Tca final tpl host annoucement 7.26.13[1]

PIVOT, NEW TV NETWORK TARGETING MILLENNIALS, TAPS JACOB SOBOROFF AND
CARA SANTA MARIA AS FIRST CO-HOSTS OF LIVE, LATE-NIGHT SHOW, ‘TAKEPART LIVE’
Award-Winning Producer Jim Downs Named Showrunner and Executive Producer of New Topical,
Interactive Series Premiering August 1st at Midnight ET/11:00 PM CT

Los Angeles, July 26, 2013 – During a presentation today for television critics, Pivot (www.pivot.tv) announced
that Jacob Soboroff and Cara Santa Maria have been named first co-hosts of the network’s new, interactive
late night series, “TakePart Live.” In addition, Jim Downs has been tapped as showrunner and executive
producer for the topical hour-long program set to premiere Thursday, August 1 at 12am ET/11 pm CT. Airing
live Monday through Thursday with a “best of” installment on Fridays, hosts Soboroff and Santa Maria will,
along with varying experts and contributors from their Los Angeles studio, go beyond the headlines and
hashtags to address the stories that matter to Millennials.
Equal parts serious discussion and comedic take, “TakePart Live” will bring celebrities, activists, newsmakers
and viewers together to discuss the events that make up the fabric of daily life and how to act on the stories that
move us. The nightly show will also feature live interaction via polling, social media sharing and more.
Specifically, during the show, viewers will be invited to join the conversation on Twitter or on TakePart.com,
where they can access articles and specific ways to take action on the issues discussed. The show will put a
spotlight on what our audience is talking about today but more importantly, what they will be talking about
tomorrow – from Presidential speeches to subversive ad campaigns to viral videos and memes clogging up your
Facebook feeds and inboxes.
At the top of the show, the "Decoder" segment will mine news and social feeds to breakdown and demystify
what's true or, in some cases, not true, about the news of the day. The last story featured in the “Decoder” is
picked up in the next segment – a panel discussion with our hosts, promo guests, invited experts – and our
audience. In the “Newsville” segment, outrageous headlines will be presented to the panel to test their
knowledge of fact vs. fiction.
In the recurring segment “Eight Days,” we challenge one of our hosts to make a lifestyle change for eight days.
For example give up caffeine, go vegan, feed yourself for $3 dollars a day, give up their car, etc. Their daily
activities will be documented on video and put on display for viewers to see what they are doing, how they are
feeling, and eight days later, report back on what the experience was like.
Soboroff, who PAPER Magazine called “the media world’s new favorite nerd-hunk,” joins Pivot from “HuffPost Live,” where he served as host and producer interviewing a range of newsmakers and celebrities and co-anchored coverage of Hurricane Sandy, the Newtown, Connecticut mass shooting, and special broadcasts following the 2012 presidential debates. In 2012, he contributed to MTV’s election coverage and previously worked with Participant Media as host of the web series Civics In A Minute, a Webby Award honoree. That same year, his TED Talk about American voter participation was featured on the main stage of the prestigious conference. After the election of Barack Obama, Jacob developed a documentary for Participant Media about voting in America. He has also co-hosted and/or contributed to CNN, NPR’s Weekend Edition, the PBS series WIRED Science, NBC’s, “School Pride” and KCET’s “SoCal Wanderer.” While a student at NYU, Jacob was an advance man to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and presidential candidate Howard Dean. Santa Maria, also a Huffington Post veteran, served as Senior Science correspondent for the online network, writing, producing and hosting their science web series, "Talk Nerdy to Me." Most recently, she co-hosted the Weather Channel’s original series/specials "Hacking the Planet" and "The Truth About Twisters" and was a
host on The Young Turks Networks. From 2004 until 2009, Cara taught biology and psychology courses to high
school students and college undergraduates in Texas and New York. It is her mission to make the fascination
she feels for the natural world accessible to as many people as possible. At the age of 20, Cara graduated with
honors from the University of North Texas, where she studied psychology and philosophy and went on to earn
her M.S. in neurobiology in 2007.
Downs has extensive experience in both interactive media and broadcast TV. Prior to this role, Jim was Vice
President, SpinMedia (formerly BuzzMedia) where he designed and built video production studios, and led the
development and production of original video for the company's digital properties. Before that, he was Vice
President, Production Operations for Ustream Inc., where he headed up the video production division creating
live, online original content for national brands, film and TV studios, and served as Executive Producer of the
live, global streaming and televised broadcast event “24 Hours of Reality” with Former Vice President Al Gore
and the Climate Reality Project. In 2009, Jim founded Litterbox Entertainment Inc., specializing in live multi-
camera HD broadcast and digital production. In 2000, Jim helped launch G4 TV where over his eight years at
the network he co-created and executive produced the iconic Attack of the Show and headed up the network’s
major tent pole live programming events at E3 and Comic-Con.

About Pivot
Pivot (Pivot.tv), launching August 1st, is a new television network from Participant Media serving passionate
Millennials (18-34) with a diverse slate of talent and a mix of original series, acquired programming, films and
documentaries. Pivot focuses on entertainment that sparks conversation, inspires change and illuminates issues
through engaging content and, through its website TakePart.com, connects audiences to a wealth of content and
customizable actions. Pivot is also changing the media landscape, available via traditional Pay TV subscription
and integrating a Live and on demand streaming option via its interactive, downloadable Pivot APP. In both
content and delivery, Pivot is TV for The New Greatest Generation. Follow Pivot on Twitter at @pivot_tv and
on Facebook at facebook.com/pivottelevision.

About Participant Media
Participant is a global entertainment company founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll to focus on feature film, television,
publishing and digital content that inspires social change. Participant's more than 40 films include GOOD
NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, FOOD, INC., WAITING FOR
‘SUPERMAN’, THE HELP, CONTAGION and LINCOLN. Through its films, social action campaigns, digital
network TakePart.com and Pivot, its new television network for Millennials, Participant seeks to entertain,
encourage and empower every individual to take action.
[email protected] / [email protected]

Source: http://www.pivot.tv/sites/default/files/downloadable_content/TakePart%20Live%20Host%20Annoucement%207.26.13.pdf