BREAK.COM ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP
WITH SHOWTIME NETWORKS
Innovative multi-platform promotional deal surrounding the hit Showtime series "WEEDS" to offer user-generated videos for the first time on a premium cable network
Los Angeles-August 22, 2006-Break.com, the largest digital entertainment network for men with 13 million unique visitors and close to 300 million video requests monthly, and Showtime Networks Inc. today announced a partnership that engages Break.com's vast audience of 18-48 year old males with innovative cross-promotional initiatives around the cable network's Emmy®-nominated original series, WEEDS.
In a play on the suburban setting of WEEDS, Showtime and Break.com will jointly launch a promotion entitled "Chaos in Suburbia." This campaign is designed to generate another dimension of participation among viewers by allowing them to submit their own video clips which capture the crazy events that happen behind the calm façade of suburban life across America. The clips will be submitted and housed under an exclusive channel on Break.com called "Chaos in Suburbia," which is accessible at www.break.com/weeds. Selected clips will air on Showtime in co-branded spots beginning this month, as a component of the promotion for the second season of WEEDS. New episodes of WEEDS air on Showtime on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT.
The co-branded spots with user-generated video will also be available on several additional platforms, including online at Break.com, at the official WEEDS website at www.sho.com/weeds and at MySpace.com on the official WEEDS profile at www.myspace.com/weedsonshowtime,. They will also be available for download to portable media devices via video podcasts and via psp.connect.com for the PlayStation®Portable (PSP®) system.
"Internet platforms and traditional media companies are increasingly working together to introduce audiences to new programs and content," said Keith Richman, CEO of Break.com. "We are thrilled to join Showtime in providing our core demographic with an innovative entertainment experience around quality programming Showtime is known for and comedic content offered on Break."
"We are very excited to be working with Break.com on this multi-platform partnership to harness the power of user-generated content to energize and build the fan base of WEEDS online, and to develop entertaining, cutting-edge content for television to air on Showtime Networks," said Robert Hayes, SVP and General Manager of Digital Media at Showtime Networks Inc. "The buzz currently surrounding Break.com makes them a perfect partner for an initiative such as this."
About Break.com
Founded in 1998, Break.com is the Internet's leading cross-platform, user-generated digital entertainment network offering funny, original short-form content to millions of Internet users and mobile subscribers around the world. With more than thirteen million unique monthlybrowsers tuning in to enjoy the Web's largest and rapidly growing library of original videos and images, Break.com offers advertisers tremendous opportunities to market directly to a young, male demographic. Break.com empowers its audience to become content providers with an easy to use platform that allows them to upload, distribute and monetize their original content, whether it is homegrown or commercial-grade. Break.com is currently ranked as the 301st largest site in the world by Alexa.com, and serves close to 300 million video requests monthly. For more information, please visit http://www.break.com.
About Showtime
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNELT and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME® TOOT, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HDT, SHOWTIME ON DEMANDT and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMANDT. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.
