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The Tribe Has Spoken: OLN Lands Survivor - The Biggest Reality Show Of All Time
Network Secures Exclusive Syndication Rights to Seasons I Through X
STAMFORD, Conn., June 1 -- In the network's biggest
acquisition to date, OLN(R) today announced that it has acquired exclusive
syndication rights to air seasons I through X of Mark Burnett's and CBS'
signature, blockbuster, reality series Survivor. This will be the first time
most of these episodes have been seen on television since their original
airing. The network plans to debut the first season on July 24, after Lance
Armstrong's final ride in the 2005 Tour de France.
"OLN's mission is to captivate viewers with content that feeds their need
for thrills, challenges and the drama of competition, adventure and
achievement in the outdoors," said Gavin Harvey, President of OLN. "Survivor
covers all of those areas. What better show to bring to OLN, than one that is
all about surviving and competing in the great outdoors?"
"Survivor is in good company on OLN, especially with the premiere
following the epic conclusion of Lance Armstrong's final Tour de France," said
Mark Burnett, Executive Producer of Survivor. "I'm excited Survivor fans are
going to be able to revisit their favorite moments from past seasons. It's a
fantastic growth opportunity for OLN and a great partnership for us."
The deal, secured through King World, includes the rights to 10 seasons
and more than 160 episodes of the series, as well as options for the next two
seasons. Viewers will be able to relive all of the scheming and the physical
challenges, the tension-filled Tribal Councils, and the most exciting moments
from Survivor history. Who could forget Susan Hawk's tirade and the bare-all
Richard Hatch in Season I? John Dalton lying about his grandmother's death
and Rupert Boneham stealing from the opposing team in Survivor: Pearl Islands?
Jenna Morasca and Heidi Strobel stripping for chocolate and peanut butter in
Survivor: Amazon? And, of course, Rob Mariano proposing to Amber Brkich on
the live reunion show of Survivor: All-Stars?
OLN will not only present each season in its entirety, but also package
the programs according to various themes like 'Most Villainous Characters' and
'Biggest Twists.' The network will also use Survivor as a platform to
introduce OLN's new generation of original series.
"This show presents a huge opportunity for our network," said Marc Fein,
Senior Vice President of Programming and Production. "Since 2000 each season
of Survivor has ranked among the top five shows of that season and averaged
more than 20 million viewers. Research speaks to the show's continuing
strength and the compatibility between our audience and that of Survivor. The
built-in fan base will bring new viewers to OLN, exposing them to all of the
other great programming we have to offer."
"Survivor is the reality series that spawned a whole new television
genre," said Harvey. "It is a prized acquisition and a perfect fit for OLN."
OLN is the leader in outdoor adventure and action sports television. Now
in more than 63 million homes, OLN is the home of best-in-class events like
The Tour de France, The Gravity Games, Professional Bull Riders (PBR), USSA
Skiing and the Boston Marathon. The Network offers exclusive programming in
four primary areas: Outdoor Adventure, Action Sports, Field Sports and Bulls &
Rodeo. OLN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout
the continental United States and Hawaii.
SOURCE OLN
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