(ASSODIGITALE) PHILADELPHIA, Ziddio, Comcast's newly launched, user-generated site, and Endemol, the world's largest independent production company, today announced a partnership that will offer users the chance to transform their creative ideas into a real television show.
"Ten Day Take," the new contest offered by Ziddio and Endemol, is a
call to users for the next great program idea, and offers the winner a
chance to have their video submission fast-tracked into production in
Hollywood with the support of Endemol's production resources and a $50,000
production budget. Both the pilot and the shoot itself, which will be
completed in ten days and documented "reality style" in a series, will be
available on Ziddio and on TV through Comcast's signature ON DEMAND
service.
"We recognize the increasing demand for user-generated content and its
growing place in the entertainment industry," said Liz Schimel, Senior Vice
President, Entertainment, Comcast Interactive Media. "Ziddio is leveraging
Comcast's content relationships and multiplatform reach to provide amateur
creators great opportunities to showcase their content, including
real-world, professional outlets for their creative talent."
"We are thrilled to launch this new partnership that now allows anyone
with a great concept for a show to take it from idea to broadcast, which is
indicative of where we see the industry moving," said Jon Vlassopulos, Vice
President, Business Development, Digital Media and Strategic Planning,
Endemol USA. "We are also proud to be presenting our first digital reality
series, Ten Day Take, which gives people insight into how shows get made in
Hollywood."
In addition, Ziddio is collaborating with HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts
Festival to feature "No Talent Nation," a search for comic talent. Aspiring
comedians can submit short comedy or musical parody videos which will be
featured online and ON DEMAND, and ten winners will get the chance to
perform live at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen from Feb. 28 to
March 4, 2007. The contest is being sponsored by the premiere online
digital music service Rhapsody.com.
Ziddio is a new, user-generated site launched in beta last month by
Comcast Interactive Media. The site brings together premium networks and
partners to host co-branded contests with unique prizes and the chance for
users to showcase their content across multiple platforms — online, on
Comcast's ON DEMAND service and on linear networks. Previous contests
include "Join the Jedi Order" with HBO/Cinemax and "Clean House Search for
the Messiest Home" with the Style Network, where the winner will be
featured on a special episode of the network's "Clean House" series.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is
the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications
products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 11 million
high-speed Internet customers, and 2.1 million voice customers, Comcast is
principally involved in the development, management and operation of
broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment
Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television,
PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. Comcast also
has a majority ownership in Comcast Spectacor, whose major holdings include
the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA
basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
About Endemol
Endemol USA is a leading producer of television programming
specializing in reality and non-scripted genres for network and cable
television. The company produces the breakout hits, Deal or No Deal,
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Fear Factor and Big Brother. Endemol USA is
a division of Endemol Holding, a prominent international content developer,
producer and distributor of television and online programming. The company,
headquartered in the Netherlands, has subsidiaries and joint ventures in
twenty-one countries, including the major European markets, the U.S., South
Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. Endemol Entertainment is a
fully owned subsidiary of telecommunications giant Telefonica S.A., one of
the largest companies in Spain.
About USCAF
Since its inception in 1995 by HBO, the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in
Aspen has become known as a primary launching pad for comedic talent and
for hosting one-of-a-kind events such as reunions of Swingers!, Monty
Python, SCTV, Sex and the City, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Saturday Night
Live, as well as of the casts of The Larry Sanders Show, Cheers, Animal
House, Waiting for Guffman and In Living Color; The AFI Star Awards to
Goldie Hawn, Jim Carrey, Diane Keaton, Mike Myers, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry
David, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks, Rob Reiner, Robin
Williams, Whoopi Goldberg; the original The Simpsons Live, and the Freedom
of Speech Awards which have honored Russell Simmons and Def Comedy Jam,
George Carlin, Bill Maher, Dick Gregory, The Smothers Brothers, Michael
Moore, August Wilson and Garry Trudeau.
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