NBC.com is set to launch a host of new features, including social networking tools and others – calling all the new features “the playground” users have asked for. Most of the site improvements will begin rolling out in September to coincident with the beginning of the fall TV season. The lengthy release has a number of highlights:
- Late Night with Conan O’Brien will stream the previous night’s show beginning at 5am PT
- An NBC star “fantasy league” game called Fantasy Talent Scout will feature a $10k prize
- An “Office” game will allow fans to earn Schrute Bucks and “climb the corporate ladder”
- Online only soap “Pacific Shores” debuts in October
- Bionic Woman fans will get a backstage look at the creation of one scene each week
- Medium watchers will help pick storylines and write an episode
BURBANK, Calif. – July 16, 2007 – NBC Digital Entertainment today announced its new tech and content features launching on NBC.com throughout this summer and fall. New site updates include the introduction of social networking tools, streaming episodes of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” the further evolution of “Heroes 360,” new WAP sites for new and returning shows, “The Office 360″ and NBC Fantasy Talent Scout. The announcements were made by Vivi Zigler, Executive Vice President, NBC Digital Entertainment.
“We are the first network to marry gold-standard content with social networking,” said Zigler. “We’ve listened to our users through message boards and focus groups and are building them the playground they’ve asked for.”
Beginning in September, NBC.com users will find social networking tools on the site. These new features, which will roll-out over the next few months, will enable users to create modular, customizable profiles rich with user-generated content; participate in an online community where fans can interact with NBC personalities and each other; gain access to exclusive content and live interactive events; create blogs, photo galleries, and video galleries; join groups to discuss their favorite shows; grab widgets for all of their social networking profiles and blogs and keep track of all the games they play and the contests they’ve entered. MyNBC gives users one convenient place to experience their favorite entertainment.
This summer, NBC.com will debut a first for broadcast network late-night entertainment. Fans of Conan O’Brien will be able to stream episodes of “Late Night” on NBC.com starting with the episode airing on August 27th. Daily episodes will become available at 5am PT the next day.
And starting in late August fans of “The Office” will be able to deepen and enrich their entertainment experience with “The Office 360.” Beginning with the launch of a special Dunder Mifflin corporate site, fans will be able to join and form new branches as part of an online job fair. Once branches are established, weekly tasks will be assigned from “Corporate.” Tasks will mostly correspond to topics or events featured in the broadcast show, but will also include online-specific challenges such as creating individual branch logos or ad campaigns, completing online games and interacting with other Dunder Mifflin branches. Through continued participation fans can earn Schrute-Bucks for themselves and their branch, which they can use to decorate their virtual office as they climb their way up the Dunder Mifflin corporate ladder.
“Heroes 360″ continues to evolve on multiple platforms this summer. NBC.com’s YamagatoFellowship.org will offer a webisode documentary series exploring the legend of Takezo Kensei, Hiro’s very own hero. On ActivatingEvolution.org, fans will uncover videos exploring Shanti Suresh, Mohinder’s sister, and the mysterious virus that killed her. Astute “Heroes” viewers who visit NBC.com frequently, will learn more about the season two characters as they are slowly introduced throughout the summer through hints and glimpses of future plotlines. Since launching in January ’07, “Heroes 360″ has had nearly 200 million page views and 30 million unique visits across all platforms.
This fall, casual and hardcore fans alike can play along with NBC Fantasy Talent Scout. Participants can build their own talent roster from three online agencies featuring characters from all NBC shows. By actively playing a subset of their roster each week, users will earn points and enter for a weekly cash prize, as well as a quarterly top prize of $100,000. Each character has an assigned phrase or action, and if the characters do or say this action or phrase – players earn points. For example, if a user has chosen Michael Scott (Steve Carell, “The Office”) in their active roster and in that week’s episode he says “That’s what she said!,” they earn points.
NBC.com’s first exclusive online production of an original series, “Coastal Dreams,” has begun filming and is set to debut in October. Set in the idyllic town of Pacific Shores, the series follows two twenty-something friends who hoped to escape the doldrums of their everyday lives, but soon realize their lives are at stake. Zoe and Stacey have been friends since high school and travel to Pacific Shores for a relaxing summer of house-sitting, beach-going and boy-watching. Zoe soon discovers a dark family secret and receives a visit from someone in her past that may end the summer on a deadly note.
Fans of “The Biggest Loser” will find that season four is all new on air and online. “The Biggest Loser” site has a fresh new look and will roll out many new, online exclusives starting this summer with a preview of the new location. NBC.com will welcome guest contributors from the show including Dr. Jen Kerns (a former contestant who is now the show’s medical consultant), show psychologist Dr. Alexa Altman and last season’s winner, Erik Chopin. New host Alison Sweeney (“Days of Our Lives”) will also contribute exciting weekly blog updates including self-shot photos and video. Plus, unlike previous seasons, this year NBC.com will have three exclusive video segments: extended “Where are they now?” updates on contestants; two original scenes per episode and weekly confessional montages – neither shown in the broadcast. All this in addition to the first-ever “Biggest Loser” WAP site so fans can take the site on the go.
Continuing to set the standard for broadcast network digital entertainment, this fall, NBC Digital Entertainment will introduce extensive new digital features for both new and returning shows as follows:
“Bionic Woman” – Fans will be able to log on and see a weekly “anatomy of a scene” feature, which will go behind the scenes and show users how the biggest scenes of the week are filmed using camera tricks, special effects and other production secrets.
“Chuck” – Viewers will be able to see inside Chuck’s “brain” which will host hotspots that reveal top-secret government information and bonus video. Users who log onto Buy-More.net will be taken to NerdHerdHelp.com where exclusive content from these computing wizards will live. The micro-sites launch in September along with Morgan’s blog – Chuck’s best-friend and sidekick.
“Journeyman” – Users will be able to track Dan’s travel through time with an interactive online video timeline and test their knowledge of pop-culture with an online trivia quiz. They will also be able to explore Dan’s home through photos from “then” and “now.”
“Life” – Fans will be able to further investigate Billy’s conspiracy wall, hidden in his home and delve into the mysteries as Billy learns more about who put him behind bars. Users will also enjoy Billy’s online “Zen Guide To Life.”
“30 Rock” – Kenneth the Page will give users a tour of NBC and “TGS” (“The Girly Show”) in his own, special way. Frank will also be blogging from the writer’s room and sharing his unique take on the show, life and anything else on his mind.
“Deal or No Deal” – Fans will catch up with their favorite winners and see how they spent their winnings through a web-exclusive series that follows up and tracks past contestants.
“Las Vegas” – Each week, users will be able to watch a “making of” Production Video Diary that will give them a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the making of their favorite show including everything from the racy costume department to the high-tech design of the set to the cast having fun with each other during rehearsals.
“ER” – Users will, for the first time ever, be able to see deleted scenes and get a first look at weekly preview scenes.
“Law & Order: SVU” – The popular production blog continues this season taking viewers behind the scenes of every episode, every guest star and every case.
“Friday Night Lights” – The “Friday Night Lights” cast and crew bring us the sights and sounds of small town Texas from their unique point of view.
“Medium” – In a television first, NBC.com will let fans pick storylines and help write an on-air episode.
“Days of Our Lives” – Fans will be able to get horoscopes of their favorite characters through a unique partnership with Astrology.com and weekly sneak peeks of what’s in store for their favorite characters.
“Passions” – The popular “Passions” webisodes are back with their third installment, “Passions Harmony.”
