TV Land Celebrates Family Day With Back-to-Back Episodes of 'The Andy Griffith Show' on September 22

TV Land Celebrates Family Day With Back-to-Back Episodes of 'The Andy Griffith Show' on September 22

Participants Can Go to TVLand.com for Family Day Tips and to Pledge Their Support

NEW YORK, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, TV Land joins The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University in celebrating Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children(TM) on Monday, September 22nd. This year, TV Land will continue the network tradition of devoting the supper-time slot and air back-to-back episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show," starting at 6:00pm (ET/PT). TV Land dedicates this time to encourage and remind families of the importance of time spent dining together.

"'The Andy Griffith Show' is a perfect fit for Family Day," states Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. "The show is consistent with the positive messages of Family Day and its importance. 'The Andy Griffith Show' is a series the whole family can enjoy, and therefore, an ideal selection for a day meant to promote togetherness."

"We are fortunate to once again have the support of TV Land for Family Day to remind Americans of the importance of family dinners and to promote parental engagement in children's lives," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA Chairman and President and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. "Based on 16 years of research the most important thing we can do to curb substance abuse in our nation is to make sure children in America have dinner with their parents at least five times a week."

Participants can register to pledge to have dinner together on September 22nd, Family Day, on TVLand.com. TV Land and CASA are hoping Americans will use Family Day as a catalyst to make family dinners a regular part of their lives. TVLand.com additionally offers fun Family Day suggestions, such as Conversation Starters, a Family Dinner photo gallery of your favorite television families around the dinner table, a blog offering helpful meal-time tips and much more.

TV Land is also supporting Family Day by showcasing specially-created commercials that emphasize the numerous benefits that come from consistent family dining. More than a decade of CASA's research has found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. CASA created Family Day in 2001 to remind parents that dinner makes a difference.

About CASA:

CASA is the only national organization that brings together under one roof all the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all types of substance abuse as they affect all aspects of society. CASA has issued 66 reports and white papers, published one book, conducted demonstration projects focused on children, families and schools at 212 sites in 84 cities and counties in 32 states plus Washington, DC and a Native American tribal reservation, and has been testing the effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatment, in a variety of programs and drug courts.

*The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University is neither affiliated with, nor sponsored by, the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (also known as "CASA") or any of its member organizations, or any other organizations with the name of "CASA".

About TV Land PRIME and TV Land:

TV Land PRIME is TV Land's prime time programming destination designed for people in their mid-forties and the exclusive home to the premieres of the network's original programming, contemporary television series acquisitions and movies. TV Land PRIME is part of TV Land, a network dedicated to presenting the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, acquired shows, hit movies and full-service web site, TV Land is now seen in over 93 million U.S. homes. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases and photographs, please visit TV Land's press-only Web site at www.tvlandpress.com .

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Source: TV Land

CONTACT: Rachel Sandler, +1-212-846-4412, Rachel.Sandler@tvland.com,
Vanessa Reyes-Smith, +1-310-407-4727, Vanessa.reyes@tvland.com, Kelly Kearns,
+1-212-654-5599, Kelly.Kearns@tvland.com, all of TV Land

Web site: http://www.tvlandpress.com/

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