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2002
Television Internet's "Sitcom" is the Highest-Rated Series Premiere in Net's History

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The cast of "Sitcom, a sitcom"

APRIL 17, 20002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. Tuesday's premiere of Anthony Kling's "Sitcom, a sitcom" notched record ratings for Television Internet. The new romantic comedy about the running of a dotcom network was the highest-rated new series premiere in Television Internet's history, seen in 2.1 million households worldwide.

The premiere of "Sitcom", a spin-off of the net's first half-hour series "Muscle Beach", was up 65% from "Muscle's" premiere in 2000. "Sitcom" was helped in part by a strong lead-in from the third season premiere of "Muscle" that featured the net's first crossover episode in which the cast of "Sitcom" visited "Muscle".

The "Muscle"-"Sitcom" premieres shattered average internet usage figures for "Time Spent During Surfing Session" by US surfers (32 minutes, according to Neilsen NetRatings for the week ending April 07, 2002.); 75% of "Muscle" viewers watched both premieres, spending 53 minutes at televisioninternet.com for the night.

"Sitcom" was boosted by higher than expected numbers from hearing impaired viewers, 10% of total viewers utilizing the net's first closed captioning offering, and by overseas surfers from Canada (2.5%), UK (2.4%), and Italy (1.4%).

"Sitcom" and "Muscle" are from Executive Producer/writer Anthony Kling. Kling is the son of seven time Emmy nominated, two time Emmy Award winning writer/producer Woody Kling who collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including "All in the Family", the "Carol Burnett Show" and "Maude" and two of the "Top 100 TV Shows of All Time" according to Variety.com.

Part two of the three-part series premiere of "Sitcom" aires next Tuesday night at 8:00 PM US EST. Once aired, each episode of "Sitcom" is viewable for free 24/7 at televisioninternet.com using the Windows Media player for both modem and broadband users.

DEAFBASE: Captioned Internet Broadcasting

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APRIL 15, 20002. ONLINE. Over the last decade, cable television has slowly taken rating shares away from network television. But according to one network broadcaster, an online network called the Television Internet Broadcasting Network, two premieres of internet shows on Tuesday night, offering groundbreaking closed captioning for the hearing impaired, will start a new decade of internet shows taking ratings shares away from network and television.

Exactly two years after Television Internet''s series Muscle Beach exploded on the net to become its most watched series, the preeminent online network is now set to premiere the third season of Muscle and its highly-publicized spinoff show, Sitcom, a sitcom, on Tuesday April 16 at 8 PM and 8:30 PM U.S. Eastern Standard Time, respectively.

In an surprising statement Monday, however, Television Internet CEO & Founder Anthony Kling predicted "that the Muscle and Sitcom premieres will take measurable rating shares from primetime broadcasters on the east coast and more significant shares from local network affiliates on the westcoast airing news programming at that time."

Since the Santa Monica-based network expected the Muscle and Sitcom premieres to show highest among males 18 to 24 and female 25-34 demographics, Television Internet chose April 16 as its premiere date.

"For east coast viewers, like in New York for example, Muscle will be going up against only one new episode from the networks (Dharma & Greg - WABC, ABC affiliate) with two re-runs airing (JAG, CBS; Will and Grace, NBC). We expect Sitcom at 8:30, with the Muscle lead-in, to find its strongest competitor in Watching Ellie (WNBC, NBC affiliate) which has suffered ratings decline since its premiere. For west coast viewers, since Television Internet shows are not tape-delayed, but viewable 24/7 once released, the premieres should show strong against local news which does not draw similar demographics."

"However, we are most confident in predicting that Sitcom and Muscle will shatter average internet usage figures for Time Spent During Surfing Session," says Kling, which according to Neilsen NetRatings was 32 minutes for U.S. surfers for the week ending April 07, 2002. "If a surfer views both premieres, they will have spent over an enormous one hour at televisioninterrnet.com, let alone just being online."

With nearly two dozen articles written about the series to date, Sitcom is garnering unprecedented attention for providing the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net''s first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables the hearing impaired to watch the original half-hour comedy series for free while following along with the show''s script.

Television Internet has shown how an episode of Sitcom for the hearing impaired actually airs. In one window, individuals can watch the video of the episode at their chosen connection rate. In a separate smaller window, individuals can read alone with the script of that episode, scrolling down the page as the video in the other window plays.

Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of adults in the U.S. believe that they have suffered some hearing loss. "We hope that Television Internet''s small step to develop advances for the hearing impaired will encourage other online companies to do the same," said Kling.

Sitcom, a comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online, will air twenty-six half-hour episodes and will test consumer demand for the hearing impaired episodes soon after the series'' premiere.

Sitcom is a face-pace, highly scripted romantic comedy from Kling about the trials and tribulations a group of twenty-something dot-com executives go through while falling in and out of love. Sitcom is a semi-autobiographical portrayal of the behind-the-scenes workings at Television Internet.

Following the Muscle special at 8:00 PM, Sitcom will premiere at 8:30 PM with a TV-movie of the week (the net''s first), a three-part mini-series airing over three consecutive Tuesdays: Part 1, The Security Gate (premiering April 16, 8:30 PM); Part 2, Creative Control (April 23, 8:00 PM): and Part 3, Really Cute (April 30, 8:00 PM).

