NBC News

NBCUNIVERSAL NEWS GROUP TO COMMEMORATE LGBTQ PRIDE WITH CROSS-PLATFORM COVERAGE HIGHLIGHTING LGBTQ STORIES ACROSS AMERICA

EXTENSIVE REPORTING TO AIR ON NBC NEWS, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC NEWS NOW AND PEACOCK IN JUNE AND BEYOND

PLUS – ONE-HOUR STREAMING SPECIAL “TRANSAMERICA” TO AIR ON NBC NEWS NOW AT 8 P.M. ET ON JUNE 17, HOSTED BY JOE FRYER 

(JUNE 1, 2021) – NBCUniversal News Group is commemorating LGBTQ Pride with deep-dive storytelling, exclusive reporting, and special programming throughout the month of June and beyond. NBCUniversal News Group’s coverage will be featured division-wide across NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC News NOW, NBC News Digital and Peacock. 

JOE FRYER TO HOST TRANSAMERICA, ONE-HOUR SPECIAL ON NBC NEWS NOW EXAMINING ISSUES FACING THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY ON JUNE 17

  • NBC News NOW will stream TRANSAMERICA, hosted by Morning News NOW co-host Joe Fryer at 8 p.m. ET on June 17, examining state laws discriminating against transgender Americans and showcasing stories of transgender lawmakers making a difference in their communities. Fryer will also interview parents of transgender children and will moderate an anti-violence panel to discuss what can be done to raise awareness and help prevent crimes against the transgender community. The special will also examine the mental health challenges that many in the transgender community face from the pressure, stigma, and fears of everyday society that does not accept or understand them. Additionally, previews of the special will air on TODAY and Nightly News with Lester Holt.

TODAY, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS, AND MEET THE PRESS TO HIGHLIGHT PRIDE CELEBRATIONS, SPOTLIGHT LGBTQ TRAILBLAZERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT AND EXPLORE THE EVOLUTION OF LGBTQ SUPPORT

  • On TODAY, Joe Fryer will take a deep-dive look at Pride celebrations taking place this year and will explore how LGBTQ bars across the country are approaching reopening. Plus, marking 40 years since the first reported case of HIV/AIDS, Fryer will report on the historical, scientific, and cultural impact of the virus as well as advances in prevention and treatment.
  • Throughout the month, TODAY will highlight a variety of inspiring stories and perspectives of the LGBTQ experience including: the first gay married couple in the U.S. fifty years ago, Jack Baker and Michael McDonnel, discuss the story that inspired the book “Two Grooms on a Cake”; SNL’s Bowen Yang reflects on coming out and how the process has changed;  actresses Indya Moore and Angelic Ross of FX’s Pose reflect on the pioneering nature of the series and its final close this summer; and more. 
  • On NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Sunday anchor Kate Snow will report on families with transgender children forced to relocate to new cities as more and more states enact restrictive transgender laws.
  • Meet the Press with Chuck Todd will explore the evolution of public and political support for the LGBTQ community and how it has continued to change over the past two decades — from legislation to court cases to major societal shifts.
  • Plus, TODAY Digital will spotlight LGBTQ trailblazers who paved the way for future generations along with the vanguards of today who continue to carry that legacy. Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, actor Wilson Cruz, musician Lance Bass and drag performer Lady Bunny lead the trailblazers list while model Leyna Bloom, musician Hayley Kiyoko, actor Alex Newell and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 13 contestant Gottmik join the group of up-and-coming influential leaders redefining the LGBTQ community with their visibility. Others profiled in the series include comedian Margaret Cho, soccer stars Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, Olympic gold medalist Kerron Clement, and actress Candis Cayne among others.

NBC NEWS DIGITAL RELEASES ITS ANNUAL “PRIDE 30” LIST, OUT TODAY

  • NBC Out – the only LGBTQ section at any broadcast or cable network’s digital operations – is out with its annual “Pride 30” list, recognizing LGBTQ Americans making a difference in their communities and industries. The list profiles 30 individuals in politics, entertainment, fashion, sports and more including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, comedian Punkie Johnson, Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, actor Elliot Page, former Super Bowl LIV Assistant Coach Katie Sowers, Congressman Ritchie Torres and more. See the entire list and follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #Pride30. 

