DirecTV-only NBC Content

[rockymtnhigh]

Iceturkee asked me to post this for her:

Universal-NBC issued a press release today announcing an exclusive programming deal with DirecTV


NBC's Passions to Work Its Magic on DIRECTV Viewers with All-New Episodes Beginning September 17
Fan Favorite Daytime Drama Joins DIRECTV's The 101 Lineup; New Episodes Produced by NBC Universal Television Studio Will Air on DIRECTV

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Apr 25, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NBC Universal Television Studio and DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television provider, today announced that the NBC Universal-produced daytime drama Passions has found a new home on DIRECTV where the popular program will continue for a 9th season. Under the new agreement, NBC Universal Television Studio will produce brand-new episodes to air Monday-Thursday on DIRECTV's original programming channel, The 101.

The celebrated daytime drama, which currently averages 2 million viewers and enjoys an intensely dedicated fan base, will end its network run on NBC September 7 with a series of cliffhangers and will resurface on DIRECTV September 17, picking up where the series left off. The show will remain in its current time slot of 2 PM ET and DIRECTV will air encore marathons of the show each weekend. The majority of the cast and crew are expected to return when the one-hour series begins shooting the new DIRECTV episodes in August.

"Passions fans no longer need to mourn the demise of their beloved program as it has found new life on DIRECTV," said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of Entertainment for DIRECTV. "We care about this show and are extremely proud to give it an exclusive home here at DIRECTV."

"This new arrangement with DIRECTV is truly a landmark development that allows NBC Universal to extend the Passions brand in a fresh and entirely new way to DIRECTV's 16 million homes," said Marc Graboff, president, NBC Universal Television, West Coast. "It will reward the dedicated fans of the daytime drama who can continue to enjoy it on DIRECTV and also opens up a great new model for other television programs to find new life on other non-traditional platforms."

Those fans without DIRECTV will have plenty of time to switch before the new season begins. DIRECTV will make it easy for Passions viewers to keep track of the happenings in "Harmony" by providing fans free installation, a DVR or HD receiver upgrade, and a portable DVD player by calling a special phone number (866-788-0003) or visiting the Web (www.directv.com/passions). Passions fans can also visit www.nbc.com for more information about the show.

Passions will be the first scripted drama series to join The 101 original program lineup which includes viewer favorites like Project MyWorld, The Fizz, havoc on The 101, and Championship Gaming Series. The series will broadcast four one-hour episodes per week, as well as a weekend marathon of that week's shows so fans can catch up on the action each week.

Passions explores the lives, loves and losses of four core families in the small New England town of Harmony: the Cranes, the Lopez-Fitzgeralds, the Bennetts and the Russells, each of whom have their own distinct and diverse personalities. The series debuted on NBC in 1999 and has routinely been amongst the top daytime programs for women ages 18-34, and currently is tied for #1 among all daytime dramas in both women ages 18-24 and females 12-24.

New episodes of Passions will begin shooting in August and will continue to be taped at the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, Calif. The show is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio in association with Outpost Farms Productions, Inc.

 

[Questioner]

Too bad it's not going HD like young and the restless.

 

[iceturkee]

hey, i'm all for more soaps in hd. beside, after the new sats go up, this could become hd as channel 101 does show hd content for those with hd sets!

 

[dfergie]

