January 16, 2006
IN A FIRST, POPULAR CBS CONTENT HITS THE MOBILE PHONE ON V CAST FROM VERIZON WIRELESS
V CAST Offers “CSI,” “Survivor,” David Letterman, CBS News, “Entertainment Tonight” and More
LOS ANGELES and BEDMINSTER, NJ – CBS News, “CSI,” “Survivor,” David Letterman and “Entertainment Tonight” are coming to a Verizon Wireless V CAST phone near you this month.
Television’s most watched broadcast network and the nation’s leading wireless provider are bringing many of CBS’s most popular content brands – across prime time, late night and syndication – to Verizon Wireless’ V CAST multimedia service.
This marks CBS’s first venture presenting its content on cell phones.
Throughout December, V CAST subscribers will begin receiving video news segments from both CBS News and Paramount TV’s “Entertainment Tonight” – produced specifically for mobile phones – as well as preview clips of many of CBS’s top series including “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: NY,” “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “The King of Queens” and “Late Show with David Letterman.” The CBS News segments for V CAST will include breaking stories, as well as features from broadcasts such as “CBS Evening News” and “The Early Show.”
V CAST will carry clips from Letterman’s monologue and Top 10 list as well as highlights from “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” CBS and Verizon Wireless also plan to present behind-the-scenes footage, such as making-ofs and interviews with the casts of shows from the CBS prime time lineup.
“At the intersection of the mobile phone and the television lies tremendous programming, promotion and brand extension potential,” said Cyriac Roeding, vice president of wireless, CBS Digital Media. “This deal with Verizon Wireless represents a major step for us into mobile entertainment and another point of contact with the consumer to promote our great content brands.”
Added Roeding, “V CAST is a pioneer service in wireless video, which makes it an ideal platform to launch our content into the mobile world.”
Bill Stone, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless, said “CBS is the most watched broadcast network and our relationship helps us offer popular, current content to our V CAST customers – whether they want news updates from their favorite names in news, recaps and previews of their favorite CBS prime time shows or want to see exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the hottest shows on CBS. With CBS on V CAST phones, Verizon Wireless is continuing to deliver the brands customers demand.”
V CAST from Verizon Wireless is the first wireless broadband consumer multimedia service in the country, allowing customers to view video clips on demand. V CAST programming includes content from trusted news sources, the greatest sports and a huge variety of entertainment programs. V CAST runs on Verizon Wireless’ Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network – the largest high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. The V CAST coverage area, which mirrors the Verizon Wireless EV-DO network, is available to more than 140 million Americans in 171 major metropolitan markets and is expanding coast to coast.
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About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation’s most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD and LSE). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About CBS Television
CBS Television is comprised of the CBS Television Network -- with more than 200 owned and affiliated stations reaching virtually every television home in the United States; the Network's programming arms CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports; and CBS Enterprises, a global leader in distribution. CBS also manages UPN, which broadcasts primetime programming on five nights with an average of 90 percent total coverage throughout the country.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jeffrey Nelson
Verizon Wireless
908.306.4824
[email protected]
Chris Ender
CBS
323.575.2021
[email protected]
Shannon Jacobs
CBS
212.975.3161
[email protected]