Christian Kane

TNT Kicks Off DramaVision, Extensive Broadband Initiative with Exclusive Original Content, Award-Winning TNT Originals and Series Tie-Ins

16-Time Emmy Nominee Into the West Offered Via Broadband for First Time, Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 15

Future Content to Include Showcase of TNTs Award-Winning Original Movies, Ripped from the Headlines Webisodes Promoted via Law & Order, Live Events and Inspirational Profiles

TNT, televisions destination for drama, is diving into the world of broadband with DramaVision, a new on-demand digital destination featuring broadband presentations of TNTs award-winning original productions and initiatives complementing the networks sterling line-up of dramas, announced Steve Koonin, executive vice president and chief operating officer for TNT and sister network TBS. TNT will kick off its new broadband initiative Tuesday, Aug. 15, by offering a first-time-ever broadband streaming of the networks blockbuster miniseries Into the West, which earned 16 Emmy nominations, more than any other program this year. DramaVision will be housed at the TNT Web site: tnt.tv.

Future broadband offerings from DramaVision will include a showplace for TNTs arsenal of original movies; a collection of compelling, true crime stories promoted through the ultimate ripped-from-the-headlines series, Law & Order, and presented in partnership with TNTs sister network Court TV; and tie-ins to such high-profile live events as the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Black Movie Awards.

The TNT We Know Drama brand is one of the strongest in the television industry, and we are utilizing the strength of the brand to build a significant presence for TNT in the broadband world, said Koonin. Through broadband presentations of our high-profile originals, original programming produced for broadband and tie-ins with our stellar line-up of series, DramaVision will provide drama lovers with the ultimate digital destination.

The following is a rundown of the broadband content TNT is planning to offer via DramaVision:

Into the West: TNTs 16-time Emmy nominee Into the West gets its first-ever broadband presentation via tnt.tv and intothewest.com. Fans can watch the entire six-part television event, as well as extensive behind-the-scenes content.

Drama Flicks: Future plans call for TNTs award-winning original movies to be offered via broadband through a variety of genre-specific channels. The slate of high-quality original movies TNT has created during its 18-year history includes the following:

Westerns, including Crossfire Trail, which continues to hold the ad-supported cable record as the most-watched movie telecast of all time.

Historical Dramas, such as Andersonville, which earned an Emmy for director John Frankenheimer.

Biopics, like George Wallace, which earned Emmys for Gary Sinise, Mare Winningham and director John Frankenheimer, as well as an Emmy nomination for Angelina Jolie.

Native American Dramas, such as Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee, with Golden Globe nominee Irene Bedard.

Literary Dramas, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with Mandy Patinkin and Salma Hayak.

Bible Dramas, such as Joseph, an Emmy winner for Outstanding Miniseries.

Dramatic Thrillers, like The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, which ranked as ad-supported cables #1 movie of 2004.

Inspirational Dramas, such as Door to Door, which earned six Emmys, including Outstanding Made-for-Television Movie and Outstanding Actor in a Movie or Miniseries (William H. Macy).

Romantic Dramas, like The Goodbye Girl, with Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Patricia Heaton.

Holiday Films, including A Christmas Carol, starring Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Patrick Stewart.

Ripped from the Headlines: In partnership with Court TV, TNT will create succinct webisodes that take todays most intriguing real-life cases and follow them from the beginning of the case through the judicial proceedings. Televisions ultimate ripped-from-the-headlines series, Law & Order, will serve as a promotional platform for this venture, which will also be available through rippedfromtheheadlines.tv.

I ? Law & Order: This innovative affinity program will celebrate the fans of Law & Order by following them to uncover how the ultra-popular series has had an impact on their daily life.

Live Events: TNT will supplement such live-event programming as the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Black Movie Awards with special video content and camera feeds never before available to viewers. In addition to a presence on DramaVision, the Black Movie Awards will also have a digital presence on AOL.

Dramatic Difference: TNT will partner with advertisers and local cable affiliates to celebrate dramatic acts by real people from all walks of life. Through a series of inspirational vignettes, viewers will be introduced to people who become everyday heroes by devoting their time and energies to charitable acts within their communities. These compassionate, heart-felt profiles will be shown both on-air and online via DramaVision.

Turner Network Television (TNT), a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is televisions destination for drama and one of cables top-rated networks. It offers original movies and series, including the blockbuster detective series The Closer, starring Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee Kyra Sedgwick; Saved, a new character-driven drama starring Tom Everett Scott; and next years eagerly anticipated television event The Company, executive-produced by Ridley Scott and starring Chris ODonnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, Charmed and Judging Amy; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.