Lifetime Creates Friday Night Reality Programming Block and Orders Eight Episodes of 'America's Psychic Challenge,' a New Reality Competition Series From Bunim-Murray Productions ('The Real World')

Series to Follow Second Season Premiere of Hit Reality Series 'Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 12 -- Creating a new primetime Friday night reality programming block, Lifetime Television has ordered eight episodes of the competition series, "America's Psychic Challenge," in which amateur psychics compete against each other to be "America's #1 Psychic," it was announced today at Lifetime's TCA Press Tour by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment, Lifetime Networks.

Do you believe in psychic powers or are you a skeptic? "America's Psychic Challenge" puts the unique skills of psychics to the test, where they compete in a series of challenges to ultimately see whose clairvoyant abilities are the greatest. The series will premiere on Friday, October 12 at 10:00 PM (ET/PT), following the second season premiere of the hit reality series "Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead," starring medium clairvoyant Lisa Williams at 9:00 PM.

"The success of 'Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead' proves that our audience is keenly interested in this genre of programming," said Daniels. Adding, "My talented reality programming team worked hard to develop a compelling companion to 'Lisa' - and that show is 'America's Psychic Challenge.' We're also extremely happy to be working with the legendary Jon Murray, who has a long tradition of producing hit reality series."

In each hour-long episode of "America's Psychic Challenge," four psychics, a mix of both men and women who either earn their living in the profession or have other careers and believe they have psychic abilities, compete against each other in a series of tests designed to exhibit their clairvoyance. A host guides the contestants, one by one, through a variety of activities, awarding points along the way for correct answers to factual questions. At the conclusion of each episode, the two psychics with the least points are eliminated and the two with the most points return the following week to battle two new competitors, all leading to the season finale -- where the winner will be declared.

In the premiere episode, contestants include Karyn, from Buffalo, NY; Silvana, from Beverly Hills, CA; Joseph, from Staten Island, NY; and Jackie, from Manhattan. Individually, each are challenged to prove their claims in carefully designed experiments, including: searching for a man hidden in the trunk of one of 50 cars lined up at auto dealership, picking out a person's soul mate by correctly matching up five brides and five grooms, and precisely identifying a series of specific details of a police investigation at a brutal murder scene. Can these psychics make believers out of cynics? Do they know who will win "America's Psychic Challenge?"

"America's Psychic Challenge" is produced by Bunim-Murray Productions ("The Real World") for Lifetime Television. Jon Murray ("The Real World," "The Simple Life") is the executive producer.

Bunim-Murray Productions is the leading independent producer of innovative entertainment content. The company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World (just completed its 18th season on MTV). Bunim-Murray's other current programming includes Real World Road Rules Challenge (MTV), The Simple Life (now in its fifth season on E!), Bad Girls Road Trip (now airing on Oxygen) and The Bad Girls Club (renewed for its second season on Oxygen). Launched in 2006 to better reach the Digital Generation, Bunim-Murray's M Theory Entertainment is a spin- off entity focusing on new media initiatives. Bunim-Murray also recently launched BMP Films, a documentary film division, which premiered its first documentary, Autism: The Musical, at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. Bunim- Murray Productions is based in Van Nuys, CA. It was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim.

Lifetime is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, Lifetime is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment and Lifetime Online (http://www.lifetimetv.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

SOURCE Lifetime
http://www.lifetimetv.com