Showing posts with label Comedy Central. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy Central. Show all posts

Sunday, February 28, 2021

ViacomCBS Announces its Paramount+ Streaming Strategy and Programming Slate

ViacomCBS Unveils Comprehensive Streaming Strategy and Expansive Slate of Originals Headed to Paramount+

  •     Paramount+ to feature massive content catalog of more than 30,000 episodes, 2,500 movie titles and over 1,000 live sporting events, plus around-the-clock news coverage
  •         Select Paramount Pictures films to stream on Paramount+ following a short theatrical release, including A Quiet Place Part II, PAW PATROL: The Movie and Mission: Impossible 7
  •         Over 50 original series to premiere on Paramount+ over next two years, including Halo, Frasier, Criminal Minds, iCarly, The Real World, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, shows from the Avatar, Yellowstone, Star Trek and SpongeBob SquarePants universes and more
  •         Paramount+ to feature depth of content across key genres, including 7,000 episodes of kids’ content, 5,000 episodes of reality and 6,000 episodes of comedy
  •         Marquee sporting leagues and events on the service include the NFL, Masters, PGA TOUR, NCAA, SEC, The PGA Championship, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, National Women’s Soccer League, Concacaf and more
  •         News offerings available include renowned CBS News programs, new series such as 60 Minutes+, live streams of local affiliates in over 200 markets across the U.S. and the 24-hour streaming news service CBSN
  •     Paramount+ to launch in the U.S. on March 4, 2021 with broad distribution and leading launch sponsors, including General Motors, Expedia and Procter & Gamble
  •     Paramount+ will introduce two pricing tiers in the U.S.: A premium plan at $9.99 per month and an ad-supported base plan at $4.99 per month available in June
  •     Paramount+ to debut in Latin America and Canada on March 4, 2021, the Nordics on March 25, 2021 and Australia later this year, capitalizing on ViacomCBS’ global production capabilities, infrastructure and reach with additional markets to be announced


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) updated investors on its differentiated streaming strategy, which leverages the company’s strong product offerings across free, premium and pay segments with Pluto TV and SHOWTIME® OTT to create a linked ecosystem with the highly anticipated launch of Paramount+ on March 4, 2021. Paramount+ will feature a powerful combination of live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment from ViacomCBS’ portfolio of world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel.

New details about Paramount+ were unveiled during the ViacomCBS Streaming Event presentation, including an expansive slate of over 50 exclusive original series across scripted dramas, kids and family, reality, comedy, music, sports, news and documentaries that are set to premiere on the service in the next two years, including 36 arriving in 2021. These originals will join a deep and growing content catalog of more than 30,000 episodes and 2,500 movie titles. In addition, pricing tiers, leading launch sponsors and international rollout plans were announced.

“In today’s entertainment landscape, ViacomCBS stands apart as the only media company to fully embrace every segment of the streaming universe across free, premium and pay,” said Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS. “The launch of Paramount+ supercharges our strategy with a broad pay service that will be home to everything consumers love, all in one place: live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment, at scale. As we look ahead, ViacomCBS is ideally positioned to harness the full power of our assets and capabilities – from our world-class production studios and the value of our massive content library, to our global marketing platform and local relationships – to seize the global opportunity in streaming.”

Tom Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS Streaming, said, “Built from an iconic portfolio of beloved consumer brands and iconic franchises like SpongeBob and Star Trek, Paramount+ is a compelling and differentiated streaming offering for all audiences. In combination with Pluto TV and SHOWTIME®, the service will further strengthen our robust linked streaming ecosystem, giving us a critical competitive advantage as we pursue our goal of reaching consumers across every platform, at every price point, with creativity, content and experiences that are second to none.”

Differentiated Content Strategy – Sports, News and Premium Entertainment, At Scale

The content strategy for Paramount+ is rooted in a commitment to telling great stories across every genre, including must-watch sports and news programming. The live and on-demand service will leverage the company’s biggest franchises and storied IP, including through premium originals and a deep library of shows and movies from some of the world’s greatest content creators, highlighting the hit-making power of ViacomCBS to deliver a truly unique offering with can’t-miss content and wide demographic appeal.

Paramount+ To Feature Robust Collection of Films

Select upcoming films from Paramount Pictures will have their streaming debut on Paramount+ immediately following a theatrical release window of 30-45 days, including: A Quiet Place Part II, PAW PATROL: The Movie and Mission: Impossible 7. Other key titles arriving on Paramount+ in 2022 following their theatrical runs, and in some cases after their pay TV debuts on EPIX, include: Snake Eyes, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Top Gun: Maverick, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Transformers 7, Dungeons and Dragons, Scream and more. Paramount Pictures’ recent titles will be available as well, from Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Sonic the Hedgehog to Bumblebee and Rocketman, all coming to Paramount+. These films will join the previously announced The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Sponge on the Run, which will be available on Paramount+ at launch.

Additionally, Paramount Pictures announced an agreement with EPIX to make thousands of movie titles from a wide variety of studios available to Paramount+ subscribers. Beginning late spring, the service will stream some of the most popular films and franchises of all time, including films from the James Bond and Hunger Games franchises to features like The Addams Family and The Avengers, among many others in a deal that will grow the service’s film library to over 2,500 titles.

And, following a theatrical release by MGM and an exclusive pay television window with EPIX, MGM’s new movies will become available on Paramount+, including House of Gucci, Creed III and the highly anticipated new James Bond film, No Time to Die.

The company also outlined plans to ramp up production of movies made exclusively for Paramount+. The first of these feature-length films offered will include new versions of Paranormal Activity and Pet Sematary as well as an original supernatural story, The In Between, featuring Joey King, the star of the smash hit, The Kissing Booth. These titles produced by Paramount Players will join a collection of exclusive original movie premieres supplied by the broader portfolio of ViacomCBS studios.

Expansive Slate of Upcoming Paramount+ Original Series

Today’s virtual presentation previewed an extensive new slate of original content for Paramount+, ranging from gripping dramas and unscripted series to franchise expansions and brand-new animated titles.

