2012 NEW YORK TELEVISION FESTIVAL WILL OPEN WITH RED-CARPET WORLD PREMIERE OF THE CW'S "THE CARRIE DIARIES"

Annual indie television showcase event line-up includes final season send-off for MTV's JERSEY SHORE, a salute to FOX comedy, and the return of the Festival-favorite Late Night Writers panel with an eye toward the 2012 Presidential election

Independent artists to be honored on Saturday, October 27, at NYTVF Awards

[NEW YORK, NY, September 27, 2012] - The NYTVF today announced the schedule highlights of its eighth annual New York Television Festival, including primetime events from The CW, MTV, FOX, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). The Festival's opening night event on October 22 will feature the world premiere screening of The CW's hotly anticipated mid-season addition, The Carrie Diaries, followed by a talk-back featuring the show's star, AnnaSophia Robb, along with series executive producer Amy Harris and author/executive producer Candace Bushnell.

With only two weeks remaining in the 2012 Presidential campaign, the head writers of New York's late night staples The Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will sit down for a humorous inside-look at the 'politics of funny' during the NYTVF's annual Late Night Writers panel on Tuesday, October 23. The eight housemates of Jersey Shore will join MTV network execs and the series creator for a no-holds-barred final-season series retrospective on Wednesday, October 24 entitled "Love, Loss, (Gym, Tan) and Laundry: A Farewell to the Jersey Shore." On Friday, October 26, the Festival will cast a spotlight on the NEW FOX TUESDAY comedy line-up featuring talent from New Girl and Ben and Kate.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a NYTVF Development Partner, will host a live pitch event on Friday, October 26 at 92YTribeca's main stage, marking the culmination of the first-ever Samsung Second Screen Storytellers Competition. This not-to-be-missed event will feature the competition's five finalists facing off with presentations of their multi-screen TV pitches before a panel of industry judges, with one winner being awarded a $300,000 production budget to create their short series for Samsung Smart TVs.

Slated for October 22 through October 27 in Manhattan, the New York Television Festival will also include free public screenings of the 52 selections vying for honors in the NYTVF's 2012 Independent Pilot Competition as well as the fifth annual Digital Day and Development Day events. NYTVF's "British Invasion" will take place on Thursday, October 25, with the return of BAFTA's Transatlantic Comedy Event and a Night Cap event hosted by UK network and NYTVF Pitch Partner, Channel 4.

Industry gatherings hosted by the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Audio Network, the Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS), the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV), the Writers Guild of America (WGA), and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) round out the schedule. 2012 Festival events will take place at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) Theatre in Chelsea along with Tribeca Cinemas and 92YTribeca in lower Manhattan. Both Digital and Development Days, like many Festival events, are free to attend. For a full Festival schedule along with event registration and pass information, visit http://nytvf.com/2012_boxoffice.html. .

"The eighth annual NYTVF is the culmination of a banner year, where we have seen tremendous growth in both the number of opportunities for artists participating in our development initiatives and competitions and the level of the television industry's commitment to that community of creators," said NYTVF Founder and Executive Director Terence Gray. "To top it off, we have a really fun Festival week featuring some of TV's biggest hits, brightest stars, and a line-up that has something for everyone. We can't wait to share these events with the aspiring artists, industry insiders, and TV fanatics that celebrate with us each year, and we are grateful to each sponsor, speaker, partner, and artist that makes the Festival possible."

2012 NYTVF Highlights

(Detailed schedule available at http://nytvf.com/2012_boxoffice.html)

