Off the Wires

NEW YORK WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
ANNOUNCES 2006 MATRIX AWARDS HOSTED BY THE OXYGEN NETWORK
CEREMONY TO BE EMCEED BY ELLEN DEGENERES
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Matrix honorees include Geena Davis, Joan Hamburg, Jill Abramson, Renetta McCann, Beth Comstock,
Cynthia Leive, Candace Bushnell and Katherine Oliver.
Ellen DeGeneres to receive special Humanitarian Award
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        NEW YORK, NY, November 28, 2005 -- New York Women in Communications, Inc. (NYWICI) will honor Geena Davis, and Candace Bushnell among others for its 2006 Matrix Awards, it was announced today. The ceremony, sponsored by the Oxygen Network, will be emceed by Ellen DeGeneres, star of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” a talk show that airs in syndication and on Oxygen. The 2006 Matrix Awards event will take place at a luncheon in the Waldorf-Astoria on “Matrix” Monday, April 3, 2006.

        The 2006 awards acknowledge outstanding women who have distinguished themselves in the communications fields of advertising, arts & entertainment, books, film, magazines, marketing, newspapers and radio. In addition to these eight honorees, NYWICI will be presenting a special Humanitarian Award to this year’s Master of Ceremonies, Ellen DeGeneres, for her work in the gulf coast following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

This year’s Matrix honorees are as follows:
· Jill Abramson, Managing Editor, The New York Times
· Candace Bushnell, Author
· Beth Comstock, Chief Marketing Officer, GE
· Geena Davis, Actor
· Joan Hamburg, Radio Personality, WOR Radio
· Renetta McCann, Chief Executive Officer, Starcom Mediavest Group
· Cynthia Leive, Editor-in-Chief, Glamour Magazine
· Katherine Oliver, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting
        Betsy Morgan, Senior Vice President, CBS Digital Media/General Manager, CBSNews.com and NYWICI’s President, commented “Matrix reflects NYWICI’s mission of promoting professional growth and inspiring women to achieve. We are honored to have such a distinguished group of women accepting Matrix Awards this year.”

        “We love hosting the Matrix Awards because they're the most powerful awards for women and we're honored that Ellen DeGeneres, one our favorite Oxygen personalities, has agreed to emcee,” said Geraldine Laybourne, Oxygen Chairman and CEO and 1996 Matrix Award Winner. “We congratulate Ellen and this year's exceptional group of winners. We're inspired by their endless accomplishments.”

        To register for the event or to find out more information about the organization, please go to www.nywici.org or call (212) 297-2133.

New York Women in Communications, Inc.
New York Women in Communications, Inc., founded in 1929, is a not-for-profit organization of more than 1,000 communications professionals dedicated to promoting the highest standards throughout the industry and to providing education and leadership for the next generation. The membership encompasses senior executives and other experienced communicators from a wide range of enterprises, as well as young professionals and students. NYWICI empowers women in all communications disciplines to reach their full potential by promoting their professional growth and inspiring them to achieve and share their successes.

About Oxygen Media
Oxygen, the only cable network owned and operated by women, is currently available in 56 million homes. The network was launched in 2000 to fill a void in the television landscape -- creating a network targeted to younger women. Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's television, with the most original programming of all the women's networks including Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance, Talk Sex with Sue Johanson and Oprah After the Show. Geraldine Laybourne, the network's founder, Chairman and CEO, has led the company to be a strong advocate for women. Through programs like The Mentor's Walk, Oxygen's national program for bringing along the next generation, and "Who Cares About Girls," Oxygen's new documentary series -- Oxygen is creating The New Girls Network.