Virtual Laguna Beach Members Gear Up for Winter Formal in a 3D Experience That Mirrors the Show

Virtual Laguna Beach Members Gear Up for Winter Formal in a 3D Experience That Mirrors the Show

'Laguna Beach' Episode to Premiere In-World, the First Time a Television Program Debuts in a Virtual Environment

NEW YORK, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Find a date and dress up in your finest formal wear because you, too, will be headed to the Winter Formal along with other cast members of "Laguna Beach" this week.

As Tessa, Chase, Cameron and the rest of the cast attend the Winter Formal in this week's episode (10 p.m. ET/PT Wednesday, Sept. 27), viewers can live the experience for themselves a day earlier in Virtual Laguna Beach (VLB), the new, immersive 3D social-networking experience from MTV Networks' Music Group. They can also catch the following night's episode a day before its on-air debut -- a move that marks the first time a television show premieres in its entirety in a virtual world.

"By premiering Laguna Beach in the virtual world, we are rewarding true fans, giving them a chance to interact with our content in new, exciting and personal ways," said Brian Graden, President, Entertainment MTV Networks Music Group and President, Logo.

All the festivities begin at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday, Sept. 26 with the full showing of the Laguna Beach episode in-world. Members can watch it with their dates upon arriving at the dance, which takes place at a Spanish-style villa nestled by the sea. They can also view the episode at any number of other hot spots in-world, including Laguna Cinema, the VIP Club, the Laguna Arts Center, Kyndra's House or Sanctuary. Once the dance begins, members can recreate all the drama they see on-air, watch as the king and queen are crowned, and rock to music provided by the popular Laguna Beach radio station on URGE, MTV Networks' digital music service.

The dance and in-world premiere cap a week of festivities in which members shop for stylish new evening wear and nominate themselves and each other for the titles of winter formal king and queen. The entire experience underscores VLB's ability to deliver special environments in which viewers can live in a parallel universe that mirrors the story arcs and themes of the on-air program. The Winter Formal is just one of many cool experiences that will be 'unlocked' in-world as the show progresses.

The winter formal episode of Laguna Beach airs on MTV at 10 p.m. ET/PT Wednesday, Sept. 27. The beta application of Virtual Laguna Beach can be downloaded from http://www.vlb.mtv.com/.

Virtual Laguna Beach is the first of three virtual worlds from MTV Networks' Music Group; other virtual worlds are planned for the broader music community and for viewers of Logo, making it one of the first such applications for the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Mariana Agathoklis, +1-212-846-5755,
Mariana.Agathoklis@mtvstaff.com, or Matthew Hutchison, +1-212-846-8052,
Matthew.Hutchison@mtvstaff.com, both of MTV Networks Music Group

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
http://www.vlb.mtv.com/

-------
Profile: intent