Monday, October 22

7:30 PM: The CW Red-Carpet Premiere of The Carrie Diaries SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street The CW and the NYTVF are partnering to present the world premiere of The Carrie Diaries, the new series starring AnnaSophia Robb as 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw in this hotly anticipated mid-season addition from Fake Empire's Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, based on the book series from Candace Bushnell. The red-carpet screening will include the debut of the series pilot as well as a Q&A with Robb and Bushnell along with executive producer Amy Harris. Slated to bow on The CW in January of 2013, The Carrie Diaries drops us in 1984, where life isn't easy for 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw. Since their mother passed away, Carrie's younger sister Dorritt is more rebellious than ever, and their father Tom is overwhelmed with the responsibility of suddenly having to care for two teenage girls on his own. Carrie's friends - sweet, geeky Mouse, sarcastic and self-assured Maggie and sensitive Walt - make life bearable, but a suburban life in Connecticut isn't doing much to take her mind off her troubles. And even though the arrival of a sexy new transfer student named Sebastian brings some excitement to Carrie's world, she is struggling to move on from her grief. So when Tom offers Carrie the chance to intern at a law firm in Manhattan, she leaps at the chance. Carrie's eyes are opened wide at the glamour and grit of New York City - and when she meets Larissa, the style editor for Interview magazine, she's inspired by the club culture and unique individuals that make up Larissa's world. Carrie's friends and family may have a big place in her heart, but she's fallen in love for the first time with the most important man in her life - Manhattan. The series stars AnnaSophia Robb (Soul Surfer) as Carrie Bradshaw, Austin Butler (Switched at Birth) as Sebastian Kydd, Ellen Wong (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as Mouse; Katie Findlay (The Killing) as Maggie Landers, Stefania Owen (Running Wilde) as Dorrit Bradshaw, Brendan Dooling (An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf) as Walt Reynolds, Chloe Bridges (90210) as Donna LaDonna, Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who) as Larissa Loughton and Matt Letscher (Brothers & Sisters) as Tom Bradshaw. Based on the novels "The Carrie Diaries" and "Summer and the City" by Candace Bushnell, The Carrie Diaries is from Fake Empire in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Amy B. Harris (Sex and the City, Gossip Girl), Josh Schwartz (Hart of Dixie, Gossip Girl), Stephanie Savage (Hart of Dixie, Gossip Girl), Len Goldstein (Hart of Dixie) and Candace Bushnell. Miguel Arteta (Englightened, Cedar Rapids) directed the pilot, which was written by Harris.

Tuesday, October 23

7:00 PM: Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment Event Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street The NYTVF is proud to partner with the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment for this private networking mixer bringing together alumni from the City's thriving "Made in NY" Production Assistant Training Program with Festival artists and industry attendees. The program, which was developed in partnership between the Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, provides free training to unemployed or underemployed New Yorkers who lack opportunities in the production industry and teaches them the skills needed for entry level jobs on set and in production offices.

8:30 PM: "Long Day's Journey Into Late Night: 2012 Election Edition - The Politics of Funny," A Special Event Panel Discussion 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street Back by popular demand, this late night writing panel, featuring the comic forces behind New York's late night institutions, focuses on the process of creating topical humor straight from the 24-hour news cycle, with an eye toward the coming Presidential election and a look back at the most hilarious moments from the 2012 campaign. Writers from New York's late night staples The Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon share their experiences and provide their take on the current state of the genre.

Wednesday, October 24

7:00 PM: Audio Network Music Mixer Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street NYTVF music partner, Audio Network, invites Artists, pass holders and guests for a Happy Hour with a live DJ, networking, and fun.

8:00 PM: "Love, Loss, (Gym, Tan) and Laundry: A Farewell to the Jersey Shore" 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street Join Deena Cortese, Paul "Pauly D" Delvecchio, Jenni "JWOWW" Farley, Sammi Giancola, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino along with series Executive Producer SallyAnn Salsano and MTV Executives Chris Linn and Jacqueline French, for this special event marking the end of a television era. Although the party will never be over, summers at the "Shore" are officially coming to a close. MTV recently announced that Season Six of Jersey Shore, premiering on Thursday, October 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT with back-to-back episodes, will mark the FINAL SEASON of the pop culture phenomenon. Following the Season Six premiere on October 4, MTV will give viewers bonus programming each week at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT from additional back-to-back episodes and fan-favorite after shows with the cast, to the scintillating reunion special and more. Jersey Shore is MTV's highest rated series ever in the network's history and it has achieved and maintained television domination as the #1 cable series for P12-34 consecutively for all five of its previous seasons. The fan fascination with the series led to a Thursday night, 10-spot programming domination and a burgeoning franchise that to date includes, the domestic spinoff series The Pauly D Project and Snooki & JWOWW. Jersey Shore has been one of MTV's top performing series across all of the network's international markets and within its target audience of youth viewers 12-24, performing particularly well in Australia, Denmark, Singapore, Spain, Mexico, the UK, Poland, Ireland, Belgium and Sweden. Jersey Shore has inspired two international versions for MTV, further expanding the franchise: Geordie Shore in the UK is the #1 show in MTV UK history and will air its fourth season later this year, and Gandia Shore in Spain is currently in production filming season one. Jersey Shore is executive produced by SallyAnn Salsano from 495 Productions. Jacquelyn French is executive producer for MTV. Janay Dutton is Executive In Charge of Production for MTV. Concept created by Anthony Beltempo.

