Fusion is teaming up with YouTube to highlight, explore and celebrate the biggest news stories of 2014 as reported by you. The special will be hosted by Fusion’s Mariana Atencio (@MarianaAtencio), Pedro Andrade (@PedroAndradeTV), Romina Puga (@RominaPuga), and Kimberly Brooks (@KimNikiaBrooks). “YouTube’s Top News Stories of 2014” will air on Monday, December 22 at 9:30 p.m., ET on Fusion.
Mariana Atencio tackles the big stories that made headlines including protests that spanned Ferguson, Venezuela, and Hong Kong as well as the Ebola outbreak, ISIS, and the missing Malaysian plane CNN still has not found. Mariana also talks about the role citizen journalism has played in many of these stories with Fusion Senior Correspondent Tim Pool (@Timcast) and digs deeper into the year’s top trends with YouTube’s Amy Singer (@AmySinger1).
Pedro Andrade examines the top stories in technology and sports from drones to the World Cup with Fusion Silicon Valley Bureau Chief Alexis Madrigal (@AlexisMadrigal).
Kimberly Brooks takes a look back at some of the most extreme weather moments of the past 12 months with ABC News’ resident storm chaser Ginger Zee (@Ginger_Zee).
We all were pretty “Happy” once we learned to “Shake It Off” this year, so Romina Puga celebrates 2014’s biggest moments in pop culture.
“Tasered: The Israel Hernandez Story” Airs August 6 at 8:00 p.m., ET Only on Fusion
How does an unarmed 18-year-old aspiring artist, who simply tagged a building with graffiti, wind up dead? Israel Hernandez’s death while in custody of the Miami Beach Police sparked international outrage and questions of police brutality. Now one year later, an emotional Fusion documentary investigates the little known story of the weapon that killed Hernandez: The Taser. Fusion examines the controversy around the supposedly “non-lethal” weapon, how it is used, or misused, with potentially lethal results. “Tasered: The Israel Hernandez Story” airs August 6 at 8:00 p.m., ET on Fusion. In addition, Fusion will premiere a digital version of the report on Fusion.net on Tuesday, August 5.
Tasers have been promoted as a non-lethal weapon that helps law enforcement officials subdue suspects. It’s legal for consumers to own and carry Tasers in 43 states, and they are not considered firearms by the government. But are they really non-lethal? Fusion’s investigation examines questions about efforts to suppress information about how deadly the weapons can be, and reveals that the federal government doesn’t keep track of deaths caused by this supposedly non-lethal weapons because they are “highly controversial.”
This Fusion Investigates special was produced by Connie Fossi; Roderick Avila served as editor and director of photography.
Special Edition of “AMERICA with Jorge Ramos: Edge of a Crisis" Airs Tuesday, July 22 at 10:00 p.m. on Fusion
Fusion’s Jorge Ramos will anchor “AMERICA with Jorge Ramos” from the U.S.-Mexican border on Tuesday, July 22. As Fusion continues to put a spotlight on the growing humanitarian crisis occurring at the border, Ramos will take an intimate look at the journey thousands of unaccompanied children are taking as they flee the increasing violence and economic hardship in their home countries. Ramos will also address the need for action by leaders in Washington to stem the ongoing crisis.
The broadcast will also feature reports from Fusion White House Correspondent Jim Avila, Fusion Correspondent and Univision News anchor Enrique Acevedo, and Univision News’ Pedro Ultreras. “Fusion Live” co-host Mariana Atencio will examine the crisis by the numbers with an ABC News / Washington Post poll outlining how Americans feel about the way President Obama and leaders in Congress have handled the crisis.
The special edition of “AMERICA with Jorge Ramos: Edge of a Crisis” airs Tuesday, July 22 at 10:00 p.m. on Fusion. Ramos’ reporting will also be featured across several ABC News broadcasts including “Good Morning America,” “World News,” and “Nightline.”
FUSION Provides New Opportunity for Video Hungry Audiences to Discover + Engage with FUSION’s Diverse, Dynamic Voices
FUSION today announced that it has launched on Vessel, an emerging subscription video service created by the team behind Hulu. This marks the media network’s latest move in its efforts to expand the distribution of FUSION content to all the emerging platforms its digitally native audience is using to consume content.
