July 19, 2012 USA NETWORK SECURES PRIMETIME INTERACTIVE EMMY NOMINATION FOR PSYCH: HASHTAG KILLER PSYCH Fan Favorite is Finalist in the Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Original Interactive Television Programming Category
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NEW YORK – July 19, 2012 – USA Network, the top entertainment brand and pioneer in Social TV, today received an interactive Emmy nomination for PSYCH: HashTag Killer. This area of competition recognizes creative excellence in interactive media productions that stand alone as original storytelling experiences. The winners will be announced at the Academy of Television Arts & Science’s Creative Arts Awards and Ball on September 15, 2012.

“This nomination for PSYCH Hashtag Killer is validation of our approach in making Social TV an integral part of our strategy to drive more fan engagement and create a compelling ongoing two-way dialogue with our audience,” said Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel, co-presidents, USA. “Social TV enables us to go beyond the linear broadcast, and with participation from show creative and talent, provide fans with richer storytelling and layers of interactivity that keeps them engaged.”

This seven-week murder-mystery social game pulled fans into the storyline and the plot as they were tasked with utilizing multiple platforms, including Facebook, Character Chatter and Twitter to help Shawn and Gus solve the case of the “Hashtag Killer.” Unfolding in real time, users were able to pull in their Facebook friends to play along and acquire clues and affinity reward points in return for their engagement with text messages, video, audio feeds, interactive crime scenes and mini-games. As players secured points and moved up the leaderboard, the Hashtag Killer would choose a player from the top as his next victim. The transmedia experience was launched on September 28, 2012, at hashtagkiller.com, in advance of the return of the sixth season of the show and brought in almost half a million self-professed PSYCH-Os.

To date, more than 452K unique players have spent an average of 14 minutes a week over the course of the experience consuming more than 146 million page views and sharing their experience over 86 million times on their social networks. USA created PSYCH: HashTag Killer in conjunction with series creator and EP Steve Franks and show writer Brittany Hilgers Hollenbrau as well as partners Social Samba, 30 Ninjas and Glow Interactive. To date, the Social TV activation has received industry honors including The Social TV Summit Award and a Shorty Award.

With 2.4 million Facebook fans, this fan favorite stars Roday as a police consultant who solves crimes with powers of observation so acute the precinct detectives think he's psychic. With help from his best friend and reluctant sidekick (Hill), he continues to solve the mysterious and often bizarre crimes of the Santa Barbara Police Department. PSYCH also stars Corbin Bernsen, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson and Kirsten Nelson.

PSYCH is executive produced by Steve Franks, Kelly Kulchak and Chris Henze, from Universal Cable Productions in association with Tagline Pictures. Mel Damski serves as executive producer/director. Bill Callahan is executive producer. Saladin K. Patterson and Andy Berman are co-executive producers/writers.

For gallery and episodic photos of all USA projects, please log on to the NBC Universal Media Village at http://www.nbcumv.com/.

PRESS CONTACTS:
Suzanne McGee (Social TV) 212.413.6150 suzanne.mcgee@nbcuni.com
Lynn Weiss (PSYCH) 818.777.6682 lynn.weiss@nbcuni.com