Bell Media Launches CraveTV™ with Guinness World Records® Attempt for Longest TV-Watching Marathon

– Cravers will set out to break the current Guinness World Records benchmark of 90 hours –

– CraveTV Marathon to be live-streamed on CraveTV.ca beginning at 12 noon today –

– Cravers will marathon-watch premium programming offered on CraveTV including: THE SOPRANOS, SEINFELD, MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS, THE BIG BANG THEORY, ORPHAN BLACK, NURSE JACKIE, and more –

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TORONTO, Dec. 8, 2014 /CNW/ - As announced last week, Bell Media will kick off a massive promotional campaign for its new premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, CraveTV™  today, with an attempt to break the Guinness World Records^® mark for the Longest Marathon Watching TV. Beginning at 1 p.m. ET today, six TV buffs, or "Cravers," will move into a highly visible, fully-functional living space outside of Bell Media's headquarters in Toronto, where they will attempt to watch CraveTV programs for 91 consecutive hours. Last week, Bell Media confirmed its premium TV streaming service, CraveTV, will launch this Thursday, Dec. 11 and will be available for $4/month.

Official rules for the attempt are set by Guinness World Records and an official adjudicator will be present if the record is broken on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8 a.m. ET, but the Cravers will continue until 9 a.m. to reach 91 hours. The current Guinness World Records record-title for longest marathon-watching television is 90 hours and was achieved by Erik Pettersson in Stockholm, Sweden, earlier this year.

During the attempt, the Cravers will watch some of CraveTV's most popular programs (see list below). Participants are permitted a five-minute break for every full hour of marathon-watching completed. They can then save these breaks and use them back-to-back at any point. Meals, treats, and health incentives will be provided.

Click HERE to get to know the Cravers!

**Media Note** Photography and Craver bios available online at BellMediaPR.ca.

The world record attempt begins today at 1 p.m. ET with the official activation of the Guinness World Records clock during a kick-off event in the parking lot of Bell Media's Toronto headquarters. Upon a successful completion of the 91-hour CraveTV Marathon, a Guinness World Records Adjudicator will present the winner or winners(!) with a Guinness World Records certificate and a cheque for $5,000.

From December 8-12, fans can check out the CraveTV Guinness World Records attempt in person in the parking lot at Bell Media's 299 Queen Street West Toronto HQ, or view the livestream starting at 12 noon ET today by visiting CraveTV.ca.

CraveTV launches Thursday, Dec. 11 for $4/month to Canadian TV subscribers. Devoted exclusively to television, CraveTV™ provides the most robust lineup of superior television content in Canada, including the exclusive Canadian rights to the complete HBO off-air library and the full series of SEINFELD, as well as thousands of hours of non-kids TV programming.

Meet the Cravers!

Blake Cronyn
Hometown: Toronto
Age: 25
Occupation: Web Designer

Jasmin Shim
Hometown: Toronto
Age: 23
Occupation: Student

Cam Healy
Hometown: King City, Ont.
Age: 25
Occupation: Event Producer

Lisa Matlock
Hometown: Toronto and Muskoka, Ont.
Age: 41
Occupation: Real Estate Agent

Devon Ferguson
Hometown: Vancouver
Age: 30
Occupation: Filmmaker

Monique Redhead
Hometown: Etobicoke, Ont.
Age: 29
Occupation: Flight Attendant

CraveTV Programming for Longest Marathon Watching TV Attempt:

The Cravers will watch select Season 1 episodes from the series listed below. Please note all times are approximate and subject to change.

Monday, Dec. 8
1 p.m. – 12 midnight – THE SOPRANOS

Tuesday, Dec. 9
12 midnight – 6 a.m. – NURSE JACKIE
6 – 9:30 a.m. – ENTOURAGE
9:30 a.m. – 12 midnight – STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION

Wednesday, Dec. 10
12 midnight – 2 a.m. – STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION
2 – 6:30 a.m. – SEX AND THE CITY
6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – THE BIG BANG THEORY
1 p.m. – 12 midnight – ARROW

Thursday, Dec. 11
12 midnight – 5 a.m. – ARROW
5 – 9:30 a.m. – CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. – MONTY PYTHON FLYING CIRCUS
4 – 11 p.m. – ORPHAN BLACK
11 p.m. – 12 midnight – SEINFELD

Friday, Dec. 12
12 midnight – 9 a.m. – SEINFELD

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Hashtag – #AllYouCanWatch
Facebook – /CraveTVCanada
Twitter – @CraveTVCanada

About Guinness World Records:
Guinness World Records (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) is the global authority on record-breaking achievements. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records^® book has become one of the biggest-selling copyright titles of all time, selling 120 million copies to date in 22 languages and in more than 100 countries. The internationally renowned brand is now also available across a number of platforms — GWR's global television shows are watched by 250 million viewers annually; digital media and online record-processing services attract more than 50 million visitors a year; and the live events team annually entertains and inspires 1.5 million people around the world. GWR receives more than 1,000 applications each week and has a specialized team of multi-language record managers and adjudicators who travel the globe to verify official record attempts. GWR also has a commercial division (Guinness World Records Corporate) that offers accessible record-breaking business solutions to other organizations and brands.

About CraveTV:
All you can watch, for $4/month. Created for TV lovers and devoted exclusively to television, CraveTV™ is Canada's premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, CraveTV features thousands of hours of premium non-kids TV programming, representing hundreds of unique titles. Designed to complement the traditional television ecosystem, and available to all TV providers, CraveTV is available to Eastlink, TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV subscribers, and is coming soon to Northwestel and other CCSA members. Available through traditional set-top boxes, the service will also be available via mobile apps, the web, game consoles, and smart TVs. CraveTV is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company with more than a decade of leadership delivering Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming across the Pay, Specialty, and Network TV landscapes. For more on CraveTV, visit www.CraveTV.ca.

About Bell Media:
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with premium subscription on-demand streaming service CraveTV, as well as its innovative GO video streaming services, including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

SOURCE Bell Media