Tyrese to Narrate BET's Newest Docu-Drama, 'FIRST IN'

Tyrese to Narrate BET's Newest Docu-Drama, 'FIRST IN'

Singer, Model and Actor Tyrese Gibson Is the Voice of This Groundbreaking New Series Chronicling the Lives of Compton's Firefighters and Paramedics As They Respond to Emergencies on a Day-to-Day Basis

PASADENA, Calif., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- FIRST IN premieres on Friday, October 2, at 10:00 p.m.* Narrated by entertainment mogul Tyrese Gibson, this 10-episode half-hour original series delves into the lives of Compton's firefighters and paramedics as they try to balance the high stress of a gruesome 72-hour work schedule and family life. Emotions run high as the men and women work long hours in a fast-paced, high-intensity atmosphere with the pressure to save lives every day.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )

Though Compton only has a population of about 100,000 people, there are a reported 75 active gangs operating within the area, which makes this a unique environment for the city's emergency teams. With one of the highest crime rates in the country, gunshot wounds, dead bodies and mangled cars are just another day on the job for these highly trained professionals. Day after day, all the drama is caught on tape as the team - consisting of an ambulance operator, multiple firefighters, an intern and the youngest Battalion Chief in the country, Marcel Melanson, of the Compton Fire Department - fights battles both on the job and at home.

A native of the Compton area, Gibson is best known for his starring role in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, as well as other movies such as Baby Boy and Four Brothers. In addition to his career as an actor, Gibson is a successful GRAMMY -nominated recording artist with hits like "Sweet Lady," "Just a Baby Boy" and "How U Gonna Act Like That." He is also the creator of the comic book Mayhem, to be published through Image Comics with a release date of Wednesday, August 5. Additionally, he is the first and only African American male model to land a multi-million dollar contract with GUESS.

FIRST IN is created and directed by Michael McQuarn, who executive produced the series along with Nickie Shapira and Courtney Le of 8th Wonder Entertainment. Tyrese Gibson also served as an executive producer of the series, and Mike Le served as a co-executive producer, both on behalf of Tyrese's HQ Pictures, a division of HeadQuarter Entertainment.

Viewers can visit www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows for more information about FIRST IN.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET

Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Voncella McIntosh, +1-310-481-3732, voncella.mcIntosh@bet.net,
or Crystal Thomas , +1-310-481-3779, crystal.thomas@bet.net, both of BET
Networks

Web Site: http://www.bet.com/

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