Innovative Digital Reality Show for Facebook Launches Today

RADNOR, Pa., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The next generation of Social TV begins today with the launch of "On the Map," an interactive reality travel show created for the Facebook platform which allows audience members to connect and be inside the show with their friends and alter their viewing experience through their interactions.

"On the Map" was produced by Emmy award-winning Banyan Productions, whose credits include TLC's Trading Spaces. The show is built on a social connectivity, dynamic content and advertising platform called PIE (Personal Interactive Entertainment) developed by 7Echo to create this first-of-its-kind show.  The show's presenting sponsor is HTH Worldwide, a global specialty healthcare information and services company.

Shot on location in Barcelona, Spain - including the city's famed La Merce Festival – "On the Map" follows seven young people and combines experiential storytelling with innovative digital techniques to create an interactive online adventure.  Users interact with their Facebook friends by inviting six core friends to be "inside" the show with them, answering questions about each other relative to the episodes and exchanging virtual souvenirs.  As the show progresses through 12 episodes, users' interactions become more involved and the show becomes more personalized, based on their behavioral traits.

"Until now, 'Social TV' has been defined by 'check-in' applications, where users connect with each other while watching a static TV show," explained David Russek, founder and CEO of 7Echo. "'On the Map' takes the social experience further by putting audience members and their Facebook friends inside the show together and creating a customized viewing experience.  Depending on how a user interacts with the show through their actions and those of their friends, there are over 60 digital elements that can be delivered and blended into scenes."

"We are extremely excited to get involved with and be the presenting sponsor of 'On the Map'," added Angelo Masciantonio, CEO and co-founder of HTH Worldwide.  "This innovative approach to connecting people via social media and creating an active audience for 'On the Map' fits in perfectly with HTH's products and services, such as mPassport, which provides active access to international healthcare information and services through online and mobile technology powered solutions."

The first four episodes of "On the Map Barcelona" are available at https://apps.facebook.com/onthemapsevenecho and new episodes will be released weekly through April 19.

About 7Echo

7Echo is the Social TV Platform that puts "Social" inside the show. 7Echo enables friends to connect within and as part of interactive TV shows that are delivered through social networks. 7Echo's patented technology makes Social TV programming more relevant and engaging for both social audiences and advertisers. 

About Banyan Productions

Banyan Productions is a leading producer of television whose work includes "Trading Spaces" and appears on channels including TLC, NBC/Discovery Kids, Discovery Channel, Nick@Nite, Discovery Health, Lifetime, Sony International, Oxygen, The Food Network, Travel Channel, PBS, Style, and HGTV.Com.

About HTH Worldwide

HTH Worldwide is a global leader that provides access to quality healthcare information and services all around the globe.  HTH combines ongoing research, a contracted global network of physicians and hospitals and advanced Internet and mobile applications to ensure its customers' health, safety and peace of mind. For further information, visit hthworldwide.com

Media contact:
Bridget O'Neill for HTH Worldwide, 212-994-7587, [email protected]

SOURCE HTH Worldwide