The Source to Produce First TV Series With Access Entertainment Network

Posted on March 9, 1998

The Source will launch its first TV series this summer in a co-production deal with Access Entertainment Network(SM), a new 24-hour cable channel debuting in 6 million homes. The hour-long show, The Source: Television, will feature high-quality videos of the latest and best hip-hop music. Today's announcement was made jointly by Bill Bernard, president of AEN, and David Mays, owner/publisher of The Source and CEO of its production division The Source Entertainment.

The Source joins a growing list of charter Access Entertainment Network music programmers, which also include retailer Best Buy Co. and four record labels -- TVT, A&M, Elektra and Virgin. Created to meet the viewing needs of 18-49 year-old entertainment enthusiasts, AEN is the world's first and only 24-hour cable television channel previewing top choices in music, magazines and other entertainment products -- as selected and provided by record labels, publishers, and retailers themselves.

Previously announced AEN programming includes a half-hour show to be co-produced by Best Buy -- featuring recording artists and compilation titles chosen by the retailer itself, including product available exclusively at the retailer. There will also be genre-specific, music-oriented half-hour shows -- including rock and new music -- with program segments to be provided by participating record labels, as well as retailers and distributors. Some of these half-hours will include segments supplied by genre-related magazine titles.

The Source: Television and other AEN shows will run several times a day, rotated through different times and dayparts. Record labels, magazines, distributors and retailers receive the opportunity to expose their product to consumers while directing them to in-store, phone and online purchases. Each episode of The Source: Television, for instance, will include a 90-second segment designed to drive awareness, subscriptions, renewals and newsstand sales for The Source.