Breakthrough Prize Foundation Teams with National Geographic Channel, FOX and Acclaimed Producer Don Mischer to Celebrate Today's Leading Scientists and Mathematicians with Broadcast of the 2016 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

National Geographic Channel and FOX will honor today's most prominent scientists and mathematicians by airing the Breakthrough Prize ceremony, which will be broadcast live in the U.S. on National Geographic Channel Sunday, Nov. 8, at 10/9c, with a one-hour version of the ceremony scheduled for FOX on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 7-8 p.m. ET/PT.

Emmy-nominated Cosmos executive producer and "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane is set to host the annual ceremony, to be held in Silicon Valley. Additionally, the one-hour version will air globally on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries and 45 languages. Presenters will be announced shortly.

The Breakthrough Prizes were founded by Silicon Valley innovators Sergey Brin (Google) and Anne Wojcicki (23andMe), Jack Ma (Alibaba) and Cathy Zhang, Yuri Milner (DST Global) and Julia Milner, and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Priscilla Chan. For the past three years, the Breakthrough Prize has been honoring those at the forefront of the fundamental physics, life sciences and mathematics fields, while also aiming to inspire innovators in these fields for the future. Each of the Breakthrough Prize laureates receives a $3 million prize, and a total of seven prizes will be awarded. This year, for the first time, the ceremony will also feature the Breakthrough Junior Challenge for students, which will award $400,000 in educational prizes to a student whose original video brings to life a scientific or mathematical idea or principle.

"We are proud to join forces with Don and the Breakthrough Prize team not only to honor the best and brightest in science shaping the world of today and tomorrow, but also to bring this important event to the broadest global audience possible," said Courteney Monroe, CEO of National Geographic Channels U.S. "National Geographic was founded on the spirit of mavericks, and this partnership affords us the opportunity to continue this great tradition by recognizing those who are breaking barriers and expanding the limits of possibility."

"It is an honor to partner with the Breakthrough Prize team to celebrate the incredible men and women who are driving the world's most significant scientific advances," said Gary Newman and Dana Walden, chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group. "We hope that by showcasing these great minds and their important work to millions of viewers, we can help them inspire the next generation of scientists."

"With the unparalleled global reach of the National Geographic brand and the power of FOX, we're taking Breakthrough Prize to the widest possible audience," added Don Mischer, executive producer. "With Seth hosting, we look to have fun celebrating the world's foremost leaders in physics, life sciences and mathematics in hopes of inspiring a new generation of disruptors."

To date, Breakthrough Prize has awarded over $160 million in total. A full list of past honorees can be found at the following links:

Past honorees in physics: https://breakthroughprize.org/Laureates/1
Past honorees in life sciences: https://breakthroughprize.org/Laureates/2
Past honorees in mathematics: https://breakthroughprize.org/Laureates/3

Don Mischer Productions will produce the special. For National Geographic Channel, Char Serwa is executive producer; Matt Renner is vice president, production; and Tim Pastore is president, original programming and production.

About Breakthrough Prize

Founded in 2012 by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki, Jack Ma and Cathy Zhang, Yuri Milner and Julia Milner, and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, the Breakthrough Prize is an annual award honoring the outstanding achievements in life sciences, physics and mathematics. The prizes aim to celebrate scientists and generate excitement about the pursuit of science as a career. Laureates of all prizes are chosen by selection committees, which comprise prior prize recipients. The Breakthrough Prizes are funded by a grant from Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki's foundation, The Brin Wojcicki Foundation; a grant from Mark Zuckerberg's fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation; a grant from the Jack Ma Foundation; and a grant from the Milner Foundation.

Additional information on the Breakthrough Prizes is available at www.breakthroughprize.org.

Fox Networks Group

Fox Networks Group is a primary operating unit of 21st Century Fox FOXA and consists of Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), FOX Sports Media Group, the company's national and regional programming services, FOX International Channels and Fox Networks Engineering & Operations. These units produce, program and transmit much of America's most popular entertainment, sports and information content via 44 owned-and-operated and joint venture TV networks, video on demand and other media platforms. Fox Networks Group channels span FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, FSN and 22 regional sports networks, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX College Sports, FOX Deportes, FOX Life, Baby TV and BTN (co-venture with the Big Ten Conference). Digital broadcast and network extensions include BTN2Go, FOX NOW, FOX Soccer 2 Go, FOX Sports GO, FXNOW and Nat Geo TV. FOX International Channels features U.S. Spanish-language broadcast net MundoFox, in addition to more than 300 networks in 181 countries across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The division also includes true[X], the leading engagement advertising company that specializes in ad formats for on-demand media, and Fox Sports Enterprises, which manages interests in sports franchises.

National Geographic Channel

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in over 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

About Don Mischer Productions

Don Mischer Productions (DMP) is an internationally acclaimed producer of television and live events.

DMP has consistently chosen to produce programs that share the best of the human experience, whether it be the work of our most acclaimed artists or the celebration of our most cherished monuments and greatest international events.

Recent productions include We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, The Kennedy Center Honors and the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall; Super Bowl halftime shows (Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, among others); the Democratic National Convention; and the Opening Ceremonies of both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games.

Recent productions also include the 83rd, 84th and 85th Academy Awards, and specials with Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Bono, Prince, Rhianna, Stevie Wonder and Barbara Streisand, among others.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151005006551/en/