MYFIRSTVOTE.TV Asks America's First Time Voters to Wake Up and Vote!

MYFIRSTVOTE.TV Asks America's First Time Voters to Wake Up and Vote!

New Web Channel Embarks on Purple State Bus Tour and Offers Election Day Wake Up Calls to Get Out the Vote

NEW YORK, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- www.myfirstvote.tv ("My First Vote"), a non-partisan, content sharing, audience-generated web channel designed to motivate, engage, educate and mobilize first time voters who have the opportunity to cast their first presidential election vote in 2008, is offering a wake up call...literally...to America's youth to get them to the polls on November 4. In a two-pronged initiative, www.myfirstvote.tv will embark on a "Purple State Wake-Up Bus Tour", visiting several of the major swing states to encourage first time voter political involvement and offer a national outlet for peer-to-peer political dialogue. And to ensure that first time voters don't sleep Election Day away, My First Vote will make a wake up call the morning of November 4 to each and every first time voter who registers on the site.

Inspired by his daughter's first opportunity to vote in 2008, New York based content creator, Jonathan Pillot, brought the My First Vote vision to Chris and Jeff Cooney, co-owners of EUE Screen Gems, whose backing and commitment brought the project to life. My First Vote turns up the volume for a voice that already exists - and connects a group of individuals invested in our country's future, but not fully aware of their strength as a whole. Says Jonathan Pillot, "It is crucial that young people understand that their vote does count - state by state, county by county, city by city. And it is in the Purple States, like Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where first time voter turnout will most likely impact the outcome of the election. It is our commitment to go to any length...including getting each and every first time voter out of bed on Election Day...to help ensure the largest turnout of first time voters at the polls in American history!"

THE PURPLE STATE WAKE UP TOUR

The Wake Up Tour bus will travel through North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Ohio from October 16 through 25, visiting college campuses, high schools, churches, rural areas and urban centers; going to first time voters where they live, to wake them up to voice the issues important to their lives. Working with local youth and college organizations at every stop, the Tour is designed to motivate new voters during the time period between voter registration and Election Day. The branded bus will also invite young people to share, on film, their political opinions, concerns and the issues most important to them as they tackle one of the most important elections in our nation's history. These vibrant, user generated short films will be immediately uploaded on www.myfirstvote.tv, and be spread virally from coast to coast, providing the only get out and vote initiative with content BY the youth voter, FOR the youth voter.

WWW.MYFIRSTVOTE.TV WAKE UP CALL

At each stop along the Tour, first time voters will be able to sign up for an actual Election Day Wake Up call, free of charge, instituted by www.myfirstvote.tv to eliminate any possibility that a new voter will miss the opportunity to get to the polls. Visitors to www.myfirstvote.tv can also sign up for a wake up call, personally tailoring their call with the time and time zone of their choice. Anyone interested can go to Wake Up call sign up at http://www.myfirstvote.tv/wake_up_call from October 16th to November 3rd.

My First Vote is a nonpartisan, peer-to-peer youth voter registration and motivational initiative that has been created to both inform youth about the critical issues that affect them, and provide a safe media forum for them to express their opinions, and share them with their peers...and the world. My First Vote gives this important demographic a reinforcing backbone to have their voices be counted, and a Channel to hold elected officials and politicians accountable. EUE Screen Gems was founded in 1948 and quickly became the most creative commercial production company in New York. In the early 1960's, EUE was bought by Columbia Pictures, and with the sale, the company was renamed EUE/SCREEN GEMS. Led by George Cooney, the division grew to become the largest producer of TV spots in the Advertising business. To enhance the business, George Cooney led the development of the Post Production side of the industry that eventually became EUE/SCREEN GEMS VIDEO SERVICES. Moving from the West side of Manhattan to the East side, EUE/SCREEN GEMS diversified its business into becoming the largest independent studio for Soap Operas on the East Coast. In 1984, George Cooney purchased the company from Columbia Pictures' owner, the Coca-Cola Company. Retaining the brand name that became synonymous with television commercials and Studio facilities, the company has remained a leader in its numerous lines of business, and has developed assets and investments in content development, media production, production facilities and digital media/business incubation.

-- Chris Cooney is the Chief Operating Officer and co-principal of EUE
Screen Gems. Chris has served in a number of key positions since 1986
when he first joined EUE Screen Gems as Head of Production. As the
former Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman of First Look Studios,
Chris is also recognized as a skilled motion picture and television
production executive. Extensive facility management, international
distribution, media integration, branded content and online
distribution experience provide him with one of the industry's most
comprehensive profiles.

-- Jeff Cooney is an internationally experienced director and also a
co-principal of EUE Screen Gems. Jeff's passion for directing was
ignited early while working as a protege of directing icons Howard
Zieff, Stan Dragoti and Mike Elliott, and he's been traveling the
globe shooting memorable campaigns for a vast array of high-profile
clients, including Coke, UPS International, Visa and Nestle, ever
since. Jeff's rare combination of experience, creativity and
leadership sets him way apart from the commercial helmer pack. And
the results speak for themselves: Jeff was honored with a Helen Hayes
Award for his AIDS Awareness campaign, while his "Visa" and "Coca
Cola" spots both won Telly Awards. He has also been nominated for
numerous Clio's, most recently for his terrific UPS International ads.

-- Jonathan Pillot is a former entertainment attorney, now the principal
of THINKRONICITY, a New York based company specializing in business
and content development and the creation of "creative capital,"
primarily focused in the areas of entertainment and lifestyle.
Jonathan's wide range of experience has allowed him to develop and/or
produce projects, brands and/or businesses in film, television,
theater, branded entertainment, new media, music and book publishing.
Jonathan was, among other things, the Executive Producer of AGAINST
THE ROPES with Meg Ryan (Paramount), and the Producer of THE NAKED
BROTHERS BAND film, upon which the hit Nickelodeon TV series is based.

About iCount: the My First Vote PSA

Jeff Cooney directed, and Pillot and Chris Cooney Executive Produced, the empowering, signature My First Vote PSA's, together with EUE'S backing of the short documentary film, "iCount", which has been licensed to Ted Leonsis' Snag Films web channel (www.snagfilms.com).

Source: EUE Screen Gems

CONTACT: National Media, Jeanine Pepler, for EUE Screen Gems,
+1-917-797-0676, jeanine@aka-pr.com; or For All Bus Tour Info And Regional
Media Inquiries, Katherine Carroll for EUE Screen Gems, +1-914-788-1005,
ktc2000@aol.com

Web Site: http://www.myfirstvote.tv/
http://www.myfirstvote.tv/wake_up_call

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