BRAVO GIVES FANS ALL-ACCESS PASS INSIDE "PLATINUM HIT" AT THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MUSIC AND MEDIA CONFERENCE

Fans Who Unlock "Platinum Hit" Badge on Foursqaure Will Be Qualified To Win VIP Experience With Jewel At The SPIN Loft

NEW YORK - March 9, 2011 - Bravo is creating a more immersive experience for viewers with an exclusive first look its new music competition series, "Platinum Hit," at the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The network will host an official panel on the series showcasing emerging singer-songwriters on their quest to become the next big hitmaker. Bravo is teaming up with Foursquare and SPIN to give music fans the ultimate VIP experience with the host and judge of "Platinum Hit," Jewel. Starting on March 16, fans that unlock Bravo's "Platinum Hit" badge on Foursquare will be eligible to attend an intimate event where Jewel will perform several acoustic songs and answer questions from the audience. The first 90 "Platinum Hit" Badge holders to arrive at the SPIN Loft in Austin, Texas on March 17 will gain access to the private event. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.

On Wednesday, March 16, Bravo will host a SXSW panel titled "Platinum Hit- How to Become the Next Big Hitmaker." Some of the most accomplished songwriters including Jewel and Evan Bogart (songwriter for artists such as Beyonc�, Britney Spears and Rihanna) will share their experience and expertise on how to become the next great hitmaker alongside Keith Naftaly, SVP of A&R for RCA/Jive Label Group at Sony Music Entertainment, and Jenn Levy, Vice President of Development and Production for Bravo Media. Fans will also get an exclusive sneak peek at Bravo's "Platinum Hit." The panel will take place at the Austin Convention Center, Room 18ABC at 3:30pm CT.

Premiering this summer, "Platinum Hit" will give viewers a front row seat to experience the journey and aspirations of these gifted songwriters and an inside look at this unique creative process for the first time. The series follows 12 musicians as they battle through innovative songwriting challenges testing their creativity, patience and drive. From dance track to love ballad, every episode will feature a different theme that will require the contestants to write and perform lyrics from multiple genres. Their intimate life stories and personal drama will unfold within the show and in their lyrics as they compete and live together. Jewel hosts the series as well as gives her feedback alongside Kara DioGuardi who is the head judge each week. Some of today's most influential artists are featured throughout the series as they help guest judge the competition. In the end, only one is crowned the ultimate hitmaker walking away with a $100,000 cash prize, publishing deal with Sony and BMI Songwriters, The Writing Camp, and a recording deal with RCA/Jive.

"Platinum Hit" is produced by True Entertainment for Bravo. Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock, Faye Stapleton, Evan Bogart, Tim Bogart, and Marvin V. Acuna serve as executive producers.

Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.

Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. By "checking in" via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges. Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues. Merchants and brands leverage the foursquare platform by utilizing a wide set of tools to obtain, engage, and retain customers and audiences. For more information, visit http://foursquare.com.

SPIN is a cross-platform media company and the premiere resource for music discovery. Since 1985, the award-winning SPIN magazine has given the first national exposure to many of history's most important cutting-edge recording artists, while vividly documenting the trends and scenes that have shaped the worlds of rock, pop, and hip-hop. SPIN.com features unique daily content, including breaking news, reviews, and free downloads.