WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following in the footsteps of its influential Movies for Grownups® Awards, AARP today announced the debut of its TV for Grownups® Honors on July 24, 2018, at the Sunset Tower Hotel. The program will celebrate the career achievement of iconic television pioneer Norman Lear. Academy Award, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Rita Moreno will present the award to Lear. The event will be hosted by actress Wendie Malick, with notable guests including Dick Van Dyke, Frances Fisher, Marla Gibbs, Bob Saget, Adrienne Barbeau, Chuck Lorre and more.  

“AARP’s mission is to empower people to choose how they live as they age, and nobody does it better than Norman Lear,” said Myrna Blyth, SVP and Editorial Director of AARP Media. “Our new initiative, AARP TV for Grownups, connects the 50-plus viewer with the best in programming and also celebrates the work of older actors and industry leaders.”

Norman Lear, a four-time Emmy winner, shaped the trajectory of television, spearheading a new kind of socially relevant programming that forever changed the medium. Throughout his distinguished career, Lear has been inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame, recognized as a Kennedy Center Honoree, and presented with the National Medal of Arts and the Peabody Lifetime Achievement Award. Lear continues to innovate with his latest comedy series, a multi-generational reboot hit on Netflix, One Day at a Time, starring Moreno.

Modeled after AARP’s highly successful Movies for Grownups franchise, TV for Grownups celebrates the 50-plus audience and their television viewing habits. The 50-plus population outpaces younger viewers: according to a GfK MRI Fall 2017 study, the 50-plus watch a median of 34 hours per week, about 15 hours more than viewers age 18-49. 

In addition, AARP’s TV for Grownups will bring audiences closer to their favorite TV content with news, interviews, weekly online reviews and previews, and other special events year-round. TV for Grownups will help filter and inform the choices for more than 38 million AARP members and other 50-plus viewers. The initiative will encompass all platforms of television content, including broadcast, cable and streaming (for which the 50-plus are the fastest-growing demographic). TV for Grownups will also help viewers make savvy choices when choosing TV-related devices and apps, service providers and subscription-based platforms.  

To learn more about TV for Grownups go to www.aarp.org/TVforGrownups.    

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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and more than 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

For more information: Paola Torres, AARP, 202-434-2555, ptorres@aarp.org