Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 09:14:06 -0700 From: GLAAD Subject: ABC RECONSIDERS ELLEN HIATUS WITH MOVE TO NEW NIGHT AND TIMESLOT MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alan Klein (212) 807-1700 Pager: (800) 601-5483 (please include area code) Email: klein@glaad.org ABC RECONSIDERS ELLEN HIATUS WITH MOVE TO NEW NIGHT AND TIMESLOT GLAAD PRESSES ABC FOR PLEDGE ON 'OUT' EPISODE LOS ANGELES, CA, JANUARY 28, 1997-Following a successful campaign initiated by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to keep ABC-TV's Ellen on the air, the network announced last week that the sitcom would not be placed on hiatus, as it had originally intended. Instead, Ellen will be moved to Tuesdays at 8:30 PM from March 4 through April 23, 1997, replacing Life's Work, which is expected to be canceled. The move will make room for Arsenio Hall's new show which will be showcased in Ellen's regular timeslot. According the ABC, Ellen will return to its Wednesday night timeslot in time for May sweeps. GLAAD's Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono reports that the media watchdog organization is pleased that ABC has reconsidered its plan to give Ellen a two-month rest. However, Ms. Bono added, "GLAAD would like ABC to finally end the speculation about whether an Ellen coming out episode will air. The public has waited patiently but now our patience is waning." "We are encouraged by the latest news from ABC that Ellen will remain on the airwaves and we hope it signals that ABC and Disney will continue to do the right thing," said William Waybourn, GLAAD's managing director. "If ABC truly desires to paint an accurate picture of our diverse American landscape, it must not crop out gay and lesbian Americans. When Ellen Morgan finally steps out of the closet we will all win-viewers and the network will benefit from an accurate reflection of the lives of real Americans, including gay men and lesbians." GLAAD maintains an "Ellen Watch" World Wide Web site at http://www.glaad.org. GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.