CES: Sony Pictures Television embraces the new tube (YouTube)
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Sony Pictures Television rolled out its syndication A-list -- ‘Wheel of Fortune’ letter-turner Vanna White, ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek and comedian Jerry Seinfeld -- to tout the studio’s breadth of content and its embrace of new distribution platforms. To underscore that point, Sony announced its first ad-supported channel on YouTube, the Minisode Network, which launched today.
It’ll feature five-minute versions of such blast-from-the-past shows as ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ ‘Fantasy Island,’ ‘Married ... With Children,’ ‘NewsRadio’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes.’ It has also begun acquiring programs from other companies, including a recent deal with World Events Productions, distributors of ‘Voltron’ and ‘Saber Rider.’
(We know you’re tempted to interpret this announcement as a snub of Crackle, the online video service Sony Pictures acquired in August 2006 for $65 million. But Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television, took pains to tout Crackle as a great incubator for emerging talent: ‘Grab your 15 minutes of fame, and maybe a development deal.’)
As if to demonstrate his love of all things geek, Trebek said he would tape 10 episodes of ‘Jeopardy!’ (the Tournament of Champions) from the floor of the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show next January before a live audience to commemorate the show’s 25th anniversary year.
-- Dawn C. Chmielewski