TRIO'S GAY REPUBLICANS DOC WINS AFI FEST 2004 AUDIENCE AWARD

NEW YORK -- November 29, 2004 -- TRIO was honored at the American Film Institute's AFI Fest 2004, in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 13, with the "Audience Award" in the category of Best Documentary Film for its original film Gay Republicans.

Gay Republicans, produced by TRIO and World of Wonder, premiered on the channel earlier this month on election night (Nov. 2). The documentary examines the struggles and contradictions (during the 2004 election year) of the group known as the Log Cabin Republicans. Many Gay Republicans favor their party's stance on issues such as the economy and national defense, but are at odds with the Christian right and President George W. Bush's support of the Federal Marriage Amendment (which bans gay marriage).

The one-hour film features interviews with Log Cabin Republicans including: Steve May, a life-long Republican and former Arizona State Senator who feels the party has been taken over by the religious right and has determined to campaign against George W Bush; Maurice Bonamigo, a suave, ultra-conservative hairdresser who heads the Palm Beach Log Cabin -- the most conservative chapter in the country. Carol Newman, a trial lawyer, who married her Democrat girlfriend this year in Massachusetts, and recently attended the Republican National Convention. Mark Harris, an outspoken, staunch gay Republican who feels that the gay community is prone to a "victim mentality."

The documentary was produced by the award-winning production company, World of Wonder with Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato serving as executive producers. Wash Westmoreland is the writer/director. Anne Clements is the producer. Andrew Cohen is the executive producer for TRIO. Samuel J. Paul is supervising producer for TRIO.

Now in its 18th year, AFI FEST presented by Audi-the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival-is the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles and one of the most influential and fastest growing film festivals in North America. A program of the American Film Institute, AFI FEST spans 10 days each November, featuring international competitions of new feature films, documentaries and shorts from emerging filmmakers, global showcases of the latest work from the great film masters and red-carpet gala premieres.

World of Wonder is an award-winning production company based in both Los Angeles and London, and best known for award-winning films and documentaries such as THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE, PARTY MONSTER (both Sundance Film Festival favorites) and SHOWBIZ MOMS AND DADS on Bravo. World of Wonder has produced and created numerous documentaries for TRIO such as BRILLIANT BUT CANCELLED to TOP TEN MINISERIES. They have just completed production on their latest project, INSIDE DEEP THROAT, a feature documentary about the classic adult film, co-produced by Brian Grazer and Imagine Entertainment. More information about World of Wonder can be found on the WOW Report daily blog, www.worldofwonder.net.

TRIO is an entertainment cable television channel reflecting pop culture TV: film, music, fashion, television and stage in its programming. TRIO is available to over 20 million households via digital cable and satellite services. For more information about TRIO, visit www.triotv.com or call 1-877-GET-TRIO.

TRIO is a program service of NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.