“We are thrilled to bring FUSION’s diverse and dynamic voices to Vessel, providing another exciting opportunity for people to discover and consume FUSION content,” said Isaac Lee, FUSION CEO.
In addition to a mix of short form video content, Vessel subscribers will have exclusive access to several FUSION original series for three days before they are available on other platforms. The series cover a range of subjects that matter to FUSION’s audience including the environment, science, sex+life, and pop culture. “Sacrificed!” is the first series to debut and is available now on Vessel, with others to follow –
“Sacrificed! In the Name of Science" examines the stories of scientists who are so passionate about their research, they use themselves as human guinea pigs, subjecting their bodies to dangerous conditions and diseases in a valiant (though sometimes misguided) search for the truth.
“Asking for a Friend,” from FUSION’s Sex+Life team, explores new and bizarre trends in sex, dating, and health—with a focus on how technology is changing these spaces in young people’s lives. Each episode covers a topic brought to you through the eyes of Cleo Stiller who is just "asking for a friend.”
Whether on tour, at the recording studio, or at home, “SoundBites” provides a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the lives of today’s top musical artists from Jason Derulo and R5 to Jacob Whitesides and Lifehouse.
“In The World” highlights organizations, communities,and people who have been able to achieve incredible things by only using renewable energy.
Winners Will Premiere Docs at Slamdance and Be Featured Across Fusion Platforms
Fusion today announced that is partnering with the The International Documentary Challenge to launch a short documentary challenge that will focus on creating compelling short documentary content for young, diverse audiences.
“We know that millennials are smart, young, curious and creative – and the best way to showcase that is by allowing them to showcase themselves,” Fusion CEO Isaac Lee said. “By partnering with the International Documentary Challenge, we can engage with our audience while holding up the best they have to offer for their peers worldwide to experience.”
The International Fusion Documentary Challenge will challenge young filmmakers from around to world to create short documentaries (4-7 minutes) in five days from start to finish. Filmmakers will get to choose the five days they would like to make their film between now and November 5, 2014. Contestants will be given the theme of this year’s challenge and get to choose between two given genres. After November 10, the top 12 films are determined by an esteemed panel of judges and premiere at the Fusion Doc Challenge Screening at Slamdance in January 2015 and at The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February.
Fusion Doc Challenge will host an opening weekend party at Slamdance. In addition to the top 12 films, an additional 8 films are chosen for an exclusive 18-month distribution deal with Fusion. The films also compete at TheAudienceAwards.com to an online international audience.
The International Documentary Challenge and The Audience Awards are proud to partner with Fusion to expand our trusted brand and create more opportunities for emerging filmmakers through Fusion Doc Challenge. One of our main goals is to provide talented young filmmakers great opportunity to advance their careers. A premiere at Slamdance and television exposure through Fusion is the perfect match for moving The Doc Challenge into our next decade,” said Paige Williams, Doc Challenge Executive Producer.
Television Premiere of “Minecraft: The Story of Mojang” Airing March 22 at 8:00 PM, ET on Fusion – Immediately Followed by Fan Celebration “Talking Minecraft” Hosted by YouTube Sensation Jordan “Captain Sparklez” Maron Along with “JeromeASF” Aceti and Nerdist’s Jessica Chobot
Fusion will explore the global phenomenon around Minecraft, a game that has captured the imagination of a generation, with an evening of special programming on March 22, 2015.
The night kicks off with the television premiere of the documentary “Minecraft: The Story of Mojang,” a time capsule for one of this generation’s most unorthodox success stories, at 8:00 p.m., ET. The New York Times called it “one of the biggest, most enchanting games of the past decade” – part exploratory adventure, part creative building tool, Minecraft evolved from a cult classic into an unprecedented hit, raking daily sales in by the thousands. The feature-length documentary follows a young company Mojang, founded by video game designer Markus “Notch” Persson, over the course of its first year as it expanded across the world stage and into the homes of millions of gamers. “Minecraft: The Story of Mojang” includes insights from industry icons, journalists, tastemakers, and players profoundly impacted by the game.
