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MARK BURNETT PRODUCTIONS AND AOL TO PRODUCE "GOLD RUSH!" -- FIRST-EVER REALITY TREASURE HUNT EXCLUSIVELY ON AOL.COM
New York, NY - January 30, 2006 -- Mark Burnett Productions and AOL have signed a major production deal to develop a real-life reality treasure hunt airing exclusively on the AOL.com website. Called "Gold Rush!", the show will track real-life challengers searching for hidden treasure across the United States.
The clues, expected to be extremely challenging, will be placed throughout the AOL network, including websites such as AOL.com, AIM.com Moviefone.com and MapQuest.com. The clues and the show will also be promoted on other media, including television, print and wireless.
"With 'Survivor,' 'The Apprentice,' 'The Contender' and 'Rock Star,' I've been amazed by the volume of fans who constantly want to communicate online about each of these shows. They clearly want a lot more content than they can enjoy during one hour of television per week," said Mark Burnett. "The world is changing and the Internet is about to become the next broadcast network. With the volume of people able to watch content on their computers between 9am to 5pm, it could very well become the new primetime. The immediate future will take advantage of content that utilizes television, print and the Internet in concert. AOL and I are embracing this immediate future through 'Gold Rush.'"
"This is a totally original concept that comes to us from the guy who created reality television," said Jon Miller, Chairman and CEO of America Online. "It defines engagement; it's disruptive by nature and it will certainly be habit forming - all the best of the Internet in one fell swoop."
About Mark Burnett Productions
Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) is a leading production company in the world of primetime non-fiction television. MBP revolutionized television with hits such as Eco-Challenge, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender and the upcoming Rockstar:INXS. MBP also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of its shows and has garnered a total of 33 Emmy nominations since 2001. Mark Burnett was listed as the #1 Most Valuable Player by TV Guide and in Time Magazine's Top 100 most influential people in the world today.
About America Online, Inc.
America Online, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Brands include the AOL(r) service, the AOL.com(r) website, and the AIM(r), MapQuest(r), Moviefone(r), Netscape(r), CompuServe(r) and ICQ(r) services. America Online offers a range of digital services including the TotalTalk(r) voice service. The company also has operations in Canada and Europe. America Online, Inc. is based in Dulles, Virginia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX).
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