The Death of Reality TV: Viewers are Tuning Out the Apprentice, Survivor, and American Idol as InfoMedia Announces the World's First Competitive Internet Reality Show

The Death of Reality TV: Viewers are Tuning Out the Apprentice, Survivor, and American Idol as InfoMedia Announces the World's First Competitive Internet Reality Show

LOVELAND, Colo., Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Where have all the viewers gone? If the buzz being generated on the Internet is any indication, it seems they're turning off their TV sets and getting ready to tune into the world's first competitive internet reality show.

A mainstay of primetime television for the past decade, reality programming is attracting fewer viewers than ever before. Network executives and producers are watching their audiences dwindle at an increasing pace as consumers are presented with more viewing choices from different mediums. A large number of viewers are turning to the Internet for entertainment, though there has been very little original programming designed to keep their attention for more than a few minutes.

The major networks have been scrambling to put more content online. In February, NBC released a study of its online streaming video player. "Our viewers responded strongly to the streaming video on our site," said Jeff Gaspin, the president of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, Digital Content and Cross Network Strategy. "Contrary to conventional wisdom, consumers are ready to watch long-form entertainment on the web and we plan on making more available." At the time of the study, nearly 42 million full length episodes had already been streamed from their website.

While the networks have found a new revenue stream by re-broadcasting their TV shows, they have yet to produce a full-fledged made-for-internet series. In April, The New York Times reported that Mark Burnett (creator of Survivor and other reality series) might produce a political themed reality show to be hosted on MySpace in 2008. Whether it will happen remains to be seen, but if it does, it will not be the first reality show to hit the web.

Television execs and those in the entertainment industry are watching closely as Internet entrepreneur, Joel Comm, is set to premier the world's first competitive Internet reality show, "The Next Internet Millionaire." Designed to appeal to reality fans of all ages, Comm's original program intends to entertain as well as educate how he and others generate millions of dollars on the Internet.

Today "The Next Internet Millionaire" announced a website and one-minute teaser promoting the August 15th premier of the program. Both the website and the new teaser demonstrate first-rate production values unlike anything the Internet has ever seen.

"I believe the Internet is ready for prime time programming," says Joel Comm, Host and Executive Producer of 'The Next Internet Millionaire.' "With the popularity of reality programming and online video, the time is right for the two to converge. Audiences are ready to embrace quality, original web-based content that will become the talk at the water cooler." Comm continues, "'The Next Internet Millionaire' is a historical production that will forever raise the bar for online video production."

Online video auditions were solicited earlier this year, with hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs applying for the opportunity to win $25,000 cash and a large-scale joint venture with Comm, a successful Internet businessman and author of the New York Times Best Seller, 'The AdSense Code.' Twelve contestants were culled from the auditions and brought on location to learn strategies and techniques for generating income online from the leading Internet marketing experts. The roster includes such prolific teachers as Mark Joyner, Armand Morin, Mike Filsaime, Rich Schefren, Marlon Sanders, and Brad Fallon, all of whom regularly generate millions of dollars per year online.

The contestants include six men and six women from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Costa Rica. With varying levels of online experience, the contestants will learn from the experts and compete in a variety of individual and team challenges designed to test their leadership ability, persuasion skills, creativity, and other business related skills. The goal is to find the ideal joint venture partner for Comm.

Beginning August 15th and concluding in November, the world will watch as these twelve contestants compete for an opportunity of a lifetime; the ultimate joint venture with one of the world's most respected Internet marketers.

The Next Internet Millionaire is a joint venture between InfoMedia, Inc., Eric Holmlund and Deluge Films of Northern Colorado. InfoMedia, Inc. is a new media company based in Loveland, Colorado. Providing a twelve-year track record of building profitable Internet sites, InfoMedia leads the way in innovative, entertaining and educational uses of the Internet.

To interview Joel Comm, for sponsorship opportunities or for more information, contact InfoMedia, Inc. (970) 278-0011 or visit www.NextInternetMillionaire.com

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Source: InfoMedia, Inc.

CONTACT: InfoMedia, Inc., +1-970-278-0011

Web site: http://www.nextinternetmillionaire.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment