New Interactive CBS Murder Mystery Debuts this Spring
Network partners with EQAL to air multi-platform experience
By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/13/2009 9:42:00 AM MT
Harper’s Island, the new CBS murder mystery set to air this spring, isn’t just coming to TV. The 13-episode series is being presented as a multi-platform interactive program with portions of the show being aired online and on mobile devices.
CBS partnered with social entertainment company EQAL, creators of YouTube hits lonelygirl15 and KateModern, to produce a collaborative show in which overlapping characters and plots will evolve online and on mobile devices throughout the season. The show debuts April 9 at 10 p.m. but the online interactive social show starts weeks earlier on March 18.
“It’s not a pre-requisite to go online in order to follow the series on-air but those who do will have an authentic entertainment experience” said Nancy Tellem, president of CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. EQAL collaborated with CBS on the writing, producing, and directing of the program and will also contribute technological infrastructure to host the social show.
Harper’s Island is about a wedding held on a secluded island. As the festivities begin, a murderer claims victims from the wedding party. Everyone from wedding guests to the island locals is suspected of the crime and each week more lives are taken.
CBS Interactive and EQAL formed a partnership in May 2008. EQAL conceptualizes and produces multi-platform shows for CBS’ on-air programs and acts as a consulting partner for CBS Interactive. The network gets ‘first look’ at new shows being developed by EQAL.
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