USA NETWORK EXPANDS ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING WITH TWO NEW COMEDY PILOTS

DOUGLAS McGRATH PROJECT and PAGING DR. FREED Are Network's Foray Into Half-Hour Comedy

NEW YORK - September 13, 2011 - As USA closes out its biggest summer ever with a sixth straight win as #1 in cable, the network delivers on its commitment to expand its ambitious programming slate with the cast-contingent green light of two comedy pilots, the UNTITLED DOUGLAS McGRATH PROJECT and PAGING DR. FREED. Announced today by USA Co-Presidents Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel, the two pilots, from diverse auspices including Nathan Lane, Douglas McGrath, Michael Feldman and Katy McCaffrey, mark the network's foray into half-hour comedy.

"The pick up of these half-hour comedy pilots underscores our commitment to broadening the appeal of USA's entertainment brand," said McCumber and Wachtel. "We're excited to be collaborating with some of the most distinct voices in the business as we open up to new genres."

UNTITLED DOUGLAS McGRATH PROJECT (aka ON WE GO) is a half-hour single camera comedy about an unlucky actor whose Broadway aspirations must be put on hold when he returns to his Texas hometown upon his father's health taking a turn for the worse. Two-time Emmy(R) winning actor Nathan Lane ("The Birdcage," "The Producers") will serve as executive producer and is in negotiations to star. Academy Award(R)-nominee Douglas McGrath ("Bullets Over Broadway," "Emma," "I Don't Know How She Does It") will write and executive produce the pilot from Universal Cable Productions.

PAGING DR. FREED is a half-hour comedy about two brothers who take over the reins of their father's medical practice after his untimely death. From Fox 21, Michael Feldman ("That's So Raven," "Everybody Loves Raymond") will write and executive produce. Katy McCaffrey and Brad Johnson will serve as producers.

With a record seven series on air this summer, including the successful launches of two new hit original series, USA celebrated its biggest summer ever and captured its sixth straight summer win. Freshman series SUITS and NECESSARY ROUGHNESS are among two of the top three new cable shows of the summer, with USA holding seven of the top 10 basic cable scripted series.

Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms, including USA, Syfy and other networks. A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA's "Royal Pains," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Psych," "In Plain Sight," "Covert Affairs," "Fairly Legal" and "Suits," along with Syfy's "Eureka," "Warehouse 13" and "Alphas." The studio is also producing "Against the Wall" for Lifetime and "I Just Want My Pants Back" for MTV. UCP is a division of NBCUniversal.

Fox 21 is a production company housed within Twentieth Century Fox Television devoted to making creatively ambitious scripted series for the cable television market, as well as unscripted shows for both cable and broadcast networks. Fox 21, led by President Bert Salke, currently co-produces the award-winning cable smash "Sons of Anarchy" as well as the upcoming suspense thriller "Homeland" starring Claire Danes, and the animated comedy "Brickelberry" from Daniel Tosh.

USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, 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.