Scripted Dramas

With brilliant creators, top talent and smart execution, ViacomCBS has been the creative force behind countless award-winning scripted drama series. This incredible collection will come together as a key pillar of the Paramount+ content library, with new additions of exclusive originals and exciting new takes on iconic franchises outlined as follows:

  •     Criminal Minds – top rated series in broadcast and streaming returns with a new scripted series that brings the team back together to investigate a single, fascinating case over 10 episodes.
  •     Flashdance – a young woman struggles to make her mark in the ballet world while navigating romance, money, art, friendship, and how to love herself. Award-winning Mad Men writer Tracy McMillan is writing and executive producing the drama series which will pick up from where the story left off, but in present-day. True Blood’s Angela Robinson will direct and executive produce the series with Lynda Obst.
  •     Halo – based on the iconic Xbox® franchise, Halo’s epic universe and cast of characters come to life in this new original drama series. In the new television adaptation, Halo will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
  •     Land Man – set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Land Man is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. The series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.
  •     Love Story – Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the executive producers of Gossip Girl, The O.C. and Looking for Alaska, are bringing to Paramount+ a series based on the award-winning perennial film, Love Story.
  •     Mayor of Kingstown – follows the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.
  •     Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – the next installment of the popular Star Trek franchise is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the decade before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise.
  •     The Italian Job – when the grandchildren of the legendary Charlie Croker inherit his old safety deposit box, the quest for the infamous Italian bullion is reignited. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced and written by Matt Wheeler (Hawaii Five-0), and produced by Donald De Line.
  •     The Man Who Fell To Earth – starring Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, is based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic film starring David Bowie. The series will follow a new alien character who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution, and must confront his own past to determine our future.
  •     The Offer – a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making The Godfather. The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora, The Player). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, alongside showrunner Nikki Toscano (Hunters), and Emmy® Award-winning producer Leslie Greif (Hatfields & McCoys).
  •     The Parallax View – a scripted series from Paramount Television Studios, based on the iconic film. The series will be executive produced by Paula Wagner.
  •     Y:1883 – follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one.
  •     Yellowstone Spinoff, 6666 (Working Title) – founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing… The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.


Kids and Family

Home to some of the biggest franchises in the world, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol, the kids’ portfolio is fueled by Nickelodeon’s library of nearly 7,000 hit episodes, plus a string of all-new originals based on the most beloved characters in the brand’s history, such as:

  •     Avatar – Nickelodeon’s new animation studio division dedicated entirely to creating content based on the wildly popular world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Led by the series’ original creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, in partnership with the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Avatar Studios will produce for Paramount+ a wide-range of Avatar-inspired content, ranging from spinoffs and theatricals to short form.
  •     Dora the Explorer – a new live-action series based on the iconic character, designed for an older audience of kids 6-11 and their families.
  •     iCarly – a new chapter for the most successful kids’ sitcom of all time, where original cast members Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress and Jerry Trainor join new friends for a look at these characters’ present-day lives, adventures and comedic mishaps.
  •     Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years – the first-ever spinoff of SpongeBob SquarePants, Kamp Koral is a CG animated original series that takes viewers back to when the iconic characters of Bikini Bottom met for the very first time, in a summer camp like no other.
  •     Rugrats – an all-new series featuring Nick’s iconic babies, back together with the original voice cast in new CG animation.
  •     Star Trek: Prodigy – the first-ever Star Trek for the kids and family audience, combining the Nickelodeon sensibility with the action and adventure hallmarks of the Star Trek franchise.
  •     The Fairly OddParents – a live-action take on one of Nick’s longest running and most successful animated hits.


This Nickelodeon-created slate joins Paramount+’s previously announced original kids’ series such as WildBrain’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Boat Rocker’s new Danger Mouse and new editions of Lassie, George of the Jungle and Mr. Magoo from DreamWorks Animation’s Classic Media.

Reality

A genre created by MTV in 1992, reality TV is one of the most popular forms of content today. It reigns at the top of broadcast and cable ratings around the globe and in streaming, it’s the fastest growing vertical. ViacomCBS leads the reality category with over 5,000 episodes of the biggest reality hits, with plans to expand its collection with the following original and reprisals:

  •     Big Brother Live Feeds – offers an in-depth, exclusive pass to the show where fans have the opportunity to watch all the action inside the Big Brother house.
  •     Dating Naked – the most vulnerable social experiment returns to bring dating back to its most honest, unguarded and naked form. Can these modern daters strip back their preconceived notions, carefully curated images AND their clothes to reveal their true selves and find love?
  •     Ink Master – the tattoo competition reality series where some of the nation’s top tattoo artists battle it out in various tattoo challenges that not only test the artists’ technical skills, but also their on-the-spot creativity for the title of Ink Master.
  •     Love Island on Paramount+ – an extension of the popular CBS reality series that takes subscribers beyond the boundaries of what’s shown in the broadcast with exclusive content and live visits to the Villa.
  •     Queen of the Universe – in a singing competition like no other, drag queens from all around the world compete to see who is Queen of the Universe. High heels, high octaves, high competition - this drag queen singing competition will blow your wig off. From Emmy® Award-winning production company, World of Wonder.
  •     Road Rules – back with a new roster of Road Warriors. These strangers will be abandoned in a far-flung location and stripped of their modern-day luxuries by boarding a restricted life in an RV, traveling from location to location. They will be guided by a set of clues, odd jobs and missions for money. If they last to the end of the trip, they walk away with the life changing prize.
  •     RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars – the best of the best from the Emmy® Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race return to compete for $100,000 and a coveted spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. In each episode, legendary queens will battle it out until only one drag queen is crowned the winner.
  •     The Challenge: All Stars – twenty-two of the most iconic, boldest, and fiercest Challenge All Stars from the original Real World and Road Rules have been selected to return for a second chance at the ultimate competition. All have history, but when relationships are the key to survival, will these legends be able to form new bonds or will their past lead to their demise? With $500,0000 and their legacies on the line, which of these All Stars will prove they are still the best of the best?
  •     The Real World: Homecoming: New York – almost 30 years later, the original “seven strangers” that paved the way for modern reality TV are moving back into the New York loft where it all began. Viewers will be reunited with the cast from the very first season of The Real World in a brand new multi-episode docuseries to find out, once again, what happens when they stop being polite… and start getting real. Series begins streaming on Thursday, March 4th.


