"Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" Personifies New Paramount Network

quotA story like Rest in Power is more than a television showquot says executive producer Mike Gasparro amp160quotThis is a chance to tell a significant story that hopefully can effect real change in our society amp160Paramount39s commitment to telling these complicated stories is proof they are heading in a new directionquotGasparro who was also executive producer of Spike39s 2017 docuseriesamp160Time The Kalief Browder Storyamp160has firsthand experience bringing such projects to life amp160quotWe found a partner who was more than willing to take on the heavy responsibility of telling these storiesquot Gasparro states amp160quotAn important part of making these films is to give a voice to those with a story that needs to be heardquot amp160The critically acclaimed series about Browder a Bronx teenager who spent three years incarcerated at the notorious Rikers Island prison even though he was never convicted of a crime and later took his own life demonstrated the power and influence a show can actually wield amp160Within months of the telecast plans to close the Rikers Island jail were announced by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York State passed a law to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18 years of ageParamount Network is hopeful its new series on Trayvon Martin will also create actual change amp160In keeping with the need for grassroots messaging the network will create events tailored for classrooms and organizations working in social justice as it did with the Browder docuseries amp160The goal is to remain nonpartisan and to keep the focus on issues addressed in the series ranging from race relations to gun violence amp160Gasparro credits Paramount for understanding the unique way in which a docuseries like Rest in Power has to be positioned in the marketplace amp160quotWe are partners with Paramount and we39re incredibly proud to work with them and are amazed at how they find all these organizationsquot he said amp160quotThey are giving a voice to people who might not otherwise have onequotRest in Power is without a doubt an important and socially relevant story amp160The series is best contextualized inside of the broader network goal to be a destination for contemporary meaningful programming amp160Paramount is going in a direction more in line with its rebranding efforts amp160The hope is for advertisers to recognize the network as a destination for the type of content that breaks through the clutter and creates cultural conversations online or in person amp160Research has shown that audiences particularly the everengaged Millennials and Generation Zers are more likely to support brands that have a purpose amp160It stands to reason they are looking for content that has the capacity to resonate in their livesRest in Power The Trayvon Martin Story premieres Tuesday July 31 at 900 pm ETPT on Paramount NetworkClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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"Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" Personifies New Paramount Network

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Philip McKenzie

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"Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" Personifies New Paramount Network

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