CNBC PRIME TO PREMIERE NEW REALITY COMPETITION SERIES

New Series "Crowd Rules" Spotlights America's Small Business Owners

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. - April 4, 2013 - CNBC Prime today announced the next series to be added to their primetime line-up. "Crowd Rules," a New York studio-based reality competition series from Embassy Row and executive produced by Michael Davies, will premiere Tuesday, April 30th at 9PM ET/PT. Each week, "Crowd Rules" features three small businesses that compete in front of an audience of 100 that votes to decide who wins a much-needed $50,000 prize.

Entrepreneur and jewelry designer Kendra Scott, NY1 Anchor Pat Kiernan, along with a weekly guest industry expert, lead the examination of the small businesses in order to help a studio audience choose which company wins the $50,000. While the small business owners make their case to the panel of three, the real power lies in the hands of the audience - 97 strong - whose votes will ultimately decide which business is most deserving of the investment.

Industry experts vary week-by-week and provide insight into each company's strengths and challenges. Experts include: Michael Chernow, co-owner and general manager of the hit New York City restaurants collectively TMS - The Meatball Shop; Tom Szaky, founder and chief executive of TerraCycle, one of the 500 fastest-growing businesses in the United States; Larry Winget, internationally-renowned motivational speaker and consultant; Vincent Porpiglia, founder and COO of Dream Water; Elizabeth Chambers, television host, correspondent for E! News and founder and co-owner of the wildly popular Bird Bakery in San Antonio, TX; Erica Duignan Minnihan, Executive Director of STAR Angel Network and a Partner in STAR Industries; Melinda Emerson, "The Small Biz Lady," founder and chief executive of Quintessence Multimedia; and Steve Kaplan, serial entrepreneur and self-made multimillionaire who has helped to make more than 100 additional people millionaires in their own right.

Featured companies to be announced.

Visit crowdrules.cnbc.com to meet the panelists and experts and learn more. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/cnbcprime and follow us on Twitter: @CNBCprimeTV and Instagram: @CNBCprime.

"Crowd Rules" is produced for CNBC by Embassy Row. Michael Davies is the executive producer for Embassy Row. Jim Ackerman is the executive producer for CNBC.

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