CHARLESTON, S.C., March 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Litton Entertainment today announced the original series Free Enterprise as the newest addition to Litton’s Weekend Adventure, the multiple Daytime Emmy-award winning programming block airing every Saturday morning on ABC stations nationwide. Free Enterprise, featuring one of America’s foremost entrepreneurs, financial-technology (fintech) pioneer and Inmates to Entrepreneurs founder Brian Hamilton, and hosted by ABC News’ and ESPN’s Ryan Smith, will premiere April 3rd, 2021.
The series will share the journey of formerly incarcerated individuals who dream of starting their own businesses after struggling to find consistent employment because of their criminal records. With the help of Hamilton along with his team of fellow business experts and mentors, these entrepreneurs will work to launch businesses with low or no capital, providing viewers a real-time view into the processes of product development, pricing, marketing and customer service – and their own inspirational stories of self-reliance, hope and transformation.
“People emerging from America’s correctional institutions deserve an opportunity to achieve their potential. Free Enterprise follows that journey while giving viewers access to info about starting their own business. We’re proud to present this heartwarming, redemptive series that’s a celebration of hard work and second chances,” commented Angelica Rosas McDaniel, EVP Strategy, Litton Entertainment.
“There is no larger and more unifying proposition in our country than the idea that everyone gets a second chance. Free Enterprise demonstrates that judicially involved people can take part in a most important part of the American dream- having ownership. On the show you will see real people starting simple businesses to become part of the American tapestry,” commented Brian Hamilton.
ABOUT LITTON ENTERTAINMENT
Litton Entertainment, a division of Hearst Television, is the preeminent independent producer and distributor in the U.S. television industry, creating and distributing quality programming for over 20 years including linear, cable, streamers, digital and social platforms. Producing more than 800 hours of programing a year across genres and demos, Litton talent and crews can often be found traveling the globe producing Emmy-winning, content distributed worldwide. Litton’s Weekend Adventure, produced by Litton Studios, was the first program block of its kind and airs Saturdays on ABC stations nationwide. Litton Entertainment provides CBS Network with six original programs for Saturday mornings called CBS Dream Team; The CW Network with One Magnificent Morning, a three-hour destination featuring E/I programming; NBC stations with six original E/I series under the iconic brand The More You Know; and Telemundo with the three-hour Mi Telemundo block of programming. Litton’s syndication and news division distributes a diverse slate of programs including Law&Crime Daily, the E/I block Go Time!, and Consumer Reports TV. For more information, visit http://www.litton.tv. Litton is majority-owned by Hearst: http://www.hearst.com.
ABOUT BRIAN HAMILTON
Brian Hamilton is a lifelong successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and leading national voice on how ownership can change lives. He founded Sageworks, one of the country’s first financial technology companies, and holds several patents from products created during that time still used in most financial institutions across the country today. When Mr. Hamilton sold Sageworks, he created the Brian Hamilton Foundation to help all people realize their potential and dreams through business ownership. He also formalized his 30-year ongoing entrepreneurial training service with prison populations through the creation of Inmates to Entrepreneurs, a nonprofit organization. Today, Inmates to Entrepreneurs is the longest running program of its kind in the country. Raised in a working-class neighborhood in Connecticut, Mr. Hamilton started his own landscaping business at an early age, which ultimately funded his aspiration to be the first in his family to go to college. He’s a summa cum laude graduate of Sacred Heart University and also holds an MBA from Duke University. Mr. Hamilton has been widely featured in the press and is the recipient of many awards, including the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award.
ABOUT RYAN SMITH
Ryan Smith is a host, correspondent & legal analyst for ABC News and ESPN. Smith also contributes to ESPN as a legal analyst and host of “Outside the Lines” and “E: 60.” A graduate of Syracuse University and Columbia Law School, Ryan started his career practicing corporate, sports and entertainment law.
