Clear Channel Radio (NYSE:CCU), Music Choice and Comcast announced today the launch of a jointly produced telecast called Video 6 Pack that showcases local radio personalities hosting a music-video countdown show. The episodes, televised exclusively on the Music Choice network's free video-on-demand service within Comcast's digital cable tier in Chicago, will be hosted by renowned local radio personalities Crazy Howard McGee or Tony Sculfield. Both are top-rated hosts, heard daily on Chicago's #1 radio station, WGCI-FM. Each episode will be available on Music Choice for one month and will also stream at www.wgci.com.
As part of the partnership, Clear Channel Radio and Music Choice will also cross-promote each other's platform on-air, with WGCI promoting Music Choice's telecast and Music Choice promoting a WGCI.com online edition. The unprecedented telecast marks the first collaboration between Clear Channel Radio, Music Choice and Comcast to develop, promote and distribute a localized on-demand video program.
"In extending this program to television, we're continuing our commitment to work with best-in-class partners to deliver quality, one-of-a-kind audio and video programming to audiences across all mediums, said Evan Harrison, Clear Channel Radio executive vice president and head of the company's Online Music & Radio unit. "The Chicago trial is a great first step towards further expansion.
"This is a natural next step for our on-air personalities to showcase their talent, said Elroy Smith, operations manager and program director for WGCI-FM. "Video 6 Pack creates a deeper connection between our on-air talent, the station and our listeners.
"This unique joint programming and promotional opportunity offers Music Choice an opportunity to extend its brand and video-on-demand programming awareness to a new medium " radio, said Christina Tancredi, Executive Vice President of Music Choice. "This special series of video-on-demand programs showcases how three leading media companies can partner to produce and distribute programming that connects with a specific market.
"Last year Comcast reached three billion OnDemand views due in large part to the unique content such as Hi Definition, movies and exclusive, local programming like Video 6 Pack, said Eric Schaefer, Comcast Vice President of Marketing. "With Comcast OnDemand, Comcast Digital Cable customers can do more than just watch. They have the ability to stop, rewind, and fast forward the Video 6 Pack clips of their favorite WGCI personalities.
Video 6 Pack first launched in August as an online-only music-video countdown show available from Clear Channel Radio station Web sites and hosted by music artists including Christina Aguilera, Evanescence and Fall Out Boy. The telecast will be hosted by local radio personalities. Music Choice's free video-on-demand service is the most popular video-on-demand service in the country with over 700 million views nationwide to date. The telecast also extends Comcast's already-rich menu of On-Demand programming.
To tune in to Video 6 Pack, Comcast Digital Cable customers click the WGCI folder found in Get Local / Chicago Music / Music Choice / Music Choice.
About Video 6 Pack
Launched last August and originally available online at Clear Channel Radio station Web sites, Video 6 Pack offers music artists and now local radio personalities the chance to share their favorite videos with viewers. The custom video channels allow artists and personalities to introduce their favorite videos, stream their latest album, participate in one-on-one interviews, and showcase their own collection of music videos. It's where audiences discovered Amy Lee of Evanescence had a cameo in country music legend Johnny Cash's video for "God's Gonna Cut You Down, that Fall Out Boy wants nothing more than to hang out with John Mayer, or that Beyoncé is JoJo's workout inspiration. The online-only version of the program " which is available exclusively through Clear Channel Radio station Web sites " will continue to be hosted by music artists. The full collection of Video 6 Pack programs can be found at www.clearchannelmusic.com.
About Clear Channel Radio
Clear Channel Radio is a leading radio company focused on serving local communities across the U.S. with more than 110 million listeners choosing Clear Channel Radio programming each week. The company's content can be heard on AM/FM stations, on the Internet, via iPods, through Motorola's iRadio cell-phone service, and via mobile-navigation devices from Cobra, Garmin, Kenwood and others. The company's operations include radio broadcasting, syndication and independent media representation. Clear Channel Radio is a division of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. (NYSE:CCU), a leading global media and entertainment company. More information on the company can be found at www.clearchannel.com.
About Music Choice®
Music Choice is the leading multi-platform music network that reaches millions of consumers nationwide through their TVs, online, and cell phones. Music Choice programs both video and audio music channels, produces exclusive music shows, films in-studio artist performances and interviews, and distributes daily entertainment news. Music Choice is a partnership among subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Inc., Sony Corporation of America, EMI Music and several leading U.S. cable providers: Comcast Cable Communications, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable. MUSIC CHOICE® is a registered trademark of Music Choice. Visit the Music Choice website at www.musicchoice.com.
About Comcast
Comcast Greater Chicago Region, regionally located in Schaumburg, Ill., serves more than 1.9 million customers and employs nearly 5,000 people in Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. Comcast Greater Chicago Region is a proud sponsor of City Year, Partnership for a Drug Free America, United Way and a host of diverse organizations dedicated to bettering the communities Comcast serves.
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:CMCSA) (Nasdaq:CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.2 million cable customers, 11.5 million high-speed Internet customers, and 2.5 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