Immediately following the documentary, Fusion will air a one-of-a-kind fan celebration and an in-depth look into the gaming phenomenon with “Talking Minecraft” at 10:00 p.m., ET. Hosted by Youtube sensation Jordan “Captain Sparklez” Maron along with “JeromeASF” Aceti and Nerdist’s Jessica Chobot, “Talking Minecraft” will pick up where the movie left off with interviews from the film’s key players and the gaming industry’s brightest minds. Featuring exclusive countdowns to Jerome’s all-time favorite Minecraft creations, a few viral worthy comedy clips, and a look into the amazing future Minecraft. The celebration promises something for fans young and old!
Check out more of Fusion’s Minecraft coverage here. More info on the documentary here.
Graduates Will Develop Broadcast and Digital Programming for a Young, Diverse Audience
Fusion today announced that it is partnering with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to offer recent graduates several working fellowships specializing in digital storytelling, investigative reporting and documentary production.
As part of the ongoing career-track fellowship program, three recent graduates will be hired annually to work for Fusion, a news, pop culture and satire network aimed at a young, diverse American audience. Fusion is a joint venture of Univision Communications Inc., and the Disney/ABC television network.
“Millennials are the most socially and culturally connected generation, so we have to think beyond the traditional modes of journalism,” said Fusion CEO Isaac Lee. “By creating a pipeline of innovation between Fusion and the world’s best journalism schools like USC Annenberg, Fusion can continue to push the envelope and develop new ways to communicate with this young, diverse generation.”
Fellows will work for an initial six-month period at either the network’s Miami headquarters or Los Angeles production offices and will be assigned to one of Fusion’s production units.
“We are thrilled to partner with Fusion to offer Annenberg graduates professional opportunities with an innovative, forward-thinking media company,” said School of Journalism Director Willow Bay. “Working at a network that offers millennials a unique mix of programming that includes in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, original series and documentaries will be extremely valuable for our grads. We look forward to developing new ways to collaborate with Isaac Lee and his team.”
For Summer/Fall 2015, fellows will be assigned to the following units:
Digital Unit: Fusion is focused on pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the digital space to change the way people interact with stories. One example of this is Fusion’s Bad Paper report that centered on an interactive game about the seedy world of debt collectors. Fellows will be working on special projects like this with the digital team. The Fellows will be adept at data visualization and infographic design and should have the ability to craft stories through visual and interactive media.
Investigative Unit: Fellows will have the chance to work with Fusion’s intrepid team of investigative reporters by helping to research and produce original investigative reports that will have an impact like “Pimp City” and “Tasered.” Through both narrative and interactive storytelling, Fusion’s investigative team covers issues about injustice, corruption, immigration, and the economy among other topics that are important and relevant to its audience.
Documentary Unit: There has been an increase in documentary viewing over the past several years, especially among younger viewers. Fellows will assist in the production of original feature length documentaries that are relevant for Fusion’s young, diverse audience. They will do camera work, producing, editing, and research.
Fellows will be treated as Fusion employees, and be supervised and evaluated by each of the unit’s coordinators. Fusion will provide training and evaluation for each fellow when they begin the program. At the completion of the fellowship, fellows may be considered for a permanent position at Fusion. In selecting the 2015 fellows, USC Annenberg’s department of career services will work with Fusion to establish the application process.
One-Hour Primetime Report to Air Tuesday, February 24 at 9:00 p.m.
Fusion takes an in-depth look at the fragile relationship between the African-American community and the police with a one-hour primetime special “Black, White & Blue: Race in America.” Over the past year we have seen events in communities like Ferguson, Cleveland and New York City have sparked a renewed conversation about race and justice in America. “Black, White & Blue” airs Tuesday, February 24 at 9:00 p.m. on Fusion.
The Talk | Kimberly Brooks takes a look at how the incidents of the last year have touched real-life families by examining “The Talk” – the conversations parents have with their sons about how to act when they encounter the police or are confronted in other situations.
On The Beat | Suzette Laboy embeds with a white and black officer from the Miami-Dade Police Department to get a first-hand look at what it’s really like to be a cop these days. We’ll hear about the stresses of police life; get their views on how race affects policing, and ask about how the controversial cases over the last year have affected their outlook on wearing the badge.
