occurred. Predator X was found on the archipelago of Svalbard which is 800 miles from the North Pole. It might not be simply the finding of a huge new creature, but an entirely new species from the era of dinosaurs.
Such a discovery impacts our knowledge of evolution and the life before our own age, creating a better understanding of the world as we know it. No doubt, it will also inspire a fair share of horror movies and sci-fi TV episodes.
For more about History Channel's "Predator X" special, check out the minisite. There is a discussion board, previews, and a bio of Jørn Harald Hurum, the scientist behind the expedition.
Check out History Daily on Twitter.