News You Can Use From Rainbow Media
ATLANTA, GA, April 9, 2006 – At today's NCTA, Rainbow Media announced several programming and brand initiatives that demonstrate its ongoing leadership in innovation, service and entertainment. Across its linear, VOD and HD services, Rainbow continues to add value to operators' breadth of product offerings and bundle packages, while providing a strong and diverse library of original and popular content to consumers.
Along with showcasing its popular brands, Rainbow Media's National Show booth #1937 will highlight specific initiatives such as the latest in HD programming from VOOM HD, innovative original programming with robust VOD and broadband applications from AMC, WE, IFC, fuse, Mag Rack, sportskool and our newest on-demand service – IFC In Theaters.
The following announcements are part of Rainbow's 2006 National Show for Sunday, April 9:
DAY ONE NATIONAL SHOW NEWS:
National Show Announcement from AMC:
MONSTERFEST TO CELEBRATE 10th ANNIVERSARY
AMC announced today that it will return for a tenth year with its popular Halloween celebration, Monsterfest. Monsterfest 2006 will air 24/7 on AMC from October 22-31 with a line up of scarily good movies including: Children of the Corn, Child's Play, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Dracula and Poltergeist III, among many others. Monsterfest will also include a national and local affiliate promotion designed to help cable operators drive their high speed services. In 2005, Monsterfest broke network records, with a household ratings increase of 13% over 2004. Adult 25-54 and Adult 18-49 delivery increased 15% and 20% respectively. In primetime, the network delivered a 1.14 HH Rating, ranking AMC as a top 10 network in Household ratings, a top 7 network in Adult 25-54 delivery, and a top 6 network among Adults 18-49 for the nine days of the stunt.
*Source: Nielsen Media Research, 10/23/05-10/31/05 vs 10/24/04-10/31/04. Total Day M-Su 6a-6a; Primetime M-Su 8-11p. Rank among all ad-supported networks broadcasting more than 51% of the M-Su 8-11p daypart 10/23/05-10/31/05.
National Show Announcement from fuse:
FUSE PREMIERES EMPIRE SQUARE IN APRIL
On Tuesday, April 18th at 10:30 PM, fuse premieres its newest original programming acquisition-the animated series Empire Square. UK-based company Outside Line recently created six half-hour episodes exclusively for fuse's US audience based around Empire Square's quirky, foul-mouthed characters that are forever in search of music superstardom and get rich quick schemes. This critically acclaimed series features biting social commentary towards today's most popular personalities and current events, with the overly pixilated animation style reminiscent of vintage gaming consoles. Originally created as cartoon shorts for Britain's Channel 4, the American version of Empire Square aims to bring a fresh voice to modern animation on a network known for its consistently cutting-edge programming.
National Show Announcement from sportskool:
sportskool's SPRING SEASON KICKS OFF WITH TONY GWYNN BASEBALL INSTRUCTION
Former San Diego Padres All-Star and future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn will coach on-demand baseball instruction for Rainbow Media's sportskool, to premiere on the network this month. Bass Fishing with professional angler and Bassmaster, Mike Del Visco, premieres in May. Walliyy "Main Event" Dixon coaches new Streetball basketball instruction premiering this summer.
National Show Announcement from VOOM HD Networks:
ANIMANIA HD CALL FOR ENTRIES
VOOM HD Network's Animania HD is requesting submissions of photos of children, aged 3-6 years old to be included in their new award-winning interactive animated series PICME. Each episode features a different child where their picture is placed directly in the pre-made cartoon using the specially developed PICME software. Each show entertains and teaches basic concepts to preschool children. Information about how to enter photos can be found online at www.animaniahd.com. All photos will be kept. PICME launches in June on Animania HD.
National Show Announcement from WE: Women's Entertainment:
WE EMPOWERS WOMEN PARTNERS WITH AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
WE: Women's Entertainment announced today that it will serve as a National Media Sponsor for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign. The sponsorship will serve as a focal point to the network's newly established public affairs initiative, WE Empowers Women. Launched last year, WE Empowers Women is the network's first-ever public affairs initiative, which leverages the power of the WE Network and its brand to assist various projects and programs that foster and celebrate the intelligence, strength, confidence, diversity and leadership of women, both in the workplace and at home. Through this new infrastructure, WE has proactively created opportunities to build mentorship, education and health programs designed specifically to address and support the modern lives of women and their families, while also representing the network's viewers with a strong and active voice on relevant and meaningful issues.
The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement raises awareness that heart disease is women's No. 1 killer. Cardiovascular disease claims more women's lives than the next five causes of death combined – about 500,000 women's lives a year. As part of the sponsorship, WE Empowers Women will host several Go Red For Women events in 2006 in markets throughout the United States, bringing awareness to the disease, helping fund research, and educating women about their risks. To learn more of the facts and how you get involved in the cause, visit www.goredforwomen.org.
DAY ONE NATIONAL SHOW PANEL PRESENCE:
GREGG HILL PANELIST AT Served Fresh Daily: The On Demand Revolution
President of Rainbow Network Sales, Gregg Hill, will be a featured panelist at Served Fresh Daily: The On Demand Revolution on Sunday, April 9 from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm in Room B405. On Demand's migration from drawing board to living room has changed the way millions of people view TV. Hill will discuss the On Demand transformation and its effects on the impressive growth of Rainbow Media on-demand networks Mag Rack and sportskool.
DAY ONE NATIONAL SHOW BOOTH EVENT: Rainbow Media Booth #1937
FUSE TO HOST "FUSEBALL" TOURNAMENT, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
On Sunday, April 9 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm, cutting edge music network fuse will host an open "fuseball" tournament at the Rainbow Media booth, #1937. National Show attendees are invited to challenge members of the fuse staff in a foosball tournament, where awarded prizes are dependent upon the number of goals a challenger scores. Prizes will include fuse branded Frisbees, hats, and t-shirts, as well as iTunes gift certificates, and iPod speakers.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in the entertainment industry, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic programming with linear networks including national networks – AMC, fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; its regional programming service – Rainbow Sports Networks; on-demand networks including Mag Rack and sportskool; and the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere – the VOOM HD Networks. Rainbow's other businesses include its film distribution, production and exhibition division – IFC Entertainment; in addition to its advertising sales division – Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation – and its full service network programming origination and distribution company – Rainbow Network Communications.