DirecTV's first original series debuts in January
Tue Nov 1, 2005 3:26 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top U.S. satellite television operator DirecTV Group Inc. <DTV.N> said it plans to launch its first original programing series.
The weekly show, "CD USA," will debut in January and will be available exclusively to its 15 million U.S. subscribers. It will feature live performances by popular music artists including the Goo Goo Dolls, Sean Paul, Ben Harper and David Gray.
CD USA will also feature emerging artists from the MySpace.com Internet network.
The launch marks one of the first programing ventures that fosters cooperation among companies controlled by media conglomerate News Corp. <NWS.N>, which bought MySpace.com this year and also owns a controlling stake in DirecTV.
News Corp. is also developing new cable networks that will be offered on DirecTV but will also be available on rival cable television systems.
Later this year, DirecTV, also plan to offer its subscribers new digital recorder set-top boxes using NDS Group Plc <NNDS.O> technology. NDS is another News Corp. affiliate.
CD USA will be produced by Blaze Television, which already produces a version for the British market, "CD UK."
CD UK is available on Britain's ITV <ITV.L> broadcast television network.
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Tue Nov 1, 2005 3:26 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top U.S. satellite television operator DirecTV Group Inc. <DTV.N> said it plans to launch its first original programing series.
The weekly show, "CD USA," will debut in January and will be available exclusively to its 15 million U.S. subscribers. It will feature live performances by popular music artists including the Goo Goo Dolls, Sean Paul, Ben Harper and David Gray.
CD USA will also feature emerging artists from the MySpace.com Internet network.
The launch marks one of the first programing ventures that fosters cooperation among companies controlled by media conglomerate News Corp. <NWS.N>, which bought MySpace.com this year and also owns a controlling stake in DirecTV.
News Corp. is also developing new cable networks that will be offered on DirecTV but will also be available on rival cable television systems.
Later this year, DirecTV, also plan to offer its subscribers new digital recorder set-top boxes using NDS Group Plc <NNDS.O> technology. NDS is another News Corp. affiliate.
CD USA will be produced by Blaze Television, which already produces a version for the British market, "CD UK."
CD UK is available on Britain's ITV <ITV.L> broadcast television network.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
