2nd Annual “National Media Prayer Breakfast” Mobilizes Spiritual Support for Hollywood

The words “prayer” and “Hollywood” aren’t often seen in the same sentence, but prayer for Hollywood’s leaders will be very much on the minds of attendees of the 2nd Annual National Media Prayer Breakfast in Los Angeles, California this November. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend, joining celebrities, top producers, directors and decision-makers to pray for the 700 most powerful and influential media professionals in the world.

Established in 2004, the National Media Prayer Breakfast (NMPB) was designed to mobilize spiritual support for leaders of global media, recognize people of faith in media, and reinforce the value of faith in media decision-making. A Christian event open to people of all faiths, NMPB is neither issues-focused nor political. It is a positive expression of care and support for those leaders of global media who wield tremendous influence and who have demonstrated their past appreciation for supportive prayer in the decisions they make.

“The message to Hollywood’s elite is that there are millions of Christians who care enough about them to pray for them—not boycott, protest or bash them,” says Dr. Larry Poland, founder of NMPB and CEO of Mastermedia International. “We want to send media leaders a positive message of God’s love and forgiveness.” Poland feels strongly about modeling positive alternatives to the “anger strategies” he says have been directed at the entertainment community by people of faith in the past.

The National Media Prayer Breakfast will take place on Friday, November 4, 2005 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza (formerly the Westin Century Plaza Hotel & Spa) at 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, California 90067, just minutes from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The event is open to the public. There is a $125 registration fee, and attendees must register online at www.mediaprayer.org by October 24, 2005.

Opening the event in prayer will be former Chaplain of the U.S. SENATE, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, who opened the Senate with prayer each day from 1995 until his retirement in 2003. Other program participants scheduled to appear include singer and Broadway star Debby Boone and actor John Schneider, a regular on the WB television series “Smallville” and former “Dukes of Hazard” star. The President of CBS Studio Center, Michael Klausman, will join Lori McCreary, CEO of Revelations Entertainment (founded with her partner, actor Morgan Freeman). Also participating will be Charisse McGhee Lazarou, VP of Current Series Programming at Lifetime Television. Father Michael Manning, founder of Wordnet Catholic Television, will provide the closing prayer.

Endorsements for the 2nd Annual National Media Prayer Breakfast have come from some of America’s most respected leaders, including: Ken Blanchard, co-author of “The One Minute Manager;” Eric Close, actor on the award-winning CBS television show “Without a Trace;” Rick Dees, President of Rick Dees Entertainment and the international radio host of Rick Dees Weekly Top 40; Sam Haskell III, former Executive VP/Worldwide Head of Television at the William Morris Agency; Dean Jones, lovable star of a number of Disney film classics and other performing roles; Sonya McNair, VP of Public Relations & Corporate Communications at Essence Communications, Inc., publisher of Essence, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; Lowell “Bud” Paxson, Chairman of Paxson Communications Corporation and PAX TV; Rabbi Sheldon Pennes of Temple Bnai Emet in Montebello, CA and the Jewish Hospice Project, L.A.; Tim Rothwell, President of the Consumer Products Group at Marvel Entertainment; Alfred C. Sikes, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; and Tony Thomopoulos, former President of the ABC Television Network; Ralph Winter, producer of “Fantastic Four,” the “X-Men” movies, and other major motion pictures; and Zig Ziglar, Chairman of Ziglar Training Systems and a talented author and motivational speaker.

Gospel artist Kirk Franklin and the Hollywood Mass Choir will provide music for NMPB this year. Franklin’s first album was at the top of “Billboard” magazine’s gospel charts for 100 weeks and became the first gospel album to sell a million copies. The event will be produced and directed by George Taweel, a 30-year veteran of television, video, film and event production and direction.

About NMPB
NMPB is sponsored by Mastermedia International (www.mastermediaintl.org), which has been positively supporting Hollywood for 16 years through its Media Leader Prayer Calendar, a guide to praying for the 365 most powerful people in media that is the most widely-recognized and respected publication of its kind. Sponsorship is in alliance with The Hollywood Prayer Network (www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org), a structure founded by Karen Covell that links national prayer movements in a focus on Hollywood media. For more information about NMPB or online registration, contact Sandy Hungate at 1-866-807-NMPB [6672] or sandyh@mastermediaintl.org, or visit www.mediaprayer.org. To schedule a press interview with Larry Poland or Karen Covell, contact Anne Sharp at (818) 994-2309.