NBC, PRN Detail HDTV Benefits

LOS ANGELES The NBC Agency has partnered with Premier Retail Networks, creator of in-store media networks, on a high-definition television information campaign designed to educate consumers about the benefits of HDTV, the companies said.

The campaign, titled “This is HDTV,” will begin running on Aug. 1. It includes four HD educational segments created and produced by PRN, the Consumer Electronics Association and The NBC Agency. Talent from NBC’s programs including American Dreams‘ Tom Verica and Boomtown‘s Neal McDonough serve as hosts and share information about HDTV. The segments also include promos for the shows.

The idea for the campaign began with PRN, which supplies customized programming in analog and high-definition formats in Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears stores around the country. The segments will be broadcast on PRN’s networks in those retail locations. Analog and HD versions of the segments will run alongside each other so that viewers can compare the differences in quality. The estimated campaign budget is $2 million.

“We are interested in supporting our retailers’ efforts and enhancing consumer satisfaction by providing valuable information about HDTVs and HDTV programming,” said Charlie Nooney, chief executive officer of San Francisco-based PRN, in a statement. “Noting a lack of consumer information on HDTV, we felt compelled to create a campaign that would bridge the HDTV educational gap.”

Vince Manze, co-president of The NBC Agency in Burbank, Calif., said in a statement, “Not only did we feel we would be addressing a consumer need by educating viewers on how HDTV works, but we also embraced the opportunity to showcase the enhanced viewing experience of the NBC shows that are broadcast in HDTV.”

Most of NBC’s scripted TV programming is produced in the high-definition format, according to The NBC Agency.