- The FIZZ
The FIZZ is a half-hour weekly
television program created by James Cahill and Garrett Darland forDirecTV Original Entertainment. The show featuresvideo blog gers, aspiring hosts, online videos andindie music videos.The program premiered in November, 2006 on DIRECTV Channel 101. [ [http://www.modbee.com/local/story/13006042p-13661898c.html] ] The entertainment trade publication Variety called the FIZZ "easily consumed... a liberating approach to TV programming." [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954899.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&query=the+fizz+directv Variety article] ] Eric Shanks, Executive Vice President of DIRECTV Original Entertainment said in a recent
ITV interview, "The FIZZ will essentially be the video bloggers show. Everyone has tried to find a way to bring the internet to television and we think we've cracked the code with this show."The FIZZ has made such a strong impact on DIRECTV subscribers that it has recently expanded to include special Newzzeditions [ [http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/838851/the_sightspeed_guy_to_host_new_directv_show/index.html ``The SightSpeed Guy' to Host New DIRECTV Show - Technology - RedOrbit ] ] and has dramatically raised the profile of the video bloggers who appear as on air as hosts. One of the programs videoblogger contributors, Pittsburgh native "Digital Soul" [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06343/744785-96.stm Bits&Bytes: Intrepid employees starting their own companies ] ] began his career as a video blogger who chronicled his weight loss in internet videos viewed more than 2 million times Fact|date=May 2007. His popularity earned him a guest host spot on The FIZZ. The Fizz features some of the webs most compelling and popular vloggers weekly including
Thewinekone ,TheHill88 , spricket24, Mark Day Comedy, Jay Lamont,Boh3m3 , Blunty3000,The Angry Aussie , Peter Zottolo, Beth and Val and the programs main host,Cory Williams started as a stunt man posting internet clips onYouTube . Williams, who bills himself asa "professional idiot" [ [http://www.turlockjournal.com/articles/2007/03/17/news/news1.txt] ] has built a following on the web with myspace friends and e-pal subscribers to hisYouTube channel. Travis and Johnathan, longtime contibutors to the FIZZ [http://www.murfreesboropost.com/news.php?viewStory=5491] through the Red State Update comedy vlog were featured on the You Tube/CNN presidential debates.The American version of the show has been so successful that a spanish version of the show has been made and is now running on DIRECTV Latin America.
The FIZZ accepts submissions of personal video blogs featuring topical humor, amateur films and animations of 5 minutes or less and independent music videos from unsigned artists.
Trivia
*The FIZZ regularly posts episodic teasers on
YouTube .
*The first episode of The Fizz was roughly 11 minutes long. It was used to fill out a concert to make it an even hour.
*The first TV show made by videobloggers.
*The spin off Spanish version, titled "El Fizz", airs through out Latin America. [http://www.truveo.com/El-Fizz-Nuevo-Proyecto-de-DIRECTV-para-VLOGGERS/id/1276981091]
*Was the first place on TV to air Randy Newman's performance of "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country".
*Was the first place on TV to air Cory Williams' music video "Mean Kitty". At the time of writing this article this clip has over 8 million views online. [http://www.toacorn.com/news/2007/0913/Community/021.html]Links to articles about The Fizz
Turlock Journal Wednesday Mach 21 2007 [http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/728030/new_media_meets_tv_turlock_resident_attains_cult_status_with/index.html]
Variety December 3,2006 [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954899.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&query=the+fizz+directv]
THE INSIDER -DIRECTV Access Magazine, April 2007 [http://www.thefizz.tv/TheFizz.DTV.VideoBlogging.pdf]
The FIZZ is featured in DIRECTV VOD Rollout Release [http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA6429842]
References
External links
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=the101ondirectv The FIZZ] previews on
YouTube * [http://www.thefizz.tv/ www.TheFizz.tv] The FIZZ Official website
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