AOL AND MARK BURNETT PRODUCTIONS PARTNER WITH THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK TO BRING GOLD RUSH - THE GROUNDBREAKING ONLINE REALITY GAME - TO LIFE
Real-life Treasure Seekers To Find Over $2 Million in Gold Using Clues Found in CBS Fall Premieres and Commercials
NEW YORK, May 17, 2006 �In a groundbreaking online, offline and on-air partnership, Emmy Award-winners AOL and Mark Burnett announce a unique partnership with CBS, America�s #1 television network, to bring the online reality game GOLD RUSH to life.
GOLD RUSH begins as thirteen armored trucks laden with gold head off into the darkness, their caches are about to be hidden somewhere in America. Twelve of these trucks contain $100,000 in solid gold and the thirteenth, $1 million dollars in solid gold. Together, over $2 million in solid gold is up for grabs.
But this is not a television show; this is a real-life cross platform media event where each week new clues will be found within CBS television programs, sponsor commercials, AOL.com and other media properties. After identifying and combining the clues, real-life treasure seekers will embark on a race to find the gold, resulting in a national treasure hunt.
"GOLD RUSH is a massive cross platform reality event,� says Mark Burnett. �Unlike reality TV shows, where 16 hopefuls can take part to win, GOLD RUSH will allow potentially millions of players to look for the gold in mediums which are omnipresent, such as the Internet, radio, network television and print magazines. It is a game-changer in the way that the first Survivor changed the game.�
�The combination of the reach of AOL.com, our next-generation free broadband portal, with CBS, the # 1 TV network, and the talent of Mark Burnett will make GOLD RUSH a landmark interactive event not to be missed,� says Kevin Conroy, Executive Vice President, AOL.
CBS, the exclusive broadcast partner, will work collaboratively with GOLD RUSH producers to promote the network�s new Fall lineup by integrating aspects of CBS programs and advertising into the game. At the same time the companies will work together to develop online, offline and on-air marketing and cross-promotional activities.
�We are thrilled that CBS will be the broadcast home of GOLD RUSH, which is sure to be this season�s most innovative integrated marketing event,� said George Schweitzer, President, the CBS Marketing Group. �We believe this partnership will excite our viewers while also attracting new treasure-seeking players who tune into our fall premieres, like what they see and come back for more.�
GOLD RUSH, available through the free AOL.com portal, will give players the opportunity to find gold treasure. CBS Television will be deeply integrated into the GOLD RUSH challenges enriching the game experience by engaging casual players, pop culture junkies, and truly devoted treasure seekers through an integrated web of challenges and entertainment.
The hunt for gold begins this Fall on AOL.com . For more information, check out www.aol.com/goldrush and www.goldrush.aol.com.
For free stills, and additional information regarding GOLD RUSH, please log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/aol to make requests. Registration is free to the media.
About Mark Burnett Productions
Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) is a leading production company in content for both primetime television and the internet. MBP revolutionized television with hits such as Eco-Challenge, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender, Rock Star: INXS, Rock Star: Supernova and its upcoming co-production with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television, On The Lot. MBP has also partnered with AOL on the eagerly anticipated adventure GOLD RUSH, the first-ever unscripted project to be produced exclusively for the internet. MBP also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of its shows and has garnered a total of 33 Emmy nominations since 2001. Mark Burnett was listed as the #1 Most Valuable Player by TV Guide and in Time Magazine�s Top 100 most influential people in the world today.
About CBS Television Network
The CBS Television Network -- with more than 200 owned and affiliated stations reaching virtually every television home in the United States -- includes CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports. The Network is a part of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS), a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry.
About AOL LLC
AOL LLC and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Web brands include the AOL.com(R) website, AIM(R), MapQuest(R) and Netscape(R). AOL offers a range of digital services in the areas of education, safety and security, communications and music. The company also has operations in Europe and Canada. AOL, which is based in Dulles, Virginia, is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
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