CBS Mobile, Verizon Wireless and MediaFLO USA™ Team Up to Stream Footage from Big Brother 8 House to V CAST Mobile TV 24/7
- Wall-to-Wall Coverage on a Dedicated TV Channel Allows On-the-Go Fans to Catch All the Behind-the-Scenes Footage of Big Brother 8 on Verizon Wireless Mobile Phones -
LOS ANGELES, BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and SAN DIEGO - August 17, 2007 - Contestants on Big Brother 8 may be housebound, but fans of the hit TV show can follow the drama of this season's final four weeks live, wherever they are. Marking the first time content from a primetime television show has aired live and continuously on mobile handsets in the U.S., CBS Mobile, Verizon Wireless and MediaFLO™ USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), have teamed up to provide a new channel dedicated to Big Brother 8. The channel will air a real-time, 24/7 feed of the activity inside the Big Brother House from August 19 through the season finale on Sept. 18, 2007 (note: programming is subject to change). In total, hundreds of hours of live programming will air on the Big Brother service, which is available at no additional charge to V CAST Mobile TV subscribers.
"We are thrilled to provide Big Brother's passionate and digitally savvy fans with yet another way to keep connected to the show 24/7," said Cyriac Roeding, executive vice president, CBS Mobile. "CBS Mobile is about innovation and creating truly made-for-mobile experiences. This Big Brother channel is both - a first in the U.S., and the most mobile entertainment possible - allowing you to 'live' with the Big Brother houseguests on your phone 24/7."
Ryan Hughes, vice president of programming, Verizon Wireless, noted, "With Big Brother 8 from CBS, Verizon Wireless demonstrates our commitment to deliver the most compelling, exclusive programming available on mobile handsets."
"Big Brother 8 enjoys an avid following, and we are excited to provide fans with 24/7 access to the Big Brother house on their own terms - wherever they are and whenever they want," said Mike Bailey, vice president of programming, MediaFLO USA. "This is a great example of the innovative programming opportunities only MediaFLO USA's FLO TV™ service can provide."
Since its premiere earlier this summer, Big Brother 8 has been available to fans on multiple platforms including online, on the phone, on Showtime Networks and, of course, on the CBS Television Network. Mobile offerings available in addition to the new 24/7 mobile TV channel include downloads, special video clips, photos, live breaking house alerts and daily insider summaries sent straight to cell phones. In addition to this new channel, subscribers are able to view full episodes of Big Brother 8 on the CBS Mobile channel.
The dedicated Big Brother 8 channel will supplement regular programming from CBS Mobile, one of the eight regular services available on FLO TV, which is available to consumers on V CAST Mobile TV from Verizon Wireless. Other services include Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile, FOX Mobile, MTV: Music Television, NBC 2Go, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon.
V CAST Mobile TV is live in more than 30 markets from coast to coast, including Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. For a complete list and map of available markets, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/mobiletv. More information on FLO TV can be found at www.flotv.com.
BIG BROTHER 8 follows the relationships and conflicts of players who live together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day. One by one, the houseguests will vote each other out of the house. At the end of three months, the last remaining houseguest will receive the grand prize. BIG BROTHER 8 is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan, in association with Endemol U.S.A.
To preserve the drama for BIG BROTHER 8 television viewers, CBS may block or delay the mobilecast for a limited number of real-time events that transpire in the house.
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) and motion pictures (CBS Feature Films). For more information, log on to www.cbscorporation.com.
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 62.1 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 67,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
MediaFLO USA Inc. unleashes the power of TV for mobile consumers, combining the best content, an intuitive user interface and a superior multicast network to deliver a true TV experience. The award-winning MediaFLO USA mobile entertainment service, called FLO TV, offers full-length simulcast and time-shifted programming from the world's best entertainment brands, including CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, MTV: Music Television, NBC2Go, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon. The FLO TV service also will deliver short-format clips and real-time information and entertainment services. Based in San Diego, Calif., MediaFLO USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Further information is available at www.mediaflousa.com.
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