New Vegas TV Network Launched

New Vegas TV Network Launched LAS VEGAS, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Television's "rich and famous" Robin Leach and attorney Nathan Drage lead an investment group that plans to turn a local TV station into an international network showcasing the gambling mecca and its global gaming power. The purchase of Ch. 35 was announced as the National Assn of Television Programming Executives began their convention here today. Its call letters will be changed to KVTE (Vegas Television Entertainment) by February 15 to become the Vegas flagship station of the new network. Next Spring (2006) it will move from existing studios in Henderson, NV to a new multimillion dollar production facility at the heart of the world- famous Las Vegas Strip. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050124/NYM077 ) The new "All Vegas All The Time" outlet starts 24 hour broadcasting March 1 at 5am following a 35-hour nonstop marathon of program specials about Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes and the Rat Pack. First week debuts include Vega$ Bu$ine$$ a Live At Five daily financial show; Counter Intelligence for the booming Vegas Food and Beverage industry -- a coproduction with the Culinary Institute; plus several specials as part of the year's largest NASCAR event on Sunday, March 6 in Las Vegas. Outspoken media personality Jon David Wells will be main anchor. Steph McKenzie hosts the new hour-long 24/7 Vegas Entertainment. Leach who wrote "the bible" and produced the pilot segments for Entertainment Tonight back in 1980 said: "We can now export Vegas, the true entertainment capital of the world, right around the globe. David Copperfield, Jennifer Garner, Joan Collins, Snoop Dog, Cris Judd, Pat Sajak and Vanna White have already filmed interviews and station ID's for the relaunch. "Vegas is the most exciting city on earth and our shows will reflect that. More importantly with Vegas owned casino businesses going worldwide we will seriously cover -- for the first time anywhere on television -- a live gaming financial news show complete with daily Wall Street closing prices. Continued Leach, "Preproduction has begun on 24 episodes of a biography type series focusing on everybody from Kirk Kerkorian, and Steve Wynn to Frank Sinatra and Siegfried & Roy and how they reshaped the Vegas landscape." Leach, who after a 14 year run of his Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous helped launch the Food Network has begun assembling an advisory board of major television executives. He added: "For a long time now the Strip has played host to reality and game shows plus celebrity gaming. The time was right to produce it ourselves and export out rather than importing in. Could there be any better city in the world to headquarter a new entertainment and gaming television channel?" Said Drage (Salt Lake City and Las Vegas): "This is a very significant investment with a well-structured highly focused business plan. In addition to being a regular TV station we are already in positive discussions to be included in 30,000+ Vegas hotel rooms. Once the local station's new program lineup is in place mid-summer we'll plan the launch of the network which will include our own celebrity gaming tournaments, boxing and race-car packages, with sports book and wagering shows." Leach concluded: "Entertainment Tonight, on the air 25 years, the 14 year run of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and The Food Network success have been three big winners. I thought achieving that hat-trick would be sufficient but when this opportunity arose it was just too irresistible." Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050124/NYM077 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Leach Entertainment Enterprises Inc. CONTACT: Leach Entertainment Enterprises Inc., +1-212-557-6900; or Liza Anderson of Warren Cowan Public Relations, +1-310-275-0777, for Leach Entertainment Enterprises Inc. ------- Profile: International Entertainment