NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Time Inc. (NYSE: TIME) premieres “Sports Illustrated,” a weekly, half-hour feature program for Net2TV’s free, ad-supported Portico TV service, which is distributed to more than 30 million screens through smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sharp and Philips; on Roku-connected TVs; and on Toshiba tablets and notebooks. The show is also available online at www.portico.tv.
“Sports Illustrated” is hosted by Maggie Gray and will offer features, behind-the-scenes sports stories and in-depth analysis from the iconic sports media franchise. The premiere episode looks at a pair of New Orleans’ football stars: Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his grueling off-season workout regimen, and LSU running back Leonard Fournette (“New Orleans Favorite Son”) as the 2014 college and pro football seasons get underway. Viewers will also enjoy a preview of the always hotly debated race for the Heisman Trophy. The episode will wrap-up with a visit to the Swiss Alps for an inside look at one of last year’s most popular Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoots. A sample of the show can be seen at http://bit.ly/net2tv-SIshow; the full show can be viewed at www.portico.tv.
Earlier this year, Time Inc. and Net2TV announced an agreement to add the Portico streaming TV service to Time Inc.’s premium digital video distribution network. The new “Sports Illustrated” show joins several Time Inc. programs that have since launched on Portico including: “The Week in TIME,” “PEOPLE This Week,” “Cooking Light,” “Southern Living,” and “Inside Golf Magazine.”
“The addition of ‘Sports Illustrated’ to Net2TV’s Portico streaming TV service is another step forward in the plan to distribute our brands’ original digital video to consumers on their preferred devices and platforms,” said J.R. McCabe, Time Inc. senior vice president, Video. “The emerging OTT space represents a wonderful opportunity for the company and we have a great partner in Net2TV to help us move forward in this medium.”
“It’s hard to think of sports coverage without thinking of Sports Illustrated,” said Tom Morgan, president and CEO of Net2TV Corp. “SI fans now have a way to dig into more of what they’re passion about with special features and commentary on the sports they love.”
About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE: TIME) is one of the largest media companies in the world reaching more than 130 million consumers each month across multiple platforms. With influential brands such as TIME, PEOPLE, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Real Simple, Wallpaper, Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine, Time Inc. is home to celebrated events and franchises including the FORTUNE 500, TIME 100, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and the Essence Festival.
About Net2TV and Portico TV
Net2TV Corporation is a digital television company that delivers free, ad-supported programming through its Portico TV service. Portico TV programming is developed in partnership with established media brands, high-quality online producers, and independent film and documentary producers. Net2TV curates short-form videos from these partners and packages the video into full 30-, 60-, or 90-minute television programs for Internet-connected TVs and devices. The company, which is headed by industry veterans from MTV/Nickelodeon, Black Arrow, NBC, TiVo and Netflix, is based in Redwood City, Calif. For more information, visit www.net2tv.com.
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