truTV Heads Back to the Unforgiving, Uncompromising Oil Fields of Texas For Second Season of Hit Series BLACK GOLD

Gripping Series from the Creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers To Return in August

With the economy continuing to struggle, the stakes are higher than ever for roughnecks working the oil rigs in Texas. These guys can't afford to make any mistakes that might cost them their jobs or, even more importantly, their lives. It's boom or bust as truTV's hit series BLACK GOLD � from Original Productions, a FremantleMedia Company, the successful creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers � returns for its second season Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 10 p.m. (ET).

During BLACK GOLD's first season last year, competing oil crews put everything they could into erecting their rigs and successfully drilling crude before the other crews could get to it. This year, the series will focus on the roughnecks of Rig 28, who have a seemingly impossible job. Assembled by oilman Autry Stephens, they have only 50 days to try to save the lease on a very valuable piece of land before it expires. In that time they must drill four, back-breaking holes. In the words of pipe salesman Rooster McConaughey, �It's never been done before.�

There's no room for error. Each crew � the cocky daytime crew, led by Pee Wee, a hard-nosed driller who could sabotage the whole operation if he doesn't keep his anger in check; the partying evening crew, led by Ron, a man with no patience for slackers; and the scrappy relief crew, led by Oscar, a driller whose idea of fun just might push his crew over the edge � must work through the conflict between each other, the dangerous equipment and the pressures of their families to save the land and keep their jobs.

Returning to the series is former driller Gerald, who has been working on rigs for decades and has the scars to prove it. He's broken his back falling 10 stories out of the derrick and lost part of his thumb and one of his toes in two separate accidents with drill pipe.

BLACK GOLD also features pipe salesman Rooster, whose real name is Michael Patrick McConaughey. Rooster owns a company called DGM Pipe (named for his ex-wife), which supplies pipe to the rigs. When the oil business was going through a bust, he lost everything and renamed his company Chapter 11 Pipe, but people in town told him that was too depressing. He named his second son Miller Lyte after his favorite beer. Notably he's brother to Matthew, with whom he acted in the movie The Newton Boys.

Stephens is a local legend and owner of the 10th largest producing company of Texas oil. He has more than 4,000 wells producing approximately $1.5 million of oil every day. From his exploration and production efforts, Stephens has branched out into virtually all facets of production, from drilling to well servicing, roustabouts to welding, plugging to gas gathering and water disposal to crude oil and bulk transportation.

BLACK GOLD premiered in 2008 during the first year of truTV's new branding. The show comes from executive producer Thom Beers and Original Productions, www.originalproductions.com a FremantleMedia Company. Co-executive producer from Original Productions is Philip Segal and series producer is Patrick Costello. For truTV, Robyn Hutt serves as executive in charge of production, Angel Annussek is executive producer and Paul Bourdett is coordinating producer.

Founded by Thom Beers in 1997, Original Productions (www.originalproductions.com; www.fremantlemedia.com) produces authentic non-fiction programming featuring everyday heroes in extraordinary situations. Beers' steadfast focus on top-notch storytelling with engaging personalities in high risk circumstances has produced more than 1,000 hours of original programming. In February 2009, a majority stake in the company was purchased by FremantleMedia, one of the leading entertainment brands in the world.

truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 91 million U.S. households, the 17-year-old network enjoyed its best deliveries ever in key demographics in 2008. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. truTV's primetime fan favorites include the original series The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest�, Black Gold, Speeders, Forensic Files and Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice. During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name IN SESSION.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.