Contestants on Big Brother 8 may be housebound, but fans of the hit
TV show can follow the drama of this season's final four weeks
live, wherever they are. Marking the first time content from a primetime
television show has aired live and continuously on mobile handsets in
the U.S., CBS Mobile, Verizon Wireless and MediaFLO(TM) USA Inc., a
wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) , have
teamed up to provide a new channel dedicated to Big Brother 8. The
channel will air a real-time, 24/7 feed of the activity inside the Big
Brother House from August 19 through the season finale on Sept. 18, 2007
(note: programming is subject to change). In total, hundreds of hours of
live programming will air on the Big Brother service,which is available
at no additional charge to V CAST Mobile TV subscribers.
"We are thrilled to provide Big Brother's passionate and
digitally savvy fans with yet another way to keep connected to the show
24/7," said Cyriac Roeding, executive vice president, CBS Mobile.
"CBS Mobile is about innovation and creating truly made-for-mobile
experiences. This Big Brother channel is both -- a first in the U.S.,
and the most mobile entertainment possible -- allowing you to
'live' with the Big Brother houseguests on your phone
24/7."
Ryan Hughes, vice president of programming, Verizon Wireless,
noted, "With Big Brother 8 from CBS, Verizon Wireless demonstrates
our commitment to deliver the most compelling, exclusive programming
available on mobile handsets."
"Big Brother 8 enjoys an avid following, and we are excited to
provide fans with 24/7 access to the Big Brother house on their own
terms -- wherever they are and whenever they want," said Mike
Bailey, vice president of programming, MediaFLO USA. "This is a
great example of the innovative programming opportunities only MediaFLO
USA's FLO TV(TM) service can provide."
Since its premiere earlier this summer, Big Brother 8 has been
available to fans on multiple platforms including online, on the phone,
on Showtime Networks and, of course, on the CBS Television Network.
Mobile offerings available in addition to the new 24/7 mobile TV channel
include downloads, special video clips, photos, live breaking house
alerts and daily insider summaries sent straight to cell phones. In
addition to this new channel, subscribers are able to view full episodes
of Big Brother 8 on the CBS Mobile channel.
The dedicated Big Brother 8 channel will supplement regular
programming from CBS Mobile, one of the eight regular services available
on FLO TV, which is available to consumers on V CAST Mobile TV from
Verizon Wireless. Other services include Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile,
FOX Mobile, MTV: Music Television, NBC2Go, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon.
V CAST Mobile TV is live in more than 30 markets from coast to
coast, including Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and
Philadelphia.
For a complete list and map of available markets, please visit
http://www.verizonwireless.com/mobiletv.
For more information on FLO TV can be found at
http://www.flotv.com/.
BIG BROTHER 8 follows the relationships and conflicts of players
who live together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and
microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day. One by one, the
houseguests will vote each other out of the house. At the end of three
months, the last remaining houseguest will receive the grand prize. BIG
BROTHER 8 is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Allison Grodner and
Rich Meehan, in association with Endemol U.S.A.
To preserve the drama for BIG BROTHER 8 television viewers, CBS may
block or delay the mobilecast for a limited number of real-time events
that transpire in the house.
CBS Corporation (NYSE:CBS.A) (NYSE:)and (NYSE:CBS) is a mass media
company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the
broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the
leading edge of the media industry. The company, through its many and
varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local
businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution
network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states
and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every
field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS
and The CW -- a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros.
Entertainment), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local
television (CBS Television Stations), television production and
syndication (CBS Paramount Network Television and CBS Television
Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS
Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS
Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS
Consumer Products), video/DVD (CBS Home Entertainment) and motion
pictures (CBS Feature Films).
For more information, visit http://www.cbscorporation.com or call
212/975-3161.
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless
voice and data network, serving 62.1 million customers. The largest U.S.
wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues,
Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 67,000
employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon
Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD).
For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com.
MediaFLO USA Inc. unleashes the power of TV for mobile consumers,
combining the best content, an intuitive user interface and a superior
multicast network to deliver a true TV experience. The award-winning
MediaFLO USA mobile entertainment service, called FLO TV, offers
full-length simulcast and time-shifted programming from the world's
best entertainment brands, including CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN
Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, MTV: Music Television, NBC2Go, NBC News2Go and
Nickelodeon. The FLO TV service also will deliver short-format clips and
real-time information and entertainment services. Based in San Diego,
Calif., MediaFLO USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM
Incorporated.
Further information is available at http://www.mediaflousa.com or
call 858/845-3516
For more information, visit http://www.qualcomm.com or call
858/845-5959.
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