MUMBAI: The New York Television Festival (NYTVF), presented in association with TV Guide, has reached sponsorship agreements with NBC Universal, Fox Broadcasting Company and MTV Networks to become official network sponsors of the inaugural 2005 festival.
The new sponsorships enable NBC Universal, Fox and MTV Networks divisions, Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land, VH1 and VH1 Classic to join (in association with sponsor) TV Guide, A&E Networks, and Rainbow Media's AMC, IFC and WE as official sponsors of the first ever New York Television Festival.
Launching on 28 September, the NYTVF will pioneer the movement of "independent television" and construct a new path for program development. In its Independent Pilot Competition, aspiring writers, directors and producers are selected through a national and international grassroots search and given the unprecedented opportunity to showcase their originally produced pilots directly to network and cable executives.
"The Festival is thrilled with the opportunity to work with NBC Universal, Fox and MTV Networks in our inaugural year," said founder and executive director of the New York Television Festival Terence Gray. "Taken together, these networks reach a highly desirable audience of young, savvy viewers who have demonstrated an interest in unconventional, cutting-edge programming. These audiences not only reflect the spirit of creative innovation the festival is looking to establish, but also comprise many of the artists who will shape the industry in the future."
"NBC Universal is pleased to sponsor this event," says NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly. "We believe it's important to support non-traditional forums like the New York Television Festival in their efforts to cultivate the next generation of innovative storytellers."
One of the featured events at this year's festival will be centered around the Emmy-winning comedy Arrested Development . On Saturday, 1 October, the festival will screen an episode of the critically acclaimed show, presenting it as a model of the type of innovative programming the festival is seeking to promote in its artists.
With TV Land, the festival has established a unique partnership that will provide NYTVF with clips of some of television's most unforgettable moments, classic commercials, the network's original interstitial comedy series 60 Second Sitcoms, as well as two upcoming originals from TV Land Productions. Additionally, TV Land will serve as the Festival's exclusive sponsor of the spectacular open space on the second floor of Milk Studios that will serve as the main screening room.
The festival is adopting an innovative approach in its design concept for its screening rooms to create a unique, viewer-friendly experience for audiences.
Screening rooms will be designed to resemble spacious living rooms, individually branded and decorated along with network sponsors, to recreate the intimacy of watching television in your own home. NBC Universal, Fox, MTV Networks, A&E Networks and Rainbow Media will feature their own specially designed screening rooms within the impressive gallery space of Phillips, de Pury and Company, located in the same building as Milk.
The NYTVF will be working with one of New York's most exclusive locations, the Soho House, as an industry venue. The members-only club, located in the heart of the Meatpacking District, will host special events for the festival and will serve as a featured venue for the NYTVF's breakfast panel discussions series.
