Attention Entertainment Editors:

Incendo Media Television series hits the small screen with "BANG!"

    MONTREAL, May 25 /CNW/ - Stephen Greenberg and Jean Bureau of JB Media
and Incendo Media and Steve Levitan and Paul Bronfman of Protocol
Entertainment, are pleased to announce, the start of principal photography of
BANG!, a 78 x 30 minute; cross cultural television series to be produced for
Rogers OMNI Television in Toronto. Executive producers for this Canadian
series will be Steve Levitan of Protocol Entertainment, Stephen Greenberg &
Jean Bureau of JB Media, the producer is Paula Smith. Incendo Media will be
the worldwide distributor for the series.
    BANG! will launch on Rogers OMNI Television on Monday, October 18th,
2004. The series will first air on OMNI.2 Monday-Friday at 10:30pm, with an
alternative viewing window on OMNI.1 beginning October 24th between 9-11:30pm.
    Built around an ethnoculturally diverse cast - this series will reflect
the cultural make up of Toronto and deal with young adult contemporary themes -
university; jobs; social issues; sexual themes which transcend culture. With
this series, OMNI Television underscores its commitment to support authentic
stories in the portrayal of true cultural identities which make up Toronto and
reflects Canadian reality.
    Protocol Entertainment, headed by Steve Levitan is the innovative
producer of "Train 48", an improvised drama set on board a commuter train in
Toronto. More than 190 episodes of "Train 48" have aired on Global TV. The
first series of its kind in Canada, "Train 48" has garnered a wide viewership
across the country.
    Seasoned Canadian writer Paula Smith together with Alex Galaitis, co-
creator of BANG! will spearhead the project. Smith will produce and act as
show runner for the series. She has a wide range of creative and writing
credits including "Paradise Falls" where she was the Co-Creator and Co-Writer
of the nighttime soap. Additional credits for Smith include; Shadow Lake
(Producer/Writer) PSI:Factor (Writer); & Groundling Marsh & Hello, Mrs.
Cherrywinkle (Writer). Joining the writing team will be Executive Story Editor
Jill Golick (Blue Murder, Foreign Affairs, Rockabye Bubble & Nini's Treehouse)
and Julie Strassman-Cohn (Full House, Zaboomafoo, Paradise Falls, Just Jamie).
    "This groundbreaking series enhances our commitment to produce high
quality, Canadian programming. This undertaking by Protocol and OMNI, along
with ourselves, further solidifies our commitment," stated Stephen Greenberg &
Jean Bureau. "We have assembled what we feel is a young, vibrant and talented
cast. We are pleased to have Paula Smith attached to the project. Her vast
knowledge and experience brings a high level of expertise and energy to the
series. The commitment by OMNI is unprecedented by any other Canadian
broadcaster and we are certain BANG! will surpass all of our expectations."
    "With the current success of TRAIN 48, Protocol has the experience and
knowledge to bring a production of this caliber to fruition," stated Mr.
Levitan, President of Protocol Entertainment. "We are anxious to begin putting
the pieces in place for this project and are excited about working with Paula
Smith, JB Media and Incendo. We look forward to showcasing the wide range of
ethnic actors in Toronto and continuing our success with unique and innovative
truly Canadian drama."
    "As the broadcast leader in Canadian ethnocultural programming, this is
exactly the kind of content our viewers are looking for," explains Leslie
Sole, CEO of Rogers Television. "We are excited to take this leap into cutting
edge drama, bringing topics and subject matters that are usually saved for
cable to primetime. We pride ourselves on acknowledging cultural diversity and
this series clearly reflects that by highlighting the evolving and diverse
ethnocultural make up of the city of Toronto."

    JB Media is a Canadian company specializing in the production of
theatrical and television movies. Included in its library are newly produced
films: The Rendering (Shannen Doherty), Wicked Minds (Angie Everhart), Guilt
By Association (Academy Award winner Mercedes Ruehl) The Interrogation of
Michael Crowe (Ally Sheedy), Nightwaves (Sherilyn Fenn), Deadly Betrayal
(Nicolette Sheridan), Deception (Dina Meyer) and Wall of Secrets (Nicole
Eggert) and View of Terror (Shannen Doherty).

    Incendo Media Inc. is the largest television distribution company in
Canada. Through a joint venture sales company with Twentieth Century Fox
International Television, Fox/Incendo has inked strategic television
distribution agreements for Canada with FOX, GRB, Revolution Studios, Dick
Clark Productions, Court TV, Europe Images, CLT and JB Media. Incendo Media
also handles theatrical distribution in Québec for DreamWorks and is the
Canadian distributor for GO FISH!

    About OMNI Television

    OMNI Television, consisting of diversity television stations OMNI.1
(CFMT) and OMNI.2, is a free over-the-air system owned by Rogers
Communications under its Rogers Media: Television division. Combined, the OMNI
stations have significantly expanded the variety of languages, number of hours
and choice of programming being offered for ethnocultural communities
throughout the province of Ontario, providing programming in more than 40
languages to ethnocultural groups encompassing close to 50 communities. With
the launch of OMNI.2 in September 2002, ethnic programming on OMNI.1 (CFMT)
now principally serves the local European, Latino and Caribbean communities,
while OMNI.2's programming reflects the local Pan Asian and African
population. www.omnitv.ca
    From its inception in 1993, Protocol Entertainment's goals have been to
develop, finance, produce and market excellence. To date, their productions
have achieved record sales and worldwide distribution success. Partners Paul
Bronfman and Steve Levitan have achieved these goals with a variety of high
profile productions. Based in Toronto, Protocol is a relationship-driven
company which continuously strives for - and achieves - the highest production
values. That, with its combination of high energy and solid experience, make
it a highly-sought-after and valuable production partner.
    For a description of Protocol productions visit its website
www.protocolent.com

For further information: Media contacts: OMNI Television: 
Andrea Gagliardi - Director, Public Relations, Tel: (416) 260-3803, 
email: andrea.gagliardi@rci.rogers.com; JB Media & Incendo Media: 
Anna Sue Greenberg - Marketing & Communications, Tel: (514) 937-3333, 
email: asgreenberg@incendomedia.com