Comedy

When it comes to beloved IP and iconic comedic franchises, Paramount+ delivers with a rich library of over 6,000 episodes in the genre alone. Joining this massive catalog of comedy titles, exclusive series arriving soon include:

  •     Frasier – Frasier’s back – and he’s more exactly the same than ever. Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as the Dr. Frasier Crane.
  •     Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies – with both classic and new songs, and a diverse cast, the series is a prequel to the unforgettable musical film, Grease, and tells the story of how Frenchy’s older sister, Jane, founded the Pink Ladies. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced by Annabel Oakes (Atypical, Transparent), Marty Bowen (Twilight) and Erik Feig (La La Land).
  •     Guilty Party – a dark comedy starring Kate Beckinsale as a discredited journalist who finds herself in over her head when she latches onto the story of a young mother sentenced to life in jail for murdering her husband – a crime she claims she didn’t commit.
  •     Inside Amy Schumer – the Peabody, Emmy® and Writers Guild Award-winning franchise returns with five specials starring Amy Schumer, one of the entertainment industry’s leading forces as a stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer and director.
  •     Reno 911! The Hunt For QAnon – a super-sized event based off the long-running hit, critically-acclaimed Comedy Central series. Most recently, Reno 911! received two 2020 Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series and for Outstanding Actress in A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Kerri Kenney-Silver). In 2021, the show is nominated for a Critics Choice Award.
  •     The Game – the popular BET sitcom returns with a mix of original cast and new players, and will offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football.
  •     The Harper House – an animated family comedy that follows an overconfident female head of a household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself and for her family of oddballs after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of an Arkansas small town.
  •     The Weekly Show with Trevor Noah (Working Title) – Trevor Noah will star in and produce an initial six episode series looking at stories across the societal landscape and talk with the people behind the headlines: people you know; people you don’t know; and people you didn’t even know you didn’t know.
  •     Younger – Darren Star’s critically acclaimed smash-hit, Younger, follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing — while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job.


Additionally, exclusive original comedy movies that will reignite franchises for new and nostalgia-driven fans alike are expected to arrive on Paramount+ in year one:

  •     Untitled Beavis & Butt-head Movie – Emmy® Award-winning Mike Judge reimagines MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining Beavis and Butt-Head who return for another movie adventure to kick-off the new series.
  •     Workaholics Movie – made-for-streaming movie based off the popular long-running Comedy Central series starring Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck.


Music

For almost 40 years, MTV has chronicled the world of music through the eyes of the most important artists — telling the stories that only MTV can, because MTV was there. And now, on Paramount+, MTV is unlocking its treasured vault to bring new and exclusive series like:

  •     Behind the Music – Behind the Music is back! The groundbreaking and prolific music documentary series returns with several new episodes and the best of the vault remastered and updated for today’s audiences with artist interviews, a creative refresh and reimagined visual style.
  •     From Cradle to Stage – this new six-part, unscripted television series from Director Dave Grohl was inspired by his mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, and based on her critically-acclaimed book, From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars. The series is a dynamic personal exploration of the special relationship between successful musicians and their moms. Each episode features a famous performer and their mom as well as Dave and Virginia.
  •     Unplugged – MTV’s most iconic musical performance franchise will come to Paramount+ several times a year as special intimate MTV Unplugged events featuring some of the world’s biggest artists.
  •     Yo! MTV Raps – MTV is bringing back its most storied hip-hop series and music franchise Yo! MTV Raps for Paramount+. The return of Yo! MTV Raps will include hosted segments, live performances, cyphers and lifestyle content, and will serve as a comprehensive deep dive into the current state of hip-hop. After its debut 33 years ago on August 6, 1988, Yo! MTV Raps became the premiere destination for all things hip-hop. The advent of the series was crucial to the rise of rap music worldwide, creating a global passion for the genre and greater hip-hop culture, which has since become the most dominant force in mainstream music and pop culture worldwide.


CBS All Access Originals to Continue as Paramount+ Originals

In addition to the forthcoming titles produced exclusively for Paramount+, the award-winning CBS All Access originals will rebrand to Paramount+ originals and continue to super-serve fans of:

  •     No Activity – a half-hour police comedy, starring Patrick Brammall and Tim Meadows, which was previously a live-action series, will be completely animated for season four.
  •     Star Trek: Discovery – the series, starring Sonequa Martin-Green, follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.
  •     Star Trek: Lower Decks – a half-hour animated comedy series, focuses on the support crew on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.
  •     Star Trek: Picard – features Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series follows this iconic character into the next chapter of his life.
  •     Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News – a daily news satire series featuring a cast of animated characters, led by anchor James Smartwood, lampooning real-world news stories and interviewing live-action guests.
  •     The Good Fight – the critically acclaimed drama starring Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart follows her next chapter at one of Chicago’s preeminent African-American law firms. The wide-ranging topicality of the series captures the current sociopolitical era as the firm confronts real life issues of today.
  •     Why Women Kill – a dark comedy created by Marc Cherry, is an anthology series that examines how the roles of women have changed over the decades, but how their reaction to betrayal... has not.


Sports

In bringing everything sports fans love on CBS to Paramount+, the service will feature over 1,000 live sporting events per year, including regular season games, playoffs, championships and more across the following marquee properties:

  •     THE NFL ON CBS
  •     The Masters
  •     NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
  •     PGA TOUR
  •     SEC ON CBS
  •     The PGA Championship
  •     National Women’s Soccer League
  •     UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League – Paramount+ is the only place in the U.S. where soccer fans can find exclusive English-language coverage of every UEFA club competition match, every season.


In addition, Paramount+ is expanding its exclusive English-language rights in the U.S. with three more soccer properties, featuring hundreds of additional matches.

  •     Concacaf – offering more than 200 Concacaf matches, starting with the Concacaf Nations League Finals in June of this year, which will feature the U.S. Men’s National Team. Coverage will feature all 41 national teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean across different competitions, including the qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which will feature the defending champion U.S. Women’s National Team.
  •     Liga Profesional de Fútbol – Paramount+ will stream more than 300 matches a year from Argentina’s top soccer division.
  •     Campeonato Brasileiro Série A – Paramount+ will stream more than 360 matches a year from Brazil’s premier soccer league.


The service will also be the exclusive home of a long-running, Emmy® Award-winning original series Inside the NFL, which takes fans even deeper into the game and the passion of the NFL all season long. And knowing fans don’t stop watching when the players stop playing, Paramount+ will feature the 24/7 streaming sports news service, CBS Sports HQ.

News

With breaking news and impactful journalism, the award-winning CBS News team will offer Paramount+ subscribers deep insights into the world through best-in-class reporting. News offerings will include renowned CBS News programs, new series such as 60 Minutes+, live streams of local affiliates in over 200 markets across the U.S., and the 24-hour streaming news service CBSN.

