myspace LAUNCHES ITS first co-developED ORIGINAL web series with "Roommates"
FORD SIGNED ON AS "ROOMMATES" TITLE SPONSOR
First of 45 Original Episodes Unveiled Globally Today on MySpaceTV
LOS ANGELES�October 22, 2007�MySpace, the world's most popular social network, today announced the launch of an original scripted web series, Roommates, in collaboration with Iron Sink Media and sponsored by the 2008 Ford Focus. The first of 45 episodes goes live today on MySpaceTV (http://www.myspacetv.com) with new episodes debuting each weekday at 1:00 pm PT/ 4:00 pm ET. Roommates is the company's first co-development project and the first original web series created specifically for MySpaceTV.
"Whether it's network television shows, original web productions, or user-generated genius, we're committed to offering our users the most exciting content anywhere on the net," said Jeff Berman, GM of MySpaceTV. "We're thrilled to see that MySpaceTV is quickly becoming Hollywood's digital playground."
Roommates is an original scripted web series that follows a group of eight former college roommates after graduation. The four main characters � Peyton, Violet, Heather, and Sigourney � move to Los Angeles where they are invited to participate in a "reality show" by living in a house wired with cameras and computers to document their every move. The series is a combination of raw and voyeuristic segments, confessionals, and college flashback footage, and allows old friends and romances of the main characters to address viewers interactively via video blogs.
MySpace's co-development role in Roommates allows MySpaceTV to retain creative control over all aspects of the show's development including casting, story development, location scouting, and wardrobe�allowing the company to create the series exclusively with the MySpace audience in mind.
With high levels of interactivity built into every aspect of the show, Roommates is uniquely suited to MySpace and the immersive experience it affords. The official Roommates profile (www.myspace.com/roommates) will house all new episodes, individual profiles for each character in the series, exclusive video blog postings from the characters, on-demand archives, and other interactive content. By interacting with the characters through their individual profiles and participating in online discussions, the MySpace community will have the opportunity to influence the arch of the show as it progresses. The "Roommates" profile will also utilize a polling tool to gauge real-time audience opinions on character developments and specific aspects of the storyline.
MySpace partnered with Los Angeles-based new media entertainment production company, Iron Sink Media, to manage the day-to-day production of the show. Best known for the creation of the popular series "Soup of the Day," "NoHoGirls," "WeHoGirls" and "VanNuysGuys," Iron Sink has a deep understanding of serial Web programming and production.
"Working with MySpace is the brass ring of online video and we're thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with them in the first series created specifically for MySpace users," said Scott Zakarin of Iron Sink Media and creator of "The Spot", the first-ever episodic Internet serial. "Given the frequency with which people are checking their profiles and viral nature of the platform, MySpaceTV is the quintessential launch pad for an episodic daily web series like Roommates."
As part of the launch, the new 2008 Ford Focus will serve as a title series sponsor providing products which will be integrated into the storyline across multiple episodes. Ford branding will be featured prominently on the "Roommates" custom community profile (www.myspace.com/roommates) along with in-stream advertising.
"Today's small car customer is more connected than ever, and the new Focus with SYNC allows them to seamlessly transition from their home or office into their car," said John Zaremba Focus marketing manager. "The My Space audience is youthful, on the go, and very social which is exactly like the customer who will be drawn to Focus and use SYNC."
MySpaceTV (http://www.myspacetv.com) is an integrated component of the company's worldwide community and content platform, continuing the evolution of the company's video offering by aggregating the best elements of video and empowering MySpace users to view, create, and share videos in new ways throughout the community. Localized versions of MySpaceTV are available in seven different languages across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin America, Denmark, Norway, and Finland.
About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first ranked web domain in terms of page views(a), MySpace is the most widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will continue to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their creativity and share their lives, both online and off. MySpace's international network includes localized community sites in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Latin America, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS)(NYSE:NWS.A)(ASX:NWS)(ASX:NWSLV).
(a) Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, September 2007. For more information on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.
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