Showtime and Sony Pictures Television Provide Unprecedented Primetime Emmy(R) Consideration Mailing of HUFF's Entire First Season to All ATAS Members

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 3 -- For the first time in television history, Showtime Networks will target all voting members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) with an early "For Your Consideration" mailing of the entire first season of the network's critically-acclaimed new drama HUFF. Voters will receive all 13 episodes of the series' first season which had its season finale on Sunday, January 30 at 10 PM (ET/PT). The one- hour drama is the story of Dr. Craig "Huff" Huffstodt, portrayed by four-time Emmy(R) Award-winner Hank Azaria, a family man and a successful psychiatrist who gets a wake-up call after a tragedy occurs with one of his patients. HUFF also stars Paget Brewster, Anton Yelchin, with Blythe Danner and Oliver Platt.

The premium network mailed out a specially designed Primetime Emmy Award DVD package to ATAS members on January 28th to arrive at the approximately 12,000 Emmy voters' homes and offices the week of January 31st, just days after the series airs its season finale. Television networks traditionally send two to four episodes of a series to ATAS members as part of their Emmy awards campaign, but this is the first time an entire season of a series will arrive in voters' mailboxes months before the Emmy derby begins.

"All of us who love HUFF wanted to give the voting members of the TV Academy every opportunity to discover and invest themselves in this beautifully written and acted series," said Richard Licata, Showtime's Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications. "Why inundate members in May and June when they can have the next four months to savor HUFF's addictive storylines and remarkable ensemble cast who make this series one of the year's most exciting and outstanding new dramas," he added.

This unique Emmy campaign move comes on the heels of HUFF's history-making second season renewal. The series received television's earliest pick-up ever in July 2004 when Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's President of Entertainment, announced a second season four months before its November 7, 2004 premiere. Last December, HUFF also garnered Showtime's first-ever series Golden Globe nomination for Oliver Platt's performance. Hank Azaria is currently nominated for a SAG Award for his performance.

Produced for Showtime by Sony Pictures Television, HUFF is executive produced by the show's creator Bob Lowry (Any Day Now, Profiler), Scott Winant (thirtysomething), Mike Newell Mona Lisa Smile, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Cameron Jones Traffic). Azaria and Nancy Sanders serve as the show's producers.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top-rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first-run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com ) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM)and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(R), SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkeythrough a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.

SOURCE Showtime Networks, Inc.
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