NBC to Develop YouTube Hit

BURBANK, July 24: NBC has ordered webisodes based on the
comedy pilot Nobody's Watching after it
was downloaded more than 600,000 times on YouTube, and is developing scripts
with a view to ordering a broadcast prime-time series this season.

The pilot for the series was first developed in spring 2005 and
became available on www.youtube.com several weeks ago. It has since been
downloaded more than 600,000 times. It focuses on two young television addicts
from Ohio who are frustrated with the state of television programming. As a
result, they decide to become the subjects of a reality show when a major
network gives them the opportunity to create their own sitcom.

Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC Entertainment, noted,
"This comedy pilot has generated a life of its own and we are intrigued by
its potential to develop into a series. Sometimes, if you show it, they will
come—and we've seen how people have responded on the Internet.”

The show is to be executive produced by Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) and produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.
Lawrence said of the NBC deal, "I have always been passionate about this
project, but more importantly, I think this is just the first of many
television shows to be rescued by the Internet and I think we will see more
launched on the Internet in the future. We plan to start rolling out viral
content as early as September."