[August 23, 2004] America Online and Buena Vista Television Break New Ground by Expanding 'Ask the Audience' Lifeline beyond the 'Millionaire' Studio via Instant Messaging BURBANK, Calif. & DULLES, Va. --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 23, 2004 -- Tens of Millions of AOL(R) Members, AOL(R) Instant Messenger(TM) (AIM(R)) Users and Online 'Millionaire' Fans Can Help Contestants by Answering Show Questions in Real-Time During Episode Tapings In a groundbreaking initiative announced today, Buena Vista Television (BVT) and America Online, Inc., the world's leading interactive services company, will allow tens of millions of AOL members, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) users and fans of the show to participate in "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire's" "Ask The Audience" polling. "Millionaire" and AOL are making television history by becoming the only interactive syndicated series currently on television to incorporate a real-time interactive element during production tapings. Those who add the "MillionaireIM" screen name to their Buddy List(R) feature can participate in the show when a contestant selects "Ask the Audience" by receiving actual game questions via instant message (IM) or mobile instant message(1) and answering them in real-time. With the addition of this new IM component, a contestant who chooses "Ask The Audience" will see the responses of both the studio audience and those participating via IM. Visitors to www.millionairetv.com who are not already AOL members or AIM users will receive instruction on how to participate by downloading AIM for free. "Millionaire's" third season will tape from September 1 through January 16, 2005. During that time, people with "MillionaireIM" on their Buddy List will be able to receive a multiple-choice question via IM at their desktop or on their mobile device and play along when the "Ask The Audience" lifeline is used. "Millionaire has always been on the cutting edge - if you look at the lights, the set, the amount of money that we give away - it's really unlike anything else on television. By partnering with AOL to make 'Millionaire' interactive, we're continuing the tradition of being innovators in the TV game show genre," added Executive Producer, Michael Davies. "We are pleased to enter into this partnership with America Online, which will allow our contestants to access the combined knowledge of tens of millions of online users," said Jennie Born, Vice President National Promotions, BVT. "We are also thrilled that our fans can now play an active role in this very engaging game." Patricia Karpas, Vice President and General Manager, AOL(R) Television, said, "We're constantly looking for ways to enrich AOL members' and AIM users' television viewing by extending the experience from on-air to online, and we think this new partnership really brings that concept to life. We are delighted to provide a way to actively engage fans in this popular show, while providing an exciting new layer to the competition." Registration for AOL's new IM component for "Ask The Audience" will be promoted on-air during "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," on www.aim.com, on the AIM Today welcome screen and within AOL Television at AOL Keyword: Millionaire. Viewers can also obtain information on how to become a "Millionaire Buddy" online at www.millionairetv.com. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist and TV personality Meredith Vieira, continued its extraordinary run in syndication for a second consecutive season winning both critical-acclaim and a ringing endorsement from national audiences. "Millionaire" won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Game/Audience Participation Show, while also receiving 2004 Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Best Game/Audience Participation Show and Outstanding Game Show host. National ratings for Millionaire also continued to grow substantially over season one, indicating the program's wide-spread appeal with television audiences. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" returns to the air for its third season on September 13, 2004. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" continues to be produced by the same Emmy Award-winning team, Valleycrest Productions, which brought the original "Millionaire" to ABC in 1999. Michael Davies, Paul Smith and Leigh Hampton are executive producers; Vincent Rubino is co-executive producer. The AOL Instant Messenger service, America's most popular instant messaging application, can be downloaded for free at www.aim.com. Fans with access to AIM or AOL Buddy List on their mobile devices can also set up the IM Forwarding feature at www.aolmobile.com to help ensure they will not miss a game show question. About Buena Vista Television Buena Vista Television (BVT) is the domestic television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company. BVT distributes original and off-network programming to network affiliates, independent stations and cable networks. BVT also distributes the company's movies in pay-per-view, video-on-demand and pay TV, as well as to broadcast and cable networks, featuring films from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Films and Dimension Films. Buena Vista Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney Enterprises, Inc. About AIM(R) 5.5 The AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) service is the most popular instant messaging application in the U.S. with more than 36 million active users who send 1.5 billion instant messages everyday. Designed to give users a more expressive instant messaging experience, America Online's AIM 5.5 offers a number of new advanced instant messaging capabilities that extend the vibrant social interaction that takes place within the AIM community. Users have the ability to conduct live video instant messaging conversations(2), link-up and manage multiple AIM screen names from the same session, invite their buddies to play online games through their instant messaging connection and access WeatherBug's precise live weather conditions. WeatherBug, along with other optional components, are offered as enhancements to the AIM service. About America Online, Inc. America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services. (1) Mobile instant messaging requires a text- or Web-enabled device and wireless service plan. Additional charges from wireless carrier may apply. (2) Requires Windows XP and a webcam [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]