| MUMBAI:
US broadcasters NBC and MTV have announced a partnership to launch a new programming
model with Granada America's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! premiering
this June. I'm
A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here is a 0live event that will air throughout
June. Celebrities are dropped into the heart of the jungle to face fun and comedic
challenges designed to test their survival skills. American
viewers control their favourites by putting them into challenges and tasks to
win food, supplies and luxury items. In each episode, friendships will be tested,
hilarity will ensue and viewers will decide which celebrities stay or leave. While
all participants will be playing for their favorite charities, the last remaining
star will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle, winning the largest share of
the prize for donation. From
1 June NBC will air the show. Each Sunday from 7 June, MTV will air a marathon
of the week's episodes including never before seen footage and commentary from
cast members in real time, providing an enhanced viewing experience for die-hard
fans. Leveraging
the passionate audiences of both MTV and NBC, the networks are jointly casting
for the series. Each network will cross promote the series on their air. MTV
programming head Tony DiSanto says, "We're always looking for innovative
ways to bring great content to our viewers and to build our stars. This partnership
with NBC is a symbiotic model where our talent gets a different platform on a
broadcast network and we get an exciting new series in real time. "In
this ever-changing media landscape, it's important to seek out fresh and efficient
ways to create and present content blow-up models, break barriers, and challenge
the norm. This is an exciting next step in synergistic programming across networks
and an ideal partnership between Granada America, NBC and MTV," said . NBC
Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman says, "We are thrilled to team up
with MTV in an innovative rollout of this entertainment series. MTV makes the
perfect companion network with its young audience demographics as we are always
looking for new platforms and marketing models to bring attention to our shows."
Granada
America CEO Paul Buccieri says, "By any measure, this partnership represents
a breakthrough in entertainment event programming. Together we have crafted a
deal that will ensure that 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' has the optimum
opportunity to reach the largest possible audience this Summer and grow into an
enduring franchise for both MTV and NBC". | 
