Secrets of New York
Encyclopedia
Secrets of New York is the all-time most recognized television program in the history of the New York Tri-State television market, having won 16 Emmy Awards since 2006 on top of over 50 Emmy nominations. It traditionally dominates the Emmys in the categories of writing, videography, editing and graphics, and to many television production professionals, the series has emerged as the new benchmark for local television production in the United States.
The series is a documentary
program produced by NYC Media Group
. In 2007, the show won six New York Emmy Awards, and in 2008 it took home five awards. Hosted by Kelly Choi
, Secrets of New York airs on NYC TV, WNBC
and on PBS stations nationwide. Secrets of New York has been recognized for its approach to the television documentary format. With digital graphics and animations
, stylized recreations, heavy metal
and electronica
original and canned use of songs and musical scores, writing, and a compelling subject matter, the show has widely become the signature production of NYC TV. The first four episodes of the second season were sold on DVD
through the City of New York's CityStore and audio podcast
versions are syndicated on the National Public Radio (NPR) web site.
in 2004. Wierson, believed that NYC TV needed an anchor for its lineup of New York lifestyle, historical and cultural programs. The initial season, sometimes referred to as the "lost season", was very different from subsequent seasons. The show was produced, written and directed by Kelly Choi and Philip Ng during the first season, for a total of five episodes, each of which were produced on average within a week each. The second season was rebooted and brought in producers Harry Hunkele
and Buboo Kakati. Three specials were also created by Hunkele and Kakati and dubbed the third season. The fourth season was helmed by producer, Dean Irwin, after a soft-reboot in the Summer of 2011, which included new graphics, wardrobe (designed by Natalia Danilova), and music. Kelly Choi
has hosted every episode of the series.
In 2006, the series was picked by NBC's flagship station WNBC for distribution on its digital station (WNBC 4.4) in the New York market. The show also aired on PBS stations across the United States in 2006 to 2007.
. The show’s street location shoots around town became a self-serving grassroots marketing strategy for the program. Choi and shiny black fatigues inspired by the film The Matrix
, quickly developed a following, especially among local media and gossip sites such as Media Bistro, Gothamist
and Gawker. Bloggers speculated about hidden meanings in the show's graphics and props. Of particular interest was Choi's jewelry because, although her outfit is identical in every episode, she is always donning a different style of necklace. The producers, sensing that the show was on the verge of a cultural tipping point, interacted with the bloggers, egging them on by scanning in mysterious messages and codes onto Choi's jewelry.
in early 2007, after WNBC ordered a special episode for its coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival
. The last four episodes of the series were shot in HD, but were aired in SD.
The series is a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
program produced by NYC Media Group
NYC Media Group
NYC Media is the radio, television, and online media network of the City of New York. It oversees four public television channels, two public radio services, and an Internet video on demand service....
. In 2007, the show won six New York Emmy Awards, and in 2008 it took home five awards. Hosted by Kelly Choi
Kelly Choi
Kelly Choi is the former host of Bravo TV's Top Chef spin-off, Top Chef Masters, which premiered on June 10, 2009...
, Secrets of New York airs on NYC TV, WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
and on PBS stations nationwide. Secrets of New York has been recognized for its approach to the television documentary format. With digital graphics and animations
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
, stylized recreations, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
original and canned use of songs and musical scores, writing, and a compelling subject matter, the show has widely become the signature production of NYC TV. The first four episodes of the second season were sold on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
through the City of New York's CityStore and audio podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
versions are syndicated on the National Public Radio (NPR) web site.
Series history
Secrets of New York was created by then-General Manager Arick WiersonArick Wierson
Arick Wierson is an American-born media executive and entrepreneur. His has business interests that span television and film production, political consultancy, and a variety of business interests in the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and Africa...
in 2004. Wierson, believed that NYC TV needed an anchor for its lineup of New York lifestyle, historical and cultural programs. The initial season, sometimes referred to as the "lost season", was very different from subsequent seasons. The show was produced, written and directed by Kelly Choi and Philip Ng during the first season, for a total of five episodes, each of which were produced on average within a week each. The second season was rebooted and brought in producers Harry Hunkele
Harry Hunkele
Harry Hunkele is an American Film and Television Director, Producer and Editor. He is a ten-time Emmy Award winning television director and producer and is the director of the feature documentary "Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace" . -Biography:Hunkele was born in rural Vermont, and came to...
and Buboo Kakati. Three specials were also created by Hunkele and Kakati and dubbed the third season. The fourth season was helmed by producer, Dean Irwin, after a soft-reboot in the Summer of 2011, which included new graphics, wardrobe (designed by Natalia Danilova), and music. Kelly Choi
Kelly Choi
Kelly Choi is the former host of Bravo TV's Top Chef spin-off, Top Chef Masters, which premiered on June 10, 2009...
has hosted every episode of the series.
In 2006, the series was picked by NBC's flagship station WNBC for distribution on its digital station (WNBC 4.4) in the New York market. The show also aired on PBS stations across the United States in 2006 to 2007.
Cultural phenomenon
Choi took her character in a dramatically new direction in season two. Under the direction of Wierson and Hunkele, Choi was outfitted in a black vinyl overcoat and donned spiked stilettosStiletto heel
A stiletto heel is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s...
. The show’s street location shoots around town became a self-serving grassroots marketing strategy for the program. Choi and shiny black fatigues inspired by the film The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, quickly developed a following, especially among local media and gossip sites such as Media Bistro, Gothamist
Gothamist
Gothamist LLC is the operator of eleven city-centric blogs worldwide that focus on news, events, food, culture, and other local coverage.-History:...
and Gawker. Bloggers speculated about hidden meanings in the show's graphics and props. Of particular interest was Choi's jewelry because, although her outfit is identical in every episode, she is always donning a different style of necklace. The producers, sensing that the show was on the verge of a cultural tipping point, interacted with the bloggers, egging them on by scanning in mysterious messages and codes onto Choi's jewelry.
Move to high definition
Secrets of New York began shooting in HDHigh-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
in early 2007, after WNBC ordered a special episode for its coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
. The last four episodes of the series were shot in HD, but were aired in SD.