or


[01/13/09 - 01:03 PM]
CBS and Eqal Announce "Harper's Island" as a Multi-Platform Social Show Collaboration
The online social show will launch on Wednesday, March 18, several weeks prior to the broadcast premiere of HARPER'S ISLAND on Thursday, April 9.

[via press release from CBS]

CBS AND EQAL ANNOUNCE "HARPER'S ISLAND" AS A MULTI-PLATFORM SOCIAL SHOW COLLABORATION

The Mystery Event To Premiere Online With Original Web Content That Is Complementary To The Upcoming Prime Time Television Show

CBS and EQAL, the creators of lonelygirl15, today announced that the upcoming 13- episode mystery event HARPER'S ISLAND will be a multi-platform series the companies have collaborated on to deliver an interactive and social entertainment experience.

Prior to the premiere of the primetime series, CBS and EQAL will launch HARPER'S GLOBE (http://www.harpersglobe.com/) online with original social show episodes that will be complementary to the television storyline with overlapping characters, locations and plots that will continue to evolve throughout the first season of the television show. In addition to being available on HarpersGlobe.com, all content will be available at CBS.com, on CBS Mobile and across the CBS Audience Network.

Representatives from CBS Entertainment, CBS Paramount Network Television, CBS Interactive, as well as writing teams from the show and EQAL, have been working in close collaboration since the series was at the script level last spring to ensure the on air, online and on mobile narratives are cohesive and complementary across all mediums. The online social show will launch on Wednesday, March 18, several weeks prior to the broadcast premiere of HARPER'S ISLAND on Thursday, April 9 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) and will coexist with the weekly television show concluding with the broadcast finale on Thursday, July 2 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

HARPER'S ISLAND is about a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island for a destination wedding. They've come to laugh... to love... and, though they don't know it... to die. As the wedding festivities begin, friendships are tested and secrets exposed as a murderer claims victims, one by one, transforming the wedding week of fun and celebration into a terrifying struggle for survival. In every episode, someone is killed and every person is a suspect, from the wedding party to the island locals. By the end of the 13 episodes, all questions will be answered, the killer will be revealed and only a few will survive.

"HARPER'S ISLAND is a really unique show, so I was thrilled when the network and the studio decided to break new ground and exploit all platforms of the show from the start," said executive producer Jon Turteltaub. "Putting CBS Interactive together with EQAL gives the show an innovative and entertaining online presence a full three weeks before they launch the on-air program. The multi-platform, interactive elements at HarpersGlobe.com expand the whole experience of our show, which I feel is beyond necessary in the world of such rapidly changing media. We have to make our show an Internet event, as well as a broadcast TV event."

"At CBS we are committed to creating content and experiences that are unique to the Web and mobile platforms and complementary to and expand on our television programming," said Quincy Smith, CEO, CBS Interactive. "This commitment was the catalyst to our partnering with EQAL. As the creators of lonelygirl15 and KateModern they get that the Web is a new medium. HARPER'S ISLAND represents ideal content to showcase on multiple platforms because of its potential to attract engaged audiences who want to make the show an event every day."

"It's not a pre-requisite to go online in order to follow the series on-air, but those who do will have an authentic entertainment experience that drills deeper into the mythology and mystery happening on HARPER'S ISLAND," said Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. "Since the pilot phase, the writers have been working with our colleagues at EQAL and CBS Interactive to make Harper's Globe a destination that is a unique yet faithful connection to the television series while sustaining the curiosity and conversation before and between episodes."

"The best shows on television are those that leave you wanting more at the closing credits each week. With CBS we're giving fans more. More characters, more plotlines and more ways than ever before to interact with a television show," said Miles Beckett, CEO of EQAL. "By bringing together the unique elements of both mediums, we're able to extend and amplify the HARPER'S ISLAND experience to engage fans in a whole new way."

In addition to collaborating with CBS on the writing, producing, and directing all of the social show content, EQAL will also help provide the technology infrastructure to host the social show which includes built-in interactive and community elements.

Jon Turteltaub ("Jericho") and Jeffrey Bell ("Alias," "Angel," "The X-Files") are executive producers for CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Junction Entertainment. Karim Zreik ("Jericho"), Dan Shotz ("Jericho") and Tyler Bensinger ("Cold Case") are co-executive producers and Ari Schlossberg ("Hide and Seek") is co-executive producer and creator.

The social show episodes are executive produced by Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, co-founders of EQAL, and Matt Seigel, co-executive produced by James Sterling, directed by Tony Valenzuela, written by Jennifer Yale and starring Melanie Merkosky.

In addition to this first collaboration on HARPER'S ISLAND, CBS Interactive and EQAL have an ongoing partnership. First announced in May 2008, the agreement calls for EQAL to conceptualize, develop and produce social shows related to CBS' television series. In addition, EQAL acts as a consulting partner to CBS Interactive, and provides the network with a 'first look' at new multi-platform show concepts developed by the company.

