14 DAY TRIAL // Ripley Entertainment announced that Sony Pictures Television will be distributing mobile episodes of the Ripley's Believe It or Not! television show to mobile phone users and Internet browsers. The announcement is the result of a three-year agreement between Ripley Entertainment and CPT Holdings, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television.
The episodes will include unbelievable and completely wacky humans, incredible feats and animal oddities ranging from a microchip dog to mountain stilt hikers. The show segments are expected to be available to the public later this year and will be available through mobile devices, Internet, airline in-flight entertainment and on-demand channels.
"We are pioneers in the broadcasting of weird and wacky and unbelievable material, both on radio and television. Through the years, we have proven that truth is absolutely stranger than fiction,'' said Bob Masterson, President of Ripley Entertainment. "These shows transcend time and we're fortunate to have the ability to adapt the clips for use in today's popular media platforms through our partnership with Sony."
According to Norm Deska, Executive Vice President of Intellectual Property for Ripley Entertainment, his company worked with Sony for the production of the shows. "When we worked with Sony years ago on the production of these shows, we never dreamed this footage would have any use other than that of television. We are excited that a whole new generation will have the opportunity to witness amazing Believe It or Nots! through a more contemporary channel of communication," Norm Deska said.
Sony Pictures Television will use material from the 79 one-hour episodes of the Ripley Believe It or Not! television show hosted by Jack Palance, that aired in the 1980s; and from the 88 one-hour episodes in the Dean Cain series that ran between 1999 and 2003.