In Part One The Security Gate, on the heals of its recent success with Muscle Beach, Television Internet gives Muscle''s Alabama-born executive producer Justin Chase [played by Allen Burns] the green light to produce with his pushy but sexy publicist Sarah Louise Porto [Laura Buckles] the next series for the network. However, Chase, Porto, and their stunning head of Marketing and Promotions Brandy Dubuffet [former Ms. Playboy Lunden De''Leon] soon learn that producing a follow-up hit to the net''s most successful series is easier said than done. Sitcom also stars Eric Turic [Giovanni Messina], Natalie Sutherland [Penelope St. Andrews], Ryan Angel [Foxy Manowski], and Kevin Deen [Barth Silvermanarian]; Jim Morrow [Jim] of Muscle Beach guest stars.

Since September, the series that Yahoo! News called "the first situation comedy series for the Internet" has (1) marked internet history; (2) been heralded by the entertainment and technology industries for its groundbreaking achievements; (3) been acclaimed by the African-American community for its positive portrayal of African-Americans; and (4) been praised by the hearing impaired community for its closed captioning achievements.

While publications agree Sitcom is the series to watch this April, the question is how good is Sitcom. "Television Internet has already been in talks to bring the series to network television. We believe it will happen; the only question is when and on what network," says Kling.

Yahoo! News says the show is so good it " ''could easily finish in the top ten of any network show this season '' " On April 16, the company that made a show about muscles on a beach into a net-household name will learn if Sitcom can overtake Muscle Beach to become the net''s most watched series. [Copyright 2002. Deaf base- Deaf & Hard of Hearing News Online]
DEAF & HARD OF HEARING SERVICES CENTER, INC.: Internet Comedy, "Sitcom", Gets Closed Captioning.

MARCH, 2002. ONLINE. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, announced on January 7, 2002 that the network will feature for its new online series Sitcom, a sitcom closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

In a press demonstration streamed online from its website at televisioninternet.com, Sitcom's Executive Producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling showed that Sitcom will provide the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables the hearing impaired to watch the original half-hour comedy series for free while following along with the show's script.

In the demonstration, Television Internet showed how an episode of Sitcom for the hearing impaired actually airs. In one window, individuals can watch the video of the episode at their chosen connection rate. In a separate smaller window, individuals can read alone with the script of that episode, scrolling down the page as the video in the other window plays.

Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of adults in the U.S. believe that they have suffered some hearing loss.  "We hope that Television Internet's small step to develop advances for the hearing impaired will encourage other online companies to do the same," said Kling.

Sitcom, a comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online, will air twenty-six half-hour episodes and will test consumer demand for the hearing impaired episodes soon after the series' premiere.

Kling is the son of  writer/producer Woody Kling whose credits include All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude,  according to Variety.com. [Copyright 2002. USA-L News and NVRC, Fairfax.]
VENUS MAGAZINE: Sitcom - Lunden De'Leon Stars as First African-American Lead on TV INTERNET Show

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"It sends a positive image regarding the world of Black executives in Hollywood."

SPRING, 2002. PRINT. For the last few years there has been great debate about the lack of black faces on network sitcoms. But now renowned actress-comedienne Lunden De'Leon is set to star in a brand-new sitcom to be aired this year entitled simply Sitcom. But this will not be just any new sitcom; it will break ground as the first-ever situation comedy show airing solely on the Internet. Sitcom is the creation of the Television Internet Broadcasting Network, an innovator and pioneer in internet series programming, and will be airing this winter on www.televisioninternet.com

"Sitcom could easily finish in the top ten of any network show this season," says the veteran performer who will be making Internet history. De'Leon's carrer has spanned every part of the art spectrum. She has appeared in over 50 movies and television shows and has graced the pages of Swimsuit Illustrated. "As a black woman, I am very proud that Sitcom shows that African American wmen can be funny, beautiful, and intelligent," she says about her show.

In the pilot episode, De'Leon played one of the fictitious heads of Television Internet, which has just completed a hit series called Muscle Beach. Riding high on its success, the network then decides to give the OK for Muscle Beach producer Justin Chase [played by Allen Burns] and his marketing and promotions head Brandy Dubuffet [De'Leon's character] to produce the next series for the network.

De'Leon explains that having an African-American woman as one of the fictional network heads was important to the production of the show. "It sends a positive image regarding the world of Black executives in Hollywood," De'Leon explains. Sitcom promises to be a hilarious, innovative new show everyone can enjoy and on many different levels. [Copyright 2002. Venus Magazine. Magazine Image Copyright 2002 lundendeleon.com.]
GLOBAL BLACK WOMAN MAGAZINE: Internet Television's New Star

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SPRING, 2002. PRINT. Lunden De'Leon considers herself blessed. She is one of the burgeoning stars on the growing presence and business of television internet. Already a hit outisde of the United States, she's set to star in a comedy that will being airing in Spring, 2002. The one and one half hour show produced by the Television Internet Broadcasting Network will be the net's first original television movie of the week, and the start of a half-hour series slated for ten episodes.

She's probably best known for her starring role in the German television series, Vital Signs. Lunden played the character Joanne Mbutu, a young lady from Kenya trying to make it in the United States. The series directed by acclaimed Dieter Kehler was shown on a major network throughout Germany.

The international actress grew up in Marion, South Carolina, a small suthern town with a population of 10,000, best known for its tobacco and sugar cane. The daughter of a minister, she spent most of her time in church where she looked forward to singing with the choir. "I remember singing my first song and the look on my dad's face - he was so proud," reminisced Lunden.

