SHOWTIME®, LG Electronics Launch In-Program Interactivity for Smart TVs

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Showtime Networks has joined forces with Smart TV leader LG Electronics to use LG's "LivePlus" technology to deliver the SHO SYNC app on 2012 and 2013 Internet-connected TVs, giving viewers nationwide a new way to interact with their favorite SHOWTIME series, including the eighth and final season of DEXTER^® and the network's newest hit series, the critically-acclaimed RAY DONOVAN.

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LG and SHOWTIME are the first to advance the capabilities of Smart TVs to provide viewers with a synchronized, interactive content experience along with television programming. The LivePlus synchronous content platform allows broadcasters, cable networks and other program providers to enhance viewers' linear TV experience with interactive content delivered automatically to Internet-connected Smart TVs without the need to install any applications or download content.

Designed to deepen the viewer's engagement with SHOWTIME series, SHO SYNC presents special features, character backgrounds, interactive trivia and polls at precise points in the show. Originally launched on the iPad as a two-screen companion app, SHO SYNC for Smart TVs delivers the same crafted, interactive content to the big screen.

When the LG LivePlus feature recognizes a SHOWTIME original series episode as SHO SYNC-enabled, an invitation to play along will appear on screen, and the viewer can opt-in to the experience with a click of their LG TV remote. The LivePlus technology powers the sync experience regardless of whether the program is watched live, On Demand or from a DVR or DVD.

"SHO Sync for Smart TVs is a breakthrough for the industry, offering a rich and interactive experience with a strong focus on content, where consumers can enjoy their favorite SHOWTIME series," said Donald Buckley, Executive Vice President, Program Marketing and Digital Services, Showtime Networks. "For the first time, viewers can click a single button using their remotes and interact in a completely new way with our programming."

James Fishler, LG Electronics USA's Senior Vice president of Marketing, echoed Buckley's comments, stating: "The LivePlus synchronous TV platform shows that with LG, it's all possible. It extends the capabilities of LG Smart TVs to enhance the TV viewing experience with compelling content authored by the programmers. While interactive TV has been previously done in many forms, this is the first time that standards such as HTLM5 have been used, enabling high-quality graphics using standard authoring tools."

Nominated for a 2013 Emmy^® Award, SHO SYNC allows viewers to interact with exclusive content designed specifically for this experience while they watch SHOWTIME programs on-air, significantly augmenting the TV viewing experience for fans of the network's award-winning and critically-acclaimed series.

Fans can test their knowledge with trivia, earn points and badges, and compete against their friends and other fans. Viewers can also vote in live polls and instantly see real-time audience reactions. The content also appears on-screen at precise points in the program, usually between scenes, and is written in each series' unique voice. Using the TV's remote control, SHO SYNC content can be easily shared to social platforms including Twitter and Facebook.

About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2^™, SHOWTIME^® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME^®, SHOWTIME BEYOND^®, SHOWTIME NEXT^®, SHOWTIME WOMEN^®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD^™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^®, FLIX ON DEMAND^® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ ON DEMAND, and the network's authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks^™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel^™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. 

About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $45 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. LG Electronics, a proud 2013 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions in the United States, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information about LG Electronics, please visit www.lg.com. 

SOURCE LG Electronics USA, Inc.; SHOWTIME