CBS TELEVISION & TiVo MAKE HISTORY WITH FIRST-EVER EXCLUSIVE DEBUT OF NEW FALL SHOW ON TiVo BEFORE ITS NETWORK PREMIERE
TiVo Subscribers to be First in Nation to Record New CBS Fall Show “The Class” Up to a Week Before Its Premiere & Receive Special Sneak Previews of Highly Anticipated New Shows “Jericho,” “Smith” and “Shark”
CBS Television today announced plans to make TV history by partnering with TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and the leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVR), to launch a new Fall show in an entirely original way — not via a network premiere, a DVD or the Internet, but on the TiVo service, which continues to revolutionize how America watches television. Through this pioneering partnership, TiVo subscribers will be the first in the nation to see the hot comedy CBS show “The Class” as early as a full week before its premiere on live TV.
In this innovative launch developed jointly by TiVo and CBS, TiVo subscribers will have an unparalleled opportunity to experience CBS fall line-up exclusives. In addition to the opportunity to watch The Class up to 1 week before its network premiere on September 18th, TiVo subscribers will be able to view sneak preview clips and receive exclusive footage and information on three more of CBS’s most eagerly anticipated new shows: Jericho starring Skeet Ulrich and Gerald McRaney, Smith starring Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen, and Shark starring James Woods and Jeri Ryan. With just one click of the remote, TiVo subscribers will be able to record the premieres of all four shows. This will mark the first time that any group of network shows have ever been bundled together and offered jointly for the ultimate in viewer convenience. Following the premieres, subscribers can utilize the popular Season Pass recordings feature which once set, automatically records all shows viewers choose for an entire season without them ever having to give a second thought to when they air.
Tom Rogers, TiVo’s CEO said, “We’re thrilled to be able to introduce this ground-breaking innovation to the industry while at the same time providing our subscribers with exclusives that no else can match. At the core of this fresh and forward-thinking campaign is the television industry’s recognition of the tremendous influence that our 4.4 million TiVo subscribers can generate as some of the smartest and savviest TV viewers around.”
“CBS’s partnership with TiVo is a creative new way to use DVR technology to help drive television network viewing,” said George Schweitzer, President of CBS Marketing Group. “Our goal is to introduce our fresh new comedy The Class about a group of 20-somethings who met in the 3rd grade and whose lives become bound together to a broad, diversified, receptive audience that has the ability to start trends and generate buzz, which is exactly what TiVo offers.”
This dynamic new partnership between TiVo and CBS was developed in conjunction with Initiative Media as part of a broad agency-wide relationship with the InterPublic Group of Companies launched in April 2006.
About CBS TV
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and 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 UPN), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Paramount Television and King World), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), digital media (CBS Digital Media Group and CSTV Networks) and consumer products (CBS Consumer Products). In Fall 2006, UPN will cease operations and The CW, a new fifth broadcast television network, will launch as a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment. For more information, log on to www.cbscorporation.com .
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo’s DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass recordings and WishList searches, has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo’s DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing “TiVo, TV your way.” The TiVo service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.
