or


[04/06/06 - 12:00 AM]
Bravo Inks Deal with Paypal to Be Among the First Companies to Offer Mobile Telephone Payments

[via press release from Bravo]

BRAVO INKS DEAL WITH PAYPAL TO BE AMONG THE FIRST COMPANIES TO OFFER MOBILE TELEPHONE PAYMENTS

BRAVO BROADENS ITS MERCHANDISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIEWERS AND LAUNCHES TEXT TO BUY SERVICE -- NEW TEXT MESSAGE-BASED PAYMENT SERVICE -- ON "TOP CHEF" STARTING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, PEGGED TO THE GRAND OPENING OF THE "TOP CHEF" ONLINE STORE ON BRAVOTV.COM

NEW YORK -- April 6, 2006 -- Bravo will be among the first entertainment companies to offer PayPal Mobile, the new text message-based service which will allow viewers to purchase products anytime, from anywhere, using their mobile telephones. This landmark new Text to Buy service will launch on Bravo on Wednesday, April 12 with the channel's new original competitive reality series, "Top Chef". This new feature will coincide with the launch of the "Top Chef" online store on BravoTV.com. The announcement was made today by Lauren Zalaznick, President, Bravo.

"Bravo continues to be a pioneer and leader during these shifting times by teaming up with PayPal on this exciting initiative," said Zalaznick. "We saw record viewer response from all of our other interactive text messaging initiatives, from the voting during Project Runway's finale, to getting text messaged from Top Chef characters during the show. We strongly believe this new feature will be equally embraced by our savvy audience."

"Text To Buy gives our passionate viewers yet another way to connect to their favorite Bravo shows," said Jason Klarman, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy. "We continue to look for new ways to engage, activate and serve their insatiable appetite for being on the forefront of what's next."

Viewers will be prompted on-screen during the show to what products are available for purchase, and will be able to buy these items utilizing the text message feature on their cell phones. To use PayPal Mobile, viewers must have an active PayPal account and can then register their mobile telephone numbers at . After registering their cell number and choosing a Personal Identification Number (PIN), they are ready to use the Text to Buy service to purchase items. The following merchandise will be available for purchase on Top Chef on April 12, with new merchandise being offered throughout the run of the series.

TOP CHEF APRON Text: TCA to 63336 $36.00

TOP CHEF KITCHEN TOWELS Text: TCT to 63336 $29.00

The Text to Buy service launches in conjunction with the grand opening of BravoTV.com's Top Chef Online store, which provides viewers with the opportunity to buy products seen on the series online.

PayPal Mobile users make payments by sending an item's product code to PayPal. PayPal sends a text message back to the user to confirm the mobile payment, and then sends the money to the merchant. In the case of a Text to Buy purchase, after the merchant receives the payment, the item is shipped to the address already saved in the user's PayPal account.

Every PayPal Mobile payment is PIN-protected and backed by PayPal's state-of-the-art fraud prevention system. With PayPal Mobile, financial information is never shared with the recipient. Each user's financial information is stored on PayPal's secure servers, not on the mobile telephone, so even if the telephone is lost or stolen, the user's PayPal account remains secure. PayPal enables any individual or business with an email address to send and receive payments online and via mobile phone securely and easily using a bank account, credit card or stored balance.

Bravo will promote the PayPal Mobile Text to Buy service via on-air spots during "Top Chef" and on BravoTV.com. The price of all items will include tax and shipping to ensure viewers will have a one-stop and simplified process for this new feature.

About "Top Chef"
From the producers of "Project Runway," Bravo's reality competition series "Top Chef" offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business. The series features some of the best up-and-coming chefs in the country who head to San Francisco for their shot at culinary stardom. Each episode holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a quickfire test of their basic abilities and the second is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and invention of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for a range of demanding clients. Katie Lee Joel is the host, and renowned chef Tom Colicchio serves as lead judge/head chef. Food expert Gail Simmons from Food & Wine magazine lends her expertise as a regular judge. The competing chefs will live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle that comes with being a master chef, and each week someone will be asked to "pack up their knives" and go home. The winning chef will receive $100,000 in seed money to help encourage their culinary career, be featured in Food & Wine magazine, appear at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June 2006, and most importantly, earn the prestigious title of "Top Chef."

