IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nexstar Media Group, Inc., today announced that its owned and partner television stations will air “D-Day: The Greatest Victory,” to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the largest air, land, and naval operation in wartime history, when Allied troops landed on the coast of Normandy, France, to liberate Europe from the Nazis. Produced by Nexstar Broadcasting in association with WAVY-TV in Norfolk, Virginia, the exclusive program will air in 117 markets across the United States during the week of June 2. Nexstar’s national cable news network, NewsNation, will air the program on Sunday, June 9, at 10 p.m. ET. 9 p.m. CT. The actual D-Day landing occurred on June 6, 1944.
In a one-hour Nexstar Special Presentation, WAVY-TV anchor/reporter Marielena Balouris returns to Normandy and shares the stories of the sons, brothers and fathers lost in the invasion, and the women who made a difference in the war effort, both in battle and on the Homefront. These are stories of perseverance, unimaginable sacrifice, and the lessons and legacy of D-day, including:
- First-hand accounts from D-Day Veterans who survived, storming Utah Beach, firing the first shots from the USS Nevada, and witnessing the carnage at Omaha Beach.
- A daughter who describes never meeting her father, who went off to war at 16 years old, too young to be drafted, but just old enough to lie about his age.
- The families of the Bedford Boys, 20 young men who died within minutes of each other, share the stories of the impact in this small Virginia town.
- The story of four civilian women who made a difference in the lives of allied troops in Europe, buried with them in the hallowed grounds of the Normandy American Cemetery.
- First-hand accounts from the letters that made it from the warfront to the Homefront.
- The saga of the Niland Family from Tonawanda, New York, who lost two sons in the D-day Invasion. Two others fought and made it home heroes, scarred from the trauma of war. Their story is the inspiration for an Academy Award winning film and the inspiration for another young Niland, who is now following in the footsteps of his hero great uncles -- training to be a Navy Helicopter pilot.
- Deception is also part of the story of D-Day, as a secret non-combat unit tricked the Nazi's to strategically move Allied Forces. This plan was made public in the mid-90s, but it was not until this spring that the surviving soldiers received the medal of honor.
- But it's not all about the past: The program also brings viewers the story of a former football star who's formed a new team that takes care of veterans and returns them to the battlefields where they once fought.
“Nexstar Broadcasting is extremely proud to bring this special program to life on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, which still stands as one of the greatest accomplishments in U.S. History,” said Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcast division. “This is a program the entire family can enjoy and learn from, and the stories are touching and inspiring.”
Viewers are asked to check their local television listings for the program’s air date and time in their market.
About Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) is a leading diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms, including more than 310,000 hours of programming produced annually by its business units. Nexstar owns America’s largest local television broadcasting group comprised of top network affiliates, with over 200 owned or partner stations in 117 U.S. markets reaching 220 million people. Nexstar’s national television properties include The CW, America’s fifth major broadcast network, NewsNation, America’s fastest-growing national cable news network, popular entertainment multicast networks Antenna TV and Rewind TV, and a 31.3% ownership stake in TV Food Network. The Company’s portfolio of digital assets, including its local TV station websites, The Hill and NewsNationNow.com, are collectively a Top 10 U.S. digital news and information property. For more information, please visit nexstar.tv.
