New Audiences for a New America

On November 12th, Paley and McCann present a special conversation, "New Audiences for a New America: Navigating a More Open Culture of Tolerance," which will address diverse representations on television and the lessons brands can learn.

Agenda:

3:30 p.m. | Check in

4:00 p.m. | Opening remarks, Maureen J. Reidy, President and CEO, The Paley Center for Media, and Chris Macdonald, President, McCann New York

4:10 p.m. | The New Normal: An Exploration of American Values
McCann Truth Central, McCann Worldgroup’s global intelligence unit, explores the media and marketing landscape and reveals just how far America has come on issues of diversity, tolerance and empathy. New data shows we’ve come a long way, but there is more to be done. The next generation’s values have shifted, and the new frontiers of American inclusiveness may look quite different in the future.
Nadia Tuma, SVP, Director, McCann Truth Central

4:30 p.m. | The Commercial Culture of Brands
The telecommunications industry has never been more dynamic, and Verizon is leading the charge into new markets, new products and new approaches to marketing. In this Fireside Chat, you will hear about how Verizon is rethinking its strategies for engaging consumers, especially within the increasingly critical multicultural and Millennial markets. 
Javier Farfan, VP, Segment & Cultural Marketing, Verizon 
Steve Zaroff, Managing Director & Chief Strategy Officer, McCann New York

5:05 p.m. | The Entertainment Culture of Television
Over the decades, television has demonstrated unmatched power to transform America’s perception of itself and change the conversation. This panel of top television executives and creators will discuss the evolution of cultural, racial and societal portrayals on television and, how in 2015, the medium continues to evolve into an even more powerful force for promoting diversity and tolerance.
Viola Davis, Film, TV & Theater Actress and Producer
Ilene Chaiken, Executive producer/showrunner, "Empire"; Creator/executive producer "The L Word"
Paul Lee, President, ABC Entertainment Group
Moderator: Maria Elena Salinas, Anchor, Univision

6:00 to 6:30 p.m. | Cocktails

 Panelists:

Chris Macdonald
President, McCann New York
Chris became President of McCann New York in 2013, having been Chief Executive of another of McCann’s key hub cities, McCann London, for the previous six years. A veteran of the London advertising industry for over 20 years, Chris has a proven track record of developing effective and lauded communications for many blue chip clients such as Coca-Cola, American Airlines and News International to name a few. His leadership of the NY office similarly has led to expansion of client businesses and the addition of new businesses, and his frequent Town Halls and employee outreach programs are further fueling momentum

Nadia Tuma
SVP, Director, McCann Truth Central
Nadia Tuma, Senior Vice President and Director of McCann Truth Central, is one of the primary forces behind McCann Worldgroup’s thought leadership. Most recently, she led The Truth about Global Brands, the group’s largest global study to date. She also led the Truth About Privacy and most recently launched the McCann Tastemakers Council, an initiative to build insights around the luxury category and affluent population. Nadia’s passion lies in observing and interpreting cultural truths, how those truths evolve, and the role brands play in within their context. Nadia also serves on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts’ Masters in Branding program, where she teaches Brand Strategy. This graduate program examines the relationship between design and strategy, and the power of design thinking as a way to combine creative skills with the problem-solving processes of business.

Steve Zaroff
Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer, McCann New York
Steve joined McCann in April of 2012 as Chief Strategy Officer, coming from SapientNitro where he led the integrated Strategy department consisting of planners with expertise in digital, social, mobile, analytics, UX, research, and more “traditional” brand thinkers. At McCann he jumped immediately into new business, helping lead winning pitches including Lockheed Martin, Jose Cuervo, Office Depot Office Max, Choice Hotels Group, Nespresso, Ashley Home Stores, and the New York State Lottery. He is most proud of launching Truth Well Brewed, an internal group of young McCann staffers dedicated to making the agency a surprising, social and inspiring place to work. This cultural initiative included creating our own line of beer, which we name (and drink) in honor of new business wins, great work, and to celebrate our people. In November Steve was promoted to the additional responsibility of Managing Director, partnering with President Chris MacDonald on the overall leadership of the agency. He has spent his career learning - and leading- strategy at some of the best and most diverse companies in the industry. At Ogilvy he led global strategy for American Express and Miller Brewing, and became the youngest Senior Parnter at the company. At TBWA/Chiat Day he ran global spirits strategy for Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet. At SapientNitro he led the integration of the technology, digital, and marketing strategy groups while leading clients like Volvo, Foot Locker, and Mars. An avid cook and struggling surfer, Steve lives with his wife and two young children in Brooklyn.

