LightWorkers.com Debuts with New Web Series and Exclusive Uplifting Interviews with Niecy Nash, Van Morrison, Jeff Probst and Many More
Carnival Corporation’s Fathom Brand Comes on Board as a Launch Partner
Press Release – September 26, 2017 (Los Angeles) – LightWorkers Media, a joint venture owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, today announces the launch of LightWorkers.com, an online destination for uplifting and encouraging short-form digital and social content. Featuring expertly produced, socially engaging and personally curated video and editorial pieces, LightWorkers.com allows Downey to bring her brand of inspiring storytelling to audiences like never before.
LightWorkers.com has a robust offering of emotional, shareable and impactful content that highlights entertainment, lifestyle, faith and family. The content, social media and real-life activations aim to offer visitors achievable ways to make positive changes in their communities, both online and off. It will also create new advertising and sponsorship opportunities for brands, including video franchise sponsorship, custom branded videos and original branded series that align with a shared mission of doing good.
LightWorkers.com already has a hit with “37 Seconds of Good News” which spotlights ordinary people doing extraordinary things in this world. Originally launched on social media, the series has already surpassed 21 million views on Facebook. LightWorkers.com will also showcase a wide range of content from new and established personalities, including bestselling author Michelle McKinney Hammond telling it like it is in advice series “Tough But Fair”; Brooklyn Wagner, who brings her blunt and boisterously random perspective to “Welcome to Brooklyn”; and Julianna Strickland and Natasha Feldman who’ll take your thoughtful gift-giving game to the next level with “Giftable.” There are also moving profiles of athletes and influencers in our premium docuseries “I Struggle. I Rise.” and celebrity interviews with friends of the LightWorkers family – Van Morrison, Jeff Probst, Cindy Crawford, Ali Landry, Niecy Nash, Brooke Burke and more – opening up like never before about how they’ve persevered through challenges in their own lives.
“LightWorkers has sparked a movement on social media, where we’ve been able to engage across different platforms sharing positive messages of hope and encouragement. We need these inspirational messages now more than ever,” said Downey, President of LightWorkers Media. “My motto has always been that it’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. My hope is that LightWorkers.com will invite others to do the same, inspiring them to shine their own light within their communities to remind us that there are good people doing extraordinary things everywhere.”
Carnival Corporation’s purpose-driven travel brand Fathom jumped on board for the LightWorkers.com launch with the collective goal of producing branded content together by telling stories that bring more light to the world. LightWorkers will create and distribute the content, with social and digital support from Carnival Corporation’s cruise line brands, to showcase the power of travel through our storytelling lens.
“MGM has a rich history of award-winning storytelling and we are launching LightWorkers.com with the mission to share the good and inspiring stories happening around us in a time when we are inundated by negativity in the news,” said Kevin Conroy, President of Digital and New Platforms at MGM. “Not only do we create our own short-form digital series, we offer companies like Carnival Corporation’s cruise line brands’ custom original content through this lens of positivity, distributed in a brand-safe environment to a large and highly engaged audience.”
Together, Downey and Burnett have brought powerful stories to theaters and the small screen including “The Bible” miniseries for HISTORY Channel, “A.D. The Bible Continues” on NBC, “The Dovekeepers” for CBS and “Answered Prayers” on TLC. Downey was also an executive producer on several feature films including “Son of God” from Twentieth Century Fox, “Ben-Hur” for MGM and Paramount, “Little Boy” for Open Road Films, “Woodlawn” for Pure Flix and the documentary “Faithkeepers” about the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.
KEY SERIES AT LAUNCH INCLUDE
37 Seconds of Good News
Even though there’s craziness in the world, there are always organizations and individuals doing extraordinary things and trying to make a difference. This series gives good news a more prominent platform to brighten people’s days and inspire them to share the good. From 101-year-old skydiving grandpas to community refrigerators designed to eliminate food waste while feeding the hungry, we guarantee that this series will bring hope to your feed and a smile to your face.
Tough But Fair with Michelle McKinney Hammond
Bestselling author and expert life and relationship coach Michelle McKinney Hammond provides a quick-talking, 45-second burst of actionable advice to live a better life, be a better friend, have more success in love and think positively through life’s challenges in this 16-episode series. Michelle is tough but fair—the motivator you never knew you always needed. from overcoming obstacles in their lives. Interview subjects include fashion blogger and model Lauren Scruggs, pastors and authors Chad and Julia Veach and boxer and WBC champion Heather Hardy. No matter how tragic the story, these mini-docs provide a feeling of hope and inspiration to viewers struggling with their own life challenges.
Giftable
Giftable is a series of thoughtful DIYs featuring Julianna Strickland and Natasha Feldman, two best friends who have mastered the art of gift-giving. One part cooking series and one part creative gift box inspiration, the results are what Pinterest and Instagram were made for: unique, adorable and full-of-personality presents that will make you want to be more thoughtful for the loved ones in your life.
Celebrity Interviews
You might think you know your favorite celebrity, but you’ve never seen them like this. Our interview series goes beyond the standard line of questioning, getting to the heart of what makes a person tick, from their unique perspective on life to their work ethic and everything in between.
In My Day
Everyone has something to share, but in our world where news travels at the speed of a tweet, the stories of the Baby Boomer and Silent generations are a bit more analog than what we’re used to. This series captures the insights and intelligence of regular people through compelling storytelling, insuring that our generations and the ones still to come will have a direct line to connect with the wisdom of their elders.
Truthmark
Aaron and Viergeni White, a husband and wife youth ministry team, share their unique perspective in two-minute spoken word slam poetry performances, covering everything from happiness in the age of consumerism to the joys of parenthood.
