LONELY PLANET AND CURRENT TV

San Francisco (January 18, 2006) – Lonely Planet and Current TV have teamed up to launch a new travel television franchise, “The Bluelist,” based on Lonely Planet’s well-known brand of the same name.  The series of 26 short-form, three-minute “pods” will be hosted by writers and staffers of Lonely Planet worldwide, and will debut on January 18 on Current TV.

Lonely Planet’s “Bluelist” (www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist) brand presents hip “top ten” lists of travelers’ favorite travel experiences, and the new program on Current follows the same format. The show will spotlight some of Lonely Planet’s writers’ and staffers’ “Top 3” travel recommendations, from the expected (big wilderness escapes; best places for 24-hour party people) to the more unexpected (best places to have an existential crisis; best places to get into a fight). 

In addition, Current, the network that pioneered viewer-created content, is encouraging its viewers to strap on a backpack, grab their digital video cameras and contribute their own Bluelist videos, which will screen alongside Lonely Planet’s.  Lonely Planet will encourage its community to submit Bluelist videos to Current through www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist.  Current will also promote its relationship with Lonely Planet through its microsite at www.current.tv/bluelist.

“We wanted to develop a travel program that would be authentic for our young audience and Lonely Planet is the ideal partner. They have built a business on being roguish and daring. This is travel for young people who want adventures off the beaten path, which is a perfect fit for our audience,” said Current’s president of programming David Neuman.

“Lonely Planet Television has produced many TV series internationally but this is our first foray into the US television market” says head of Lonely Planet Television Laurence Billiet. “Current TV is a great partner for us, as their young, savvy and informed audience is so similar to Lonely Planet’s. The Bluelist has already been enormously successful online with the community posting thousands of submissions so we are looking forward to bringing the concept to TV. We are hoping it will be the first of a long series of partnerships with Current around innovative short-form programming.”

About Lonely Planet
Established in 1973, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading independent travel media company. With operations in Melbourne, London and San Francisco, Lonely Planet employs over 400 staff worldwide. Lonely Planet travel information is available across all media and boasts a product range that includes travel guides, a multi award-winning website (www.lonelyplanet.com) and video, with flagship TV series like ‘Lonely Planet Six Degrees’ screening in over 150 countries worldwide (for more information check out www.lonelyplanet.tv).

About Current TV
Current TV, which launched August 1, 2005, is the first TV network created by, for and with an 18-34 year-old audience.  The network shows young adults what’s going on in their world, in their voice.  Current is also the first network in history whose programming is supplied in part by the very audience who watches it. It has developed the television industry’s leading model of “viewer created content” (VC²), which comprises roughly one-third of Current’s on-air broadcast, and allows the audience to submit short-form, non fiction video “pods,” “viewer created ads” (V-CAMs), and mobile video. Its award-winning programming ranges from the hottest trends in technology, fashion, music and videogames, to pressing issues such as the environment, relationships, parenting, finance, politics and spirituality. Current is available in 30 million U.S. homes via Comcast, Time Warner Cable and DirecTV. For more information, please visit the website: www.current.tv.

Lonely Planet contact: Cindy Cohen, (510) 893-8556 ext 221, cindy.cohen@lonelyplanet.com

Current TV contact: Mariah O’Hara, (310) 550-7776, mohara@bwr-la.com