Fox Fall TV Line up Launches on Fox Interactive Medias MySpace.com and Fox Television Station Groups MyFoxLocal Sites
Toyota, BURGER KING and Lionsgate Sponsor Fox on Demand, Bringing Ad-Supported HD Streaming Hit Programming, Including: Bones, Prison Break, Standoff, Vanished, Talk Show With Spike Feresten, Til Death, The Loop and Justice to Millions of Online Fans
LOS ANGELES -- Fox Broadcasting, Fox Interactive Media and Fox Television Stations Group today launched FOX on Demand, a groundbreaking endeavor bringing full episodes of FOX primetime television series from the new fall season to millions of fans on an ad-supported basis through MySpace.com and the MyFoxLocal web sites, in 24 owned and operated markets. In an industry first, Fox Interactive Media is leveraging both national and local online distribution channels to sustain enthusiasm for fall primetime programming while the network broadcasts Major League Baseball play-offs and the World Series games.
Beginning today, consumers can access previously-aired episodes from FOXs returning hits and new fall primetime series, including Bones, Prison Break, Standoff, Vanished, Talk Show With Spike Feresten, Til Death, The Loop and Justice. Additional episodes of these and other FOX shows will be made available throughout October and November. On-air promotions during MLB broadcasts will push viewers to the sites to catch up on their favorite FOX shows through FOX on Demand.
Were fortunate to have partners like Fox Interactive Media and our Fox Stations Group making our entertainment programming available to viewers, while we turn over much of prime time to Fox Sports and post-season baseball, said Peter Liguori, President of Entertainment for FOX. MySpace provides tremendous exposure to our key demos and our O&Os speak to local viewers and loyal fans of FOX in a very targeted way.
The launch of ad-supported streaming of FOX programming will support several strategic objectives, including building audiences during breaks in regular programming by utilizing an alternative distribution channel; demonstrating the value of online promotions to stations and advertisers; and allowing parallel entertainment offerings to grow audiences simultaneously.
Offering free access to FOX programming online during the MLB primetime take-over demonstrates the tremendous value that may be realized through a smart digital distribution strategy for premium content, said Peter Levinsohn, President, Digital Media, Fox Entertainment Group. The FIM network of sites and particularly MySpace, combined with our local television sites, provide the optimal platform for maintaining momentum with our existing audience and also attracting new viewers.
This is a significant step in our evolution as a next generation media company, said FIM President Ross Levinsohn. Leveraging this unique opportunity with our sister company FOX enables us to experiment and innovate, and deliver some of the most compelling video experiences online to consumers. We look forward to expanding this opportunity to other content owners and applaud our premiere sponsors for supporting this important endeavor.
FOX On Demand is available now on MySpace.com (http://www.myspace.com/fox) and on MyFoxLocal station sites in 24 markets across the country. Viewers will be able to stream each of the shows in high-definition streaming (over one gigabyte per second) video using the FOX Full Throttle video player. The player, delivered by Fox Interactive Media, offers a high-definition quality viewing experience.
About FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) is a unit of News Corporation. FOX finished the 2005-2006 season as the No. 1 network for the second consecutive year among Adult 18-49 viewers, while continuing to dominate all network competition in the more targeted Adults 18-34 and Teen demographics. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week as well as late night entertainment programming, major sports and Sunday morning news.
About Fox Interactive Media
A division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS)(NYSE:NWS.A), Fox Interactive Media (FIM) is an integrated network of sites offering socially rich media experiences centered on entertainment, news, information and self-expression. The company's network includes Internet assets from News Corp., including the highly trafficked Foxsports.com (http://www.foxsports.com), Americanidol.com (http://www.americanidol.com) and Fox.com (http://www.fox.com). FIM also owns and operates such category leaders as MySpace.com (http://www.myspace.com), the number one social networking site on the Web; Scout.com (http://www.scout.com), a dynamic collegiate and pro sports network; and IGN Entertainment (http://www.ign.com), a network of leading gaming and entertainment sites, including men's lifestyle site AskMen (http://www.askmen.com) and premier destination for movie-goers Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com), among others.
About Fox Television Stations Group
The Fox Television Stations group, headed by Chairman Roger Ailes, is one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 35 stations in 26 markets and covering nearly 45% of U.S. television homes. This includes six duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.
