NBC to Launch ‘Fact Checkers Unit' Digital Series

Samsung Electronics and NBC Universal Digital Studio have joined forces on a new original digital series, Fact Checkers Unit, NBC announced Monday.

The series will premiere Aug. 17 and marks the first time a mobile phone provider and studio have teamed up for global distribution of a series.

It will debut on factcheckers.com, major U.S. cable video-on-demand services and mobile platforms, as well as Syfy's digital platforms in the U.K., Syfy Universal throughout Asia/Pacific and the Sci Fi Channel in Australia.

Based on a short film of the same name, FCU: Fact Checker's Unit follows the antics of two enthusiastic celebrity fact checkers played by Russell Karinen and Dylan Sacca. Guest stars will include such names as Luke Perry (90210), Alex Trebek (Jeopardy) and Donald Faison (Scrubs).

"As the leading producer and distributor of original digital content, FCU: Fact Checker's Unit represents a logical next step for our studio's production and distribution prowess, combining buzz-worthy programming with quality content and recognizable talent," said Cameron Death, Vice President, NBC Universal Digital Studio. "Along with our partners at Samsung, we know that there is a built-in audience that loved the film short and we have further enhanced the original concept that celebrates how far these two obsessed guys will go to find out the truth."

"This partnership represents a great opportunity for Samsung and NBC Digital Studio to break fresh ground and offer consumers a new entertainment experience. FCU: Fact Checker's Unit can showcase the benefits of our Galaxy S smart phone to a global audience in a fun, engaging and compelling way," said YH Lee, Senior Vice President of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. "Collaborating with NBC Digital, we expect this to be the start of a long-term relationship with our shared audiences."