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TVGN (TV Guide Network) to Rebrand as ""POP""

Sep 18, 2014 14:35:00 (ET)

New Brand to Launch in First Quarter 2015

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--September 18, 2014--
TVGN (TV Guide Network), the entertainment channel owned by CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), seen in more than 80 million homes and delivering its highest primetime audiences in over five years, announced today that it will rebrand as POP, a multi-platform destination dedicated to celebrating the fun of being a fan.

Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS Corporation, and Jon Feltheimer, CEO of Lionsgate, said, "POP is an exciting new chapter for a cable network that has made great progress and generated significant ratings momentum over the past year. Our new brand not only positions the channel for continued growth but reflects its identity, focus and fan base."

Brad Schwartz, President, Entertainment and Media, POP, continued, "A strong brand differentiates a network from its peers. The inspiration for POP is simple -- When something stands out from the rest, it pops. It's what everyone is talking about. It's an exceptional talent. It's a one-of-a-kind maverick. When something is so good that it earns a culture of fandom, that's POP -- and that's what we want our channel to symbolize, a fresh new media personality that puts us firmly alongside the audience."

Launching in the first quarter of 2015 with over 400 hours of fan-fueled original programming, POP will provide a multi-platform destination that creates content around the things popping in fan culture, with a programming and development slate to be announced in the coming weeks.

POP's upcoming line-up will expand on previously announced original series, including ROCK THIS BOAT: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, a series following die-hard fans of one of the most wildly popular and best-selling boy bands of all time, and THE STORY BEHIND, a series that goes behind-the-scenes of TV's greatest hits and most iconic shows and how they got their start. POP's programming will enhance entertainment experiences that have built-in fan bases by further igniting their passion and give fans a channel that loves being a fan as much as they do.

"The marketplace is ripe for a new, innovative and compelling network brand," said David Wisnia, President of Business Operations, POP. "Backed by powerhouses CBS and Lionsgate, we are well positioned for POP to deliver a captivating viewer experience, as well as a meaningful value proposition to our business partners."

It's time to fan-up and have some fun. POP's new logo and on-air look will launch in early 2015, along with multi-platform opportunities for this inherently social audience to discover and connect with other fans.

ABOUT POP

Fans don't sit at the outskirts of pop culture making snarky comments, they live right smack in the middle of it, sharing, creating, and connecting their passions with others. At POP, fans finally have a destination that celebrates the fun of being a fan. Fans aren't even fans anymore -- they're Gladiators, Tributes, Human Beings and Blockheads. Launching in 2015, POP will give fans a dedicated channel that loves being a fan as much as they do. A channel that respects talent over celebrity. A channel filled with optimism, passion, funny and excitement. A channel that understands the fun doesn't stop when the credits roll...it's really just the beginning.

POP is joint venture of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF). The partnership combines CBS's programming, production and marketing assets with Lionsgate's resources in motion pictures, television and digitally delivered content. POP's ownership structure is comprised of the company with the #1 broadcast network and many of the top first-run syndication series ("Entertainment Tonight," "The Insider") and the studio that produces and distributes the blockbuster "Hunger Games," "Twilight" and "Divergent" franchises and produces such award-winning TV series as "Mad Men" and "Orange is the New Black."


CONTACT: TV Guide Network
Leslie Furuta, 323-856-4062

[e-mail]


SOURCE: TVGN
Copyright Business Wire 2014

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 18, 2014 14:35 ET (18:35 GMT)