After school, she headed to Long Beach, California, on a Greyhound bus "with only 200 dollars in her pocket". In Long Beach, she attended college, majoring in communications. During the course of her studies Lunden was able to intern with the television show, Inside Edition, working along Star Jones, now know for her co-hosting of the hit show, The View. At the time Star was a legal correspondent for the popular television series. According to Lunden, she was able to work during her internship together with Jones on the O.J. Simpson civil case. Said Luden, "Star worked hard and demanded respect. She's truly my idol."

After her taste of Hollywood, Lunden still in college decided to expand her repetoire into acting by taking theater classes.In on class, she had the opportunity through a classmate to connect with a talent agency in Hollywood for models and actresses. She ended up signing with the agency and landing a variety of television and movie roles.

Since then, Lunden's been on another roll. Look for her on the Windows Media Platform of your computer in the beginning of 2002. [Copyright 2002. Global Black Woman Magazine. Magazine Image Copyright 2002 lundendeleon.com.]
NATURAL HAIR & BRAID MAGAZINE: De'Leon Makes History

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SPRING, 2002. PRINT. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, has announced that acclaimed comedian Lunden De'Leon will star in the network's new series Sitcom, a sitcom premiering on televisioninternet.com.

In a press conference streamed online from its website, De'Leon announced that she will be part of internet history as Sitcom becomes this winter the first situation comedy series for the Internet. Television Internet will aire online twenty-six original half-hour episodes viewable for free. De'Leon will also make internet history as the first African-American actor to star in an original series for the Internet.

"Sitcom could easily finish in the top ten of any network show this season. It's that good," says De'Leon who has starred in over fifty movies and television shows and graced the pages of Swimsuit Illustrated, and most recently, the fall edition of Black Men's Magazine. "As a Black woman, I am very proud that Sitcom shows that African American women can be funny, beautiful, and intelligent."  In the pilot episode of Sitcom, following the success of its last show Muscle Beach, Television Internet gives Muscle's fictitious Executive Producer Justin Chase (played by Allen Burns) the greenlight to produce with his head of marketing and promotions Brandy Dubuffet (played by De'Leon) the next series for the network.

De'Leon's character is one of the fictious heads of the network. "Having a Black woman as one of the heads of the network was important to the production of the series. It sends a positive image regarding the role of Black executives in Hollywood," explains De'Leon.

Recently in the August 15, 2001 NAACP President's Report on Television, Kweisi Mfume said that "while there have been increases in the number of minority actors in on-air television roles, since 1999 when he said there was a 'virtual whitewash' in network television, an absence of color remains in the executive levels."

"In the spring of 1999. Mr. Mfume reported that none of the 26 new series on the four major networks had a Black character in a lead role. That's disgraceful," explains Sitcom's writer and executive producer, Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling.

This year's NAACP President's Report indicated that for on "air positions, Fox Network reported having 24.8 percent African American actors, 6.4 percent Hispanics, 4 percent Asian Americans and 1.6 percent Native Americans. CBS reported the numbers of African American, Latino and Asian American actors increased in the 2000-2001 season. CBS reported no Native American actors nor presented any percentages according to the total workforce."

Kling's last Television Internet series Muscle Beach, was lead by Asian American actor Ryan Moriarty; the series became the net's most watched series and was the only U.S. program nominated for the RAI Italy netcasting award. In addition to De'Leon, Sitcom also stars Hispanic actor Eric Turic and Indian actor Kevin Deen.

Kling is the son of seven time Emmy nominated, two time Emmy Award winning writer/producer Woody Kling who collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude and two of the "Top 100 TV Shows of All Time" according to Variety.com. The elder Kling was intrumental with Norman Lear in the 1970s in placing African Americans in leading comedic roles in shows like All in the Family, the Jeffersons, and Good Times.

"While Sitcom focuses on many themes, a core theme in the series is the interracial relationship that blossoms between Dubuffet and Chase - a white Alabama-born golf fanatic," explains Dubuffet.

Not only is Sitcom is the first primetime quality situation comedy for the net, it's also the first time in programming history a netcaster turns the cameras on its operations. Sitcom is a semi-autobiographical, face-pace comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online. Sitcom clearly does something that no other Sitcom has done - it pokes fun at its own broadcasting company and provides insight into the competitive DotCom content race. Sitcom is also the first spin-off series for the internet.

If Sitcom looks like a network sitcom, that's not accidental. Sitcom will be airing the first crossover episode for the net (when Jim Morrow of Muscle Beach joins the cast of Sitcom in a two-part crossover special), the first movie of the week (a one and half hour Sitcom special), and a series of controversial episodes (on racial discrimination in Hollywood, glass ceilings for female executives, and under-representation of Latinos in television today). 

Television Internet's shows like Sitcom have been covered in virtually every major television, internet, and wireless industry publication including the Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety. When Muscle Beach premiered in March 2000, Variety quickly praised the show as the "first network-quality first-run series for the Web". Today, Muscle is in its third season as the net's longest running series.

Since September, Sitcom has been heralded for delivering the "Net's First TV Movie of the Week" (Microsoft Newsstand), been acclaimed for being part of the "first wireless broadcasting network to deliver net-original series programming to Windows Media-enabled Pocket PC wireless devices" (Microsoft Newsstand), been covered in a story alongside Blink 182 and Julianne Moore (Playboy Magazine), appeared on cable tv* (Techlink), and was the only series to be part of the October 4, 2001 Microsoft press release in two continents for the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 (San Francisco, CA).

