MONTREAL, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Interactive entertainment company
Ludia Inc. will create online games based on the highly successful
"American Idol"(R) television series, it was jointly announced today by
Alex Thabet, Founder and CEO of Ludia Inc., and Jason Turner, Director,
Interactive FremantleMedia Enterprises, licensor for "American Idol." The
exclusive multiyear deal will produce a gaming experience with multiple
components including performance, online community and social networking.
"Creating games for 'American Idol,' a genre-defining television
franchise, is a key milestone for Ludia," explained Thabet. "This deal
reinforces our strategy of partnering powerhouse brands with our unique
entertainment products."
"We are pleased to be working with Ludia to deliver one-of-a-kind games
for one of the most important entertainment brands in the world," added
Turner. "This game will offer an online destination to the millions of
'American Idol' fans out there of all ages, enabling them to actively
participate in their own personal Idol experience."
The "American Idol" online games experience is slated to coincide with
the show's 2009 season, and will be available on AmericanIdol.com and
Ludia's other major online destination partners.
About Ludia Inc.
Ludia creates and distributes cross-platform interactive entertainment
with mass consumer appeal. Ludia seamlessly integrates product placement
opportunities as part of the entertainment experience and enables effective
connections between brands and their target audiences. Based in Montreal,
Canada, Ludia has completed its first round of financing from private
investors last year. http://www.ludia.com
About FremantleMedia Enterprises & FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia Enterprises is the content exploitation arm of
FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution
and Home Entertainment. It is a division of FremantleMedia, one of the
largest international creators and producers of entertainment brands in the
world with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and
factual entertainment programming in over 40 countries worldwide.
FremantleMedia is a subsidiary of RTL Group, Europe's largest television
and radio broadcast company, which is 90% owned by Bertelsmann AG, an
integrated media and entertainment company that commands leading positions
in the world's media markets. For further information, visit
http://www.fremantlemedia.com.
About FremantleMedia North America
FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of
global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, California, FMNA
produces entertaining and innovative television programs for network, cable
and syndicated platforms, including the Emmy-nominated musical/reality
phenomenon "American Idol" (FOX), "The Next Great American Band" (FOX),
"America's Got Talent" (NBC), "American Inventor" (ABC), "Thank God You're
Here" (NBC), "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" (Oxygen), "Property
Ladder" (TLC), "Family Feud" (syndicated), "Temptation" (syndicated),
"Million Dollar Password" (CBS), and the longest-running game show in
television history, "The Price Is Right" (CBS).
About American Idol
AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller,
founder of 19 Entertainment, Ltd.; and executive-produced by Cecile
Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Nigel Lythgoe,
President, 19 Television; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer,
FremantleMedia North America, Inc.
About 19 Entertainment
19 Entertainment, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (Nasdaq:
CKXE), was founded by Simon Fuller 21 years ago and acquired by CKX in
March 2005. The company is recognized as a leading creator, provider and
promoter of globally successful, music-based entertainment, or
"Entertainment Brands."
Simon Fuller, who serves as Chief Executive Officer of 19
Entertainment, is the creator of AMERICAN IDOL in the United States, "Pop
Idol" in the UK, as well as versions of the IDOL format in more than 30
countries around the world. Fuller is also the co-creator of SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN DANCE, which aired in the U.S. on FOX during summer 2005 and was
the top-rated television show in its time slot.
Fuller has made music history in the UK and the U.S.A., producing a
stream of No. 1 hits and managing multi-platinum-selling acts. Fuller
recently became the world's most successful manager - breaking a record set
by the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in the 1960s - when three of his
artists occupied the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 positions on the U.S. single
chart as well as the No. 1 position on the album chart.
19 Entertainment has been involved in the creation of 109 No. 1 singles
and 87 No. 1 albums in the UK alone, with an impressive tally of 296 Top-40
albums and 465 Top-40 singles.
SOURCE FremantleMedia Enterprises
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Related links:
http://www.fremantlemedia.com
http://www.ludia.com http://www.americanidol.com
CONTACT:
Eva Jando of Ludia, Inc., +1-514-313-3370,
eva@ludia.com
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