1. NBC TO BROADCAST WINTER OLYMPICS LIVE ON BOTH COASTS: NBC will air its primetime coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea, live across the United States. Los Angeles Times: "The move to coast-to-coast live coverage—which NBC Sports is announcing Tuesday—is an acknowledgement that holding back results or highlights for any part of the audience is no longer a viable option as viewers have instant access to information immediately through online platforms and digital devices. The plan is also aimed at staving off any further erosion of the Olympics TV audience. NBC's coverage of the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro averaged 25.4 million viewers over 17 nights last summer, a massive audience, but down 18% from the 2012 Games in London. … Jim Bell, president, production and programming for NBC Olympics, told the Los Angeles Times that making the Games live coast-to-coast is a way to address evolving viewer habits while 'reasserting' television’s status as the preeminent medium for coverage. Since social media reached critical mass, Olympic TV viewers have frequently groused about seeing events on delay. In response, the network has loaded as much live coverage as possible into the prime-time hours of 8 to 11 p.m., when the most TV viewers are available to watch. Even when NBC Olympic coverage was live in prime time, viewers in the Western and Mountain time zones, accounting for 20% of the country, were seeing it on a two- or three-hour delay. Bell said the Games actually have a history of performing better in the Western half of the country despite that delay. But the traditional scheduling seems even more archaic since NBC streams coverage of all Olympic events live online." http://lat.ms/2nrZc8j
2. COACHELLA WILL BE MARIJUANA-FREE DESPITE RECREATIONAL LEGALIZATION: While California's Proposition 64, which passed in November, allows residents over 21 to smoke marijuana recreationally, festivalgoers at Coachella won't be able to light up. The Desert Sun: "One thing that Proposition 64 did not legalize, however, is smoking weed in public places such as music festivals or campgrounds. Recreational vehicles are also considered public if they are parked in a public space, although it is somewhat of a gray area, as California's Supreme Court ruled in 1985 that some 'reasonable expectation of privacy' is afforded to occupants of a parked RV when it comes to searches and seizures. What's not gray is the answers in Coachella Fest's FAQ section, which even bans the use of medical marijuana, which has been legal in California since three years before the festival was founded in 1999. Of course there will always be people who choose to break the rules regarding drug use at the festival, but they do so at the risk of getting their wristband cut or even being arrested. In 2016, police arrested 143 people on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance—which includes marijuana—and arrested 109 in 2015 for the same thing. The majority of these were for misdemeanor offenses, but around 10 people every year are arrested under suspicion of a felony possession of a controlled substance for sale." http://desert.sn/2nJtk1q
3. WHITE HOUSE STAFF TO SKIP CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER: Following President Trump's lead, the White House staff have announced they also will skip this year's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. The Hill: "WHCA President Jeff Mason said the organization's board 'regrets this decision very much.' 'We have worked hard to build a constructive relationship with the Trump White House and believe strongly that this goal is possible even with the natural tension between the press and the administration that is a hallmark of a healthy republic,' Mason said in a statement. Trump announced last month he would not appear at this year’s WHCA dinner, a break with past presidents. Organizers for the annual dinner said the April 29 event would proceed as planned, despite Trump's absence. The event, which is used to honor journalists covering the White House and award scholarships to aspiring reporters, typically attracts a number of celebrities as well as many from media and politics. The WHCA traditionally invites the president and members of their staff, with a comedian roasting the commander-in-chief before the president delivers light-heartened remarks. Trump chose to skip the dinner last year while campaigning for the presidency, despite many invites from media to attend. The president last month refused to rule out attending future WHCA dinners, adding his absence at this year’s event is for the best." http://bit.ly/2nJW4XE
* LOCAL NEWS *
AUSTIN: The sixth annual Moontower Comedy Fest presented by Laughly, taking place April 19-22, has announced the lineup for its club and podcast series. The lineup includes comedians and actors Alice Wetterlund, Hari Kondabolu, Martha Kelly, Sal Vulcano, and Jermaine Fowler.
LAS VEGAS: This year's GlobalShop retail design trade show runs through Thursday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
LOS ANGELES: The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation will host its 42nd annual Gracie Awards gala, in support of the group's educational programs and scholarship campaigns that benefit women in media, on June 6 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Honorees will include America Ferrera, Drew Barrymore, Samantha Bee, Mariska Hargitay, Savannah Guthrie, and others.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will host its 16th annual gala and awards celebration, the Topaz Gala, on May 13 at Hilton Miami Downtown.
NEW YORK: The New Museum's 40th anniversary Spring Gala will take place April 4 at Cipriani Wall Street. The event will honor artist Chris Ofili.
New York Hilton Midtown has appointed Diarmuid Dwyer general manager.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
SAN FRANCISCO: The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, which offers around 100 artistic, community, and cultural events, will run May 7-October 29.
TORONTO: Inside Out's 27th annual L.G.B.T. Film Festival will take place May 25-June 4 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Chef José Andrés's ThinkFoodLab pop-up is slated to open in Penn Quarter. Washington City Paper: http://bit.ly/2o86hhB
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With contributions from Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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