In Sitcom, Television Internet shows how that the making of a sitcom is itself a sitcom. With one of the strongest casts and comedy scripts ever assembled, Sitcom issues in the next generation of net programming, broadband delivery, and wireless original programming. [Copyright 2002. Natural Hair and Braid Magazine. Magazine Image Copyright 2002 lundendeleon.com.]
The Sitcom Spinoff to Make Internet History: Net's Most Watched Series starts season 3 with a romantic comedy spin-off

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APRIL 2, 20002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. Exactly two years after Television Internet's series Muscle Beach exploded on the net to become its most watched series, the preeminent online network is now set to premiere the third season of Muscle and its highly anticipated spinoff show, Sitcom, a sitcom, on Tuesday April 16 at 8 PM and 8:30 PM U.S. Eastern Standard Time, respectively.

With nearly two dozen articles written about the series to date, Sitcom, a sitcom is garnering unprecedented attention as the first situation comedy for the internet. Sitcom is a face-pace, highly scripted romantic comedy from Anthony Kling [Muscle Beach] about the trials and tribulations a group of twenty-something dot-com executives go through while falling in and out of love. Sitcom is a semi-autobiographical portrayal of the behind-the-scenes workings at Television Internet.

Sitcom visits Muscle: 8:00 PM

Sitcom will follow the Muscle Beach season three premiere at 8 PM. In the Muscle premiere, Television Internet will aire a half-hour special entitled Sitcom visits Muscle in which the cast of Sitcom visits Muscle for the net's first ever crossover episode.

In Sitcom visits Muscle, two years have passed since the Muscle gang first met. The show that became the first primetime-quality half-hour series and made Jim a household name with "egg whites into protein shakes" is now, however, in major trouble.

Its star, Jimmy, has threatened to quit the Television Internet series. His executive producer, Justin Chase, and publicist, Sarah Louise Porto, have to visit the set of Muscle to save the program. In this special, viewers are treated to a cavalcade of a dozen Television Internet stars.

Background on Sitcom

In September, 1972, following the recent success of All in the Family, CBS decided to aire a spinoff series Maude that brought All in the Family's Executive Producer and Kling's father, writer Woody Kling, to write what became the number four most watched show that season. Now, three decades later, following the recent success of Muscle Beach as the net's most watched series on TelevisionInternet.com, Kling's son Anthony will deliver the spinoff series Sitcom which bares many resemblences to the Maude spinoff.

Like Maude, Sitcom will aire Tuesdays at 8:00 pm eastern standard time. However, unlike television, the internet enables Sitcom to be viewed on-demand 24/7 after its initial aire time.

Maude became one of the most controversial shows of the 1970s with the first lead character getting an abortion in primetime; Sitcom expects to be the most controversial series this year as the first internet show to have a lead character in an interracial relationship. Sitcom follows Muscle Beach's executive producer Justin Chase and publicist Sarah Louise Porto as they leave the beach-and-body show to produce the next series for their network.

Crossover episodes, which feature cast members from one show visiting members from the other show, and often visa versa, were pioneered on television in the 1970s by Woody Kling. With Norman Lear, Kling used crossover episodes to jump start spinoff shows like Hello, Larry from Diff'rent Strokes, for example. Kling went on to garner seven time Emmy Nominations and two time Emmy Awards for his writing.

Sitcom, a sitcom: 8:30 PM

Following the Muscle special, Sitcom will premiere at 8:30 PM with a TV-movie of the week (the net's first), a three-part mini-series airing over three consecutive Tuesdays: Part 1, The Security Gate (premiering April 16, 8:30 PM); Part 2, Creative Control (April 23, 8:00 PM): and Part 3, Really Cute (April 30, 8:00 PM).

In Part One The Security Gate, on the heals of its recent success with Muscle Beach, Television Internet gives Muscle's Alabama-born executive producer Justin Chase [played by Allen Burns] the green light to produce with his pushy but sexy publicist Sarah Louise Porto [Laura Buckles] the next series for the network. However, Chase, Porto, and their stunning head of Marketing and Promotions Brandy Dubuffet [former Ms. Playboy Lunden De'Leon] soon learn that producing a follow-up hit to the net's most successful series is easier said than done.

Television Internet's general counsel Jessica Pimbrose quits; their head writer Nick Matthews dies, the network is sold to venture capitalists employing the young and inexperienced Barth Silvermanarian [Kevin Deen] as Chase's boss; and an obtrusive, decadent Scottish actress Penelope St. Andrews [Natalie Sutherland] is given a 26 episode contract for a series that doesn't even exist.

Chase quickly hires heartthrob writer Giovanni Messina [Eric Turic] to revamp the show - only to find Messina revamping the entire female staff - and clueless Foxy Manowski [Ryan Angel] to be his assistant, only to find her marrying his boss. Muscle Beach's Jim [Jim Morrow] guest stars.

Since September, the series that Yahoo! News called "the first situation comedy series for the Internet" has (1) marked internet history; (2) been heralded by the entertainment and technology industries for its groundbreaking achievements; (3) been acclaimed by the African-American community for its positive portrayal of African-Americans; and (4) been praised by the hearing impaired community for its closed captioning achievements.