Welcome to Brooklyn
Oregon native Brooklyn Wagner has a lot to say – about people, relationships and celebrating the small things – in this quirky, stream-of-consciousness peek inside her delightfully realistic and optimistic brain.
The Golden Rule
From inner city teens volunteering to keep their neighborhoods clean, to “volunteer cuddlers” who spend their days with babies in the NICU, this uplifting series spotlights everyday people doing extraordinary things. This is life by the Golden Rule – to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Craftitude
Do you have an attitude for crafting? Even the most DIY-phobic among us won’t be able to resist this delightfully inspiring series designed to take the guesswork out of answering the age-old question: What should I do with my kids today? Each episode shows simple step-by-step instructions for a unique hands-on craft, noting which important skills it will also teach the little ones. Craft on!
Get Read
For anyone who thinks it’s taboo to discuss religion, this thoughtful book club series will change your mind. Our diverse and passionate panel tackles tough issues from classics and new releases alike, all while pulling out the practical teachings from each of the books they’ve read. Their conversations are real – never preachy – and they’re the perfect entry point to starting your own deliberations with friends and chiming in on ours on social.
Welcome to Adulting
New York Times bestselling author, new mom and record-holding former women’s soccer player at LSU, Mo Isom gives viewers an unfiltered peek at just how messy life can be when you’re playing hard and juggling a lot of balls. She gives 2-minute snippets of her life as a speaker, blogger, wife and mom in this new series.
Office Guinea Pigs
You’ve seen it, you’ve heard about it, you’ve probably Googled it to get the real scoop… if you’re curious about a bizarre new beauty product, our office guinea pigs have done the dirty work for you. Watch, cringe, laugh, share, rinse and repeat – from bubbling face masks to charcoal toothpaste to female face shaving (yes, it’s a thing), we’ll try anything. And yes, we all actually work at LightWorkers… if you thought your office bonding rituals were weird, we’ll bet they don’t ask you to show off your blackheads to the world!
The Brekkie Series
The Brekkie Series proves that easy doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Take back the most important meal of the day, and let’s make breakfast good again – together! Host Kara Elise is a pro at making any kitchen novice feel comfortable and empowered to throw out the recipes and make what tastes good to them. This series combines nutritional lessons with breakfast how-tos – from chia seed pudding and overnight oats to a full-blown brunch for friends – to start your day off right, every day.
A Taste of Grace
International speaker, blogger and children’s pastor Seth Dahl shares the lessons that he has learned since recovering from drug abuse and finding his faith. In this 15-episode series, Dahl discusses becoming a parent and gives viewers a moral of the story that doesn’t feel forced or fake. His authentic delivery, in just over one minute, and adorable children make these teachings easily digestible and infinitely helpful.
I Love My Goofy Pet
No matter how silly your pet is, there’s really no love like the love you have for your furriest family members. This funny series of shorts features peculiar pets and the owners that adore them.
An Ode To…
This series features short-form, eye-catching video love letters to niche things we love. From French fries to donuts, these videos are as full of comedic personality as they are of crave-worthy visuals.
The Good Race
Matt Brown is an evangelist, author and co-founder of the non-profit Think Eternity, a digital and live event movement that brings the gospel to millions of people each year. Although short, his one-minute messages help answer some of life’s deepest questions to guide you in the journey of faith.
Animal Classroom
Yes, animals are adorable and awe-inspiring wonders of nature, but they’re also really wonderful teachers. Dogs are fiercely loyal, penguins have fascinating mating rituals and meerkats… well, meerkats are just hilarious to watch. This series spotlights the important life lessons that pets and wild animals can teach us. Class is now in session!
Dad Does Lunch
Featured on “Good Morning America,” The Lunchbox Dad Beau Coffron is a host and food blogger who specializes in creative recipes to spice up your kid’s lunch. Each episode wraps up with a lesson in modern parenting, including patience, problem-solving and slowing down to appreciate life’s everyday moments.
Totally Accurate History!
Kids say the darndest things! This series is like the G-rated version of the ever-hilarious “Drunk History,”instead giving kids the spotlight to tell their versions of how things happened. From explaining the extinction of the dinosaurs to detailing the bizarre history of the waffle, these precocious teachers are way more entertaining than a textbook… and maybe even a tiny bit right.
About LightWorkers Media
Celebrated Emmy-nominated actress and producer Roma Downey launched LightWorkers Media (LWM) in 2011 along with her husband, award-winning producer Mark Burnett. LightWorkers is a joint venture owned by MGM, Burnett and Downey, with Downey serving as President. Under the LightWorkers Media banner, they have produced the 10-hour hit miniseries “The Bible” which was seen in the U.S. by 100 million people and was nominated for three Emmy awards. Additionally, LWM produced the series “A.D.” for NBC, “The Women of the Bible” for Lifetime, “The Dovekeepers” for CBS, “Answered Prayers” for TLC, the feature films “Little Boy” for Open Road Films, “Woodlawn” for Pure Flix, “Ben-Hur” for MGM and Paramount and the upcoming TV series “Messiah” for Netflix.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco and digital distributors. In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms and interactive ventures and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of 10 dynamic brands that include nine of the world’s leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK), as well as Fathom, the corporation’s driven travel brand.
In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival Corporation as being among the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies” in both the design and travel categories. Fast Company specifically recognized Carnival Corporation for its work in developing Ocean Medallion™, a high-tech wearable device that enables the world’s first interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming vacation travel into a highly personalized and elevated level of customized service.
Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com, www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.pocruises.com.au and www.pocruises.com.
