Miss America Telecast Moves to ABC

Although I'm excited that Miss America will be back on network television, it's sort of sad to see the end of the Miss America reality show. Read below for more details.

MissSD.org Post
"The Miss America Organization (MAO) is proud to announce it has reached a multi-year deal with the ABC Television Network to return as their network television partner for the 2011 Miss America Pageant that will be presented on January 15, 2011! The news was announced today by Sam Haskell, III, Board Chairman for the Miss America Organization and MAO President & CEO, Art McMaster. ABC aired the Miss America Pageant previously in 2004 and will once again retain the exclusive telecast rights through 2013.

"After thorough discussions and negotiations, we are confident that Miss America has reunited with the perfect network partner, ABC, which shares many of our same ideals and tradition," said Haskell. "Miss America's move back to network television is perfect timing as we celebrate our special 90th anniversary and look ahead to reach new heights and create a new path for the future of Miss America. Our brand is so rich in both philanthropy and history, and this new multi-year partnership will not only preserve this great institution, but it will also mark a new milestone in television with our friends at ABC."

“We’re thrilled to have the Miss America pageant back on ABC and for the opportunity to be a part of this historic tradition,” said Vicki Dummer and John Saade, Senior Vice Presidents, Alternative Series, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment Group. “We look forward to working with the Miss America Organization for years to come.”

Art McMaster, President and CEO for Miss America Organization stated, “MAO will maintain and oversee the creative direction of the pageant with the addition of the award winning production company, Tall Pony Productions with Anthony Eaton and Lauren Harris as the Executive Producers. McMaster added, “’Miss America is one of this country’s great enduring institutions, and creatively we are introducing new ways to honor the pageant’s rich tradition, while also producing a spectacular show that will offer true entertainment appeal to ABC’s viewers.”

Last year, the Miss America pageant telecast experienced new record growth, with its highest-ever ratings on cable television, and is now perfectly positioned to surpass that record with ABC on network television.

MAO proudly acknowledges Mark Pedowitz of Pinestreet Entertainment, John Ferriter of Octagon Entertainment, and Billy Goldberg and Kevin Kroos of The Buckeye Group for their efforts on this television partnership. Tall Pony Productions and the Miss America Organization are represented by Octagon Entertainment."

Miss University of South Dakota/ Miss Vermillion Pageant Scheduled!

Mark your calendars! The Miss USD/Miss Vermillion 2011 Pageant will be held at 2:30PM on October 3rd, 2010 in Farber Hall (in Old Main) on the campus of USD! Oct. 3rd is the Sunday following our USD Homecoming Football game, so if you're in town, make sure to stick around for the pageant on Sunday!

For information on becoming a contestant, please visit www.MissSD.org or email me at MissSD2009@gmail.com.

Miss South Dakota Pageant Judges Announced!

I am so excited for this panel! They are going to do a phenomenal job! Check them out at the MissSD.org website!

TLC No Longer Home to Miss America Pageant

TLC declines to renew Miss America TV contract

By OSKAR GARCIA

Associated Press Writer

March 1, 2010

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Miss America's three year run on TLC is over after the cable network chose not to renew its television contract with the beauty pageant.

TLC declined on Monday to say why it was cutting ties with the 89-year-old competition after the pageant's broadcast attracted 4.5 million viewers in January — the best showing ever for the pageant on cable.

Sam Haskell, chairman of the Miss America Organization, told The Associated Press that TLC executives indicated one week after the Jan. 30 pageant that they did not want to pick up a three-year option that was part of their previous deal.

Instead, Haskell said TLC wanted a new two-year deal for less money, which he was unwilling to do.

"They're not dumping Miss America," Haskell said. "They wanted Miss America — they just didn't want to pay the same numbers for it that they'd been paying."

Haskell said four networks, ranging from broadcast to cable channels, have expressed strong interest in airing the pageant and are willing to pay what the TLC option would have paid or higher.

"I'm a big boy, I've got broad shoulders — I'll find us another network," Haskell said. "I look at this as an opportunity. It doesn't depress me in the least. We have a great franchise, we have a great audience, we have a great organization."

The television audience for this year's pageant was 1 million viewers more than those for the 2009 pageant, but far below the 33 million who watched the pageant on broadcast TV in 1988.

The 2010 pageant — won by Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron — was No. 1 on cable the night it aired, excluding movies. It was held at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

The pageant previously aired on Country Music Television and was last seen on network TV on ABC, which dropped the pageant after record-low ratings for the 2004 pageant.

The pageant, which celebrates its 90th year next year, was founded in Atlantic City, N.J., in 1921 as a bathing beauty revue.

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AP Television Writer Frazier Moore contributed to this report from New York.

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On the Net:

Miss America, http://www.missamerica.org/

TLC Network, http://www.tlc.com/

Article reposted from:http://newyork.metromix.com/movies/article/tlc-declines-to-renew/1793268/content

Pre-Pageant Weekend!

Last weekend, 12 of the 13 contestants for Miss South Dakota 2010 converged on the state capital of Pierre, SD, along with me, several of our state board members and volunteers.

The unveiling of "A New Life" as this year's theme met with much admiration, and with songs like "Cowboy Casanova," "Bad Romance," and "I Gotta Feelin," it is sure to be a hit with audiences in Hot Springs!

GIGL by Stopping the Legislature from Eliminating Our Opportunity Scholarships!

If you are a recipient of a South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship, or if you know someone who is, take a stand today by emailing your representatives in the SD State Legislature to tell them that you do not support the proposed funding cut for the program that keeps so many high achieving South Dakotans in the state for college.

As one of the many recipients of the SD Opportunity Scholarship, I was looking forward to the increase from $1000 to $2000 in my senior year. I understand that difficult decisions must be made by legislators this year as they attempt to reconcile the budget, but cutting or eliminating a scholarship that students depend upon will have dire consequences.

Please speak up now by emailing or phoning your representatives. You can find their information by using the link below. Thanks for GIGLing!

http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2010/MembersByDistrict.aspx

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