Press

ESPN, ABS-CBN and MediaCorp Execs Join New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Advisory Board

Vic Morren, ESPN; Regina Reyes, ABS-CBN; and Debra Soon, MediaCorp Will Select the World’s Best TV & Films

New York, NY | October 20, 2015

New York Festivals® International Television & Film Awards announced  the addition of Vic Morren, senior production manager at ESPN USA; Regina Reyes, senior vice president at ABS-CBN News Philippines; and Debra Soon, Head of News and Premier at MediaCorp Singapore to the New York Festivals®TV & Film Awards Advisory Board and Grand Jury.

With the additions of Vic Morren, Regina Reyes, and Debra Soon, our Advisory Board benefits from the perspectives of three more prominent broadcasters, lending a not only a global diversity but also a hands-on knowledge of today’s genres and platforms,” said Rose Anderson, executive director, NYF Television & Film Awards. All told, our Advisory Board members are award-winning industry leaders and we welcome their insights.

“Having worked on the Sports Emmys for ESPN since 2004 and assuming complete oversight two years ago, one becomes very familiar with category descriptions, a multitude of processes and working as a liaison between the Academy and the workforce,” said Vic Morren, senior production manager at ESPN. “This is a wonderful opportunity to judge the New York Festivals Television and Film Awards, and an honor to share expertise and help play a part in the evolution of, perhaps, the most prestigious group representing excellence in the entertainment industry.”

Vic Morren is senior production manager at ESPN with over 27 years of production experience. Mr. Morren is senior manager for Major League Baseball and has worked on  high-profile productions including the NFL from 2001-2010, NFL Draft from 2003-2010, NHL 1992-2014, in addition to Little League World Series, Boxing, Women’s National Basketball Association, and Major League Soccer. His responsibilities have encompassed remote and studio assignments.

Throughout his long-standing career, Mr. Morren has had two stints with ESPN, first from 1987 to 1990 and then returning in 1992 to the present. He quickly moved through the ranks from production coordinator and head of NHL research to NFL production coordinator rising to senior manager in 2007. Prior to returning to ESPN in 1992, Mr. Morren was associate producer for the Barcelona Summer Olympics.

“I am privileged to be a member of the NYF TV and Film Advisory Board  as I've always admired our colleagues from all over the world, who work on films, documentaries and news stories on the mere strength of subject matter, said Regina Reyes, senior vice president Integrated News ABS-CBN Corporation. “That their work can move people and spur communities into action is the hallmark of good storytelling, which the NYF consistently honors.”

With over 20 years of experience as a broadcast journalist, Regina Reyes, senior vice president Integrated News at ABS-CBN Corporation is responsible for all newsgathering, content and strategic direction of the News and Current Affairs Division of ABS-CBN Corporation. During her leadership, all news platforms of ABS-CBN – free-to-air, UHF and cable channels, digital, mobile and social media, radio and global became integrated. Reyes also established a Futures, Standards and Practices Group that aims to ensure the accuracy, balance and fairness of ABS-CBN News content.

Reyes joined ABS-CBN in 1986 as a production assistant, rose from the ranks to become executive producer and head writer of the award-winning late night newscast, The World Tonight. She supervised and produced live coverage of many special events, including the 2000 Impeachment Trial of former President Estrada. In 2007, she was named by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the U.S.

“The New York Festivals are the premier awards and it is an honour to be part of the board.  As producers of high quality Asian content covering issues, entertainment and lifestyle programmes, this is a tremendous opportunity to work with and a chance to learn from some of the best, and to also contribute to the development of TV and Film across the globe,” said Debra SoonHead, News Segment, MediaCorp,938Live, TODAY, Channel NewsAsia. “I look forward to working with the world class team.”

Debra Soon is a 20-year veteran of the media industry and is responsible for the business operations and management of the News and Premier segments in MediaCorp, and heads the TV operations team for the company. As Head of the news segment, she oversees the programming, branding, marketing, circulation and distribution of Channel NewsAsia, TODAY newspaper, the digital platforms channelnewsasia.com and TODAYonline.com, and the Radio station 938LIVE. Ms. Soon was appointed Managing Director of Channel NewsAsia in March 2009, responsible for the editorial content of the English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil news and current affairs platforms in MediaCorp, as well as the business operations of Channel NewsAsia.

She is a mentor/member of Board Agender and an executive committee member of UN Women, formerly known as UNIFEM Singapore and is on the Business Advisory Board of the Behavioural Sciences Institute of the Singapore Management University.

Entry details and competition rules and regulations can be found on the New York Festivals Television & Film Awards website http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/tvfilm/. To view the complete list of categories click here.

All Entries in the 2016 competition will be judged online and screened by New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Grand Jury of 200 media professionals from 30 countries around the globe. Award-winners will be announced at the 2016 NAB Show on April 19th in Las Vegas. All award-winning entries will be showcased on the NYF’s TV & Film Awards website.

Press inquiries are welcome and should be directed to Gayle Mandel: gmandel@internationalawardsgroup.com, Ph: 1 212 643 4800.

The New York Festivals International Family of Award Competitions…

Celebrating the World’s Best Work® since 1957!

AME Awards® | Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness
Global Awards℠ | Healthcare & Wellness Advertising

Midas Awards® | Financial Marketing & Advertising
New York Festivals® | International Radio Program Awards

New York Festivals® | International Advertising Awards
New York Festivals® | International TV & Film Awards

 
Entries to each of the competitions are judged around the world by panels of peers in their respective industries. For more information, go to www.newyorkfestivals.com.

About the 2016 NAB Show
NAB Show, held annually in Las Vegas, is the world's largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. With nearly 98,000 attendees from 159 countries and more than 1,700 exhibitors, the NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for digital media and entertainment. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms and countless nationalities, the NAB Show is home to the solutions that transcend traditional broadcasting and embrace content delivery to new screens in new ways. Complete details are available at www.nabshow.com.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.