In addition to news programs audiences already know and love, Paramount+ will be home to brand-new titles based on CBS News’ premier franchises, including:

  •     60 Minutes+ – a compelling new version of the renowned newsmagazine and number one news program in America. Award-winning correspondents Enrique Acevedo, Seth Doane, Wes Lowery and Laurie Segall bring Paramount+ viewers a new perspective on the investigative reporting and exclusive newsmaker interviews that have made 60 Minutes must-watch television for generations.
  •     48 Hours original: The Lie Detector – a Texas Ranger who for decades led the department’s investigations into its most twisted and high profile murder cases takes viewers behind the scenes of those crimes and into the minds of the people who committed them. The Lie Detector is a true crime docuseries from the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning producers of 48 Hours in a new and compelling original format exclusively for Paramount+.


Documentaries

ViacomCBS is a definitive leader in storytelling, and audiences are increasingly hungry for shows that document history, from the distant past to history that’s being made today. Driven by these insights, Paramount+ is partnering with some of the world’s best filmmakers to debut an incredible slate of gripping, powerful and relevant documentaries, including the following from CBS News, CBSN, CBS Sports, MTV Documentary Films and the Smithsonian Channel:

  •     76 Days – a look at life in the earliest days of the COVID-19 crisis in Wuhan, China, the Oscar Shortlisted 76 Days focuses on frontline hospital workers and their patients, bearing witness to the human resilience that persists in times of profound tragedy.
  •     Black Gold – from Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa and Emmy® Award-winning Time Studios, this is a true-life conspiracy thriller about a decades-long campaign to trade our planet for profit.
  •     For Heaven’s Sake – blends comedy and crime documentary formats for a unique take on uncovering the truth. The series follows the search for Harold Heaven, who mysteriously disappeared from his remote cabin in Ontario, Canada, in the winter of 1934.
  •     The Real Criminal Minds – a true crime docu series, featuring a former real FBI profiler. The series will examine real cases, and real criminal behavior, illustrated by clips fans will remember from the fictional series.
  •     Watergate – from MTV Entertainment Studios, this series will illuminate a moment in our history that parallels so much of what’s happening now.
  •     Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In – tells the story of the legendary manager of Manchester United, and one of the most memorable figures in European football.
  •     Stories from the Beautiful Game – an original soccer documentary series produced by Pete Radovich, the award-winning coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ UEFA coverage. Paramount+ will release several soccer documentaries every year, starting later in 2021.


In addition to long-lead productions, ViacomCBS will also produce exclusive Insta Docs for Paramount+. These instant documentaries will be released within days of breaking news and will dive deeper into events that capture the attention of the nation.

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Paramount+ Pricing Tiers

Paramount+ will have two pricing tiers available to U.S. subscribers that marry the best of live and on-demand programming.

The premium tier, at $9.99, will be available with the full depth and breadth of live sports, around-the-clock news programming and world-class entertainment spanning Paramount+ originals to an expansive suite of current and library shows and movies. The offering will include CBS’ live linear feed and commercial-free on demand viewing, with 4k, HDR and Dolby Vision, mobile downloads and cross-platform dynamic play functionality.

An ad-supported tier will launch in June for $4.99 and offer the best in sports, news and entertainment. At that time, the current $5.99 plan will no longer be available for new users, but existing users will maintain grandfathered access. The ad-supported tier will feature a compelling offering of exciting Paramount+ originals, marquee sports content including live championship-level soccer and live NFL games, breaking news through CBSN and an extraordinary collection of content, including the full suite of current and library CBS shows available on demand.

Both Paramount+ tiers will feature a seamless user interface, enhanced curation and discovery, personalized homepages, content categories and central hubs for ViacomCBS’ brands. Additionally, each subscription option will include parental control capabilities and up to six individual profiles.

Broad Distribution

At launch, Paramount+ will be available online at ParamountPlus.com, via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android, and across a wide number of platforms, including smart TVs, connected-TV devices, online, mobile, gaming consoles, and leading OTT providers.

Launch Sponsors

ViacomCBS is proud to present General Motors, Expedia and Procter & Gamble among a select group of leading launch sponsors for Paramount+ in the U.S. Through marketing integrations, custom activations and ViacomCBS’ suite of ad capabilities, these advertisers will have unparalleled access to leading brands, popular IP and premium digital video to deliver significant reach and impact across ViacomCBS’ highly engaged and diverse audiences.

International Rollout

Paramount+ will debut internationally in 18 Latin American countries and Canada on March 4, 2021, the Nordics on March 25, 2021 and Australia with a rebrand and expansion of 10 All Access later this year, with additional markets to follow.

With production capabilities across five continents, strong distribution agreements and local relationships and expertise around the world, Paramount+ will leverage ViacomCBS’ leading global reach – including the largest global broadcast footprint – to drive streaming growth and international expansion. ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) will build on its momentum in prized formats, and as one of the top global producers of Spanish-language content, to bring exclusive series to market for fans of kids and family, scripted dramas, reality and more.

In select international markets, Paramount+ will offer audiences exclusive originals that include The Man Who Fell to Earth, Mayor of Kingstown, Guilty Party, Halo and The Offer, among others, an expansive content library of over 5,000 hours of iconic ViacomCBS IP and hit franchises across genres and a premium user experience. For most international subscribers, Paramount+ will also be the home to SHOWTIME® and feature celebrated series Dexter, Ray Donovan, The Affair, Your Honor, The Comey Rule and Escape at Dannemora. And importantly, like in the U.S., internationally Paramount+ will offer some of the biggest kids franchises in the world, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer and PAW Patrol – in addition to the highly anticipated Kamp Koral and Nickelodeon Animation Studio’s The Astronauts.

Premieres of prized formats including some of MTV’s biggest global reality franchises – such as Acapulco Shore and Are You The One?: Brazil in Latin America, as well as Story of Songs in the Nordics, and a deep catalogue of the best reality hits such as Jersey Shore, Ex on the Beach, Catfish and more – will be available in Latin America, the Nordics and Australia.

And, through ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS), a division of ViacomCBS Networks International, top creators from around the world will also debut premium local scripted dramas on the service. For example, in Latin America, the service will debut:

  •     The Envoys – a supernatural thriller co-produced with Academy Award-winning director and screenwriter, Juan José Campanella.
  •     Cecilia – a female-led dramedy from renowned Argentine writer and director Daniel Burman and starring acclaimed Mexican actress Mariana Treviño.


Subscription pricing will vary slightly by market, but Paramount+ will be available to international audiences at a compelling price point.

