Mag Rack Toasts the On-Demand Launch of Universal Pictures'
"The Wedding Date" with Original Signature Series,
"Wedding Date Do's"

Launching September 29, Series Features Original Programs
Hosted by “Bridezillas” from WE: Women's Entertainment; Exclusive Commentary Provided by Regena “Mama Gena” Thomashauer

New York – September 14, 2005 -On-demand leader Mag Rack and NBC Universal On Demand, a division of NBC Universal Cable, are joining together to promote the on-demand premiere of “The Wedding Date” with an original signature series title Wedding Date Do's. Mag Rack's on-demand movie promotion will feature original programming hosted by the brides from WE: Women's Entertainment's smash hit series, “Bridezillas”. Wedding Date Do's will be available exclusively on Mag Rack from September 29 through October 27 to coincide with the film's on-demand premiere September 30.

Mag Rack's long-standing program category “Inside Weddings” vows to take on a new twist with the addition of special hosts from WE: Women's Entertainment's brashest new series “Bridezillas,” whose season finale this year earned the network their highest rating to date for an original telecast.

In addition, Regena “Mama Gena” Thomashauer will provide exclusive commentary on weddings in a special program segment titled “Mama on Weddings”. Regena Thomashauer, founder of “Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts”, recreates her workshops, or “pleasure bootcamps,” in Mag Rack's latest original production, “Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts”. This 20-episode original series premiered earlier this month. Wedding Date Do's also includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from NBC Universal's popular romantic comedy.

Mag Rack's on-demand movie promotions are a proven success story, where Mag Rack viewers purchase twice as many on-demand movie titles as non-Mag Rack viewers. Mag Rack's last partnership with NBC Universal, “Ray On My Mind” (promoting the on-demand launch of the Academy Award® -winning film “Ray”), saw a tremendous success rate in heightened awareness and usage of VOD. Mag Rack viewers accounted for 25% of total “Ray” movie buys during the 6-week promotion.

“The Wedding Date” is a hilarious and sexy look at love, weddings, family and unexpected surprises that come along the way. The film stars Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”) as Kat Ellis, a never-married New Yorker attending her younger sister's wedding and finds out that her ex-fiancés the best man in the wedding. In a desperate attempt to face the ordeal with dignity, Kat hires Nick (Dermot Mulroney, “My Best Friend's Wedding”), a charming and handsome professional male escort, to pose as her new boyfriend. Nick takes on the role of the bride's therapist, the father's ideal son-in-law, the groom's new best friend and the object of every woman's affection, including Kat's.

Check local listings with your cable or satellite provider to find out how to order “The Wedding Date” on pay-per-view and on demand available in select cable systems. NBC Universal Cable distributes and markets film and TV entertainment on pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VOD) released by Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Rogue Pictures and NBC Universal Television Distribution.

About Mag Rack
Launched by Rainbow Media in 2001, Mag Rack is the original on-demand television network. Mag Rack helps viewers get into the things they love by offering programs and signature series that fully engage consumers and provide them with a compelling television viewing experience, such Yoga Retreat, Motorcycle Freedom, Guitar Xpress and 24seven gamer. The service offers special interest programming not widely found on other channels with advanced ability to fast-forward, rewind or pause the program. Every month, 40 total hours of content is 100% refreshed, so there's always something new to watch on Mag Rack. Mag Rack: TV for Whatever Turns You On. For more information, visit www.magrack.com .

About NBC Universal Cable
NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's preeminent media companies, drives the company's cable strategic development and growth including video-on-demand, pay-per-view, HDTV and retransmission consent, and oversees the cable distribution, marketing and local ad sales of fourteen properties (Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, mun2, NBC Weather Plus, Sci-Fi, ShopNBC, Telemundo, Telemundo Puerto Rico, Trio, Universal HD, USA and the Olympics on cable). NBC Universal Cable also directs and manages the company's cable and new media investments including A&E, The History Channel, History Channel International, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and Tivo.

About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC:
A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow owns and manages national networks: AMC, Fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment, as well as on-demand services including Mag Rack and sportskool. Rainbow's other businesses include its regional programming services – Rainbow Sports Networks, News 12 Networks and Metro Traffic & Weather – in addition to the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications.

Press Contacts

  • Sommer Hixson,
    Mag Rack
    646-273-7383;
    shixson@rainbow-media.com

    Vanthan Khel,
    NBC Universal
    201-735-3591;
    vanthan.khel@nbcuni.com