NBC UNIVERSAL TO LAUNCH TRIO BROADBAND INITIATIVE UNDER BRAVOTV.COM BANNER WITH CONTENT PEGGED TO UNIQUE 'TRIO' BRAND AND POP CULTURE SENSIBILITY ON JANUARY 1, 2006

'TRIO' TO DISCONTINUE AS A STAND-ALONE DIGITAL CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE

New York, NY - November 21, 2005 - On January 1, NBC Universal will launch the TRIO brand as a broadband initiative under the BravoTV.com banner with the mission to be the definitive source of, and destination for, arts & pop culture on the web. TRIO's signature offerings, from the critically-acclaimed "Brilliant, But Cancelled" series to its popular, often parodied OUTzone programming, and its big, one-of-a-kind pop culture stunts (AwardsMania, Uncensored), will find a new home via this alternative platform. The announcement was made today by Lauren Zalaznick, President, Bravo & TRIO networks. The initiative will roll out at the beginning of the year, with more robust TRIO exclusive broadband content to be added later in the year.

TRIO will no longer continue as a stand-alone digital cable television service.

Lauren Zalaznick, President, TRIO, added, "NBCU's launch of TRIO on broadband is a testament to the strength and popularity of the TRIO brand. We look forward to sharing details of our digital plans in the near future. TRIO has always been for people who are obsessed with the arts and pop culture. The web is a perfect place to expand that 'programming philosophy' to an unlimited audience."

TRIO has notified its affiliate cable systems that the service will be discontinued. Further information about the NBC Universal broadband initiative will be announced at a later date.

They had decent programming every once in a while. It was fun seeing those "Battle of the Network Stars" reruns last year.

Here's hoping some of the rerun programming carries over to other NBCUniversal-owned networks (Likely Bravo).....Seeing Classic Dave again (I lost Trio in September when we dropped digital cable) would be great

I never had the channel anyway.

Hopefully my cable system replaces it with something good (coughSOAPNETcough)...

one of Trio Affiliate is COX Cable

This is interesting. If it works, I'm sure it will be the wave of the future. I've always enjoyed Trio's brand of broadcasting, so I guess we'll see how the new experiment works... :)

I did like Classic Dave at times and it was great seeing some cancelled shows I liked (PJs and Action) and even Rowan & Martin as well as the few eppies of Alfred Hitchcock Presents they offered (loved seeing the original Battles! Too, I'm guessing Bravo would be a great place to air them if they ever decide to again).

DirecTV dropped it last year though. Not surprised it's ending everywhere else, too. I think it had potential, but it was pretty much a wasted channel. Should of been a home for more Universal TV series, IMHO.

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- NBC Universal is shutting down Trio, but will keep the cheeky pop culture television network alive as a broadband offering.

Trio, perhaps best known for show business documentaries and its "Brilliant, But Cancelled" series resurrecting short-lived TV shows, is currently available in only 9 million of the nation's 110 million television homes. It will sign off at the end of the year, NBC said Monday.

Its fate was effectively sealed last year when bought by NBC Universal, which also owns the similar and more widely distributed Bravo. Trio was subsequently dropped by DirecTV, taking away more than half of its distribution, and prospects for going wider were dim.

But it will relaunch on Jan. 1 as a broadband network under the BravoTV.com banner, a prospect that would have been laughable only months ago but now is a serious business prospect. MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon have all recently started their own online networks.

Trio wasn't able to say on Monday which of its programs would make the move to broadband, since use of any shows on another platform must be negotiated with the people who made them.

"It will feel like the channel," said Lauren Zalaznick, Trio president.

Zalaznick said she hoped some of Trio's documentaries, including ones about show business flops and the lives of Elvis Presley impersonators, could make the move to broadband.

There are no plans to keep any of Trio's programming available on traditional television after it is shut down, but Zalaznick said it was possible some could find its way to Bravo if it proves popular on the Web.

Bah Humbug. Not that I ever got Trio...but pretty soon, it seems like our TV is going to be obsolete. I don't like watching TV on my computer all that well.

I did like Classic Dave at times and it was great seeing some cancelled shows I liked (PJs and Action) and even Rowan & Martin as well as the few eppies of Alfred Hitchcock Presents they offered (loved seeing the original Battles! Too, I'm guessing Bravo would be a great place to air them if they ever decide to again).

DirecTV dropped it last year though. Not surprised it's ending everywhere else, too. I think it had potential, but it was pretty much a wasted channel. Should of been a home for more Universal TV series, IMHO.
Yeah, I liked a lot of their programming as well. Those Battles were just AWESOME to watch! Someone like ESPN Classic or whatever needs to air all 19 episodes.