SHOWTIME Promotional Campaign for 'ONE NIGHT ONE STAR USHER LIVE' Features MTV Simulcast of Pre-Show on March 5

SHOWTIME Promotional Campaign for 'ONE NIGHT ONE STAR USHER LIVE' Features MTV Simulcast of Pre-Show on March 5

Concert Also Promoted Via BET, F.Y.E., National Amusements, Regal Entertainment Group & Extensive 20-Market Radio Campaign

NEW YORK, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Showtime Networks has created an unprecedented promotional campaign centered around its upcoming live concert - ONE NIGHT ONE STAR USHER LIVE - airing only on SHOWTIME on March 5 at 9:00 PM ET during the network's "Big Fat Free Preview" weekend.

The SHOWTIME concert, featuring chart-topping hits from Usher's latest multi-platinum selling album "Confessions," marks the first and only time the star will perform a full-length live show on television in 2005. Usher, one of the hottest artists in the music business today, is fresh off his recent Grammy wins including Best R&B Album.

As part of this promotional campaign, Showtime Networks has joined forces with a number of its sister Viacom companies including MTV, BET, National Amusements and King World Productions.

SHOWTIME and MTV have teamed up to give USHER fans an all-access pass to the Grammy-wining superstar's live SHOWTIME concert from San Juan, Puerto Rico with a special half-hour pre-show. Produced by SHOWTIME, the pre-show will air simultaneously on SHOWTIME and MTV from 8:30 - 9:00 PM ET/PT and will serve as a lead in to the 90-minute concert event of the year.

Hosted by Total Request Live's host Quddus, the pre-show will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Usher's rehearsals including an exclusive one-on-one interview with the superstar, a "Making of the Show" segment that includes interviews with key members of his team who have access to Usher while he rehearses and travels the island and at the Coliseo De Puerto Rico where the concert will take place. Usher is also slated to make a drop-in appearance via satellite on MTV's "Total Request Live" on Thursday, March 3. Additionally, MTV and MTV2 will run promotional spots for the SHOWTIME live concert and news coverage from the event will run on MTV News. Banner ads for the SHOWTIME concert will also appear on the mtv.com website.

Usher is slated to make an appearance on BET's "106th & Park," the week of the live SHOWTIME event. BET will support SHOWTIME's live concert event with an on-air sweepstakes in which the winner will receive a trip for two - including front-row seats - to attend the March 5 event in Puerto Rico.

Showtime Networks has also joined forces with National Amusements for a sweepstakes in which the winner and a friend will be flown to Puerto Rico to attend the live Usher concert. National Amusements will support this promotion with in-theater posters, on screen slides and on its website, showcasecinemas.com. Through King World Productions and Sony Pictures Television, the SHOWTIME Usher concert, as well as a chance to win a trip to the event, were featured on "Wheel of Fortune" as a prize on the wheel.

SHOWTIME is also offering viewers an opportunity to win front row tickets to the live concert via a national sweepstakes with F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment). The promotion, running through February 28, features an all expense paid weekend trip for two to Puerto Rico including hotel accommodations and airfare. The sweepstakes will be supported by SHOWTIME with on-air spots as well as information on its sho.com website. F.Y.E. will support the promotion in-store at its retail locations throughout the country and online at fye.com.

SHOWTIME has also created an extensive radio campaign in the 20 top markets. Consumers will be given a chance to win trips to the live event in Puerto Rico as well as Usher Gift packs with prizes including F.Y.E. gift cards, CDs, t-shirts, Dr. Pepper Gear and a years worth of free Dr. Pepper coupons. Also as part of a radio promotion, Showtime supported Usher's mini-movie "Rhythm City Volume 1: Caught Up" Big Screen Concerts event at 44 Regal Cinema Group movie theaters across the country. This 90-minute event was hosted by Usher live via satellite on February 21, and a SHOWTIME tune-in spot ran on the big screen during the event. Twenty-five pairs of tickets were offered to radio listeners to attend the event. Additionally, Usher standees placed in lobbies were given away to members of the audience.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(R), SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported SHOWTIME network is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.


Source: SHOWTIME

CONTACT: Joan Ziff, +1-212-708-1590, joan.ziff@showtime.net, or Chloe
Comins, +1-212-708-1708, chloe.comins@showtime.net, both of SHOWTIME

Web site: http://www.sho.com/


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