Thursday, October 25

6:30 PM: BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum - Importing the Funny: Catch the Future of British Comedy 8:15 PM: Networking Drinks 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the NYTVF are re-teaming to present this unique night of comedy featuring debut readings of original sitcoms - penned by some of the UK's most promising comedy television writers - with creative insight and feedback from a panel of industry experts. The selected scripts were identified following a UK-wide competition hosted by BAFTA and the Rocliffe New Writing Forum. The event, which includes post-event networking drinks at 8:15 pm, will feature staged reading excerpts of the three selected entries with expert commentary on each.

7:00 PM: Hollywood Radio and Television Society Young Executives Networking Event Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street Bringing together the emerging artists participating in the NYTVF with the rising stars of the television industry's executive ranks, this exclusive networking event, hosted by the NYTVF's Next Generation Committee and the junior division of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society (JHRTS) is open exclusively to NYTVF Artists, pass holders and HRTS/JHRTS members.

9:00 PM: Channel 4 Night Cap Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street First-time NYTVF partner Channel 4 hosts this late-night industry gathering for NYTVF Artists, pass holders and invited guests.

Friday, October 26

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM: NYTVF Digital Day Panel Series 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street The new frontier of web distribution has provided content creators, distributors, and brands with seemingly limitless opportunities for connection with viewers, consumers, and fans - but what's really working, who's watching and, most importantly, where's the money? NYTVF's fifth annual Digital Day panel series welcomes some of the digital landscape's most influential thought-leaders for a day of no-holds-barred discussions and insights on all facets of new media, from both creative and business perspectives.

5:00 PM: Samsung Pitch Live! 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street Samsung Second Screen Storytellers Finalists present their show concepts for the opportunity to earn $300k to create the world's first multi-screen TV series exclusively for Samsung. Join executives from Samsung and industry experts as they assess the strengths, weaknesses, and viability of the finalists' presentations live and on stage.

7:00 PM: International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV): Digital Day Creators Mixer Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street Content creators and web enthusiasts are invited to this exclusive networking mixer to kick off the Digital After Dark celebration at Tribeca Cinemas hosted by the International Academy of Web Television.

7:30 PM: A NEW FOX TUESDAY Comedy Conversation 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street FOX is teaming with the NYTVF for an exclusive panel event saluting the network's NEW FOX TUESDAY comedy block, featuring talent from New Girl and Ben and Kate. Details and participants to be announced soon.

9:00 PM: Digital After Dark with WGA and SAG-AFTRA Tribeca Cinemas, the Varick Room: 54 Varick Street NYTVF's late night Digital Day celebration returns with a little help from our friends at the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.

Saturday, October 27

1:00 PM - 6:00 PM: NYTVF Development Day 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street NYTVF Development Day offers aspiring creators and TV fans alike a day of free panels and events offering both educational and inspirational insight into the creation of television. 2012 Development Day will provide attendees with two tracks - the first is NYTVF Classroom. NYTVF Classroom is a series of hands-on, insightful 30-minute discussions with established professionals across many facets of the television industry - from sketch comedy, animation and family programming, to production and post. These free panels are geared toward aspiring and emerging TV creators and will provide attendees with practical tools to advance their careers in television as well as information on the inner-workings of the day-to-day business of development and production. Development Day Main Stage is an extension of NYTVF Primetime, with all-star panels and screenings geared toward fans and TV enthusiasts.

7:30 PM: NYTVF Awards 92YTribeca: 200 Hudson Street The Festival's Awards Show will recognize outstanding entries and individual achievement in the 2012 Independent Pilot Competition as well as the winners of the inaugural NYTVF Critics Award and the competition's sponsored development awards from IFC, MTV, Syfy, and VH1. Additional winners will be announced in the FOX Comedy Script Contest, the A&E Unscripted Development Pipeline, and NYTVF Pitch along with the finalists in the Lifetime Unscripted Development Pipeline. To register for tickets or passes to these or any Festival events, visit nytvf.com and click on "Box Office."

About the NYTVF

Established in 2005, the NYTVF is a pioneer of the independent television movement, constructing new and innovative paths of development and talent identification, while simultaneously complementing the traditional television development model. Its annual New York Television Festival - held each fall in New York City - is recognized as the industry's first independent television festival, which provides a platform to elevate the work of artists creating for the small screen. Through the Festival and other year-round activities - including NYTVF London, which launched in 2011 - the NYTVF's mission is to connect its community of over 10,000 independent creative artists with leading networks, studios and brands by cultivating relationships that lead to new opportunities. For more information on the NYTVF, the annual Festival and these initiatives, visit www.nytvf.com.