Wed, 07/04/2007


2007 Press Releases

RealNetworks And CBS Deliver Live 24/7 Online Access To "Big Brother 8" Following Tonight's Premiere

Exclusive Big Brother 8 Footage, Blogs and Chat Rooms Available on www.film.com

SEATTLE, WA — July 05, 2007  —  CBS and RealNetworks®, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK), have teamed up for the eighth straight season to offer exclusive 24-hour-a-day access to live video feeds inside the Big Brother 8 house. Following tonight's network premiere on CBS, fans can chat with one another about the episode and monitor the Big Brother 8 houseguests online via live, unedited video feeds from within the house, most of which never appears in the weekly television coverage.

Webcast coverage begins immediately following tonight's premiere of Big Brother 8 at 8 p.m. ET.  The coverage will be accessible through Real's SuperPass subscription service at www.real.com/bigbrother in addition to the official Big Brother 8 Web site at CBS.com.

Subscribers can watch any of four live camera feeds from inside the Big Brother 8 house or catch all of the action with a special quad-cam view, which allows fans to see all four video feeds at simultaneously.  SuperPass will combine around-the-clock footage with blogs, chats, message boards, polls and other interactive features to provide a comprehensive online experience for viewers who crave more after the network cameras stop rolling.

Real's Film.com Web site will also provide exclusive content for Big Brother 8, including show recaps, commentary, a regular Ask Big Brother question and answer column, and dedicated message boards for fans to rant, rave, debate and discuss all things Big Brother throughout the season. These Film.com features and other bonus coverage can be accessed for free at http://www.film.com/bigbrother8.

"Creating a compelling online extension of a program like Big Brother 8 is essential to keeping the show and storylines top of mind from one episode to another," said Elizabeth Coppinger, vice president of video services for RealNetworks. "CBS and Real are committed to exploring new ways to bring TV to the Web. Real's exclusive 'Big Brother' offering allows fans to enjoy the show and interact with other outside the time constraints of TV programming."

SuperPass Subscribers Get More
In addition to the Big Brother 8 live video content and community interaction, SuperPass subscribers also have access to a compelling mix of new content that is continually being updated, including:

  • Music — An automatic $10 monthly song download credit and access to Real's 3 million+ song library
  • Games — Users can download and own one new computer game every month
  • Movies — Full-length online movies (independent, documentary, international)
  • TV — Access to full-length classic TV shows
  • Radio — Listen to more than 90 ad-free radio stations and thousands of local/international stations
  • Video — Premium video programs (News, Comedy, Reality TV)
  • Software — Award-Winning software to keep users safe online, including McAfee Virus Scan, Net Nanny, System Mechanic, Network Magic and McAfee Personal Firewall Plus
  • RealPlayer Plus — Provides access to DVD burning and advanced audio/video controls

Subscriptions to SuperPass are $14.99 per month and are available at www.real.com/superpass.

BIG BROTHER 8 debuts Thursday, July 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Following the premiere, BIG BROTHER 8 will be broadcast three nights weekly, on Sundays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the live eviction show, hosted by Julie Chen, on Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM live ET/delayed PT).

BIG BROTHER 8 is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan, in association with Endemol U.S.A.

For More Information:
Ryan Luckin
RealNetworks
206-892-6330
rluckin@real.com

Kelli Raftery
CBS
212-975-3163
kraftery@cbs.com

Susan J. Marks
CBS
323-575-2118
susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com

ABOUT REALNETWORKS

RealNetworks, Inc. is providing ways for consumers to be entertained on any screen (PC, home entertainment system, portable device or mobile phone) anywhere. Its digital entertainment services include RealPlayer, the acclaimed Rhapsody® music service, one of the largest Casual Games destinations RealArcade®, and a variety of mobile entertainment services offered to consumers by leading wireless carriers around the world. RealNetworks' corporate information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com/company.

RealNetworks, RealPlayer, Rhapsody and the Real logo are registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc.  All other trademarks, names of actual companies and products mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.