Internationally, Paramount+ will be available online at ParamountPlus.com, via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android, and across a number of connected TV devices and OTT platforms. The service will also have broad distribution on major platforms in international markets, including Claro Video, Mercado Libre, Izzi & Claro Brazil in Latin America, and Nuuday, Telenor and Allente in the Nordics.

About ViacomCBS:
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, CBS All Access, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Comedy Central Retains Its Exclusive Cable Rights to "The Office"

Viacom Renews The Office Through 2025

Comedy Central Extends (That’s What She Said) Exclusive Cable Rights for The Office Through 2021

Viacom Also Renews Parks and Recreation Cable Rights through 2024

http://www.cc.com/

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) announced continued stays in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Pawnee, Indiana. Under the new pact with NBCUniversal, Comedy Central extended its exclusive cable deal for legendary comedy The Office through 2021. After that, the series will continue to air through 2025 in a non-exclusive window on Viacom Media Networks. Additionally, Viacom renewed its cable deal for equally iconic sitcom Parks and Recreation. All 125 episodes will be able to air on Comedy Central, the #1 brand in comedy, through 2024.

“Keeping the exclusive rights to The Office through 2021 is a coup for Comedy Central and Viacom,” said Tanya Giles, GM of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land and Assistant to the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin. “Since acquiring it, we’ve reinvigorated the franchise on linear, drawing big audiences throughout our full day schedule. It’s also been a key lead-in to help drive viewers to our own original, acclaimed comedies. We’re so excited to keep it on our air that we wouldn’t even trade it for an iPod.”

For Viacom, the deal was closed by Barbara Zaneri, EVP, Viacom Program Acquisitions Group (VPAG) for an undisclosed sum, along with a World’s Best Boss mug and a new statue of Li’l Sebastian for the NBCUniversal lot. Previously this year VPAG acquired the exclusive cable rights to Seinfeld.

The Office is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 24, 2005 to May 16, 2013, lasting nine seasons and 201 episodes. It is an adaptation of the original BBC series of the same name and was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for “Saturday Night Live.” It was produced by Universal Television in association with Daniels’ Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions. The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it was filmed in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track. The Office starred Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak, Melora Hardin, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Craig Robinson, Ellie Kemper, Kate Flannery, Angela Martin, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Creed Bratton, Paul Lieberstein, Rashida Jones, Amy Ryan and others.

Parks and Recreation is an American political satire television sitcom that aired on NBC from April 9, 2009 to February 24, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 125 episodes. The series was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and produced by Universal Television in association with Deedle-Dee Productions and Fremulon. It presents a documentary-style look into the everyday lives and antics of public officials, who work in the local Parks and Recreation office and pursue various projects to make their fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, a better place. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it was filmed in a single-camera setup without a studio audience or a laugh track. The series starred Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Retta, Jim O’Heir, Paul Schneider, Billy Eichner, amongst others.


About VPAG
Viacom Program Acquisitions Group (VPAG) is responsible for the coordination of program acquisitions across multiple Viacom platforms and brands. VPAG harnesses the collective buying power of Viacom in negotiating series and movie licenses by synchronizing multi-channel deals and program buys across the Company portfolio.

About Viacom
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture around the world. Through television, film, digital media, live events, merchandise and solutions, our brands connect with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in more than 180 countries.

For more information on Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following us on Twitter (twitter.com/viacom), Facebook (facebook.com/viacom) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/viacom).

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Friday, September 12, 2014

22 Viacom Networks Will Be Available on Sony's Cloud-Based TV Service

Viacom and Sony Reach Landmark Internet Distribution Agreement

Deal Marks Major Programming Agreement for Sony’s Forthcoming Cloud-Based TV Service in the United States

Twenty-Two Viacom Networks, including Comedy Central, MTV, Spike, VH1, Nickelodeon to be Available on New Service at Launch


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom (NASDAQ:VIAB)(NASDAQ:VIA) and Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE) today announced a landmark agreement for Sony’s forthcoming cloud-based TV service to carry 22 Viacom networks at launch. The deal marks Viacom’s first-ever agreement to provide its networks for an Internet-based live TV and video on demand service.

    “Viacom’s award-winning networks are a perfect match for our new service, ensuring that our customers will be able to access the shows they love on their favorite devices, when and how they choose.”
“Viacom always strives to create transformational opportunities that combine consumer value and technological innovation,” said Philippe Dauman, President and CEO, Viacom. “Given our young, tech-savvy audiences, our networks are essential for any new distribution platform, and we’re excited to be among the many programmers that will help power Sony’s new service and advance a new era for television.”

“Our new cloud-based TV service will combine the live TV content people love most about cable with the dynamic experience they have come to expect from our network,” said Andrew House, Group Executive, Network Entertainment Business, Sony Corporation. “Viacom’s award-winning networks are a perfect match for our new service, ensuring that our customers will be able to access the shows they love on their favorite devices, when and how they choose.”

The partnership unites Sony’s rapidly growing network and more than 75 million Internet-enabled Sony devices in U.S. living rooms with Viacom’s content portfolio, all of which have deep connections with today’s young adults. Viacom owns and operates the largest basic cable portfolio in the United States by audience share, including 25.9% share of basic cable viewership among young people aged 2 to 34*.

Sony’s cloud-based TV service will offer subscribers Internet-based live TV and video on demand from major programmers, including the following content from Viacom:

1. At least 22 Viacom linear networks at launch, including BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, Spike, TV Land and VH1, BET Gospel, Centric, Logo, CMT Pure Country, MTV Hits, MTV James, mtvU, Palladia, TeenNick, Vh1 Classic and Vh1 Soul and all available HD.
2. Authenticated access to hundreds of hours of programming on Viacom’s TV Everywhere websites and apps. Viacom currently offers TV Everywhere apps from Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, VH1, CMT and Logo.

3. Viacom’s full video-on-demand package.

Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Sony will announce more details about its new cloud-based TV service in the near future.

*Nielsen Media Research, July 2014

About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Viacom's media networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, SPIKE, Channel 5 (UK), Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA, reach approximately 700 million television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio, is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/viacom.

Sony Network Entertainment International
Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (SNEI), a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, is the premier provider of digital entertainment. Through the Sony Entertainment Network portal, consumers around the world are able to access their favorite digital entertainment conveniently and instantly on their favorite connected devices. SNEI offers the latest and highest quality music, video, and game content through Sony Entertainment Network as well as PlayStation Network while also delivering third-party services. In addition, SNEI provides a compelling consumer experience through innovative content discovery features and a simple user interface that is globally consistent, yet locally relevant.

