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55 lines
3.6 KiB
55 lines
3.6 KiB
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Netter Digital Entertainment,
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Inc. (Nasdaq: NETT) today announced that, pursuant to a news release issued by
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Turner Network Television (TNT) and Bradley J. Siegel, president of TNT and
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Turner Classic Movies, TNT has ordered the production of two all-new original
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Babylon 5 made-for-television movies.
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It was announced by TNT that the entire 88 one-hour episodes of the multi-
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year story of the award winning science fiction series Babylon 5 kicks off in
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January 1998 with a two-hour, original film "prequel." "Babylon 5: In The
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Beginning," featuring the cast of Babylon 5 will film early this summer for
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premiere at the January 1998 launch of Babylon 5, with a second two-hour
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original film scheduled for production later this summer. TNT acquired the
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exclusive cable rights to the series from Warner Bros. Domestic Pay-TV, Cable
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& Network Features. The Babylon 5 films are being produced for TNT by series
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creator, J. Michael Straczynski, in conjunction with Netter Digital's Douglas
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Netter and John Copeland.
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In the release by TNT, Mr. Siegel said "TNT's acquisition of Babylon 5
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offers its millions of fans a unique opportunity to see the show's original
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dramatic arc through to its conclusion. Babylon 5 represents the type of
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contemporary high quality programming we are now producing and acquiring at
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TNT." He went on to say, "The series' young, loyal viewers will now have a
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national home where they can watch their favorite series as a community,
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rather than the fragmented viewing that syndication provides. We think this
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helps make TNT very valuable to an important audience for us." TNT is the
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number one-rated cable network in primetime and currently seen in more than 70
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million homes.
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A statement was included in TNT's release from Eric Frankel, Executive
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Vice-President, Marketing, Warner Bros. Domestic Pay-TV, Cable & Network
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Features, as follows: "Babylon 5 is a unique series with an incredible
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following. Its current popularity and critical acclaim, along with these
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world-premiere movies, will provide TNT with a great opportunity to launch the
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series on its network."
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Douglas Netter, Chairman, President and CEO of Netter Digital, said, "We
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are very pleased with Babylon 5's new home at TNT and look forward to our on-
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going relationship with TNT. This order for two Babylon 5 television movies
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validates the Company's strategy to build programming franchises with its
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production properties." He went on to say, "The response from Babylon 5 fans
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around the world is expected to be very favorable."
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Babylon 5, the two-time Emmy award winner earned its place in science-
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fiction history last year when it beat out Apollo 13, Toy Story, 12 Monkeys
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and Deep Space Nine for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, the
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most prestigious honor in the science fiction field. Babylon 5's victory
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marked the first time in the 43-year history of the Hugo Award that a
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television series other than Star Trek and Twilight Zone was honored.
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Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc. is a digital entertainment and
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production company which utilizes high technology in creating television
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series, movies, documentaries and multimedia productions. The Company
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specializes in creating science fiction programming which combines live action
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with computer graphics and is presently expanding its capabilities from being
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primarily a production company into a broader-based, technology-driven
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entertainment company. The Company currently produces the Hugo Award-winning
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science fiction television series "Babylon 5" with creator and executive
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producer, J. Michael Straczynski.
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SOURCE Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc.
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