Soap Opera Stars Face Their Fans Live and Uncensored on National Television When Passions LIVE! Debuts August 23 on The 101For the First-Time Fans Get "Air Time" with Their Favorite Passions Cast Members as They Prepare to Move from NBC to DIRECTV
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2007--DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television provider, is letting fans get up close and personal with their favorite Passions cast members this summer with Passions LIVE!, four weekly, 30-minute live call-in shows featuring the cast from the hit soap-opera. The specials will air on DIRECTV's original entertainment channel, The 101, starting August 23 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST with new shows every Thursday leading up to Passions debut on DIRECTV September 17. Fans can participate in each show by calling 1-800-860-8537 during the live broadcast. Passions fans that don't have DIRECTV still have still plenty of time to get connected by calling (888-999-0433) or going to Passions.
"With Passions moving exclusively to DIRECTV, we're in a unique position to put our own mark on the show by catering directly to the fans and giving them more opportunities to interact with their favorite cast members," said Patty Ishimoto, General Manager of DIRECTV's The 101. "Passions LIVE! will bring fans into the action with a direct link to their favorite stars to keep them up-to-date with all the happenings in Harmony."
Passions LIVE! will not only provide fans an opportunity to call-in and talk live with their favorite cast members, they will also learn about the history of the show and get to know the real people behind the characters. Each show will provide an inside look into what the future holds for the town of Harmony and all its inhabitants, as they make the transition from NBC to DIRECTV's The 101 on September 17.
Passions LIVE! will be hosted by Eric Martsolf (Ethan Winthrop) and two different cast members each week that will discuss their roles and answer questions from a live call-in audience. Fans can also submit questions for the show via email viewermail@passionsondirectv.com to be answered on-air. Shows will include a "Passions 101" tutorial recapping the highs and lows from each of the previous nine seasons, character and plot highlights, bloopers and a behind-the-scenes trivia on the cast and crew of Passions.
Juliet Mills (Tabitha) and Heidi Mueller (Kay) will kick off Passions LIVE! with Martsolf on August 23 with a special focusing on the witches of Harmony and the mystical undertones of the New England town. The following week, Emily Harper (Fancy) and Erin Cardillo (Esme) will lead the August 30 show along with Martsolf, as the ladies discuss their on-screen friendship and the various cat fights that take place within the daytime drama. September 6 will feature the sexy men of Harmony as James Hyde (Sam) and Dylan Fergus (Noah) join Martsolf to discuss the rigorous task of being a daytime hunk and having to go shirtless on set. Eva Tamargo (Pilar) and Galen Gering (Luis) will lead the final call-in show on September 13 as they tease the new season and the fate of Theresa and Ethan.
Each episode of Passions LIVE! will be broadcast on DIRECTV's The 101, as well as streamed live on Passions' website NBC.com - Passions. DIRECTV is making it easy for Passions viewers to keep track of the happenings in "Harmony" by providing fans free installation, a DVR or HD receiver upgrade, and a portable DVD player by calling a special phone number (888-999-0433) or visiting the Web (Passions). Passions fans can also visit NBC.com - Passions for more information about the show.
About DIRECTV
DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 16.3 million customers in the United States, through exclusive content, industry-leading customer satisfaction (which has surpassed cable for seven years running) and superior technologies. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 250 channels of 100% digital picture and sound, exclusive programming and the most comprehensive collection of sports programming available anywhere, including NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and MLB EXTRA INNINGS(R). DIRECTV (NYSETV) also leads the digital television technology revolution with exclusives such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan(TM), US Open Interactive and YES Network Interactive and will soon have the capacity to offer over 150 channels in HD. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.
About Universal Media Studios
Universal Media Studios, a division of NBC Universal, is one of the country's largest and most successful television production companies, responsible for more than 15 of television's most critically acclaimed, hit primetime series. Some of the series produced by the studio include the highest-rated scripted series this season, "House"; the Emmy Award-winning comedy "The Office"; the highest-rated new series of the season, "Heroes," and critically acclaimed cable hits "Battlestar Galactica" and "Monk." The studio also producers a variety of reality programming, the daytime drama "Passions" and NBC's late night programs "Saturday Night Live," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "Last Call with Carson Daly.
CONTACT: DIRECTV, Inc.


SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.

 

[Araxen]

I wish they would just ditch 101 and use that bandwith for a real channel. Waste of money to me at least.

 

[joedekock]

I wish they would just ditch 101 and use that bandwith for a real channel. Waste of money to me at least.

I second that.!protest

 

[Brewer4]

I second that.!protest

I watched a Goo Goo Dolls concert/promo on that once. Thats it. Thats a big waste to me too. Next month wont matter but thats valuable space.