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Monday, January 6, 2014

2014 Writers Guild Award Nominations - Select Television Categories

by Amos Semien

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers.  The Writers Guild of America Award acknowledges outstanding achievements in film, television, radio, new media, video games, and has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949.

On Friday, January 3, 2014, the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing during the year 2013 – the 2014 Writers Guild Awards.  The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, during simultaneous ceremonies held in both Los Angeles and New York.

The Writers Guild Awards are given in numerous television categories,  but I only focus on a select group of categories when the nominations are announced.  A complete list of 2014 Writers Guild Award nominations, including nominations in radio, new media, and video games (which have not been announced as I write this) can be found here: http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/nominees-winners.aspx.

TV NOMINEES:

DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC

The Good Wife, Written by Meredith Averill, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Jacqueline Hoyt, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, J.C. Nolan, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julia Wolfe; CBS

Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, William E. Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Barbara Hall, Patrick Harbinson, Chip Johannessen, Meredith Stiehm, Charlotte Stoudt, James Yoshimura; Showtime

House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix

Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jason Grote, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Michael Saltzman, Tom Smuts, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC

COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Nina Pedrad, Josh Siegal, Tracey Wigfield; NBC

Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Bianca Douglas, Megan Ganz, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Becky Mann, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Audra Sielaff, Emily Spivey, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC

Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix

Parks and Recreation, Written by Megan Amram, Donick Cary, Greg Daniels, Nate DiMeo, Emma Fletcher, Rachna Fruchbom, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Matt Hubbard, Dave King, Greg Levine, Joe Mande, Sam Means, Aisha Muharrar, Matt Murray, Amy Poehler, Alexandra Rushfield, Michael Schur, Jen Statsky, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang; NBC

Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO

NEW SERIES
The Americans, Written by Michael Batistick, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Melissa James Gibson, Sneha Koorse, Joe Weisberg, Bradford Winters; FX

House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix

Masters of Sex, Written by Michelle Ashford, Tyler Bensinger, Michael Cunningham, Lyn Greene, Richard Levine, Amy Lippman, Sam Shaw, Noelle Valdivia; Showtime

Orange Is the New Black, Written by Liz Friedman, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Gary Lennon, Lauren Morelli, Marco Ramirez; Netflix

Ray Donovan, Written by Ann Biderman, Sean Conway, David Hollander, Brett Johnson, Ron Nyswaner; Showtime

EPISODIC DRAMA
“Buried” (Breaking Bad), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC

“Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC

“Episode 101” (House of Cards), Teleplay by Beau Willimon; Netflix

“Granite State” (Breaking Bad), Written by Peter Gould; AMC

“Hitting the Fan” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King; CBS

“Pilot” (Masters of Sex), Written by Michelle Ashford; Showtime

EPISODIC COMEDY
“Career Day” (Modern Family), Written by Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh; ABC

“Farm Strong” (Modern Family), Written by Elaine Ko; ABC

“Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC

“Lesbian Request Denied” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Sian Heder; Netflix

“Leslie and Ben” (Parks and Recreation), Written by Michael Schur & Alan Yang; NBC

“Pilot” (Orange Is the New Black), Teleplay by Liz Friedman and Jenji Kohan; Netflix

LONG FORM – ADAPTED
Killing Kennedy, Written by Kelly Masterson, Based on the book by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard; National Geographic

Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO

ANIMATION
“A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox

“Game of Tones” (Futurama), Written by Michael Rowe; Comedy Central

“Hardly Kirk-ing” (The Simpsons), Written by Tom Gammill & Max Pross; Fox

“Murder on the Planet Express” (Futurama), Written by Lew Morton; Comedy Central

“Saturday Morning Fun Pit” (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone; Comedy Central

“Yolo” (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Nobori; Fox


END


Monday, February 7, 2011

Christopher Nolan Recieves First Guild Award with WGA Win

After recieving several nominations from the Writers, Directors, and Producers Guilds, Christopher Nolan finally won a guild award, receiving the "Original Screenplay" award from the Writers Guild of America for the screenplay of his hit film, Inception, in a ceremony held Saturday night (Feb. 5th).  However, the frontrunner for the original screenplay Oscar is The King's Speech, which the WGA ruled ineligible for its awards.

2011 WRITERS GUILD WINNERS COMPLETE LIST:

SCREEN
Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan, "Inception"
Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, "The Social Network"
Documentary Screenplay: Charles Ferguson, Chad Beck and Adam Bolt, "Inside Job"

TELEVISION
Drama Series: "Mad Men," written by Jonathan Abrahams, Lisa Albert, Keith Huff, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Janet Leahy, Erin Levy, Tracy McMillan, Dahvi Waller, Matthew Weiner (AMC)

Comedy Series: "Modern Family," written by Jerry Collins, Paul Corrigan, Alex Herschlag, Abraham Higginbotham, Elaine Ko, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O'Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Brad Walsh, Ilana Wernick, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker (ABC)

New Series: "Boardwalk Empire," written by Meg Jackson, Lawrence Konner, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Margaret Nagle, Tim Van Patten, Paul Simms, Terence Winter (HBO)

Episodic Drama: ""The Chrysanthemum and the Sword" ("Mad Men"), written by Erin Levy (AMC)

Episodic Comedy: "When It Rains, It Pours" ("30 Rock"), written by Robert Carlock (NBC)

Long Form - Original: "The Special Relationship," written by Peter Morgan (HBO)

Long Form - Adaptation: "The Pacific, Part Eight," written by Robert Schenkkan and Michelle Ashford (HBO)

Animation: "The Prisoner of Brenda" ("Futurama"), written by Ken Keeler (Comedy Central)

Comedy/Variety Series: "The Colbert Report," written by Barry Julien, Dan Guterman, Eric Drysdale, Frank Lesser, Glenn Eichler, Jay Katsir, Max Werner, Meredith Scardino, Michael Brumm, Opus Moreschi, Peter Gwinn, Rich Dahm, Rob Dubbin, Scott Sherman, Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Peter Grosz, Paul Dinello (Comedy Central)

Comedy/Variety - Special: "National Memorial Day Concert 2010," written by Joan Meyerson (PBS)

Daytime Drama: "As the World Turns," written by Susan Dansby, Lucky Gold, Janet Iacobuzio, Penelope Koechi, David Kreizman, Leah Laiman, David A. Levinson, Leslie Nipkow, Jean Passanante, Gordon Rayfield, David Smilow (CBS)

