Media Contact: Sara Weisenthal
212-869-8230
AGG International

June 28, 2000, NY, NY . . . Today, the West Point Project kicked off its multimedia celebration of West Point's bicentennial, which will culminate in a live television broadcast in the spring of 2002.

The media effort was previewed at a breakfast hosted by Major General [ret] Joseph Franklin, Class of '55, Chairman of Frequency Electronics, Inc., the former Chief, Joint U.S. Military Assistance and Advisory Group, Spain, and former Commandant of West Point. On hand for the announcement were: Tom Fleming, noted American Historian; Thomas Guinzburg, former president of Viking Press and later Viking-Penguin; Bill Raiford, Chairman of the Association of Graduates' Bicentennial Steering Group; and Gary Smith and Stan Moger, noted television producers.

The West Point Project's media extravaganza includes a book celebrating the Academy's Bicentennial, a week-end long celebration, coinciding with the 2002 graduation ceremony culminating in a live network event and a four part documentary series.

People are buzzing about the diversified crew of authors and notables assembled by the Project. Some of the obvious notables include World War II expert Stephen Ambrose and presidential chronicler Hugh Sidey. Some of the more unlikely members of the corps include admitted pacifist Arthur Miller and British historian and Sandhurst graduate Alistair Horne.

The book will consist of essays by eminent writers and historians, including Arthur Miller, Thomas Fleming, David Halberstam, Tom Wicker and Stephen Ambrose.

Gary Smith of Smith-Hemion Productions, a television veteran who has received multiple Emmy and People's Choice Awards, is producing the event week-end. Stanley Moger, President and CEO of SFM Entertainment is on board to market and distribute the television special. Smith and Moger just concluded the highly successful "AFI'S 100 Years, 100 Laughs" that aired last week on CBS.

Like the book and celebration event, the documentary series will include the highest caliber industry professionals. The four-part series will examine the qualities of Honor, Courage and Leadership within the framework of the West Point experience.