New Vegas TV Network Launched
PRNewswire
Monday, January 24, 2005
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Television’s “rich and famous” Robin
Leach and attorney Nathan Drage lead an investment group that plans to
turn a local TV station into an international network showcasing the
gambling mecca and its global gaming power. The purchase of Ch. 35 was
announced as the National Assn of Television Programming Executives
began their convention here today. Its call letters will be changed to
KVTE (Vegas Television Entertainment) by February 15 to become the Vegas
flagship station of the new network. Next Spring (2006) it will move
from existing studios in Henderson, NV to a new multimillion dollar
production facility at the heart of the world- famous Las Vegas
Strip.(Photo: )
The new “All Vegas All The Time” outlet starts 24 hour broadcasting
March 1 at 5am following a 35-hour nonstop marathon of program specials
about Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes and the Rat Pack.
First week debuts include Vega$ Bu$ine$$ a Live At Five daily financial
show; Counter Intelligence for the booming Vegas Food and Beverage
industry — a coproduction with the Culinary Institute; plus several
specials as part of the year’s largest NASCAR event on Sunday, March 6
in Las Vegas. Outspoken media personality Jon David Wells will be main
anchor. Steph McKenzie hosts the new hour-long 24/7 Vegas Entertainment.
Leach who wrote “the bible” and produced the pilot segments for
Entertainment Tonight back in 1980 said: “We can now export Vegas, the
true entertainment capital of the world, right around the globe. David
Copperfield, Jennifer Garner, Joan Collins, Snoop Dog, Cris Judd, Pat
Sajak and Vanna White have already filmed interviews and station ID’s
for the relaunch.
“Vegas is the most exciting city on earth and our shows will reflect
that. More importantly with Vegas owned casino businesses going
worldwide we will seriously cover — for the first time anywhere on
television — a live gaming financial news show complete with daily Wall
Street closing prices.
Continued Leach, “Preproduction has begun on 24 episodes of a biography
type series focusing on everybody from Kirk Kerkorian, and Steve Wynn to
Frank Sinatra and Siegfried & Roy and how they reshaped the Vegas
landscape.”
Leach, who after a 14 year run of his Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
helped launch the Food Network has begun assembling an advisory board of
major television executives. He added: “For a long time now the Strip
has played host to reality and game shows plus celebrity gaming. The
time was right to produce it ourselves and export out rather than
importing in. Could there be any better city in the world to headquarter
a new entertainment and gaming television channel?”
Said Drage (Salt Lake City and Las Vegas): “This is a very significant
investment with a well-structured highly focused business plan. In
addition to being a regular TV station we are already in positive
discussions to be included in 30,000+ Vegas hotel rooms. Once the local
station’s new program lineup is in place mid-summer we’ll plan the
launch of the network which will include our own celebrity gaming
tournaments, boxing and race-car packages, with sports book and wagering
shows.”
Leach concluded: “Entertainment Tonight, on the air 25 years, the 14
year run of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and The Food Network
success have been three big winners. I thought achieving that hat-trick
would be sufficient but when this opportunity arose it was just too
irresistible.”
Source: Leach Entertainment Enterprises Inc.