1. Marking Internet Programming History

For Sitcom's writer/executive producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling, the series marks several historic firsts for the net. First, Sitcom is the net's first show from a family that "collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude" (Yahoo! News). Also, the series has been praised as a show that's "on laugh track" is the "first time an Internet program has been spun off from another ... just like a half-hour TV sitcom, except that it's available only online" (Hollywood Reporter). And finally, the series sets Television Internet as "the first broadcasting company to deliver original programming to Windows' Pocket PC wireless devices" and "an unsurpassed forum for incubating new programming ideas on their way ... to traditional media" (Hollywood Reporter).

Sitcom is not just the first situation comedy for the net and the first series to deliver a TV-movie of the week online; the show is also the first spin-off series for the net and the second series (Muscle being the first) to aire a cross-over episode online.

2. Technological Achievements

As a result, the technology community has also praised Sitcom's historic achievements. The series has been heralded for delivering the "Net's First TV Movie of the Week" (Microsoft Newsstand), and been acclaimed for being part of the "first wireless broadcasting network to deliver net-original series programming to Windows Media-enabled Pocket PC wireless devices" (Microsoft Newsstand).

On October 4, 2001, Sitcom was the only series to be part of the October 4, 2001 Microsoft press release in two continents for the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 (San Francisco, CA). The Microsoft Corporation continued to herald Sitcom's achievements through year-end stating, "We are pleased that the Television Internet Broadcasting Network is taking advantage of the new feature functionalities of Pocket PC 2002 in producing Sitcom for the Windows Media platform, enabling to watch half-hour episodes, even hour and a half movies of the week, with full screen, stereo sound." (Chris Hill, product manager for the Microsoft Corporation).

3. Portrayal of African Americans

In early 2002, the African-American publications from Florida to California applauded Sitcom for its positive portrayal of African Americans and interracial relationships. Sitcom was given thumbs-up for having "the first African-American actress to star in an original series for the Internet" ... a show that demonstrates that an " 'African-American women can be funny, beautiful, and intelligent '" (BlackVoices.com). Series star Lunden De'Leon was praised for giving a "historic performance as the first African-American actor to star in an original series for the Internet" (North East Florida Advocate).

In a press conference recently streamed online from televisioninternet.com, Sitcom star, African-American comedian, Lunden De'Leon announced that Sitcom, a sitcom hopes to "breakdown America's digital divide through the use of urban storylines, second-generation quality broadband programming and wireless deployment". The digital divide still remains pervasive in Amercia. The U.S. Department of Commerce found in 2000 that almost twice as many White (46.1%) and Asian American/Pacific Islander (56.8%) households had internet access compared to Black (23.5%) and Hispanic (23.6%) households.

In whole, publications agreed that Sitcom sends "a positive image regarding the role of Black executives in Hollywood" and an "interracial relationship" (Columbus Post Newspaper).

4. Closed Captioning Offerings

By February, the Hearing Impaired community recognized Sitcom for its groundbreaking offering for deaf viewers of closed captioning.

Hearing loss strikes Americans each year at a staggering rate. Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of US adults believe they have suffered some hearing loss. As a result, in 1990, President Bush signed into law a bill mandating all television sets 13 inches or larger sold after July 1, 1993 to have the capability for displaying closed captions.

The show was applauded for making "internet programming history in 2002 for the deaf and hard of hearing ... [providing] the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy" (Deaf Voice). Publications called Sitcom's offering as an "unpredecented closed captioning for the hearing impaired .... a software coding that enables deaf and hard of hearing individuals to watch the original half-hour comedy for free while following along with the show's script." (Deaf Base).

April 16th

Irregardless, since September, everyone has agreed upon one thing: Sitcom is sexy and funny.

Playboy Magazine, Global Black Woman Magazine, Natural Hair and Braid Magazine, Venus Magazine, and Black Men's Magazine have featured the series with star Lunden De'Leon in stories alongside Blink 182, Brandy, and Julianne Moore. The cable series Techlink spent an entire day filming the series for a ten minute special cable program. The music video for the series' theme song You are the One was a MTV TRL daily submission. And hundreds of thousands of people worldwide tuned for the series' Ladies of Sitcom Week and Sitcom Stud Week in March in which cast photos and behind-the-scene interviews gave a pre-release glimpse into the series.

While publications agree Sitcom is the series to watch this April, the question is how good is Sitcom. "Television Internet has already been in talks to bring the series to network television. We believe it will happen; the only question is when and on what network," says Kling.

Yahoo! News says the show is so good it " 'could easily finish in the top ten of any network show this season ' " On April 16, the company that made a show about muscles on a beach into a net-household name will learn if Sitcom can overtake Muscle Beach to become the net's most watched series.

Breaking Down the Digital Divide: African American comedian De'Leon and Hispanic Actor Turic Deliver Laughs with Meaning in Television Internet's Sitcom, a sitcom

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MARCH 15, 2002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of Internet series programming, announced today that its new series Sitcom, a sitcom hopes to breakdown America's digital divide through the use of urban storylines, second-generation quality broadband programming and wireless deployment.

In a press conference streamed online from televisioninternet.com, Sitcom star, African-American comedian, Lunden De'Leon announced today that she will be part of Internet history as Sitcom becomes the first situation comedy series for the Internet. "In shooting Sitcom, we constantly knew that, from the cutting edge storylines, to tackling serious issues, the show will impact internet usage among inner city youths more than any streaming video content before it."

"The statistics of the expanding digital divide in America are staggering," says series creator and writer Anthony Kling. "Young children needed someone to look up to on the internet. The characters that Lunden and Hispanic actor Eric Turic play fit that image - funny, smart and successful."

The digital divide still remains pervasive in Amercia. The U.S. Department of Commerce found in 2000 that almost twice as many White (46.1%) and Asian American/Pacific Islander (56.8%) households had internet access compared to Black (23.5%) and Hispanic (23.6%) households.

Kling believes that not only Sitcom's urban themes but also its use of (1) "second generation quality broadband programming" and (2) wireless deployment will combat this digital divide.

First, Sitcom will launch what Television Internet calls "second-generation quality broadband programming". Following eighteen-month research and development testing, Television Internet has confirmed that Sitcom will aire for broadband users with a visual clarity never before deployed by a netcaster on the Windows Media platform. Netcitizens will see the lowest level of video degradation for a net original program.

As explained by De'Leon to the press, Television Internet's research and deployment first began during the shooting of its first series Muscle Beach back in the late 1990s. Through the production and eventual deployment of Muscle Beach, Television Internet isolated certain production and encoding traits that when modified enhanced the quality of streamed video and audio measurably.

Television Internet was able to achieve this second-generation quality broadband programming for two main reasons. First Television Internet creates its content original for the net. Television Internet does not encode preexisting movie or TV content for internet audiences. Second, Television Internet streams its content itself. Television Internet Streaming Media services, established in 1999, will be deploying the new series Sitcom. Sitcom can be viewed at full screen with rates as high as 300K with stereo sound.

Television Internet believes that enhanced net-video quality will spur greater usage among young adults. "If you don't pay attention to the quality of video offered to lower-speed users, you don't care about the digital divide and people who can't afford broadband and have to settle for a dial-up modem."

Second, De'Leon also announced that Sitcom will serve as the flagship for Television Internet's anticipated deployment of Television Mobile. Under the product name TelevisionMobile.com, viewers can soon watch Sitcom on the less than hand full of wireless devices worldwide that support the Windows Media player.

"We believe that in the next five years we'll see a faster rise in internet usage in the inner cities on wireless devices than PCs", says Turic, who plays in Sitcom New York born writer Giovanni Messina.

"The current Microsoft player will enable owners of the Compaq iPAQ Pocket PCs, HP Jornadas and Casio Cassiopeias the opportunity to download to their Pocket PC and play Television Internet hit shows like Sitcom ", according to Turic.

"Pocket PC 2002 has a great advantage in the marketplace because it is designed to be the most connected and expandable PDA available," says Chris Hill, a product manager at Microsoft. "We are pleased that the Television Internet Broadcasting Network is taking advantage of the new feature functionalities of Pocket PC 2002 in producing Sitcom for the Windows Media platform, enabling to watch half-hour episodes, even hour and a half movies of the week, with full screen, stereo sound."

Conquering the digital divide has been consistent with the social awareness behind Sitcom. The series has been applauded for having the first African-American actress to star in an original series for the Internet and for providing the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for watching the comedy.

"It means more to be in a sitcom that impacts people's lives," says De'Leon. Sitcom hopes to begin impacting the way we watch video online when the series premieres on televisioninternet.com in the coming weeks.
SACRAMENTO OBSERVER: Black Actress Stars In Internet Sitcom: Comedian Lunden De'Leon Plays A Hollywood Executive In Series

Lunden De'Leon as "Brandy Dubuffet" in Sitcom, a sitcom

FEBRUARY, 2002. ONLINE. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of Internet series programming, announced recently that acclaimed comedian Lunden De'Leon will star in the network's new series "Sitcom," a comedy premiering this winter on telvisioninternet.com.

In a press conference streamed online from its Web site, De'Leon announced that she will be part of Internet history as "Sitcom" becomes this winter the first situation comedy series for the Internet.

Television Internet will air online this winter 26 original half-hour episodes viewable for free. De'Leon will also make Internet history as the first African American actor to star in an original series for the Internet.

"Sitcom" could easily finish in the top 10 of any network show this season. It's that good," says De'Leon who has starred in more than 50 movies and television shows and and graced the pages of "Swimsuit Illustrated," and most recently, the fall edition of "Black Men's Magazine."

"As a Black woman, I am very proud that 'Sitcom' shows that African American women can be funny, beautiful and intelligent," she says.

In the pilot episode of "Sitcom," following the success of its last show "Muscle Beach," Television Internet gives "Muscle's" fictitious Executive Producer Justice Chase (played by Allen Burns) the greenlight to produce with his head of marketing and promotions Brandy Dubuffet (played by De'Leon) the next series for the network.

De'Leon's character is one of the fictitious heads of the network.

"Having a Black woman as one of the heads of the network was important to the production of the series. It sends a positive image regarding the role of Black executives in Hollywood," explains De'Leon.

"While 'Sitcom' focuses on many themes, a core theme in the series is the interracial relationship that blossoms between Dubuffet and Chase - a White Alabama-born golf fanatic," explains De'Leon. [Copyright 2002. Sacramento Observer.]
NORTHERN VIRGINA RESOURCE CENTER: Internet Comedy, "Sitcom" Gets Closed Captioning

JANUARY, 2002. ONLINE. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, announced on January 7, 2002 that the network will feature for its new online series Sitcom, a sitcom, closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

In a press demonstration streamed online Monday from its website at http://www.televisioninternet.com Sitcom's Executive Producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling showed that Sitcom will provide the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables the hearing impaired to watch the original half-hour comedy series for free while following along with the show's script.

In the demonstration, Television Internet showed how an episode of Sitcom for the hearing impaired actually airs. In one window, individuals can watch the video of the episode at their chosen connection rate. In a separate smaller window, individuals can read alone with the script of that episode, scrolling down the page as the video in the other window plays.

Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of adults in the U.S. believe that they have suffered some hearing loss. "We hope that Television Internet's small step to develop advances for the hearing impaired will encourage other online companies to do the same," said Kling.

Sitcom, a comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online, will air twenty-six half-hour episodes and will test consumer demand for the hearing impaired episodes soon after the series' premiere.

Kling is the son of writer/producer Woody Kling whose credits include All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude, according to Variety,

Copyright © 1998 - 2002. Kling Corporation

(Thanks to USA-L News)

DEAF VOICE (ENTERTAINMENT NEWS): Internet Sitcom, a sitcom gets Closed Captioning

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Eric Turic plays Giovanni Messina in the closed captioned series Sitcom, a sitcom

JANUARY 21, 2001. ONLINE. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, announced today that the network will feature for its new online series Sitcom, a sitcom closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

In a press demonstration streamed online Monday from its website at televisioninternet.com, Sitcom's Executive Producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling showed that Sitcom will make internet programming history in 2002 for the deaf and hard of hearing. Sitcom will provide the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables the hearing impaired to watch the original half-hour comedy series for free while following along with the show's script. [Copyright 2002 Deaf Voice.]

Muscle - Sitcom Spinoff to Mirror All in the Family - Maude Spinoff: Three Decades later Television Programming Repeats History Online

Muscle Beach's Jim [played by Jim Morrow] gets a visit from his female publicist and danish-eating executive producer in the Television Internet special Sitcom visits Muscle

JANUARY 14, 2002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. In September, 1972, following the recent success of All in the Family, CBS decided to aire a spinoff series Maude that brought All in the Family's Executive Producer and writer Woody Kling to write what became the number four most watched show that season.  Now, three decades later, following the recent success of Muscle Beach as the net's most watched series on TelevisionInternet.com, Kling's son Anthony will deliver a spinoff series Sitcom, a Sitcom which bares many resemblences to the Maude spinoff.

Maude became one of the most controversial shows of the 1970s with the first lead character getting an abortion in primetime. Sitcom expects to be the most controversial series this year as the first internet show to have a lead character in an interracial relationship. As the net's first spinoff series, Sitcom follows Muscle Beach's executive producer Justin Chase and publicist Sarah Louise Porto as they leave the beach-and-body show to produce the next series for their network.

Television Internet's younger Kling announced today that he will aire in March the net's first crossover special entitled Sitcom visits Muscle. In the special, Justin and Sarah have to visit Muscle Beach after its star Jim threatens to leave the show that made "him, protein shakes, and egg whites household names". In addition, Kling announced today that Jim of Muscle will visit Sitcom, a sitcom in the series premiere later in March.

Crossover episodes, which feature cast members from one show visiting members from the other show, and often visa versa, were pioneered on television in the 1970s by Woody Kling. With Norman Lear, Kling used crossover episodes to jump start spinoff shows like Hello, Larry from Diff'rent Strokes, for example. Kling went on to garner seven time Emmy Nominations and two time Emmy Awards for his writing. Today father and son together have been attached to all six decades of television history with writing credits including the Carol Burnett Show and two of the "Top 100 TV Shows of All Time" according to Variety.com.

Like Maude, Sitcom may also be slated for Tuesdays at 8:00 pm eastern standard time. However, unlike television, the internet enables Sitcom to be viewed on-demand 24/7 after its initial aire time.

In its four seasons, the spinoff Maude finished in the top ten of all shows and yielded its own successful spinoff, Good Times. "While I expect Sitcom will be as fun as Maude," says Kling, "I won't yet say whether a spinoff of the spinoff is in the works."
DEAF BASE - DEAF & HARD OF HEARING NEWS ONLINE: Internet's Sitcom, a sitcom gets Closed Captioning

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Eric Turic plays Giovanni Messina in the closed captioned series Sitcom, a sitcom

JANUARY 9, 2002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, announced today that the network will feature for its new online series Sitcom, a sitcom unpredecented closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

In a press demonstration streamed online Monday from its website televisioninternet.com, Sitcom's Executive Producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling showed that Sitcom will make internet history this winter, providing for the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables deaf and hard of hearing individuals to watch the original half-hour comedy for free while following along with the show's script.

"Developing closed captioning for streaming video presented a challenge," explained Kling. "At Television Internet we knew that closed captioning for conventional television could not work online because of changing frame rates. As anyone who has watched streaming video knows, the number of video frames you receive are constantly changing. Sometimes, you receive a steady flow of frames; other times, you loose frames, creating a 'haulted look' to the video. Therefore, conventional television closed captioning, where you align text for each frame, made no sense for Sitcom."

In the press demonstration, Television Internet demonstrated how the beta episode of Sitcom for the hearing impaired actually works. In one window, individuals can watch the video of the episode. In a separate smaller window, individuals can read alone with the script of that episode, scrolling down the page as the video in the other window plays.

Hearing loss strikes Americans each year at a staggering rate. Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of US adults believe they have suffered some hearing loss. As a result, in 1990, President Bush signed into law a bill mandating all television sets 13 inches or larger sold after July 1, 1993 to have the capability for displaying closed captions. Closed captioning for conventional television started roughly in the 1970s but gained speed in 1980 when ABC, NBC, and PBS starting transmitting closed captions on selected programs.

A semi-autobiographical, face-pace comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online, Sitcom will aire twenty-six half-hour episodes and will test out demand for the hearing impaired episodes starting with the fourth episode.

Since September, Sitcom has already been acclaimed for making "Internet history as Sitcom becomes the first situation comedy series for the Internet" (Yahoo! News); been praised as a show that's "on laugh track", "first time an Internet program has been spun off from another ... just like a half-hour TV sitcom, except that it's available only online" (Hollywood Reporter); and been applauded for having "the first African-American actress to star in an original series for the Internet" (BlackVoices.com).

Kling is the son of seven time Emmy nominated, two time Emmy Award winning writer/producer Woody Kling who collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude and two of the "Top 100 TV Shows of All Time" according to Variety.com.   [Copyright 2002. Deaf base- Deaf & Hard of Hearing News Online]
Internet Sitcom, a sitcom gets Closed Captioning

Eric Turic plays Giovanni Messina in the Closed Captioned Sitcom, a sitcom

JANUARY 7, 2002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of internet series programming, announced today that the network will feature for its new online series Sitcom, a sitcom closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

In a press demonstration streamed online Monday from its website at televisioninternet.com, Sitcom's Executive Producer and Television Internet CEO Anthony Kling showed that Sitcom will make internet programming history in 2002 for the deaf and hard of hearing. Sitcom will provide the hearing impaired a new form of closed captioning for viewing the net's first situation comedy. Television Internet has developed software coding that enables the hearing impaired to watch the original half-hour comedy series for free while following along with the show's script.

"Developing closed captioning for streaming video presented a challenge we wanted to tackle," explained Kling. "We knew at Television Internet that closed captioning used for conventional television could not work online because of the problem of changing frame rates. As anyone who has watched streaming video knows, the number of video frames you receive are constantly changing. Sometimes, you receive a steady flow of frames creating a smooth video image; other times, you loose frames, creating a 'haulted look' to the video. Therefore, we knew that television closed captioning, where you align text for each frame, made no sense for Sitcom."

In the press demonstration, Television Internet showed how an episode of Sitcom for the hearing impaired actually aires. In one window, individuals can watch the video of the episode at their chosen connection rate. In a separate smaller window, individuals can read alone with the script of that episode, scrolling down the page as the video in the other window plays.

Hearing loss strikes Americans each year at a staggering rate. Today, one out of every ten Americans suffer from hearing loss. 48% of adults in the U.S. believe that they have suffered some hearing loss. As a result, in 1990, President Bush signed into law a bill mandating all television sets 13 inches or larger sold after July 1, 1993 to have the capability for displaying closed captions. Closed captioning for conventional television started roughly in the 1970s but gained speed in 1980 when ABC, NBC, and PBS starting transmitting closed captions on selected programs. Closed captioning for internet streaming video has been a different story. "We hope that Television Internet's small step to develop advances for the hearing impaired will encourage other online companies to do the same."

Sitcom, a semi-autobiographical, face-pace comedy about the struggles a group of DotCom executives go through to deliver primetime shows online, will aire twenty-six half-hour episodes and will test consumer demand for the hearing impaired episodes soon after the series' premiere.

Since September, Sitcom has been acclaimed for making "Internet history as Sitcom becomes the first situation comedy series for the Internet" (Yahoo! News); been applauded for having "the first African-American actress to star in an original series for the Internet"  (BlackVoices.com); and been praised as a show that's "on laugh track", the "first time an Internet program has been spun off from another ... just like a half-hour TV sitcom, except that it's available only online" (Hollywood Reporter).

Kling is the son of seven time Emmy nominated, two time Emmy Award winning writer/producer Woody Kling who collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude and two of the "Top 100 TV Shows of All Time" according to Variety.com.

G21.NET, THE WORLD'S MAGAZINE Fan Letter Mailbag: Black Actress to Star in Net's First Sitcom

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De'Leon Makes Internet History in Television Internet's Sitcom

JANUARY 5, 2002. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of Internet series programming, announced today that acclaimed comedian Lunden De'Leon will star in the network's new series Sitcom, a sitcom premiering this winter on televisioninternet.com.

In a press conference Tuesday streamed online from its website, De'Leon announced that she will be part of Internet history as Sitcom becomes the first situation comedy series for the Internet. Television Internet will aire twenty-six original half hour episodes viewable for free. De'Leon will also make Internet history as the first African-American actress to star in an original series for the Internet.

"Sitcom could easily finish in the top ten of any network show this season. It's that good," says De'Leon who has starred in over fifty movies and television shows and has graced the pages of Swimsuit Illustrated, and most recently the fall edition of Black Men's Magazine. "As a black woman, I am very proud that Sitcom shows that African American women can be funny, beautiful, and intelligent."

Sitcom is produced by Anthony Kling, the son of seven time Emmy nominated, two time Emmy Award winning writer/producer Woody Kling who collectively have been attached to all six decades of television history with credits including All in the Family, the Carol Burnett Show and Maude. [Copyright 2002 G21.net.]
YAHOO! NEWS: Black Actress to star in Web Sitcom

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Friday January 04 10:01 AM EST. The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of Internet series programming, announced recently that acclaimed comedian Lunden De'Leon will star in the network's new series Sitcom, a sitcom premiering this winter on televisioninternet.com.

The Television Internet Broadcasting Network, a pioneer of Internet series programming, announced recently that acclaimed comedian Lunden De'Leon will star in the network's new series Sitcom, a sitcom premiering this winter on televisioninternet.com.