NON-PROFIT HONORS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOR SUPPORTING GIRLS' RIGHTS

NON-PROFIT HONORS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOR SUPPORTING GIRLS' RIGHTS
Girls Incorporated honors top entertainment executives at Beverly Hills Luncheon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2000

BEVERLY HILLS, CA- November 15, 2000 -Growing up in the blue-collar community of Pennyllyn, Pennsylvania, Dolores Robinson knew making her childhood dreams a reality would be harder for her than for the boys she grew up with.

"Doing what we as women want to do, accomplishing what we want to accomplish and not negating who we are is so vital," says Robinson.

Nearly 26 years later, Robinson has persevered to become one of the most influential and successful managers in Hollywood. Next week, with her daughter, actress Holly Robinson Peete, watching from a crowd of top entertainment executives, Robinson will be among those honored by Girls Incorporated, for inspiring girls to be strong, smart and boldSM enough to turn their dreams into reality.

Robinson is one of several top entertainment executives being honored by Girls Inc. at a November 15 Beverly Hills luncheon for supporting women's leadership within Hollywood and creating inspiring female characters in various television and film productions.

"We at Girls Incorporated have always understood the important role the entertainment community plays in shaping the aspirations of young women," says Girls Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, Joyce Roch'. "This is our way of recognizing those in the entertainment industry that understand the far-reaching impact they can have on young women by creating realistic, strong and empowered female characters."

This is the 5th annual Celebration Luncheon being hosted by the organization to honor entertainment executives and companies who affirm girls' rights by creating images of strong, smart, and boldSM women and girls.

"Young actresses are expected to play extremes of really bright, really pretty, or really evil," says Tom Lynch, founder of the Tom Lynch Company, who is being honored for creating acclaimed children's shows like "Caitlin's Way" and "The Secret World of Alex Mack." "We (humans) all have a dark side, a lightness, a simplicity'all of the characters in our shows get to be funny, feel attractive, feel ugly - all parts of the human experience."

Girls Inc. is also honoring Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC, with its Corporate Vision Award, for supporting women's executive leadership within the entertainment industry. Rainbow's President & CEO, Joshua Sapan attributes the company's wide-reaching success to the many women who hold senior level positions within the organization, they include: Kathleen Dore, President of Bravo Networks, Andrea Greenberg, Executive Vice President of Rainbow Sports; Kate McEnroe, President of American Movie Classics Networks; and Nora Ryan, General Manager of MuchMusic USA.

"I do think in some substantial part, the prominence of women in this organization has lent a specific character to the way that it functions. . . we are concerned with the work more than the posture and are genuinely prideful and less vain," Sapan said.

Karey Burke, Executive Vice President of Primetime Series Development for NBC Entertainment, is also among those being honored for her work on hit sitcoms like "Will and Grace" and the drama "Providence."

Burke, who oversees the development of all half-hour and hour comedy and drama series says she wants "audiences to be inspired by the women in her shows." She adds, "to me, making shows is a gift and a responsibility."

Girls Inc. is honoring Lauren Shuler Donner, the Donners' Company, who strives to put leading women in strong and stirring roles. Shuler Donner consistently challenges the status quo, with her early movies like Ladyhawke, Mr. Mom, and Pretty in Pink and in her more recent films Dave, Bulworth and XMEN. Through her movies, Shuler Donner says, she gets to "make sure that my female characters are active rather than reactive, well-rounded, not clich', and not victims."

The event will be co-chaired by:

-Anne Sweeney, President, ABC Cable Networks Group & Disney Channel Worldwide
-Alfre Woodard, Actress
-Herb Scannell, President, Nickelodeon
-Debbie Liebling, Senior Vice President Original Programming & Development, Comedy Central
-Cristina Fuentes, American Express Financial Advisors

Preceding the luncheon, girls from Girls Inc. Southern California affiliates will have the unique opportunity to speak directly to and share ideas with the people who create the television programs that affect their lives. They will present treatments for television shows and movies they created based on the Girls Inc. Girls' Bill of Rights to entertainment executives.