WNET Annual Gala Celebrates the Power of Public Television to Benefit Local and Global Communities

David Adjaye, Ray Chambers, Johnson & Johnson, Ann Tenenbaum, and Alfre Woodard to be honored

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May 26, 2015, 03:47 ET

NEW YORK, May 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WNET, the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW and operator of NJTV, announced plans for its annual Gala Salute, continuing its commitment to lifelong learning and meaningful experiences for the tri-state area and beyond. The honorees are visionary architect David Adjaye; Chairman of the MCJ Amelior Foundation Ray Chambers, who is the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Financing the Health Millennium Development Goals and for Malaria; philanthropic corporation Johnson & Johnson; supporter of the arts and longtime WNET trustee Ann Tenenbaum; and award-winning actor and advocate Alfre Woodard. The event will celebrate their commitments and contributions, which allow WNET to provide on-air and on-line programming and educational initiatives that inspire curiosity, encourage action and nurture dreams.

Each of the honorees has been selected as a recipient for this honor as a result of their dedication to social responsibility and civic engagement.

"The work of these five distinguished honorees is making an impact on the lives of people in this community and beyond," said WNET Board Chairman James S. Tisch. "Their actions are directly in line with WNET's mission to touch the lives of viewers through the power of public media."

The Gala Salute will take place on Tuesday, June 9 at Cipriani 42^nd Street ® in New York City. PBS NewsHour Weekend anchor and SciTech Now host Hari Sreenivasan and NYC-ARTS co-anchor and veteran television journalist Paula Zahn will co-host the evening.

The Gala will begin with an opening cocktail reception, followed by dinner. The live program for the evening will include a specially produced video interview with each of the honorees. The evening will also feature a special performance by A Silent Film, an indie rock band hailing from Oxford, England.

"It's only through the generosity of, and collaboration with, community leaders, organizations and supporters of our mission that we're able to continue to create innovative programming and offer those vital educational services that make such a difference in the lives of viewers in New York and beyond," said Neal Shapiro, President and CEO of WNET.

Past honorees have included Alan Alda, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas, Tony Bennett, Michael R. Bloomberg, Tom Brokaw, Ken Burns, Kathryn and Kenneth Chenault, Joan Ganz Cooney, Plácido Domingo, the Henson Family, Gwen Ifill, Kevin Kline, Henry Kravis, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert MacNeil, Peter Martins, Cheryl and Philip Milstein, Bill Moyers, Steven Rattner, Charlie Rose, Rosalind P. Walter, and Elie Wiesel among others.

About WNET

As New York's flagship public media provider and the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. WNET is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the THIRTEEN Explore iPad App where users can stream PBS content for free.