Thirteen and PBS Kids Show ZOOM Team Up to Feature Reality Television at Its Best: Local Youth Volunteer Efforts.

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2004

While many television programs today feature reality-driven shows with contestants engaging in competitive game-play, Thirteen/WNET New York has created its own, public television version of that phenomenon. Rather than depicting contestants devouring bugs and jumping off of cliffs, Thirteen's version of reality TV recognizes and encourages teamwork, compassion and creativity. This inspiring form of reality TV can be seen in Thirteen's locally produced segments of award winning PBS kids program, "ZOOM(TM)." "ZOOM Into Action," these segments feature local youths who have dedicated their time and talent to volunteer efforts throughout the tri-state area. The youngsters will be showcased in each ZOOM program, which begins its new season April 19.

Thirteen/WNET's "ZOOM Into Action" campaign was developed to motivate local kids to volunteer and get involved in their communities. The localized segments will air from April through June during the series, which airs Monday through Friday at 3:30 p.m. on Thirteen.

Among the children featured will be:

-- Eighth grade boys from East Meadows, NJ, who work with

severely disabled students each day during their free period.

-- PS 22 (Staten Island) school children who raised money and

sent care packages to U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq.

-- Teenager Brett, from Long Island, NY, who volunteers as a

puppy walker with the Guide Foundation for the Blind.

-- Twenty Brooklyn girls who spent an afternoon providing seniors

with beauty treatments, including manicures and hairstyling.

-- Greenwich, CT, sixth graders who organized a carnival for

kindergarteners to help raise money for a local food pantry.

"By featuring these children and their selfless works on "ZOOM Into Action," we have an opportunity to demonstrate the value, power, and even, fun, of community involvement, and also, hopefully, to inspire even more young people to volunteer," said Paula Kerger, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

To maximize the success of the campaign, Thirteen has established partnerships with local agencies and organizations engaged in youth leadership, including The Girl Scouts of America, Kids Care Clubs, Common Cents and The Children for Children Foundation. In addition to the televised segments, the campaign includes a Web component - click on "ZOOM Into Action" at www.thirteen.org - featuring the "ZOOM Into Action" winners, and offering ideas and resources that make it easy to volunteer.

Maura Kelly is the executive producer and project director for Thirteen and Susan Kim is the youth outreach director. Peter Tierney is the Web producer.

ZOOM is produced by WGBH Boston. Local funding for the ZOOM Into Action initiative is provided by The Henry and Lucy Moses Endowment for Children's Programming. Additional support is provided by the MONY Foundation.

Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Stage on Screen, Secrets of the Dead, and Cyberchase - as well as the work of Bill Moyers - to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. With educational and community outreach projects that extend the impact of its television productions, Thirteen takes television "out of the box." And as broadcast and digital media converge, Thirteen is blazing trails in the creation of Web sites, enhanced television, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, educational software, and other cutting-edge media products. More information about Thirteen can be found at: www.thirteen.org.