MSNBC TO SPOTLIGHT LGBTQ STORIES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, ANCHORS AND CORRESPONDENTS TO TRAVEL TO IMPACTED COMMUNITIES 

  • Anchor Jonathan Capehart will highlight Pride every Sunday in June, with interviews with LGBTQ newsmakers from the White House and beyond.
  • Anchor Lindsey Reiser will speak with transgender Bishop Megan Rohrer inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in San Francisco about Rohrer’s decision to never walk away from faith despite being expelled from a church youth group as a teen after coming out as a lesbian.
  • On the fifth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, anchor Kendis Gibson will speak with the owner of the nightclub who has made it her mission to make sure people don’t forget the tragic events on June 12, 2016. Gibson will also speak to survivors of the tragedy and get their reaction to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signing a bill that bans cities and towns from adopting stricter gun regulations. 
  • Anchor Yasmin Vossoughian will also dive into the impact new legislative bills are having on transgender children across the country.

CNBC TO BREAK DOWN THE ECONOMICS OF PRIDE CELEBRATIONS AND LAUNCH SURVEY THAT TAKES FINANCIAL PULSE OF LGBTQ BUSINESS OWNERS

  • CNBC Business Day programming will dive deep into LGBTQ representation on company boards, break down the economics of Pride celebrations throughout the United States, and examine some of the top personal finance issues in the LGBTQ community from estate and retirement planning to the costly process of starting a family through adoption and surrogacy.
  • The News with Shepard Smith will explore stories that are directly impacting people who identify as LGBTQ with reports including Pride & The Pandemic: Small Business. The program will also highlight inspiring stories from the community such as Landmarking the First Gay Wedding and a cyclist that went on a transcontinental bike ride in an effort to raise money for The Trevor Project, a national suicide hotline that helps LGBTQ youth, after two of his close friends took their own lives.
  • Invest in You: Ready. Set. Grow. will partner with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce for the LGBTQ Small Business Owner Financial Health Survey. The national survey will take the financial pulse of LGBTQ entrepreneurs to learn more about how they manage their finances and the specific obstacles they face based on their sexual and gender identity and address topics from emergency savings to business succession plans to post-COVID small business confidence. Editorial content based off of the survey findings will publish throughout June on cnbc.com/invest-in-you. Additionally, Invest in You will host a LinkedIn Live event, Invest in Pride: Ready. Set. Grow., on Thursday, June 17th at 1pm ET moderated by CNBC Small Business Reporter Kate Rogers featuring personal finance expert and bestselling author Suze Orman to discuss the most pressing issues currently facing LGBTQ small business owners and answer their questions about how to best manage their personal and business finances.
  • CNBC Make It will profile LGBTQ leaders making history in politics as well as feature interviews with Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD CEO; Kayla Gore, a Memphis activist who is building tiny homes for trans women of color who experience housing discrimination and homelessness; and the founders of gender-inclusive fashion brand Urbody. Additionally, CNBC Make It will publish stories that speak to the experiences of LGBTQ people in the workplace throughout the month.
  • CNBC.com will offer stories focused on inclusion efforts around the LGBTQ community such as the U.S. Supreme Court’s role in shaping LGBTQ rights, the growing trend of gender fluid clothing, and marketers making a big push for more diversity in their ads. The site will also report on how Pride organizers are preparing for 2021 celebrations and what it means to local economies across the country. Additionally, CNBC.com will feature written profiles on U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Francesca’s CEO Andrew Clarke as well as produce a video interview with Arlan Hamilton, the only black, queer woman to build a VC firm from the ground up that invests in start-ups led by underrepresented founders including women, people of color and LGBTQ individuals.
  • CNBC’s Listing Impossible season one is available for binge-viewing across all of CNBC’s digital platforms, including CNBC On Demand, CNBC.com, the CNBC App and the NBCU One App.

PEACOCK TO FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES AND COVERAGE ON THE CHOICE IN RECOGNITION OF PRIDE MONTH THROUGHOUT JUNE

  • Peacock Original daily news shows The Mehdi Hasan Show and Zerlina. will feature segments on Peacock’s new, exclusive news commentary channel, The Choice, including a focus on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot on June 28. 
  • News documentaries including NBC News Features’ No Longer a Death Sentence: How Living with HIV Has Changed 40 Years Later, Nightly Film’s Stonewall 50: The Rebellion!, and MSNBC’s Rebellion! Stonewall will be available to stream on Peacock throughout the month of June.

NBCU ACADEMY 101 PRESENTS AN EXPLAINER ABOUT REPORTING ON THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY

  • NBCU Academy – a multiplatform journalism training and development program designed to prepare college-level students for a career in the media industry – will host two livestream events covering the LGBTQ community and communities of color. Also, NBC Out reporter and associate editor Jo Yurcaba will take a deep-dive at defining transgender terms, explaining which terms to use and which terms to avoid and discussing what information is relevant when reporting on a transgender source.

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