‘Big Brother’ channel hits MediaFLO

“Big Brother” is coming to the small screen in a whole new way beginning Sunday. For the final month of the TV show’s eighth season, MediaFLO USA Inc. is launching a new dedicated channel to air real-time activity from inside the Big Brother house.
This marks the second time the broadcast mobile TV provider has launched a new channel dedicated to special programming in as many weeks. Earlier this month, MediaFLO launched EXPN to air live coverage of the entire X Games 13 competition.
The move falls in line with what CBS Mobile has already done with its Big Brother programming on mobile. Fans of the show have been able to watch footage from the house through off-deck channels available directly from the network, including video media alerts send directly to fans when something major happens.
“Whatever we do we try to create a completely mobile experience,” CBS Mobile Executive VP Cyriac Roeding said in an interview last week. “You take a platform concept and you turn it into very different experiences. It’s a different experience, but highly connected with a TV show.”
The show has already been available to fans on multiple platforms including online, the cellphone, Showtime Networks and the CBS Television Network. Mobile offerings also include downloads, special video clips, photos, live breaking house alerts and daily insider summaries sent directly to cellphones.
The dedicated channel on MediaFLO, which is currently only available via Verizon Wireless, is set to launch August 19 through the season finale on Sept. 18. CBS said it may block or delay the mobilecast for a limited number of real-time events to preserve the drama for regular TV viewers.
“We are thrilled to provide Big Brother’s passionate and digitally savvy fans with yet another way to keep connected to the show 24/7,” Roeding said in the announcement. “CBS Mobile is about innovation and creating truly made-for-mobile experiences. This Big Brother channel is both-a first in the U.S., and the most mobile entertainment possible-allowing you to ‘live’ with the Big Brother houseguests on your phone 24/7.”
The MediaFLO service is now live in more than 30 markets.