Some exciting news for MSNBC fans. From the Texas Southern University website…
“NOW with Alex Wagner” will broadcast live at 3 p.m. CT from Texas Southern’s University Plaza, near the Tiger Walk, just in front of the Sterling Student Life Center. MSNBC hosts and contributors will also be onsite for meet and greets with fans from noon to 7 p.m. local time.
Growing Hope is a MSNBC initiative that invites viewers to engage with the brand and share their hopes for change around issues that impact their communities. The “Growing Hope” series will include live events, online activations and special on-air programming. By sharing hopes online, at events, and through social media, the MSNBC audience can grow together as a community with the power to make a difference.
The MSNBC space was one of the most popular at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans last year, remembers TSU Associate Vice President Eva Pickens. “People from all walks of life were tweeting their hope for America, then running to take pictures as their statements showed up across the reflection pond. It was very interactive and exciting to see. Of course, we expect hundreds of thousands to show up at Texas Southern as well. We are definitely inviting everyone and planning for a huge audience.”
Pickens said invitations, letters and flyers have gone out to community groups, other colleges and schools, non-profits, church leaders to invite their congregations and parishioners, TSU students, alumni and employees. But one does not need an invitation to attend. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the university’s east and west garages; one at Cleburne and Tierwester (near Yates High School) the other at Blodgett and Ennis (near the H&PE Arena). Then visitors can take a small stroll down Tiger Walk and write in their hope for America.
TSU’s V-Lot will be closed, beginning Wednesday, April 23rd and reserved for production crews, electricians and MSNBC representatives.
MSNBC kicked off the multi-market “Growing Hope” tour at the 9th annual Jazz in the Garden festival in Miami on March 15-16. The tour continues throughout the year with visits to local festivals across the country this spring and summer. The tour stops will feature unique fan elements including MSNBC host meet and greets and an opportunity to participate in the “Growing Hope” activation. Additional events and programming will be announced in the months ahead.
Viewers can find information about “Growing Hope” online at www.msnbc.com/growinghope. In the coming months, msnbc.com will unveil a digital Hope Tree, allowing users to virtually post a hope, explore hopes of others in their communities, and receive unique content about the issues that matter to them. “Growing Hope” will live on social media with #GrowingHope.
As a Lone Star Progressive and frequent viewer of MSNBC, this is some most excellent news. Not only is it a great opportunity for Texas Southern University, but it’s hopefully yet another bridge that the predominantly East Coast network can forge in Conservative Texas. It’s my opinion that the folks over at MSNBC need to get out more. The opportunity to grow their viewership is there, but they’re not going to do it by having news coverage that’s weighted so heavily towards the Bos-Wash corridor. In their Texas broadcast, I hope they incorporate some of our local politicians, activists and political analysts as well. Kudos to Alex Wagner and her team for going on this tour.