Children's - Episodic & Specials: "Happy Ha-Ha Holidays," written by Michael G. Stern, Randi Barnes, Rick Gitelson, Scott Gray (Disney Channel)

Children's - Long Form or Special: "Avalon High," written by Julie Sherman Wolfe and Amy Talkington

Documentary - Current Events: "Flying Cheap" ("Frontline"), written by Rick Young

Documentary - Other Than Current Events: "Wyatt Earp" ("American Experience"), written by Rob Rapley

News - Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin or Breaking Report: "Sunday Morning Almanac" ("CBS Sunday Morning"), written by Thomas A. Harris

News - Analysis, Feature or Commentary: "Resurrecting Eden" ("60 Minutes"), written by Jenny Dubin

RADIO
Documentary: "2009 Year in Review," written by Gail Lee, CBS Radio News
News - Regularly Scheduled or Breaking Report: "CBS World News Roundup," written by Paul Farry, CBS Radio News
News: Analysis, Feature or Commentary: "Passages," written by Gail Lee, CBS Radio News

PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION
On-Air Promotion (Radio or Television): "CSI" Promos, written by Anne de Vega, CBS
Television Graphic Animation: "Sunday Morning, By Design," graphic designer Bob Pook, graphic artist Diane Robinson, CBS News

VIDEOGAME
Videogame Writing: "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood," written by Patrice Desilets, Jeffrey Yohalem, Corey May, Ethan Petty, Nicholas Grimwood, Matt Turner (Ubisoft)

NEW MEDIA
Original New Media: "The Real Thing," "Identity Crisis," "Girl Talk," "Naming Things," "Curtain Up" ("Anyone But Me"), written by Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward
Derivative New Media: "Strip Pong," "Tear Jerks," "Brainstorm" ("Frank vs Lutz"), written by Jon Haller

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Drawn Together Movie on DVD April 20th


THE MOST TITILLATING AND SALACIOUS ANIMATED MOVIE OF ALL TIME IS FINALLY HERE!"

THE DRAWN TOGETHER MOVIE: THE MOVIE!"

THE FIRST FILM BASED ON THE CULT ANIMATED SERIES "DRAWN TOGETHER," AVAILABLE ON DVD AND DOWNLOAD-TO-OWN ON TUESDAY, APRIL 20

Original Cast Returns And Features "Family Guy's" Seth MacFarlane As The Voice Of I.S.R.A.E.L.

COMEDY CENTRAL Records To Release For The First Time. The “Drawn Together Soundtrack” CD On Tuesday, April 20

Watch The Red Band And Theatrical Trailers, View Outrageous Bonus Material, Launch The Full Episode Player (Watch Every Episode From All Three Seasons), Play The I.S.R.A.E.L. ATTACK! Flash Game
And More, Available At www.thedrawntogethermovie.com

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" Screening At Anaheim Comic Con On Saturday, April 17. From 7:00-9:00 P.M. PT With Select Cast Members And Creators, Writers And Executive Producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser

Get drawn in all over again. From the warped minds of creators, writers and executive producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, comes the most reprehensible and most guilty-pleasure movie of all time – "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! http://www.thedrawntogethermovie.com/" This is the first animated film based on the "Drawn Together" series featuring the entire original cast and "Family Guy's" Seth MacFarlane as the voice of I.S.R.A.E.L.

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" DVD will be released by COMEDY CENTRAL Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment on Tuesday, April 20. It will be also available on download-to-own platforms in HD and SD including iTunes (pre-order 4/5), Xbox LIVE Marketplace, Zune, Sony PlayStation Store, and Amazon Video on Demand. For the first time, COMEDY CENTRAL Records will release the “Drawn Together Soundtrack” CD on Tuesday, April 20.

“The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!” stars the incorrigible cast of the most offensive animated reality show ever to air and this time they’re starring in their very own feature-length movie! When the mystery-solving musician Foxxy Love notices she and her fellow housemates can curse without being bleeped – something they’ve never been able to do before – she realizes their show has been canceled. Determined to get back on the air, the gang travels to Make-A-Point-Land in order to get a point (and get back on the air). With more depravity than could have ever been shown on TV, this is the definitive "Drawn Together" experience.

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" DVD features over one hour of bonus features including: “Anatomy of An Animated Sex Scene,” an in-depth investigation into the genesis of the soon-to-be infamous 3-D sex scene; “Re-Animating Drawn Together: From the Small Screen to The Slightly Bigger Screen,” a technical piece focusing on the production/animation end of the project; “Drawn Together: The Legacy,” a faux-serious reflection on the show’s impact and lasting cultural relevance; “Drawn Together: True Confessionals,” intimate interviews with the actors and co-creators about the show and the dawn of the movie; “Drawn Together Minisodes,” a fond remembrance of all the loveable characters from the series hosted by The Jew Producer; “D.I.Y 3-D Glasses,” step-by-step instructions on how to create your own 3-D glasses; and deleted scenes.

In addition, "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" will be available on Tuesday, April 20 on download-to-own platforms in HD and SD including iTunes, Xbox LIVE Marketplace, Zune, Sony PlayStation Store, and Amazon Video on Demand. On Monday, April 5, fans will have the opportunity to pre-order it on iTunes with “Re-Animating Drawn Together: From the Small Screen to The Slightly Bigger Screen,” a nine minute bonus feature available only with the purchase of the movie.

Also available for the first time is the soundtrack to the hit series “Drawn Together.” COMEDY CENTRAL Records will release the “Drawn Together Soundtrack” CD on April 20 with music from fan favorites including “La La Labia,” “Black Chick’s Tongue,” “Suck My Taint” and many more. The album contains songs from all of the seasons including the new movie in their raw, uncensored glory.

Log onto www.thedrawntogethermovie.com to watch the red band and theatrical trailers, view outrageous bonus material, launch the full episode player (watch every episode from all three seasons), play the I.S.R.A.E.L. ATTACK! flash game and more. Users can also become a fan of the movie on Facebook .

The "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" screening will be held at Anaheim Comic Con on Saturday, April 17 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. PT at the Anaheim Convention Center, immediately following the closing of the show floor. Join creators Silverstein and Jeser and select cast members as they discuss their new film and host a Q&A with fans.

