LX.TV Premieres 'ON THE ROCKS: THE SEARCH FOR AMERICA'S TOP BARTENDER' Featuring ABSOLUT(R) Vodka

LX.TV Premieres 'ON THE ROCKS: THE SEARCH FOR AMERICA'S TOP BARTENDER' Featuring ABSOLUT(R) Vodka

ONLINE BARTENDER SERIES SHAKES UP COCKTAILS, DRAMA AND THE QUEST FOR $100,000 ON LXTV.COM/ONTHEROCKS

NEW YORK, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Move over "Survivor," American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars." There's a new show in town...and it's really "shaking" things up. On Saturday, November 8, at 12:01 a.m., LX.TV will debut "ON THE ROCKS: THE SEARCH FOR AMERICA'S TOP BARTENDER" featuring ABSOLUT(R) Vodka, an online bartender series that follows the search for the best and brightest master mixologists.

"Behind every great cocktail is a great bartender," said Ian Crystal, Brand Director of ABSOLUT Vodka. "As the world's most iconic vodka, we are proud to support innovative and stylish bartenders who have what it takes to bring the art of mixology to a bold, new level. ABSOLUT is thrilled to present an all-new show, sure to become the first of a franchise, with more seasons and Top Bartenders to come."

"We are raising our glasses to toast the kick off of this great program. Bartending is a true art form and we're happy to be presenting the first-ever reality show that honors their skills," said Morgan Hertzan, NBC Local Media Senior Vice President of Programming and General Manager of LX.TV. "By distributing this show across all of our NBC Local Media platforms -- on air, online and out of home, we know that folks who love to go out will be able to find time to watch this whenever and wherever they want."

Hosted by sexy nightlife impresario Pedro Andrade, ten contestants from the country's most influential and innovative cocktail communities will demonstrate their talent, knowledge, speed, accuracy and agility in the face of a teeming crowd of thirsty bar patrons who demand cocktail supremacy and service with style. Ashley "Fabulash" Humston from Los Angeles, Kristin Schaefer from Las Vegas and Jovino (John T.) Guza from NYC will be among the contestants who will have to score tips and create cocktails to pair with foods and desserts created by top Las Vegas chefs, all part of the competition.

Weekly challenges will include, among others:
-- $100 Cocktail
-- Matchmaking
-- Flair Bartending
-- Breaking the Ice
-- The Tipping Point

Show contestants are pitted against one another to serve up delicious libations, with the judges weighing in on both substance and individual style. Following each challenge, the three judges -- Cecile Raubenheimer, nightclub marketing expert; Fabrizio Brienza, international nightlife legend and Gregory Filler, casting guru for a Las Vegas talent agency -- will select a winner, who will reign supreme for another week, and a loser, who will be disqualified and asked to leave the show.

Shot on location at the legendary MGM Grand in the nightlife mecca that is Las Vegas, the drama builds behind (and away from) the bar as "On the Rocks: The Search for America's Top Bartender" proves to raise the bar in online programming. After 12 weeks of heated competition, contestants will be narrowed down to the creme de la creme of the bartending bunch. The winner will be announced and awarded $100,000 and the title AMERICA'S TOP BARTENDER at the Nightclub and Bar Show in Las Vegas in March, 2009.

Marketing and Promotional Efforts

To spread the word, promotional spots will be running in New York City taxi cabs and commercial time in late night television, including "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "Last Call with Carson Daly" in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. There will also be 90 second cut-downs of weekly webisodes in the late night airings of LX.TV 1ST LOOK NY, 1ST LOOK LA and 1ST LOOK Chicago, LX.TV's signature series that features the best of what's new in food, nightlife, shopping, culture, and wellness. Cutdowns of webisodes will be fed to relevant Web sites and full webisodes will be released and housed on lxtv.com/ontherocks. There will also be a weekly promotion in the LX.TV e-newsletter. For more information and to view a complete list of cast members, log onto lxtv.com/ontherocks.

About Pernod Ricard USA

Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT(R) Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value.

In addition to ABSOLUT(R), Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet(R) Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal(R) Scotch Whisky, Jameson(R) Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey(R) Bourbon, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin(R), Beefeater(R) Gin, Plymouth(TM) Gin, Martell(R) Cognac, Malibu(R) flavored Rum, Kahlua(R) Liqueur, Hiram Walker(R) Liqueurs, Pernod(R) and Ricard(R); such superior wines as Jacob's Creek(R) and Brancott Estate(R); and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouet(R) Champagne, G.H. Mumm(TM) Champagne and Mumm Napa(R) sparkling wines.

The company is based in Purchase, New York, and has roughly 1,000 employees across the country.

Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

About LX.TV

Emmy award-winning LX.TV was founded in 2006 and purchased by NBC Local Media Division in January 2008. LX.TV produces high-quality original content accessible on multiple platforms from on-air to on-line to out of the home. LX.TV's original programming includes "1st Look" and "Open House," which currently run in New York and Los Angeles with plans to expand to other major markets within the next six months. LX.TV also produces special series and programs including the wedding series, "I Do," and the documentary series, "My First Time." LX.TV is a wholly owned subsidiary of NBC Local Media.

About NBC Local Media

NBC Local Media is comprised of ten NBC owned-and-operated television stations reaching 27% of US TV households; the NBC Everywhere operation focusing on the growing Out of Home digital market; LX.TV, a content production company that produces lifestyle and cultural programming; and Skycastle Entertainment, an award-winning entertainment marketing and promotion company. Together, the NBC Local Media properties distribute NBC Universal content and produce local content for broadcast television, broadband networks, digital channels and numerous media outlets outside of the home. NBC Local Media is a division of NBC Universal.

Source: Pernod Ricard USA

CONTACT: Sarah Bessette, of Pernod Ricard USA, +1-212-641-8653,
sarah.bessette@pernod-ricard-usa.com; or Caroline Kim of LX.TV,
+1-212-651-9343, Caroline.kim@nbcuni.com

Web Site: http://lxtv.com/ontherocks

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