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The final episode will be preceded by a one-hour special featuring
behind-the-scenes footage, highlights from the show’s nine
seasons and interviews with the cast. On 13 February during the
Grammy Awards on CBS, viewers were alerted to vote on CBS.com for
their all-time favorite episodes. The five receiving the most votes
will then be broadcast on CBS in consecutive weeks, beginning 28
February with the fifth most popular and culminating with the all-time
fan favourite on 28 March.
Meanwhile a media report states that the show's final episode has
been sold to advertisers for $1.3 million per 30-second spot. At
$2 million per 30 seconds, NBC's 7 May 2004 telecast of the Friends
finale still holds the record for the unit rate of a regularly scheduled
prime-time series, followed by the $1.6 million per 30 seconds NBC
averaged for the final Seinfeld telecast in 1998.
On 28 April, CBS and series producers HBO and Worldwide Pants
will host a major red carpet finale party to kick off the final
three episodes of the series. Cast members from the show as well
as celebrities who have been fans of Raymond over the years will
be in attendance.
CBS' 200-plus affiliated local stations will provide a package
of spots focussing on great moments in the shows history and other
show highlights to the stations to customize locally. In addition,
CBS has produced a tie-in guide resembling a Barone family photo
album, which is full of ways that stations can promote the finale
locally.
The guide includes loads of Raymond trivia questions for local
contests (including a list of guest stars from actor Kevin James
to basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). There are also multiple
concepts for other types of contests such as Everybody Loves
A Mother And Daughter-In-Law Cook-Off -- in the tradition of
Marie and Debra -- between mothers and daughters-in-law with a local
restaurant chef acting as judge.
Besides on-air, CBS will take its Raymond promotions to the air.
Moments on American Airlines in-flight programne CBS Eye on American.
CBS Eye on American is seen by millions of travelers each
month and has aired full episodes of Ratmond since 1998.
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