New Season Hit Shows to Screen within 7 Days of USA Debut

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Thursday 30 August, 2012

New Seasons Of 'Glee', 'New Girl', 'The Simpsons', 'Family Guy' to Screen within 7 Days of USA Debut as Mediaworks Unveils Fast Four

As the fall television schedule in the USA kicks off next month, Kiwis will be getting some of its most popular content faster than ever before.

In a New Zealand first, MediaWorks’ entertainment-focussed channel FOUR will be broadcasting new seasons of its biggest hits within a week of their Stateside premiere; The Simpsons, Family Guy, New Girl, How I Met Your Mother, Survivor and, new to FOUR this season, Glee.

MediaWorks last night unveiled the sub-brand Fast FOUR which will be used to identify which shows are fast-tracked; under this new definition a Fast FOUR show is any overseas programme which screens within seven days or less of its international premiere.

The ‘fastest’ show in the first batch is How I Met Your Mother, which Kiwi viewers will see a matter of hours after the American audience. FOUR’s long term goal is to have as much of its American content fast-tracked as possible, but won’t be jumping ahead – instead, more shows will join the Fast FOUR stable as Kiwi viewers catch up with their American counterparts.

MediaWorks Acting Director of Programming Mark Caulton says the new initiative is perfectly suited to FOUR’s content and audience, and is an obvious move given the network’s innovative approach to entertainment.

“We’re responding to a growing international trend to get audiences’ favourite shows to air as soon as possible after they go to air in the States,” he says.

“Our audience is very connected to the global entertainment news and social media conversation and given FOUR’s mandate is to surprise, delight and entertain, it makes absolute sense for this channel to lead the way when it comes to bringing Kiwis the freshest international content.

“The Fast FOUR initiative means FOUR viewers can be part of the international water cooler talk.”

Fast FOUR will also see episodes uploaded to the ondemand service at FOUR.co.nz, so that viewers who prefer to watch their television shows online can also keep up-to-date.

The Fast FOUR initiative will see FOUR mirror American broadcast patterns. When American networks put a series on hiatus – as is routinely done to accommodate other programming, such as LIVE sports coverage, we will either take a break here or run repeats from previous seasons until a new episode becomes available.

The Fast FOUR logo will be used on-air and online to clearly differentiate new episodes of Fast FOUR shows, and the season and episode numbers will be given in programme guides, so that our audiences are kept fully informed.

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About FOUR

FOUR is New Zealand’s fourth biggest television channel; a pure entertainment brand aimed at 18-49 year-olds. FOUR grabbed New Zealand’s attention when it launched February 2011, by floating a 40 foot yellow duck in Auckland Harbour and went on to rebrand itself as 'The home of NOT rugby' during RWC 2011. With 41% audience growth over the past 18 months (average audience, 18-49 demographic), and more than 100,000 facebook followers (making it New Zealand’s ‘most liked’ TV channel) FOUR continues to go from strength to strength.

Fast FOUR Programmes – NZ Premieres

Glee Wednesday 19th September
Survivor Sunday 23rd September
How I Met Your Mother Tuesday 25th September
New Girl Tuesday 2nd October (one hour premiere)
The Simpsons Sunday 7th October
Family Guy Sunday 7th October

ENDS

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