IGN Entertainment and SHINE Group Get Ready to START

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- START, the new YouTube video games channel from IGN Entertainment and SHINE Group, launches with its first wave of original shows tomorrow, Tuesday, January 31^st.  Part of Google's YouTube channels initiative, START (http://www.youtube.com/start) is among YouTube's first official original channels to launch this year, delivering a mix of live and long-form programming for anyone who loves or plays games.

With START, IGN will reach new audiences with new forms of content.  With video inventory nearly sold out on IGN, START provides an entirely new vehicle to deliver professionally-produced video content for advertisers.  Call of Duty has signed on to be the U.S. advertising launch partner for START. 

Produced and curated by IGN, the world's largest games media company – in partnership with SHINE Group's Reveille Productions, a global production group best known for worldwide hits including "The Biggest Loser," "MasterChef," and "The Office" – START will debut with five original shows, with new episodes available weekly.  Shows premiering the week of January 31^st include:

• The Next Game Boss – In this reality competition series, up-and-coming developers put their game creation skills to the test in head-to-head challenges where only the best will walk away with a life-changing prize. [Airs Tuesdays @ NOON PST beginning January 31]
• Up at Noon with Greg Miller – A fast-paced, geek-culture talk show that looks at the world of games, comics, movies and TV.  Includes sketches, regular correspondents and industry guests.  [Airs Mondays @ NOON PST beginning February, with a special premiere episode on Tuesday, January 31]
• Cheap, Crazy, Cool – We scour the globe for the coolest gear the world has to offer, from wallet-friendly gadgets to bank-breaking technology dreams are made of. [Airs Thursdays at NOON PST beginning February 2]
• Mix'd Reviews – Mixing IGN's expert judgment with those from other respected games media around the globe, this review aggregator show compares all the game review scores gamers care about in one perfect package.  [Airs Fridays at NOON PST beginning February 3]
• Maternal Combat – It's easy to claim you're the king of Call of Duty, but can you teach your Mom to become a pro?  In this reality show, experts are pitted against each other in a gaming battle where their newbie relatives decide the outcome. [Airs Wednesdays @ NOON PST beginning in February]

START will continue to build on its existing programming in the coming months with a wealth of new content, including live event coverage from the IGN Pro League, dedicated to the world of eSports; the much anticipated Season 5 of HD Films' "The Jace Hall Show," shot in 3D; and much more.  All-new content produced by Reveille will include scripted comedies, game shows and game content exclusives.

"The time is right to take game-related video programming beyond what's 'in the game' and evangelize playing games as a mainstream activity," said Bernard Ho, GM/VP of Video, IGN Entertainment. "START combines the voice of IGN as its emcee with TV-quality content anchored in games.  It's a great vehicle to create premium content that's accessible to all, while remaining true to our core audience of serious gamers." 

"Reveille is committed to bringing the best content to audiences across all platforms and the partnership with IGN Entertainment enables us to do just that for YouTube with START," added David Anderson, Senior Vice President, Head of Digital at Reveille.

START is the latest evolution in content creation and distribution from IGN Entertainment, the #1 gaming media network, reaching the highest concentration of males 18-34 online and 1 in 4 males online every month (comScore).  In addition to YouTube, its video content is syndicated across various networks, including Xbox Live, Hulu, Dailymotion, 5min and more. IGN Entertainment's flagship website, IGN.com, launched in 1997, and today its gaming and entertainment content appears on multiple platforms where gamers consume content.  

ABOUT IGN ENTERTAINMENT
IGN Entertainment is the leading Internet media and services provider focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiast markets.  Collectively, IGN's properties reach 57 million unique users worldwide, and IGN's network of video game-related properties (IGN.com, 1UP.com, GameSpy and others) is the #1 source for video game information.  IGN also owns the world's largest men's lifestyle website, AskMen.com, and men's entertainment site UGO.com. It also provides technology for online game play in video games. IGN is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices across North America, Europe and Australia. 

ABOUT SHINE GROUP
Shine Group includes some of the most respected and prolific production companies in the worlds of scripted and non-scripted television, now numbering 27 across three continents and responsible some of the world's best known and loved programs. Shine Group companies include award-winning genre specialists such as UK-based Dragonfly (factual), Kudos (drama), and Princess Productions (entertainment) along with award-winning multi-genre producers Shine TV, market-leading independent US producers Reveille plus Metronome Film & Television, the Nordic region's pre-eminent production group. Shine International, the group's international distribution arm is responsible for the distribution of over 3000 hours of broadcast content annually. In the last two years the group has successfully established international companies Shine Germany, Shine France and Shine Australia and Shine Iberia. The group has recently enhanced its digital and direct to consumer credentials with the additions of social gaming specialists Bossa Studios and market-leading online broadcaster and original content producers, ChannelFlip.

ABOUT REVEILLE
Reveille is part of the Shine Group, one of the world's foremost multinational entertainment and drama companies. Best known for its popular and award-winning hit series including MASTERCHEF, THE BIGGEST LOSER, THE OFFICE, THE BURIED LIFE, UGLY BETTY, THE TUDORS, TABATHA'S SALON TAKEOVER, SHEAR GENIUS and PARENTAL CONTROL, the Company also focuses on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights in scripted and unscripted television and digital entertainment. Reveille has partnerships with Break Media, Microsoft and Yahoo! to develop original online series for brands. Through its distribution arm, Shine International, Reveille distributes its extensive library of programming to more than 150 countries.

SOURCE IGN Entertainment