WB56 To Broadcast South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast,
Hosted By Senator Jack Hart
LIVE - Sunday, March 21 with Simulcast on WBZ NewsRadio 1030
Expanded Coverage To Include New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Rhode Island
BOSTON - On Sunday, March 21, WLVI-TV (WB56) will broadcast "South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, hosted by Senator Jack Hart" from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., with special programming beginning at
8:30 a.m. The breakfast will be simulcast on WBZ NewsRadio 1030, and a live webcast will be available at
www.wb56.com.
"I'm pleased to announce that South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast will be broadcast by WB56 once again this year, and carried in New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Rhode Island," said Senator Hart. "Our broad-reaching television coverage gives lots of people the ability to enjoy this witty, spirited community gathering and celebration."
The programming begins at 8:30 a.m. with "Keller at Large," WB56 Political Analyst Jon Keller's one-on-one interview with Senator Jack Hart, host of this year's breakfast. The breakfast coverage continues with "Live from the Green Carpet," a one hour pre-show at 9 a.m., hosted by Anchor Karen Marinella and Senior Correspondent Jack Hynes, featuring conversations with guests as they arrive, plus commentary and analysis from Keller. "South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, hosted by Senator Jack Hart," the main event filled with speeches, songs, toasts and roasts, will air at 10 a.m. with limited commercial interruptions. The "St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Special" airs from 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., with a look at the history of this legendary event and interviews with past hosts, former Senate President William Bulger and Congressman Stephen Lynch.
South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast will be held at the Ironworkers Local 7 Union Hall for a standing-room-only crowd of 600 people. Since its debut in the 1950s, the breakfast annually attracts a "who's who" of notable politicians and local luminaries. Highlights from years past include a phone call from President Bush, a surprise appearance by presidential candidate U.S. Senator John Kerry, guests such as former Vice President Al Gore, U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, Congressman Stephen Lynch, Governor Mitt Romney and many others. With the 2004 presidential race underway, expectations are high for charged political banter.
"This breakfast is a signature event in Massachusetts that has generated national attention through the years," said Vincent Manzi, vice president/general manager, WB56. "We're pleased to bring the raucous fun to viewers and have support from Tribune sister-stations in other markets to expand our coverage."
WBDC-TV in Washington, D.C., WTIC-TV in Hartford, Conn., WEWB-TV in Albany, N.Y. and Cox Cable, Rhode Island will carry the breakfast live. Superstation WPIX-TV, New York City plans to broadcast an edited one-hour version of the breakfast on March 23, reaching more than 10 million homes.
A preview presentation of the "St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Special" will air on WB56 at 10:30 p.m. on St. Patrick's Day, Wednesday, March 17, immediately following a half-hour edition of "The Ten O'Clock News." WB56 will rebroadcast "South Boston's St. Patrick's Day Breakfast, hosted by Senator Jack Hart" on Sunday, March 28 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
