West Palm Beach, FL – January 17, 2008
ION Media Networks, Inc. (AMEX: ION) in collaboration with African-American TV syndicator Star Media and Omnicom’s OMG Entertainment & Sports unit, announced today a strategic partnership for the creation and exhibition of African-American programming on the ION Television Network. The initiative already has backing from major charter sponsors McDonald’s, State Farm and P&G, with others expected to follow.
Initially, the partnership will use the syndication marketplace and TV libraries of Warner Bros. and other major television studios to program urban and diverse content. The longer term goal is to reinvest net proceeds from this enterprise into an original programming fund that can help create new African-American and diverse content to be aired on ION Television.
The initiative launched on Monday, January 14 in the 6-7 p.m. ET timeslot on ION Television, with the return of “The Wayans Brothers” to broadcast television. Warner Bros. Domestic Television is the programming partner for this series.
Star Media’s Dennis Ray and OMG’s head of multi-cultural entertainment, Marissa Nance, will lead the first-run development process working in conjunction with the ION Television team.
“The chief limitation to the growth of African-American television and media companies has been the inability to get sustained advertiser support for African-American programming,” said Ray. “This unprecedented advertiser commitment allows us, for the first time, to develop a programming fund to ensure the consistent supply of African-American programming. This is a model for the future.”
Steve Grubbs, CEO of OMG Entertainment & Sports, said, "This is a groundbreaking new business model enabling us to invest in a partnership that will fill a marketplace need, namely the creation and distribution of African-American programming."
“We’re delighted to team up with Omnicom and Star Media in an innovative business partnership to advance TV content diversity,” said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. “We are prepared to dedicate key time periods on our broadcast network to diverse audiences, and to expand this initiative as we build audience and advertising support. Depending on demand, we may also consider establishing a dedicated, 24/7 multi-cultural spin-off network, using our digital broadcast capacity.”
About ION Media Networks:
ION Media Networks, Inc. owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group and ION Television, reaching over 94 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. ION Television currently features popular TV series and movies from the award-winning libraries of Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Television and CBS Television, among others. ION Media has also partnered with RHI Entertainment, which owns over 4,000 hours of acclaimed television content, to provide weekend primetime programming consisting of exclusive original programming and quality library titles. Utilizing its digital multicasting capability, the company has launched several digital TV brands, including qubo, a television and multimedia network for children formed in partnership with several leading media and entertainment companies, and ION Life, a television and multimedia network dedicated to health and wellness for consumers and families. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.tv.
About Omnicom Media Group:
Omnicom Media Group is the media division of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMC). In addition to its OMG Entertainment and Sports unit, it includes client media service companies, OMD Worldwide, PHD and Prometheus, as well other media related businesses.
About Star Media:
Star Media, headquartered in New York City, is a leading minority owned-and-operated media sales and marketing company that specializes in the targeted, urban television syndication business and new media. Star’s mission is to help create, produce and distribute compelling, well-crafted and entertaining programming that resonates with the African-American audience – programming that helps to highlight and amplify the diversity and depth of the African-American experience. Dennis Ray, the Chairman and CEO of Star Media, is a veteran network television executive who spent nearly 25 years working at NBC and Fox as a senior level sales executive.
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