"Drawn Together " premiered on COMEDY CENTRAL in October 2004 and aired for three seasons and 36 episodes. The series presented a world in which cartoon characters from various genres of animation were brought together to live under one roof. The characters left their animated "reality" and entered a new world where their cartoon universes collide with a bang, combining different styles of animation and different personalities, all "drawn together." This was COMEDY CENTRAL's first original animated series that was drawn traditionally and in 2-D digital ink and paint animation.

The eight stars/housemates represent iconic archetypes from the world of animation and include: Captain Hero, a not-so-moral do-gooder reminiscent of the Saturday morning TV super heroes of the 70s; Clara, a 20-year-old sweet and naive fairy-tale princess; Toot Braunstein, a black-and-white pudgy heart throb from the 20s; Foxxy Love, a sexy mystery-solving musician; Spanky Ham, a foul-mouthed Internet download pig; Ling-Ling, an adorable Asian trading card mini-monster; Wooldoor Sockbat, a wacky Saturday morning whatchamacallit; and Xandir, a strong young gay video game warrior.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

"The Drawn Together Movie" to be Screened at Anaheim Comic Con

WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT'S GAREB SHAMUS ANNOUNCES THE COMEDY CENTRAL® SCREENING OF "THE DRAWN TOGETHER MOVIE: THE MOVIE!" ONLY AT ANAHEIM COMIC CON

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" Screening At Anaheim Comic Con On Saturday, April 17

From 7:00-8:00 P.M. PT With Creators, Writers And Executive Producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser

NEW YORK, NY (March 3, 2010) -- From the warped minds of creators, writers and executive producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, comes the most reprehensible and most guilty-pleasure movie of all time…"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" The first animated film based on the Drawn Together series will be released by COMEDY CENTRAL Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment, to be screened for the fans on Saturday, April 17 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. PT at Anaheim Comic Con.

THE DRAWN TOGETHER MOVIE: THE MOVIE!, will be available on DVD on Tuesday, April 20th from Comedy Central Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment.


"My family and I grew up with one of the co-creators, Dave Jeser, and have known him and his family since I was a teenager," said Shamus, chairman and CEO, Wizard Entertainment. "Having Dave and Matt at our inaugural Anaheim Comic Con will be a treat both personally and professionally!"

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" is bigger, badder and uncensored and certainly lives up to its tainted heritage and provides the audience with a not-so-healthy heaping of what everyone has come to know and secretly love from the show. Namely, copious amounts of drunken-revelry, taboo-busting and cartoon-on-cartoon violence.

The "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" screening will be held at Anaheim Comic Con on Saturday, April 17 from 7:00-X p.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center, immediately following the closing of the show floor. Join creators Silverstein and Jeser as they discuss their new film and host a Q&A with fans.

Immediately following Anaheim Comic Con, on Tuesday, April 20, "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" DVD will be released nationwide by COMEDY CENTRAL Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. The over one hour of bonus features include the following: “Anatomy of An Animated Sex Scene,” an in-depth investigation into the genesis of the soon-to-be infamous 3-D sex scene; “Re-Animating Drawn Together: From the Small Screen to The Slightly Bigger Screen,” a technical piece focusing on the production/animation end of the project; “Drawn Together: The Legacy,” a faux-serious reflection on the show’s impact and lasting cultural relevance; “Drawn Together: True Confessionals,” the actors and co-creators discuss their favorite memories from the show; “Drawn Together Minisodes,” a fond remembrance of all the loveable characters from the series hosted by the Jew Producer; “D.I.Y 3-D Glasses,” step-by-step instructions on how to create your own 3-D glasses; and deleted scenes.

In addition, "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" will be available on Tuesday, April 20 on download-to-own platforms in HD and SD including iTunes, Xbox LIVE Marketplace, Zune, Sony PlayStation Store, and Amazon Video on Demand.

Anaheim Comic Con runs from April 16-18, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center. It is a major regional pop culture convention bringing fans the latest information on Hollywood, comics, toys, collectibles and connecting attendees with celebrity guests, artists and industry professionals.

Tickets for Anaheim Comic Con are on sale now at www.wizardworld.ticketleap.com/anaheim or at 866-882-5860.

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About Drawn Together:
"Drawn Together" premiered on the network in October 2004 and aired for three seasons and 36 episodes. The series presented a world where cartoon characters from various genres of animation were brought together to live under one roof. The characters left their animated "reality" and entered a new world where their cartoon universes collide with a bang, combining different styles of animation and different personalities, all "drawn together." This was COMEDY CENTRAL's first original animated series that was drawn traditionally and in 2-D digital ink and paint animation. The eight stars/housemates represent iconic archetypes from the world of animation and include: "Captain Hero," a not-so-moral do-gooder reminiscent of the Saturday morning TV super heroes of the 70's; "Clara," a 20-year-old sweet and naive fairy-tale princess; "Toot Braunstein," a black-and-white pudgy heart throb from the 20's; "Foxxy Love," a sexy mystery-solving musician; "Spanky Ham," a foul-mouthed Internet download pig; "Ling-Ling," an adorable Asian trading card mini-monster; "Wooldoor Sockbat," a wacky Saturday morning whatchamacallit; and "Xandir," a strong young gay video game warrior. "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" stars the incorrigible cast of the most hilarious animated reality show ever to air on basic cable. When the mystery-solving musician, Foxxy, notices she and her fellow housemates can curse without being bleeped - something they’ve never been able to do before - they realize that their show has been cancelled. Determined to get back on the air, they venture to such far-off lands as Bedrock, a Fairy Tale Village and the fantastical Make-a-Point Land, all the while outrunning their enemies who are hell bent on keeping them off the air and are prepared to use any means necessary to do so.

About Gareb Shamus:
Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Shamus publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare and numerous books about pop-culture’s top talent, comic books and toys. Shamus also produces a North American Comic Con tour.

Wizard World Comic Con Tour:
March 26-28, 2010, Toronto Comic Con, Direct Energy Centre

April 16-18, 2010, Anaheim Comic Con, Anaheim Convention Center

June 11-13, 2010, Philadelphia Comic Con, Pennsylvania Convention Center

August 19-22, 2010, Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens (Rosemont) Convention Center

October 1-3, 2010, New England Comic Con, John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center

October 7-10, 2010, Big Apple Comic Con, Pier 94

October 15-17, 2010, New Jersey Comic Con, New Jersey Convention and Expo Center

November 12-14, 2010, Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center

Atlanta Comic Con, TBD

Cincinnati Comic Con, TBD

Cleveland Comic Con, TBD