About Bravo
Bravo is the cable network that plugs people into arts, entertainment and pop culture with original programming, acclaimed drama series, movies, comedy and music specials, and by showing a whole different side of celebrities. Currently available in more than 80 million homes, Bravo is known for breaking exciting new personalities, shaking up the way we look at style, media, fame and Hollywood, pulling back the curtain on the creative process and making influential and inventive original programming. Its critically acclaimed and award-winning original programming includes "Blow Out", "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List", "Inside the Actors Studio," "Celebrity Poker Showdown," as well as the 2004 Emmy winner for Outstanding Reality Program, "Queer Eye" and the Emmy-nominated hit competition series, "Project Runway."

Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been a NBC Cable Network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information visit www.bravotv.com .





  [april 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· PROJECT RUNWAY (FREEFORM)
· TOP CHEF (BRAVO)





[04/30/25 - 11:05 AM]
ABC Announces Summer 2025 Premiere Dates
Kicking off the summer, the 10th season of "Bachelor in Paradise" begins Monday, July 7, featuring cast members from across the franchise including Goldens joining the beach for the first time.

[04/30/25 - 11:03 AM]
"American Idol" Rocks the House with More Back-to-Back Wins
"American Idol" rocked the house on Sunday night with its first live coast-to-coast telecast, earning 5.31 million Total Viewers in Live+Same Day ratings.

[04/30/25 - 10:00 AM]
Video: Trailer And Key Art Debut - "Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Special"
Matteo Lane's comedy is like catching up with your old friend at brunch. In his latest special, he shares a glimpse into his travels, unique family background and friendships.

[04/30/25 - 09:34 AM]
The Heat Is on as Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan and Antonia Lofaso Battle for Grilling Glory in New Season of "BBQ Brawl"
"BBQ Brawl: Flay V. Chauhan V. Lofaso" kicks off all the action on Sunday, June 1 at 9pm ET/PT.

[04/30/25 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Who really laced Tylenol with cyanide? This true-crime series examines alarming theories behind the unsolved killings - and tracks down a key suspect.

[04/30/25 - 09:31 AM]
Palm Trees, Power Moves and Plenty of Shade Hit the 305 as Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Miami" Returns Wednesday, June 11 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
The season seven cast includes returning housewives Alexia Nepola, Lisa Hochstein, Julia Lemigova, Guerdy Abraira and Larsa Pippen.

[04/30/25 - 09:01 AM]
Get Ready to Get Wild: Netflix Announces "Mating Season," A New Adult Animated Rom-Com from the Horny Minds of "Big Mouth"
"Mating Season" will debut on Netflix in 2026 and is set in the animal world starring a cast of bears, raccoons, deer, foxes and a host of other horny, lovable forest critters, as they navigate love, sexual relationships and the universal need to hook up and find a partner.

[04/30/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - Hulu Original Movie "Summer of 69"
An awkward high school senior hires an exotic dancer to help seduce her longtime crush before graduation, leading to unexpected friendship and lessons in self-confidence, acceptance and adulthood.

[04/30/25 - 08:59 AM]
The History Channel's Hit Survival Series "Alone" Heads to Africa for the First Time in Epic Season Twelve Premiering on Thursday June 12 at 9PM ET/PT
For the first time on "Alone," 10 new survivalists navigate the rugged and unforgiving Great Karoo Desert and face off against exotic animals including warthogs, scorpions, venomous snakes, baboons, Cape buffalo, wildebeest and more.

[04/30/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Duster" - Official Trailer - Max
From J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, "Duster" premieres May 15 on Max.

[04/30/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Bad Thoughts" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A collection of hilariously disturbing stories that push the boundaries of decency in ways only Tom Segura could imagine.

[04/30/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for "The Better Sister"
All eight episodes of the highly anticipated limited series produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Tomorrow Studios (part of ITV Studios) will premiere on Thursday, May 29 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[04/30/25 - 07:44 AM]
New Warm Dramedy "Chaos" Makes Exclusive US Debut Thursday, May 22, 2025 on Viaplay
With the backdrop of a dysfunctional morning show facing dwindling ratings, "Chaos" follows the chaotic life and modern love story of Lise Jensen, Denmark's morning TV star anchor.

[04/30/25 - 07:07 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams DreamWorks Animation's "Dog Man" Beginning May 30
Adapted from the #1 global bestselling book series by acclaimed author and illustrator Dav Pilkey, DreamWorks Animation's comedy adventure features a heart-warming cast of characters voiced by Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Lucas Hopkins Calderon and more.

[04/30/25 - 07:03 AM]
The FX, Hulu and Disney+ Global Hit Drama Series "Shogun" Is Scheduled to Begin Production of Season Two in January in Vancouver
Part two is set 10 years after the events of the first season and continues the historically-inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined.