Turner Network Television (TNT) will unveil a new look, a new logo and new tag line — "TNT: We Know Drama" — on Tuesday, June 12. The network's new branding initiative will be driven by heavy on-air, cross-channel, spot cable and spot TV with creative executions developed by Goodby Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco (Ad Age's Agency of the Year for 2000).

"TNT's promise is to engage the hearts and minds of our viewers with dramatic programming that offers a powerful combination of compelling stories and interesting characters, mixed with excitement, action, suspense, romance and humor," said Steve Koonin, executive vice president and general manager of TNT. "TNT's slate of original movies and series, theatrical product, acquired series, championship sports and live event specials will deliver on this consumer proposition."

TNT's target, the drama lovers, was developed through extensive demographic, psychographic and sales research, which revealed a core audience coming to the network in increasing numbers. Drama lovers seek out television that makes them think and feel, and prefer dramatic series, movies and sports to other programming genres. The drama lovers group is mainly comprised of college-educated adults who are married, have families, live in large cities and suburbs and earn upper middle-class incomes.

"In today's cluttered television marketplace, it is increasingly important for networks to define their brands in order to maximize their value to consumers, national advertisers and their cable affiliates," said Bradley J. Siegel, president of general entertainment networks for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. "The TNT branding initiative will further differentiate TNT from other cable networks, while targeting desired adult demographics coveted by advertisers, where TNT continues to show double-digit growth."

TNT is initiating wide-ranging marketing efforts in support of the branding initiative. These include:

• New Logo, New On-Air Look and Packaging
  The branding initiative kicks off June 12 with the on-air reveal of a new logo and on-air look designed by TrollbÌck & Company of New York. TNT's on-air creative group is developing new packaging, network ID's and other elements to highlight the many facets of drama in TNT's programming. The new logo, look and packaging are designed to contemporize the network while conveying the dramatic qualities of TNT programming.
• New Tagline and Off-Channel Advertising
  In addition to a new on-air look and a new logo, TNT will introduce a new tag line and advertising campaign on June 12 as a vital part of its branding initiative. TNT worked closely with advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco to develop and produce an image campaign for the network that will appear in paid network and spot broadcast and cable this summer, as well as continual on-air and cross promotion with other Turner networks. The campaign is designed to establish TNT as the expert in dramatic entertainment. Goodby Silverstein & Partners developed the new tagline "We Know Drama" and a corresponding image campaign to introduce the network's positioning. In a series of spots that will appear throughout the year, TNT poses the question, "What is drama?" to actors, filmmakers and athletes who are known for creating dramatic moments. Participants include actors Whoopi Goldberg, Dennis Hopper, Allison Janney, Helen Mirren, Joan Allen, Bill Pullman, Jane Krakowski, Haley Joel Osment and Martin Short; producer/directors Richard Zanuck and David Brown; and athletes Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Shaquille O'Neal and others. Their answers reflect the many dimensions of drama in entertainment and in real life. Spots end with the new tagline "TNT. We Know Drama." Goodby Silverstein & Partners conceived the campaign and worked closely with TNT's on-air creative group to produce the spots.
  
  According to Jeff Goodby, co-chairman of Goodby Silverstein and Partners, "It seemed to us that TNT, through its programming, was acting as kind of an advocate for great drama and great television. We wanted to develop advertising that would capture that enthusiasm in the brand. It's bigger than just telling viewers what they can find on TNT — it's giving the network a new personality."
• On-Line Support
  On June 12, TNT will re-launch the network Web site (www.tznt.tv) with a new look and logo and improved navigation and content for viewers. Later in the summer, the site will include a place for drama fans to interact and share their opinions and create their own content regarding dramatic entertainment.
• Programming
  TNT's programming line-up includes a diverse array of movies, series, sports and specials, including the TNT Original film Boss of Bosses (June 3), starring Chazz Palminteri as Paul Castellano, the notorious head of the Gambino crime family; Academy Award® winner Anjelica Huston, Emmy winner Julianna Margulies and Academy Award® nominee Joan Allen as strong-willed and fearless women who wield power behind King Arthur's throne in the four-hour TNT Original miniseries The Mists of Avalon (July 15-16); and Academy Award® nominee Mark Rydell directing James Dean (August 5), a two-hour TNT Original starring James Franco. TNT Originals for 2002 include Monday Night Mayhem, with Golden Globe-nominated John Turturro as Howard Cosell; King of Texas, a Western twist on the great Shakespearean tragedy King Lear, starring Emmy-nominated Patrick Stewart, Oscar® winner Marcia Gay Harden and Oscar®-nominated Roy Scheider; Door to Door, starring Oscar®-nominated William H. Macy, in the true story of Bill Porter, a door-to-door salesman born with cerebral palsy; and The Big Time, a two-hour pilot from John Wells about the early days of television and its impact on America, with Molly Ringwald starring.
  
  Yancy Butler stars in the TNT Original series Witchblade (pilot movie June 5; series launch June 12), which tells the story of a New York detective whose search for justice brings her into contact with an ancient, intelligent, living weapon so powerful it can battle Earth's darkest evil forces; exclusive episodes from the most recent seasons of the award-winning Law & Order join the TNT prime time line-up June 5, with NYPD Blue (fall of 2001) and Charmed (fall of 2002) coming to TNT in the future. Sports on TNT this summer include Wimbledon, more than 75 hours of championship tennis beginning June 25; NASCAR (starting July 5); the NBA draft (June 27); the Goodwill Games (starting August 28); the PGA Championship (August 16-19); and WUSA (all summer long). The NBA on TNT returns this fall.
  
  Top theatrical titles upcoming for TNT include Friday-night broadcast premieres such as You've Got Mail, The Matrix and Analyze This, the TNT premiere of L.A. Confidential, with Saturdays the home of TNT's New Classics franchise featuring titles such as The American President, Lethal Weapon, Platoon and Murder at 1600.

Turner Network Television, currently seen in 81.9 million homes, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour, advertiser-supported service offering original motion pictures and miniseries; original series, non-fiction specials and live events; contemporary films from the world's largest film library, the combined Turner and Warner Bros. film libraries; exciting NASCAR, NBA and Wimbledon Tennis action; exclusive coverage of the 2001 Goodwill Games; and popular television series.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOL Time Warner Inc. company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.