May 16, 2005

"One of those rare legendary figures who was as good as his myth." - David Halberstam, Author of The Powers That Be

"Murrow and his team essentially created the prototype of the TV documentary." -- The Museum of Broadcast Communications

ON MAY 31ST, JOIN CBS NEWS VETERANS WALTER CRONKITE, MIKE WALLACE AND DAN RATHER ON A REVEALING JOURNEY THROUGH THE ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER OF THE FIRST HERO IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN BROADCASTING WITH

THE EDWARD R. MURROW COLLECTION

This Comprehensive Collection from CBS News Productions and Docurama® Includes Four DVDs of Emmy® and Peabody Award-Winning Programming Featuring Archival Footage, Rare Interviews, a Complete Murrow Biography and Timeline of His Most Momentous Events

NEW YORK, NY, May 16, 2005 -- As broadcast journalism witnessed a changing of the guard this year with the departures of CBS News' Dan Rather and his counterpart, Tom Brokaw, from their anchor chairs, there is no better time to honor the original hero of American broadcasting -- Edward R. Murrow. A distinguished and compassionate reporter, Murrow forever set the industry gold standard through his unparalleled courage, integrity and newsgathering excellence. From his electrifying WWII coverage from rooftops in London, to his courageous stand against Senator Joseph McCarthy, to the profound impact that HARVEST OF SHAME had on a country which thought there was no longer poverty in the land, to his compelling interviews with such prominent 20th century icons as John F. Kennedy, Louis Armstrong and Fidel Castro, television will forever be indebted to Edward R. Murrow and his unique contributions to the field of journalism.

THE EDWARD R. MURROW COLLECTION, available from Docurama® and CBS News Productions, chronicles and explores the groundbreaking career of the beloved commentator, who truly understood the spellbinding beauty and power of the spoken word. Hosted by some of Murrow's celebrated disciples, including CBS News veterans Walter Cronkite, Mike Wallace and Dan Rather, the compelling four-disc collection will be released on May 31 and is loaded with rare archival footage and interviews. The DVD collection will be available to add to any sophisticated home entertainment library for $59.95srp. The four-DVD set is comprised of the following individual programs:

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THIS REPORTER

In a piece originally narrated by the late CBS newsman Charles Kuralt, "This Reporter" presents a compellingly candid portrait of Murrow's illustrious career, featuring rare clips from his Person to Person chats with Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall and Marlon Brando. Witness how Murrow took gutsy risks to seek journalistic truths, even flying in wartime bombing raids and voicing provocative concerns at a convention of broadcasters. Journalism giants Barbara Walters, Peter Jennings, Dan Rather and Ted Koppel are on-hand to reflect upon the fascinating life of America's first television journalist.

THE BEST OF "SEE IT NOW"

"One of the most impressive presentations in television's short life" -- The New Yorker

Narrated by Mike Wallace (60 Minutes), "The Best of See it Now" features impressive highlights from one of TV's earliest documentary series, hosted by Murrow during his crossover from radio into television during the 1950s. Revolutionizing how news was delivered in a visual medium, See it Now lets viewers become intimate with the people who were directly shaping world events. Here, Murrow pays a Christmastime visit to soldiers in the Korean War, tracks the civil rights movement in the South and profiles Grandma Moses in her own living room.

THE MCCARTHY YEARS

"One of the finest and proudest moments of broadcast journalism" -- New York Daily News

Narrated by former CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite, "The McCarthy Years," turns back the clock to the '50s, a time when the country lurched into a murky period of blacklists and witch hunts for alleged Communists, all led by a young Senator named Joseph McCarthy. Revered for his bravery and incorruptibility, Murrow made a controversial series of broadcasts that challenged McCarthy's abuses of power, which--as this gripping program investigates--signaled the emergence of television news as a highly influential force in American life. Called "the most celebrated documentary ever made" by The New York Times and "a watershed event in television news" by NPR, this landmark relic of television history is not to be missed.

HARVEST OF SHAME

"The gold standard for television documentary" -- Newsday

Murrow's groundbreaking "Harvest of Shame" is among the most famous television documentaries of all time. Narrated by Dan Rather, the DVD features Murrow's richly photographed and arrestingly poignant long-acclaimed exposé on the plight of migrant farm workers. The documentary resonated deeply for a nation unfamiliar with such brutally honest depictions of living conditions that, as Murrow remarks, "wrong the dignity of man." Smartly televised to millions of Americans the day after Thanksgiving, Murrow's indispensable classic led to permanent changes in the laws protecting workers' rights, and the way Americans viewed television news.

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An essential addition to the DVD collection of any journalism guru or history buff, THE EDWARD R. MURROW COLLECTION is also an excellent introduction to the legendary figure who will be profiled in the eagerly awaited 2006 biopic, "Good Night and Good Luck," directed by George Clooney.

About CBS News Productions
CBS News Productions is the production company of CBS News that creates a diverse mix of non-fiction and reality programming for domestic and international markets, including network and cable television, DVD, audio books and in-flight, as well as schools and libraries. Margery Baker-Riker is Vice President of CBS News Productions.

About Docurama®
Founded in 1999 by parent company New Video Group Inc., Docurama is the only label dedicated exclusively to bringing critically acclaimed and cutting-edge documentary films to the home entertainment marketplace. Since its launch, Docurama has released over 100 award-winning and highly acclaimed documentary titles including DA Pennebaker's Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back, The Brandon Teena Story, Southern Comfort, Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, and the recent theatrical phenomenon Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers and Tides Working With Time, as well as both seasons of Michael Moore's hit television series The Awful Truth. Docurama's impressive collection of Academy Award® winners and nominees include Murder on a Sunday Morning, The Weather Underground, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision, Regret To Inform, Children Underground, and Sound and Fury. In partnership with the Independent Film Channel (IFC) Docurama has released numerous acclaimed documentaries and theatrical hits including Lost in La Mancha, Go Tigers!, Keep the River on Your Right, A Decade Under the Influence, and Brother's Keeper, as well as the recent John Landis doc Slasher. In 2004, Docurama partnered with P.O.V., PBS' premiere documentary series, to release their critically-acclaimed documentaries on DVD. Among some of the first to be released include the 2003 theatrical doc Lost Boys of Sudan, and the recent Sundance Special Jury Prize winner Farmingville. Most recently, Docurama and the Sundance Channel have joined forces to launch the Sundance Channel Home Entertainment Documentary Collection, culled from some of the strongest documentary titles to air on Sundance Channel, including both original productions and acquisitions. New Video is also the exclusive label and distributor for the A&E Home Video lines, including The History Channel® and Biography®. To order these or any Docurama products, please call 1-800-314-8822 or visit www.newvideo.com.

THE EDWARD R. MURROW COLLECTION

Pre-order date: May 3, 2005     Genre:  Documentary
Street date:    May 31, 2005    Sug. Retail Price:      $59.95
Rating: N/A     Catalog #:      NVG-9714
Running Time:   393 mins. + DVD extras  Screeners:      Avail. upon request
Format: DVD     Color Art:      Avail. upon request

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Press Contacts: CBS DVD

        Beth Feldman/CBS Communications Group   
        (212) 975-3183/bstoller-feldman@cbs.com

DOCURAMA

Michael Krause/Foundry Communications (212) 586-7967/mkrause@foundrycomm.com

        For Screeners: Eva Marie Damore
        (626) 799-2026/emdamore@foundrycomm.com