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.”
Copyright Business Wire 2014