Sold-Out California Governor and First Lady's Conference On Women Now Available to All Californians

Sold-Out California Governor and First Lady's Conference On Women Now Available to All Californians

Conference Accessible to Millions Via Live Webcast, Live Cable Television Broadcast, Satellite Radio Broadcasts, Podcasts and Video-On-Demand

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- With approximately 13,000 women set to gather at the Long Beach Convention Center on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 for the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women, California First Lady Maria Shriver today announced a comprehensive package of programming options that would make substantial portions of the conference accessible to all Californians via live webcast, live cable television broadcasts, satellite radio broadcasts, podcasts and video-on-demand.

"The goal of the conference is to inspire all Californians to be architects of change, whether it's in their homes, their communities or their state, and I'm thrilled that this year's conference will reach far beyond the walls of the convention center to connect Californians to one another," said Shriver. "Now California's 18 million women, 37 million residents, and people throughout the country who cannot travel to Long Beach can join the conference in their living rooms, at local libraries, in their cars, on their work stations or home computers."

This year's conference will be available through a live cable television broadcast on the California Channel, a special broadcast on SIRIUS Satellite Radio, exclusive video-on-demand programming on Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications and Comcast, free downloadable podcasts from the conference Web site, and a free live Webcast of the main stage sessions streamed from the conference Web site from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PDT.

Featuring the Dalai Lama's first-ever address to a women's conference, and a roster of over 60 world-renowned speakers including Martha Stewart, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Tyra Banks, Elle Macpherson, Tim Russert, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maureen Dowd, and Anna Quindlen, this year's conference sold out in a record 72 hours. The annual non-partisan conference has experienced a sharp surge in popularity and demand over the last three years, and Shriver's announcement ensures that all interested Californians will be able to experience the conference's inspirational speeches and educational panel sessions.

HOW TO ACCESS THE CONFERENCE

LIVE WEBCAST

A free live streaming Webcast, sponsored and powered by Sun Microsystems, will broadcast all of the main stage sessions on www.CaliforniaWomen.org. Highlights include:

8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. PDT - Opening Session
- Governor Schwarzenegger, Suze Orman, Martha Stewart and First Lady Maria
Shriver

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. PDT - Luncheon Session
- Anna Quindlen, Tim Russert and Sarah Ferguson

4:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PDT - Concluding Session
- First Lady Maria Shriver Presents Minerva Awards; and address by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama

LIVE CABLE TELEVISION BROADCAST

The main stage sessions of the conference will be broadcast live on the California Channel to over 5 million cable subscribers, businesses and educational institutions throughout the state. Please check your cable operator for availability.

SATELLITE RADIO BROADCASTS

SIRIUS Satellite Radio will be airing a special broadcast of the conference featuring highlights of the main stage speeches and taped interviews of speakers hosted by Maria Shriver. The exclusive content will air multiple times on SIRIUS Stars channel 102 throughout the weekend of October 13-15. Exact times will be announced on www.sirius.com. In addition, featured speaker Martha Stewart's speech will be carried live September 26 on Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS channel 112 at 8:58 am PDT. Judith Regan will be on-site at the conference to tape a special edition of The Judith Regan Show for broadcast at a later date on SIRIUS Stars. Regan will interview conference host Maria Shriver and other featured speakers.

SIRIUS Stars is the home of a diverse selection of programming including multiple shows geared towards women such as Candace Bushnell's Sex, Success & Sensibility, Deepak Chopra's Wellness Radio, Lighten Up with Richard Simmons, The Judith Regan Show, and two shows with Barbara Walters: Barbara Walters' The Best of the Very Best and Ask Barbara Anything.

VIDEO-ON-DEMAND PROGRAMMING

A coalition of cable providers -- Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications and Comcast -- will distribute statewide an exclusive video-on-demand package of edited segments of the conference's twelve morning and afternoon seminar sessions. The first four seminar sessions are scheduled to air on October 6; the second four are scheduled to air on October 16; and the final four seminar sessions are scheduled to air on October 26. A complete listing with detailed descriptions of the seminar sessions is available on www.CaliforniaWomen.org. Please check your cable operator for video-on-demand availability.

DOWNLOADABLE PODCASTS

Edited portions of the main stage speakers and panel sessions will be available on www.CaliforniaWomen.org as downloadable audio and video podcasts approximately two weeks after the conference. Streaming video of conference highlights will also be available and archived on the Web site.

ABOUT GOVERNOR AND FIRST LADY'S CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

First Lady Maria Shriver, along with lead sponsor BP, hosts the 2006 California Governor and First Lady's Conference on Women, the largest and most dynamic one-day gathering of women in the nation. Now in its 20th year, the annual non-partisan conference continues its tradition of inspiring and empowering the women of California to be "architects of change" with this year's theme of "Connect Today, Seize Tomorrow." A lineup of over 60 world-renowned speakers and panelists will share their uplifting personal success stories and life lessons, and many will be signing their books throughout the day. Among the many scheduled Seminar Sessions are "Entrepreneurs 101: Think It. Do It. Start Your Own Business" with Elle Macpherson; "The Sandwich Generation: The Art of Caring for Aging Parents" with Phyllis George, Virginia Morris and Peter Rabins, M.D.; "How Women Are Changing the World Today," a conversation with Under Secretary Karen Hughes; and "Women at the Top: The Secrets to Her Success" with Sylvia Rhone, Vivienne Cox and Sue Bostrom.

Shriver will recognize six California women who have made a lasting impact on the state through service with the 3rd annual Minerva Awards, sponsored by Target. The Minervas of Tomorrow program, also sponsored by Target, invites 500 outstanding young women to attend and participate in all aspects of the Conference. The California Women's Conference Scholars Program grants four $25,000 scholarships to help California women complete their undergraduate college education. In association with the California Service Corps (CSC), Volunteer Village will feature more than 40 non-profit organizations connecting attendees to volunteer opportunities across California. For the second year, a wide array of California-native produce, cuisine and products will be showcased at the California Marketplace, sponsored by Safeway, to promote healthy, organic eating and living.

For more information on the 2006 California Governor and First Lady's Conference on Women, go to www.CaliforniaWomen.org.

Source: California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women

CONTACT: Matthew diGirolamo, +1-310-860-6184,
matthew@schakeconsultinginc.com, for California Governor & First Lady's
Conference on Women

Web site: http://www.californiawomen.org/

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