The 10th annual RIBBON OF HOPE CELEBRATION honored those within the television medium who contributed to responsible programming with regards to educating and raising public awareness of AIDS, on November 29th, the 25th anniversary of the disease. The 2006 celebration included an additional award for efforts made on behalf of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Taped live by here! and edited for later broadcast, the event includes a special musical performance by Deborah Gibson. The first ever cable television telecast of the Ribbon of Hope Celebration will be offered free of charge to here!’s 50 million cable and satellite households and to every visitor on here! Watch for the re-broadcast in 2007.

Honorees included Showtime's "The L Word," ABC's "PRIMETIME, Out of Control: AIDS in Black America" and "General Hospital," HBO's "Yesterday,” Cinemax's "The Orphans of Nkandla," and PBS' "FRONTLINE:The Age of AIDS." Actress Judith Light was recognized with a special award for Outstanding Leadership in AIDS education.

In attendance were Chad Allen ("The Donald Strachey Mysteries"), Sarah Anthony (Associate Producer, "FRONTLINE"), Betsy Arledge (Producer, “PRIMETIME”), Ilene Chaiken (Creator/Executive Producer, "The L Word"), David Fanning (Executive Producer, "FRONTLINE"), CCH Pounder (“The Shield”), Peter Gallagher (“The O.C.”), Deborah Gibson (recording artist/songwriter), Leisha Hailey ("The L Word"), Rose Lam ("The L Word"), Erin Daniels (“The L Word”), Martin Markowitz, M.D. ("FRONTLINE: The Age of AIDS"), Marlee Matlin (“The L Word”), Kimberly McCullough ("General Hospital"), Kate Moennig ("The L Word"), Michelle Stafford (“The Young & the Restless”), Jill Farren Phelps (Executive Producer, “General Hospital”), Victoria Rowell (“Home of the Brave”, “The Young & the Restless”), Renata Simone (Producer/Reporter, "FRONTLINE”), Jason Thompson ("General Hospital"), Bruce Vilanch (Actor/Writer); Phill Wilson, (Executive Director, Black AIDS Institute).

TV Cares is a foundation of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences that promotes and encourages responsible programming in the area of AIDS awareness and education, as well as raising funds for its three recipient organizations: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Caring for Families with AIDS and Project New Hope. Everyone who works with TV CARES is a volunteer. There are no paid employees.

Past recipients of the personal award are Dick Clark, Michael Jeter, Sharon Stone, Bruce Vilanch, Tyne Daly and Jeffrey Katzenberg among others. Past recipients of the programming awards include "ER", "General Hospital", "The Young & The Restless", "20/20", MTV, Showtime, HBO, "Sex and the City", "Angels in America" and many more.

Here! is America’s Premium Gay Television Network. The “Ribbon of Hope Celebration 2006” is produced by David Michaels, B. Harlan Boll, Susan Fincham, and David Millbern.

http://www.heretv.com

http://www.emmys.org/events/2006/Ribbon_of_Hope.php

All photo credits: Marcia Perel, Marcia Perel Photography