Wii Are Family
Feb 9, 2009
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Wii ARE FAMILY
If you watched the ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment's award show on The CW last December 12 and didn't get the idea that the group was broadening its mission beyond just network TV, you might want to get yourself a double espresso. Stat! Because one of the big winners that night was not an entertainer in the traditional sense of the word nor was it a TV show. Heck, one of the big winners wasn't even alive.
It was the Nintendo Wii.
For the first time, the Alliance opened up a category to honor the video gaming system that was most conducive to family entertainment. As a growing legion of Wii devotees can attest, the gaming system can become a near obsession for all ages.
"We honored things that were beyond the scope of TV and movies for the first time," says Marc Goldstein, president and CEO of agency GroupM North America and the member of the Alliance's Executive Committee who spearheads the awards show presentation, which is produced by dick clark productions, inc. "The Wii system has been a very interesting phenomenon to watch. It really does bring families closer together when they play." (Author's full disclosure: After repeated attempts, I still can't figure out how my 10-year-old son can beat me so handily and so consistently at Wii Bowling; but I refuse to give up.)
Other nontraditional, mission-broadening winners that night were Debbie Phelps, the mother of Olympic super swimmer Michael Phelps, in the Special Moment category and, in the Special Event category, Stand Up 2 Cancer, the entertainment-industry initiative formed to raise awareness about the disease.
Of course, the Alliance also presented top honors in a number of traditional family-friendly areas. Ghost Whisperer won for Best Drama, America's Got Talent was honored for Best Reality Series, House of Payne was the top cable TV show, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2won for Best Feature Film, Wall-Ewas named Best Animated Film, A Raisin in the Sun received an award for Best TV Movie and Pushing Daisies won for Best Comedy.
"The recognition and acclaim of our annual Family Entertainment Awards has grown significantly since we began producing the show a decade ago," adds Carole Millsaps, marketing principal for FedEx Services and co-chairperson of the ANA Alliance. "Our first show was a simple, non-televised luncheon. In the following years the show has grown into a one-hour, primetime network television special."- RB
For more Family Friendly coverage:
Not the Same as it Ever Was Part I
Not the Same as it Ever Was Part II
A Hallmark of Family Programming
Wii Are Family
ANA Group Heads into its Second Decade
