More Original Programming From Directv

Joan Lunden will salute caring Satellite TV subscribers on �Hometown Heroes,� a new series created by the satellite television provider. �Hometown Heroes� will premiere April 6 on Satellite TV's original programming channel, called The 101. Each episode of the half-hour show features three stories about people who make a difference in their communities and are customers of the satellite service.

Satellite TV, with 16 million subscribers, has been creating original programming for The 101 as a bonus to subscribers and to create a point of differentiation from other multichannel services. The idea for �Hometown Heroes��"a show that focuses on subscribers and tries to make them feel part of a community of satellite TV users�"originated with Ms. Larone and Eric Shanks, executive VP of Satellite TV Entertainment. Ms. Lunden, the former �Good Morning America� anchor, was their first choice to host the show.

�We were trying to think who would be the perfect person. It kept coming back to Joan,� Ms. Larone said. �Because she hosted morning television for nearly 20 years, we figured our audience would recognize her instantly as someone who is trustworthy.� �In this age of so much reality TV, and so much bad news and so much exploitation, to see a network ... give airtime to something that just recognizes people doing something good, people making a difference in the world, I took my hat off to them and I jumped right on board,� she said.

Satellite TV has broadened its programming focus to include women with the former NBC soap opera �Passions.� �Hometown Heroes,� however, is aimed at more of a family audience. Next week, Satellite TV launches �Supreme Court of Comedy,� in which comedians represent real people with small claims in front of comic Dom Irrera, who serves as judge. In one episode, Tom Arnold and Sinbad square off on behalf of their clients.






By: Frank Bilotta

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