NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is announcing that the People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN), the free, ad-supported OTT network, which launched in September 2016, will be rebranded as PeopleTV (PeopleTV.com). Entertainment Weekly Studios will continue to contribute significantly to PeopleTV programming. The rebranded network leverages the PEOPLE name, one of the most recognizable and iconic media brands.
PeopleTV offers premium short and long-form programming, encompassing celebrity, pop culture, lifestyle and human interest stories. Over the past year, the network has garnered more than two million downloads. Additionally, thus far in 2017, there have been 100 million views of PeopleTV content across all platforms.
PeopleTV will have a presence throughout the upcoming Emmy’s weekend, starting with co-sponsoring Entertainment Weekly’s Pre-Emmy Party at the Sunset Tower Hotel on Friday. On Saturday, PeopleTV will be a presenting sponsor of the 11th Annual “Evening Before,” benefiting the Motion Picture & Television Fund. The weekend will culminate with the “People & Entertainment Weekly Emmys Red Carpet Live,” hosted by PEOPLE Deputy Editor, JD Heyman, and host of PeopleTV’s “Entertainment Weekly: The Show,” Lola Ogunnaike, on Sunday at 6PM ET/3PM PT. PeopleTV’s coverage will also stream live on Twitter.
“With the tremendous success and momentum of our first year, we’re excited to expand and evolve PeopleTV,” said Bruce Gersh, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Time Inc. “This includes a comprehensive programming slate that rivals any OTT network, with the advantage of the authoritative storytelling that is unique to Time Inc.”
PeopleTV is greenlighting new series and renewing fan favorites, as the network embarks on its second year.
“Building off our popular franchises, we’re thrilled to expand our programming by producing new, original, stand-alone series, including more unscripted, live shows and specials, which we anticipate will become fan favorites on PeopleTV,” said JJ Miller, Vice President, PeopleTV Programming and Executive Producer, Style and Entertainment Group, Time Inc.
Some of the network’s new series for 2017/2018 include: (Chronological by premiere date)
- “Shelf Life” – Join the book club with Jill Adams, Oprah’s Book Club and Special Projects Producer, as she hosts discussions pertaining to: must-read books for the fall curated by PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly Book Editors, the latest news in the literary world, book club nightmares and more. Authors Roz Chast, Ken Follett and Ruth Ware are also interviewed. (Premieres Fall 2017, Produced by PeopleTV)
- “Family Portrait” – An inspiring series taking an in-depth look at the diverse families across the country, debunking the ‘typical American family’ stereotype and highlighting the genuine kindness of the human spirit. (Premieres November 2017, Produced by SoulPancake)
- “Paws & Claws” – From every beak and scale to every whisker and tail, this ‘pawsome’ interactive series brings you all of the adorable, viral and buzzworthy animal stories of the week. (Premieres Winter 2017, Produced by PeopleTV)
- “Entertainment Weekly: Hollywood True Crime” – Behind-the-scene scandals have infiltrated Hollywood for years and this series unearths exclusive, never-before-seen or heard stories from the showbiz world. (Premieres 2018, Produced by Entertainment Weekly Studios)
- “Sizing Up the Dress” – Haute & Co. Bridal™ Boutique carries wedding dresses sizes 14-32 (12-30 in everyday clothing). Follow the search as these soon-to-be brides hope to say ‘I do’ to the perfect gown. (Premieres 2018, Produced by Authentic Entertainment)
This new programming joins viewer favorites: “Fan Forum LIVE: Survivor” season two, hosted by Andrea Boehlke (premieres September 27); “The Jess Cagle Interview,” hosted by PEOPLE’s Editor-in-Chief; “Dirty Laundry,” hosted by InStyle Editor-in-Chief, Laura Brown; “Entertainment Weekly Cast Reunions” and others. “Entertainment Weekly Cast Reunions: Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is the network’s most-viewed episode, to date.
About PeopleTV:
PeopleTV is a free, advertiser-supported, OTT streaming service from Time Inc. PeopleTV’s quality programming features original series and specials, which encompass celebrity, pop culture, lifestyle and human interest genres. Viewers have unlimited, daily access to an expansive slate of on-demand programming, which includes: live red carpet coverage and real-time, socially interactive fan forums, as well as exclusive, behind-the-scenes access into magazine cover stories, popular cast reunions and high-profile one-on-one celebrity interviews. PeopleTV is available on connected-TV devices and mobile, in addition to PeopleTV.com. Download the free app on Apple TV, Roku Players, Amazon Fire TV, PlutoTV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices, and follow @PeopleTV to join the conversation. PeopleTV is a division of the leading content company Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME).
About Time Inc.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading content company that engages more than 170 million consumers every month through our portfolio of premium brands across platforms. Our influential brands include: PEOPLE, TIME, FORTUNE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, INSTYLE, REAL SIMPLE and SOUTHERN LIVING, as well as approximately 60 diverse titles in the United Kingdom.
