ABS-CBN International clinches four nominations at the prestigious 2017 NAMIC Vision Awards

LOS ANGELES - Feb. 24, 2017 - PRLog -- Following its successive nominations in 2015 and 2016 for Myx TV from the esteemed NAMIC Vision Awards, ABS-CBN International, the largest Filipino entertainment, news and broadcast company in the U.S. gets four new nods for Lifestyle Network (LN) and The Filipino Channel's (TFC) Balitang America. ABS-CBN International is the only Filipino broadcast network to make it as finalist in this year's recognition.

The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) Vision Awards is the foremost organization in the U.S. which for the past three decades has been honoring, original and digital content for a multi-culturally diverse audience and which highlight, according to its official release, "the value of education, advocacy and empowerment."

This year, ABS-CBN International beat its own record, receiving four nominations Tuesday at formal ceremonies in Beverly Hills, and further affirming how LN and TFC are breaking into mainstream international television through content.

Lifestyle Network, every Filipino woman's guide to living a life inspired by her dreams and passions, earns three nods alone for "Design" + Story," "Spice to Life" and "Rock the Runway" (for Original Movie or Specials).  Meantime, TFC, the world's most widely distributed premium and on demand channel showing Filipino content on multiple platforms, bags a recognition for "Balitang America's" Election Day Coverage in 2016 (News / Informational).

"Spice to Life" follows the journey of chefs and restaurateurs' road to culinary success while "Design + Story" sets the canvass for famed artists' self-told journey to becoming their own personal masterpieces.

The complete nominees under the Lifestyle category are:

·         Ayesha's Homemade - Food Network

·         Design + Story - ABS-CBN International

·         Patti LaBelle's Holiday Pies - Cooking Channel

·         Smollett Eats - Food Network

·         Special Projects: Breakthrough Women - CNN

·         Spice to Life - ABS-CBN International

Meantime, "Rocky The Runway," is the TV special produced to capture Hollywood-based Pinoy designer Rocky Gathercole's fashion-for-a-cause for the benefit of street children.
The complete list of nominees under the Original Movie or Special includes:

·         All the Way - HBO

·         BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration - BET Networks

·         Black Girls Rock! - BET Networks

·         Rock the Runway - ABS-CBN International

·         Special Projects: Amalgam Comics - CNN

The nominations are a feat for Lifestyle Network, having been launched only in 2011. The nominations come in five years after it started reaching out to the evolving young Filipino audience in North America and eventually, elsewhere. Furthermore, they are an affirmation of how effectively LN speaks to this niche audience and how LN also helps in building the community through its inspiring stories and well-thought-of documentation.

The ABS-CBN Global Ltd. Female Specialty Channels unit is headed by Aileen Paredes while representing LN during the awarding ceremonies is Beverly Desuasido, executive producer.

For the News/Informational category, "Balitang America's" coverage of the United States' Election Day, in 2016 ranked high in the selection process, earning it a well-earned place in the finals list. The nomination is an achievement for "Balitang America" in its efforts to bring the Filipino-American voice to the fore.  With a growing community, the Filipino American voice is becoming a force to reckon with in the U.S. electoral scenario and Balitang America plays a crucial role in capturing this.

The Balitang America team is headed by Paul Henson, News bureau chief, Troy Espero, producer; and Henni Espinosa, news desk editor.

The NAMIC Vison Awards nomination also brings it up to par with international news organizations that speak to a multi-cultural audience: The complete list includes:

·         Arab and Queer: Lebanese Singer Pushes Boundaries - NBC Out

·         Balitang America Election Day Coverage 2016 - ABS-CBN International

·         NewsOne Now with Roland Martin - TV One

·         Special Projects: Impact Your World - CNN

·         Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement - BET Networks

·         The Story of God with Morgan Freeman - National Geographic

In the official press release announcing the winners, Eglon Simons, president and CEO of NAMIC, shares how important the award is for multi-cultural diversity: "NAMIC is honored to continue the tradition of honoring original content that defies stereotypes, while telling compelling stories of cultural diversity and life experiences."

Simons adds: "This year's nominees must be applauded for their excellence and commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion on and off screen."

This year's panel of judges includes esteemed entertainment and industry executives.  Criteria for judging include: "overall imagery, sensitivity, writing, and quality of acting in the performance categories."

In the past, ABS-CBN International channel Myx TV has received nominations including for "Eat Your Words" under the Lifestyle category in 2015 while its "The Doll Life" was nominated for Digital Media – Short Form in 2016.

2017's nominees "Design + Story" and "Spice To Life" continue to be seen on TFC IPTV and online (TFC.tv) as well as via lifestylenetwork.tv while "Balitang America" airs weeknights (Pacific time) across TFC platforms in North America.

For the complete list of nominees, please visit http://namic.com

Winners will be announced during the awarding rites this April.  (Photos at the nomination ceremonies courtesy of Beverly Desuasido)