The Science of Bias | Bradley Blackburn digs into everything we know about the bias at work in everyone’s brain, including the police. He travels to Spokane, Washington to get a hands-on demonstration of the research tool looking at whether the color of a suspect’s skin affects whether a cop is willing to pull the trigger.
Wrongfully Convicted | Mariana Atencio travels to Cleveland, Ohio and interviews three men who were wrongfully convicted for a crime they didn’t commit. Altogether, they spent more than 100 years in prison, including stints on death row. Now, 40 years later, the murder remains unsolved, and the three men were exonerated and released from jail after a key witness in the case recanted his testimony, saying he was coerced by detectives.
The Technology Solution | Tim Pool and Joanna Suarez look at how technology will impact that future of policing. From Cops wearing body cameras to citizen patrols armed with iPhones in New York, how will technology shape the relationship between the police and the citizenry?
“Black, White & Blue” is an original production executive produced by Fusion Vice President of News Mark Lima.
Special Two-Hour Finale of ‘Midterm Mayhem’ Hosted by Kal Penn and Nando Vila to Air From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET on Fusion as well as Fusion.net and YouTube
Fusion’s Nando Vila (“The Soccer Gods”) and Special Correspondent Kal Penn (the “Harold and Kumar” movies) will bring you all the essential election night coverage in a two-hour special on November 4. As results come in Fusion will apply the high-minded and thoughtful analysis usually associated with professional wrestling to the heart-stopping, pulse-pounding spectacle of election night in America.
Throughout the night "Midterm Mayhem" will feature insights from Fusion’s Alicia Menendez, Jorge Ramos, Chief White House Correspondent Jim Avila, Political Editor Jordan Fabian, Chief Cannabis Correspondent Ryan Nerz, Silicon Valley Bureau Chief Alexis Madrigal as well as “The View” co-host and ABC News Political Contributor Nicolle Wallace, Reza Aslan, and God (@TweetofGod). The puppet pundits of “No, You Shut Up” will also contribute to Fusion’s coverage.
Plus, Fusion will have live coverage from a watch party at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.
One-Hour News Special Airs Thursday, August 21 at 10:00 p.m. on Fusion
Award-winning journalist and Univision News anchor María Elena Salinas presents an in-depth report for Fusion, “Risking It All: Children at the Border.” Salinas takes an intimate look at the root of the crisis of unaccompanied minors from its very source: the three Central American countries from where thousands are flocking to the United States. Traveling to El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, Salinas interviews key players in the humanitarian crisis, including presidents, immigration authorities, human rights advocates, crime specialists, human smugglers, gang members and of course the minors. She also visits some of the poorest and most dangerous areas in those countries to witness the deplorable conditions that drive so many to abandon their home in search of a better life, survival, or to reunite with their family members. The hard-hitting news special “Risking It All: Children at the Border” airs Thursday, August 21 at 10:00 p.m. on Fusion.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, more than 52,000 unaccompanied children have been detained by the U.S. Border Patrol since October 2013 and taken to several facilities inside the U.S.
This special is the latest in Fusion’s on-going reporting on the border crisis. Fusion news anchor Jorge Ramos anchored a special edition of “Edge of a Crisis: An AMERICA Special” from the border last month. Watch here: http://fus.in/1sH9Gzv.
Long Island University (LIU) has recognized FUSION, along with the partner organizations working with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, with a George Polk Award for its reporting on the Panama Papers. The investigation is being recognized in the financial journalism category.
The Panama Papers marks one of the largest investigations in journalism history with more than 100 media partners and 400 journalists collaborating on the reporting. The papers are a trove of leaked documents from inside Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm that creates offshore companies to hide financial activities of the rich and powerful. A leak to Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung of 11.5 million documents involving 210,000 companies was shared with CPI’s International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which coordinated investigative work with media partners such as McClatchy, FUSION, The Guardian, Le Monde and others.
As one of the few English-language partners in the United States,
FUSION produced a series of digital reports as well as a one hour documentary “The Naked Truth: Dirty Little Secrets.” That reporting is available here.
The Polk Awards honor and celebrate the impact of courageous and authentic journalism on our national and global discourse.
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