Sony Brings Star Power to CES

LAS VEGAS, January 7: Jerry Seinfeld and Tony Bennett were
on hand at Sony Pictures Television’s presentation at Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) in Las Vegas this morning, during which the studio unveiled several
initiatives, including plans to launch a number of channels on YouTube and a
new research alliance with Nielsen.

The presentation highlighted the studio’s portfolio,
including original comedy, drama and game show programming for network, cable,
syndication and digital distribution; its library of films and television
shows; and original content for digital distribution, including The Minisode
Network, mobile games, the video entertainment network Crackle and FEARnet,
SPT’s online, VOD and mobile suspense and thriller destination in partnership
with Comcast and Lionsgate. The event was hosted by Jeopardy!’s Alex Trebek and introduced by Wheel of
Fortune’s Vanna White.

“The number and variety of screens available to deliver
entertainment has skyrocketed, providing endless opportunities for content
providers,” said Steve Mosko, the president of Sony Pictures Television. “Our
presentation today was designed to engage our partners across all of our
businesses—from programming to advertising—in a conversation about
how together we can maximize the entertainment experience for everyone. With
both an electronics company and a content company, Sony has a unique
understanding of the entertainment experience and a myriad of opportunities for
our partners to explore.”

During the presentation, SPT announced plans to debut
several YouTube channels, beginning today with The Minisode Network (TMN). The
offering, which features 5-minute episodes culled from classic Sony Pictures
Television shows like Charlie’s Angels
and Fantasy Island, debuted in
June 2007 on MySpace. “Connecting our huge array of high-quality content to the
incredible audience of YouTube brings our channels to the largest online video
audience in the world and builds their brands online,” said Sean Carey, the
senior executive VP of Sony Pictures Television.

With its launch on YouTube, The Minisode Network will grow
from 18 to 21 series with the addition of Married, With Children, Newsradio and a new animation block. Additionally, The Minisode Network has
begun acquiring programs from other companies, including a recent deal with
World Events Productions, distributors of Voltron and Saber Rider.

Other Sony Pictures Television channels launching on YouTube
in the future are expected to include original content from a variety of
genres.

Also today, Jeopardy!’s
Alex Trebek revealed that ten episodes of the veteran game show will be taped
from the floor of the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show next January before a live
audience, as the series celebrates its 25th anniversary.

In addition, SPT and Nielsen unveiled a research project to
quantify the total impact of SPT’s combined media offerings for advertisers.
The initial study determined that SPT reaches nearly two-thirds of all young,
high-tech consumers across traditional TV, HD and Internet programs.

For the study, NielsenConnect examined the unduplicated
reach and audience composition of SPT’s media offerings across its syndicated
TV shows, Sony BMG’s MusicBox website and the HD network MOJO HD. Nielsen found
that 64.6 percent of 18-34 year old “technologists”—consumers who define
themselves as being among the first to adopt new technologies regardless of
price—engaged with Sony properties, compared to 57.5 percent of adults
18-34 overall. NielsenConnect combined existing database information from both
the National People Meter (NPM) and Local People Meter (LPM) services, website
visitation information from Nielsen Online, cellular and wireless information
from Claritas’ Convergence Audit and high definition usage and behavior from
Nielsen’s HD Study to obtain a comprehensive view of Sony’s reach.

“This vital research underscores Sony Pictures Television’s
exceptional ability to reach a critical group of consumers who are leading the
adoption of new video and mobile systems,” said Amy Carney, the president of
advertising sales for Sony Pictures Television. “It establishes our leadership
across multiple platforms in reaching target audiences in expanding advertising
categories like cell phone services, HD equipment and satellite television. It
also allows us to have a deeper dialogue with advertisers, moving away from
age/sex to the marketing targets they are trying to reach.”

“The results of this study clearly show the unique value of
integrating media and consumer data to provide clients with truly comprehensive
insights,” said Jon Mandel, the CEO of NielsenConnect. “This new data enables
Sony not only to better understand its highly valuable audience, but also to
document its ability to deliver these influential consumers across all of its
platforms.”

—By Mansha Daswani