Viola Davis
Film, TV & Theater Actress and Producer
Viola Davis is a critically revered, award-winning actress of film, television and theater known for her intriguingly diverse roles.  Davis currently stars as Annalise Keating on the ABC drama “How to Get Away with Murder” for which she received an Emmy award. She will star in the highly anticipated film “Suicide Squad” with Jared Leto and Will Smith and recently produced and starred in “Lila and Eve” with Jennifer Lopez. Davis received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in “The Help” and “Doubt.” Additional film appearances include  “Blackhat” “Get on Up,” “Beautiful Creatures, “Won’t Back Down, “ “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “State of Play,” “Disturbia,” “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” “Antwone Fisher,” “Far From Heaven,” “Solaris,” and “Traffic.” Davis earned Tony Awards for her starring role in the revival of August Wilson’s “Fences” and for her featured role in “King Hedley II.” Along with her husband, Davis founded JuVee Productions, amulti-ethnic production company, committed to excellence in film, television, and theatre.

Ilene Chaiken
Executive producer/showrunner, "Empire"
Creator/executive producer "The L Word"
Best known for creating the Showtime series "The L Word," Chaiken currently serves as showrunner on Fox’s hit series “Empire,” now in its second season. Prior to “Empire,” she executive-produced pilots for Bruckheimer, McG and Joel Silver, and most recently ran the ABC drama series "Black Box." Chaiken recently signed a multi-year producing deal with 20th Century Fox Television.  She produced "The Real L Word" and "The Real L Word Mississippi” for Showtime, which won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary.Hailing from Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, Chaiken resides in Los Angeles with her wife, LouAnne Brickhouse, and is the mother of two daughters, Augusta and Tallulah Hood.

Paul Lee
President, ABC Entertainment Group
Paul Lee is president, ABC Entertainment Group, a position he has held since July 2010. In this role he has oversight of all creative and business operations for ABC Studios as well as all development, programming, marketing and scheduling operations for ABC Entertainment. He also oversees entertainment programming for syndication and daytime. Mr. Lee has made a name for himself as being a true brand builder, shaping ABC into a destination and creating the most diverse slate in network television. Under his leadership, he has shepherded in numerous Emmy-nominated series for the network. He was also responsible for the creation of television’s most buzzed about night — the TGIT lineup, which includes “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal." ABC Studios and ABC Signature Studios had another banner development year with 13 new shows ordered to series, including “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” and “Code Black” for CBS and “Grandfathered” for FOX. Prior to becoming president of ABC Entertainment Group, Mr. Lee led ABC Family from 2004-2010, where he revitalized the cable channel with an ambitious slate of original and acquired programs. ABC Family also made the most of new platforms to connect viewers with content. The industry recognized this push for creativity and innovation on this front by awarding ABC Family a 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television, as well as an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media the following year. Prior to joining ABC Family, Mr. Lee moved stateside and was chief executive officer and founder of BBC America and responsible for the development and launch of the company in March 1998, starting as general manager and then chief operating officer. During his tenure, he was responsible for transforming the network into a major player. The hit comedy series “The Office” (British version) garnered two Golden Globes. Before arriving stateside, the British-born Lee also spent several years at the BBC in London, ultimately serving as channel editor for BBC Prime, the the company’s 24-hour entertainment channel.

Moderator: María Elena Salinas
Co-anchor, "Noticiero Univision"
Called the “Voice of Hispanic America” by the New York Times, Salinas is one of the most recognized Hispanic female journalists in the United States. She is the co-anchor of the highly rated “Noticiero Univision” nightly network newscast and co-host of the news magazine “Aquí y Ahora” (Here and Now). Salinas has informed and empowered millions of viewers for more than three decades in the U.S., as well as in 18 Latin American countries. Her reputation as a serious and objective journalist has garnered her universal respect and allowed her to secure high profile interviews including Latin American heads of state, rebel leaders, dictators, and every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter. She has made history throughout her career presenting ground breaking news coverage such as participating in the first ever bilingual national Democratic presidential candidate debate on Hispanic issues in 2004, and again in 2007 co-hosting the first ever Democratic and Republican presidential candidate forums in Spanish on the Univision Network. In 2012, she was part of the Univision News team that won the King of Spain International Journalism Award in the “Television” category for the special “El Gran Encuentro.” This was the first time a U.S. presidential candidate addressed the Hispanic community during a campaign in this kind of format. She has earned several awards, including six Emmys. Most notably, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, making her the first Hispanic woman to receive this recognition. Earlier this year, she won a PEABODY Award, Walter Cronkite Award and her second Gracies® Award for her news and documentary special "Entre el abandono y el rechazo" (Between Abandonment and Rejection), a prime-time report on the exodus of Central American children to the United States, which judges have praised as "balanced and revealing." Salinas was honored this year with a Broadcast Legend award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California, and was a part of the Univision News team that received the Edward R. Murrow Award for the network’s coverage of the Atlanta Olympic Park bombings in 1996. She has been featured as one of the “Most Influential Hispanics” in the United States in several publications including Hispanic Magazine, People En Español and PODER, and was named one of the top 15 Most Influential Hispanics among Latino voters in a poll conducted by Hispanic Voter Trends. Salinas was born in Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents. She resides in Coral Gables, Florida with her two daughters, Julia Alexandra and Gabriela María.

To RSVP to this event, email mcrsvp@paleycenter.org.