National Press Club Announces a $100,000 Centennial Gift From Aviva USA

National Press Club Announces a $100,000 Centennial Gift From Aviva USA

WASHINGTON, April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Press Club, the world's leading professional organization for journalists, announced today that Aviva USA will significantly increase its corporate sponsorship and resource support of the nationwide distribution and promotion of the NPC's centennial documentary and educational outreach program. The news was shared with 550 Club members and VIP guests by Aviva USA's CEO Tom Godlasky in the National Press Club ballroom, during the Club's Centennial Gala, April 5.

The funds will be used for the distribution of the documentary, "The National Press Club at 100: A Century of Headlines," and a related education and public service program, throughout the US in 2008.

"We are pleased that Aviva will help us nationally distribute our documentary to journalism schools, public libraries and community centers, with the support of partners like the World Affairs Councils of America," said National Press Club President Sylvia Smith.

"Aviva's generous support will help spark a national debate on the First Amendment, freedom of the press and the future of journalism that will bring added public understanding of, and focus on, these fundamental issues at just the right time in our history," she said.

Godlasky stressed that there is a good fit between the core corporate values of Aviva and the guiding principles of the National Press Club. "We believe that press freedom is a prerequisite for a democratic, free and open society," he said.

"By supporting the NPC's centennial educational outreach and public service campaign, Aviva will help foster greater national understanding of, and appreciation for, the work of professional journalists and the added value benefits they provide to our democracy and communities," he said.

Aviva's announcement of an additional $100,000 corporate sponsorship to the National Press Club, doubled a $100,000 January contribution for the development, production and national distribution of 13,000 DVDs of "National Press Club at 100: A Century of Headlines" and supplemental promotional and educational materials.

The additional Aviva funding will be used to support the May/December national roll out strategy of nationwide state premieres of the NPC centennial documentary, followed by NPC-moderated regional journalist panels and public forums on the First Amendment, freedom of the press and the future of journalism.

The NPC documentary aired on WETA, the PBS affiliate in Washington, on March 31 and April 2. The first viewing was seen by an audience of more than 100,000 in the Washington metro ADI market. The NPC is in discussion with various sources to have the documentary broadcast nationwide in 2008.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. It has more than 3,700 members, representing nearly every major print and electronic news organization. The Club hosts nearly 2,000 events each year including news conferences, speeches and panel discussions. Each of the Club's approximately 80 annual lunches is broadcast live, nationwide, on C-SPAN television. The Club hosts more than 250,000 people each year at its events, has a Broadcast Center and provides state-of-the-art continuing education for members of the journalism profession. On the web at: http://www.press.org/.

Aviva USA is one of the fastest-growing life insurers in the United States. Aviva is dedicated to building more financially secure tomorrows in American communities and worldwide. On the web at: http://www.avivausa.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: National Press Club

CONTACT: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534, wmccarren@press.org, or Melinda
Cooke, 202-662-7516, mcooke@press.org, both of the National Press Club

Web Site:

http://www.avivausa.com/
http://www.press.org/

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