CBS Taps the Social Entertainment Pioneers Behind lonelygirl15 and
KateModern to Extend TV Narratives Online and to Mobile
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS and EQAL today
announced a partnership to create and produce multi-platform television,
online and mobile entertainment for existing and future CBS television
productions.
The collaboration between EQAL, the social entertainment company
founded by Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, creators of the Web's two most
successful interactive drama series lonelygirl15 and KateModern, and CBS,
will materialize in several ways. The partnership, while non-exclusive,
gives CBS a "first look" in terms of collaborating on new multi-platform
show concepts developed by EQAL. In addition, EQAL will act as a consulting
partner to CBS to help create experiences that extend the narrative of its
television shows to online and mobile platforms.
Under the terms of the partnership, EQAL will work closely with CBS
television writers at the script and production level to write, produce and
direct online narratives that tie directly into the television series and
promote the network telecasts.
"This partnering signals CBS's attention to the Web as a new medium
across both Interactive and the Network," said Quincy Smith, President, CBS
Interactive. "EQAL is at the forefront of developing and applying content
online. CBS is thrilled to add their talents and energy into the mix as we
create CBS show experiences for the Web."
Miles Beckett, CEO of EQAL added, "Until now, online content associated
with TV shows has had virtually no real connection to the show's narrative
experience. What CBS and EQAL are coming together to create is
groundbreaking and will be the first time that television stories will be
extended and amplified online in a way that takes full advantage of the
Internet's capabilities for interaction and community. The extended
narratives online will give fans and viewers the opportunity for a whole
new level of engagement both in between airings of the TV episodes and as
standalone plot lines."
In addition to consulting with CBS writing teams and jointly producing
online brand extensions for existing shows, EQAL will also build and
provide the entire technology infrastructure to host the online show
components.
"This agreement takes us one step further into the multi-platform
future with our television content serving as a spring board to create
storytelling experiences that are entertaining and meaningful to the
audience, valuable for the advertiser and revenue generating for our
company," said Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Television Network
Television Entertainment Group. "We think the innovators at EQAL combined
with the creators of our television content offers great entertainment
potential for the digital world and added promotional opportunity for our
television series."
EQAL is the world's leading producer of online interactive shows,
having paved the way with lonelygirl15 and KateModern. Collectively the two
series have attracted more than 150 million views and hundreds of thousands
of fans around the world. EQAL's success stems from its approach to the
Internet as a completely new and different entertainment medium. EQAL
weaves together the best elements of traditional storytelling and video
production with interactive experiences that are native to the Web in order
to build passionate online communities.
About CBS
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company with
constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast
industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of
the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations,
combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which
provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves
audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets.
It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment,
including broadcast television (CBS and The CW - a joint venture between
CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), cable television (Showtime
and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television
production and syndication (CBS Paramount Network Television and CBS
Television Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home
media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS
Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS
Consumer Products), video/DVD (CBS Home Entertainment), in-store media (CBS
Outernet) and motion pictures (CBS Films). For more information, log on to
http://www.cbscorporation.com/.
About EQAL
EQAL (pronounced "Equal") is a social entertainment company dedicated
to changing the way content is consumed. Merging technology with creative
development and production expertise, EQAL is a leader in the creation of
truly interactive shows. Formerly known as LG15 Studios/Telegraph Ave.
Productions, the company produces the two most successful online
interactive dramas: lonelygirl15 and KateModern. Through partnerships with
independent producers, traditional media companies, and multi-national
brands, EQAL is dedicated to building online communities that engage users
like never before. EQAL is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in
London. For more information: http://www.eqal.com.
SOURCE CBS Interactive
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Related links:
http://www.cbscorporation.com
http://www.eqal.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/185007.html /
CONTACT:
Shannon Jacobs, sljacobs@cbs.com,
+1-212-975-3161, or Katie Gunion, katie.gunion@cbs.com,
+1-212-975-8009, both of CBS; or Casi Kneebone, Bite
Communications, +1-310-601-7132, casi.kneebone@bitepr.com
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