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Showtime Networks Greenlights Pilot Presentation For Chicago Public Radio's 'This American Life'
Creator and Host Ira Glass Along With Christine Vachon From Killer Films To
Serve as Executive Producers
EUE/SCREEN GEMS to Produce Pilot Presentation For Showtime
LOS ANGELES, May 4 -- Showtime Networks has greenlit a pilot
presentation for Chicago Public Radio's award-winning radio series, "This
American Life," it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, President,
Entertainment, Showtime Networks, Inc. Series creator and host Ira Glass
along with acclaimed independent film producer Christine Vachon from Killer
Films ("Boys Don't Cry," "Happiness," "One Hour Photo") are to serve as
executive producers. EUE/SCREEN GEMS will produce the pilot presentation for
Showtime.
Each episode will be hosted by Ira Glass and will explore a single theme
or topic through the unique juxtaposition of first-person storytelling and
whimsical narrative, allowing for the show's distinct and original voice. The
visual interpretation of the television series will reflect the structure and
spirit of the radio show that has grown to be one of the most popular and
innovative radio programs in the medium
"I'm a huge fan of Ira Glass and 'This American Life' and it took us many
months to lure Ira to the network, and we all wanted to be certain that a
television adaptation of this iconic show would honor its origins on radio and
yet translate to a visual medium," said Greenblatt. "I think we're onto
something very special here, and Showtime is honored to be part of it," he
added.
Debuting on Chicago public radio station WBEZ in 1995, and distributed by
Public Radio International, "This American Life," the show is an hour-long
combination of journalism and short fiction. Hosted by creator and veteran
public radio producer Ira Glass, the show is heard on over 500 radio stations
nationally and has won the Peabody and Dupont-Columbia awards for excellence
in broadcasting. David Mamet, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author
has remarked in Time magazine, "We're blessed, from time to time, with a
spontaneous generation of humor and insight. And here is Ira Glass who seems
to have reinvented radio."
The radio show will continue weekly production while the pilot
presentation is shot and edited. "We'll work on the pilot tape on weeks the
radio show has a rerun," said Ira Glass. "Also nights and weekends," Glass
added. "Our goal is that if it becomes a TV series, we'll be able to keep the
radio program on the air."
Glass continued, "We've always thought of our job as making little movies
for radio. So we were thrilled when Showtime approached us and suggested we
actually take it to the next logical step. And as the radio show sounds like
nothing else on radio, we believe the television version will be like nothing
else on TV."
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), THE
MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM) and FLIX ON DEMAND. 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 Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based
Zone Vision.
SOURCE Showtime Networks
Web Site: http://www.SHO.com
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