LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC is looking for its own "top model," as the network has pacted with Sports Illustrated for "The Sports Illustrated Fresh Faces Competition," a new six-episode reality series set to launch next year.

The news was announced via press release yesterday:

NBC PARTNERS WITH SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IN SEARCH FOR NEXT SWIMSUIT SUPERMODEL WITH ITS NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES 'THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FRESH FACES COMPETITION'

BURBANK, Calif. -- August 2, 2004 -- NBC joins partner Sports Illustrated to launch a nation-wide search for the next great swimsuit supermodel with its new unscripted series "The Sports Illustrated Fresh Faces Competition," set to premiere early in 2005 -- timed for the launch of the magazine's famed annual Swimsuit Issue.

"The success of the SI Swimsuit Issue has always been in the combination of beauty, athleticism and personality of the models we choose," said Sports Illustrated Managing Editor Terry McDonell. "Those are exactly the things we'll be looking for in our next Fresh Faces winner."

"The competition was such a huge success for Sports Illustrated last year, and so many amazing stories came from the aspiring models, we knew instantly that it would make a great reality show," said co-producer Jonathan Frank. "Our goal every step of the way was to make a show that would focus on the young women's personalities and stories, and really illustrate how the chance to be in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue could change their entire lives."

During Sports Illustrated's search for an undiscovered model for the popular Swimsuit Issue, the six-episode series will focus on what it takes to become the a successful swimsuit model. Selected finalists will live in Los Angeles where they will compete for the chance to appear in the best selling issues of any magazine in the world and win a million-dollar modeling contract from NEXT Model Management.

The series and competition culminate with the final two contestants who will be flown to an exotic location to shoot a photo spread for Sports Illustrated. No one will know who the winner will be until America votes as part of the series finale in February.

Upcoming casting call cities include such cities as New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles (for dates, times and locations please log onto NBC.com). Interested applicants can also download an application form from the website with instruction on how to try out.

"The Sports Illustrated Fresh Faces Competition" is produced by Pariah, PB & J Television and Sports Illustrated. Executive producers are Gavin Polone, Patty Ivins, Julie Pizzi, Terry McDonell and Sports Illustrated's Roy S. Johnson. Jessika Borsiczky serves as producer along with co-producer Frank for Pariah.