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation, is the best online content network for information and entertainment. With more than 170 million people visiting its properties each month, it is the 8th largest Web property globally. Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET and Last.fm, span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news and business.

About EQAL

EQAL (pronounced "Equal") is a social entertainment company dedicated to changing the way content is consumed. Merging technology with creative development and production expertise, EQAL is a leader in the creation of social shows. The company recently concluded the runs of the two most successful social dramas, lonelygirl15 and KateModern, which had over 150 million combined views, and in September 2008 launched its newest online serial; LG15: The Resistance. Through partnerships with independent producers, traditional media companies, and multi-national brands, EQAL is dedicated to building online communities that engage users like never before. EQAL is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information: http://www.eqal.com/.





  [january 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· ALIAS (ABC)
· ANGEL (WB)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS)
· JERICHO (CBS)
· X-FILES, THE (FOX)





[04/04/25 - 10:48 AM]
Video: Watch A First Look - ID's "All Access PD: Grand Rapids" Premieres Tuesday, April 8 at 10/9c on ID
The new series offers unprecedented access to the inner workings of the Grand Rapids Police Department.

[04/04/25 - 10:32 AM]
New Season of "Gold Rush: White Water" Premieres Friday, April 25 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Last year, Dustin Hurt's crew struck a 6-ounce, $70K nugget - the biggest in Gold Rush history. This season, he's risking everything for more.

[04/04/25 - 09:01 AM]
Hit the Gas! Prime Video Releases Premiere Date and First-Look Images for Electrifying New YA Drama "Motorheads"
All 10 episodes will debut exclusively on Prime Video on Tuesday, May 20 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[04/04/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Blumhouse's "Wolf Man" Beginning April 18
Directed by acclaimed horror filmmaker Leigh Whannell, the film stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Sam Jaeger, Matilda Firth, Benedict Hardie and more.

[04/04/25 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Original Film "Mountainhead," Written and Directed by Jesse Armstrong, Debuts May 31
The film finishes production this week in Park City, Utah and marks Armstrong's feature directorial debut.

[04/04/25 - 07:45 AM]
Prime Video Greenlights "Taurasi"
The three-part docuseries chronicles the extraordinary story of basketball legend Diana Taurasi, whose relentless pursuit of greatness has transcended the boundaries of sport.

[04/04/25 - 07:02 AM]
Video: "Earnhardt" - Larger Than Life Teaser - Prime Video
The new original series is coming to Prime Video on Memorial Day Weekend.

[04/04/25 - 07:01 AM]
Paramount+'s New Series "MobLand" Breaks Record as Biggest Global Series Premiere Ever with 2.2 Million Global Viewers on Premiere Day
"'MobLand' is a runaway success thanks to the visionary work of Guy, Jez, Ronan and David Glasser and brought to life by the exceptional Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren who transport us into a world audiences clearly cannot get enough of," said Chris McCarthy.

[04/04/25 - 02:26 AM]
"Rotten Legacy", Starring Jose Coronado, Premieres on Netflix May 16
In "Rotten Legacy," Federico (Jose Coronado) is forced to step away from his communication companies to recover from an illness that kept him sidelined for two years.

[04/03/25 - 02:00 PM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art for "Not Just A Goof" Available Now
Just in time for the 30th anniversary of "A Goofy Movie," this documentary follows a young creative team tackling their first Disney feature, facing disappointment upon release, only for the film to gain a passionate following decades later.

[04/03/25 - 12:06 PM]
Twelve Rebellious Chefs Are Set for Battle on NBC's Bold New Cooking Competition Series "Yes, Chef!" Hosted by Emmy-Award Winning Chefs Jose Andres and Martha Stewart
The series will premiere on Monday, April 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC following "The Voice."

[04/03/25 - 12:01 PM]
ABC Renews "9-1-1," "Grey's Anatomy," "The Rookie," "Shifting Gears" and "Will Trent" for 2025-26 Season
The network confirmed the pickups on social media this afternoon.

[04/03/25 - 12:00 PM]
CBS to Present MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) for the First Time, Airing Live Sunday, Sept. 7 from UBS Arena, and Streaming on Paramount+
The 2024 VMAs delivered its biggest multi-network audience in four years and ranked as the most social VMAs in show history, with 66.7 million social interactions.

[04/03/25 - 11:53 AM]
Awesomeness Aquires the Rights to "Racing Hearts," Highly Anticipated Debut Novel from Ann Adams
Set in the cinematic world of competitive rowing, "Racing Hearts" is a coming-of-age romance that follows Olympic hopeful Katherine Parker, who is sent home to Berkeley after another failed race to work with a new coach, Adrian.

[04/03/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Gives First Look at "The Equalizer" Spin-Off Featuring Titus Welliver and Juani Feliz
In the episode, airing April 20, McCall is contacted by Samantha Reed, whose father, ex-CIA agent Elijah Reed, is missing.