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MUMBAI:
Johnson & Johnson, NBC Olympics and iVillage
have launched The Family Room in the US.
The
Family Room is a multimedia experience, which over the next
five months will follow the journey of eight American athletes
and their families as they prepare to qualify for the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games, which kick off on 8 August 2008.
The
centerpiece of The Family Room site is a series of weekly
webisodes offering viewers a compelling glimpse into the lives
of Olympic hopefuls through both their own personal perspectives
and those of the families surrounding and supporting them.
The Family Room can be viewed at www.iVillage.com/familyroom.
The
Family Room focuses on Tina Ellertson (Soccer); twin brothers
Paul and Morgan Hamm (Gymnastics); Reese Hoffa (Track &
Field); Chellsie Memmel (Gymnastics); siblings Steve and Katie
Mocco (Wrestling and Judo); and Lauryn Williams (Track and
Field).
The
premier webisode this week introduces viewers to the unique
family dynamics of the athletes featured in The Family Room
while subsequent segments appearing every Sunday will feature
a specific US Olympic hopeful until the Olympic Games in Beijing.
The
five-to-seven-minute documentary-style shorts will
include footage and interviews captured by NBC Olympics as
well as compelling footage from the athletes and their families
via handheld cameras. In addition to the webisodes, The Family
Room will feature digital content through which the athletes,
their families, and communities at home connect online.
It
will also feature information about products from the Johnson
& Johnson family of companies and numerous links to NBCOlympics.com's
complimentary coverage of the eight highlighted athletes,
including how the athletes are faring in pre-Olympic competitions,
news about their international rivals, previews of their events
in Beijing, expert blogs, and robust photo and video galleries.
Throughout
the duration of the programme, viewers can expect to see vignettes
and promos for The Family Room across NBC Universal platforms
like Early Today, Today, MSNBC, USA Network and iVillage.
Johnson
and Johnson VP of corporate equity and Olympic sponsorship
Owen Rankin says, "As a partner of the Olympic Movement,
Johnson & Johnson is proud to deliver a unique perspective
on the excitement and emotion that make up an athlete's journey
to the Olympic Games. We understand that behind every Olympian
who competes in Beijing, there is a caring family that helped
get him or her there. We're proud
to celebrate that through The Family Room."
NBC
Sports executive producer David Neal says, "At the Olympics,
we are storytellers, first and foremost. Our top priority
is to introduce our viewers to the compelling stories of Olympic
athletes and their path to the Games. We're delighted to have
this opportunity to showcase the journeys of this terrific
group of athletes as they prepare for Beijing, and to highlight
the family dynamic that makes each of their stories unique.
The Family Room project will create a strong connection for
our viewers with these athletes leading up to the Beijing
Olympics."
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