VH1 to Launch Its Own Syndicated Video Player With a New Broadband Comedy Series Featuring Stars From 'Saturday Night Live,' 'Whose Line Is It Anyway,' and 'Drew Carey's Improv All Stars'

VSPOT Syndicated Player to Launch on November 27 With 'Home Purchasing Club,' A New Comedic Broadband Series Spoofing Home Shopping Channels

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 -- Home shopping commentary has never been so funny and so easy to share! Tom Calderone, Executive Vice President and General Manager, VH1 announced today plans for the launch of VH1's VSPOT syndicated player and new broadband series, "Home Purchasing Club," a new eight-episode series that will be seen exclusively on VSPOT, VH1's broadband channel and its companion syndicated player. The series and syndicated player will both launch on Monday, November 27.

The VSPOT syndicated player offers users and Web publishers the ability to "snag" the player and VSPOT content for their own sites. A standout feature on the player, which differentiates it from most, is its ability to be dynamically updated with new content. If a user snags an episode of "Home Purchasing Club," for instance, a new episode will automatically update in the player the following week and will be available alongside the originally "snagged" episode. New content options will populate the playlist, providing users with additional relevant VH1 content. The originally snagged video, however, will remain the default content in the users' player.

The VSPOT syndicated player also offers search and "send-to-a-friend" capabilities providing users with an easy and accessible way to watch and share VH1's VSPOT content.

"We've had tremendous success with our programming on VSPOT and have been aggressive in how we get our content out there since launching VSPOT in 2005," said Tom Calderone, Executive Vice President and General Manager, VH1. "Building and launching our syndicated player gives us yet another way to get our music and pop culture content and new series like 'Home Purchasing Club' out there to our dedicated viewers."

Also beginning Monday, November 27, VSPOT will launch, "Home Purchasing Club," an edgy, irreverent satire of home shopping channels. HPC was created by writer/actor Sean Masterson (Whose Line Is It Anyway, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Second City - Chicago) and co-written by writer/actor Jonathan Mangum (Drew Carey Show, Wayne Brady Show, Reno 911). HPC was developed and directed by Emmy Award-winner Brian K. Roberts (Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, One On One), executive produced by Generate and produced by Tom Lowe.

"We are very pleased that Generate is able to play a role in launching VH1's VSPOT syndicated player," stated Jordan Levin, Co-founder of Generate. "HPC demonstrates our commitment to developing original content for emerging platforms while working with partners like VH1 to help drive new distribution technologies. Home Purchasing Club brings together a gifted ensemble of improvisational comedic talent and connects them directly to VH1's targeted audience. We believe sketch comedy is the perfect format to reach broadband audiences looking for short-form entertainment in alternative platforms."

"HPC is just like real home shopping except you laugh more and don't end up going broke," assures Sean Masterson, series creator. On a more serious note Masterson adds, "We're blessed to have great comedic actors like Kristen Wiig and Diedrich Bader joining us to help charm, mislead and manipulate our audience."

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in nearly 88 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1

Classic and VH1 Soul. Connect with VH1 at http://www.vh1.com. VSPOT at VH1.com (http://vspot.vh1.com) -- VH1's broadband channel -- brings viewers the richest music and pop-culture video content on demand: events, series sneak peeks and episodes, exclusive artist and celebrity interviews, movie trailers, in-studio performances and original series, not to mention thousands of music videos and customizable play lists. Launched in July, 2005 VSPOT streams have grown an average of 38 percent each month in 2006.

SOURCE VH1
http://www.vh1.com http://vspot.vh1.com