Toon Zone Talkback - "South Park" Creators Signed to 2011, Land Ad-Sharing Deal

[jlaking]

South Park to continue through 2011

"SOUTH PARK" CREATORS TREY PARKER AND MATT STONE AGREE TO THREE-YEAR EXTENSION OF "SOUTH PARK" AND FORM COMPREHENSIVE PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT JOINT VENTURE WITH COMEDY CENTRAL TO CREATE SOUTH PARK DIGITAL STUDIOS
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Deal Includes Three-Season Extension For The Emmy and Peabody Award-Winning Series Adding 42 Episodes Through 2011


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Joint Venture Includes Creation Of Digital Animation Studio To Serve As Incubator For New Animation Projects And A New Online Home For All Digital Extensions Of "South Park"
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NEW YORK, August 27, 2007 -- "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have agreed to a three-season extension for cable's top-rated animated series and entered into a momentous joint venture with COMEDY CENTRAL to create South Park Digital Studios, it was announced today by Doug Herzog, president, MTV Networks' Entertainment Group, a division of Viacom's (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) MTV Networks. The strategic alliance includes the formation of a digital animation studio at "South Park" headquarters in Los Angeles that will serve as the new home for all digital extensions of the "South Park" franchise as well as an incubator for new animated projects.
"This extension and the formation of the joint venture are the beginnings of a new era for 'South Park' and COMEDY CENTRAL and a natural evolution of our long-term and prosperous relationship with Trey and Matt," said Herzog. "With the new partnership in South Park Digital Studios and the creation of the digital animation studio, we have a tremendous opportunity to truly maximize the potential of the franchise and the incredible creative talents of Matt and Trey across every imaginable platform."


"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone said: "Three more years of 'South Park' will give us the opportunity to offend that many more people. And since Trey and I are in charge of the digital side of 'South Park,' we can offend people on their cell phones, game consoles, and computers too. It's all very exciting for us."


As part of the agreement, Parker and Stone will produce an additional three seasons (14 episodes per season) of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning "South Park," taking the series beyond its current deal, which was set to expire at the end of 2008, to keep new episodes of the show on COMEDY CENTRAL through 2011. Parker and Stone will continue to write, direct and edit every episode of "South Park," as they have since the premiere of the series in August 1997.


The joint venture of South Park Digital Studios seeks to respond to the new world in a new way. Its goal is to realize fully the potential of the "South Park" franchise and engage fans across all platforms, including exploring opportunities on gaming platforms (console, handheld, online) and a new online home for the series that will create a Web presence equaling the popularity and power of the series' brand. SouthParkStudios.com, the long running official "South Park" fan site, will be expanded and become a major part of the new joint venture. The newly expanded site is scheduled to re-launch during the first quarter of 2008.


South Park Digital Studios will also include a multi-faceted and comprehensive production and development facility featuring an animation studio that will serve as a home for innovation, experimentation and groundbreaking animation for Parker and Stone, as well as other animators. COMEDY CENTRAL will have a first-look option on any projects developed at the studio.


The joint venture agreement with COMEDY CENTRAL was negotiated for Parker and Stone by their attorney Kevin Morris of Barnes, Morris, Klein, Yorn, Barnes & Levine. They are also represented by William Morris.
Currently in its 11th season, "South Park" averages over 3 million viewers per premiere episode and has been the highest rated original cable series among men 18-34 for four years running. In its timeslot, "South Park" is the #1 show on cable among persons 18-49 and the #1 show on all of television among men 18-24. On April 22, 1998, the series shattered records when it garnered an 8.2 HH rating to become the highest rated episode of a series on basic cable at that time. (Source: Nielsen Media Research, Seasons 1-11, 08.13.97-04.18.07, Live+SD) New episodes of "South Park" will begin on October 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Here hope that the quality remains high until than.

 

[Darklordavaitor]

Here hope that the quality remains high until than.

But, the quality hasn't been high since season 3 IMO. Oh well, I don't care anymore.

 

[Nexonius]

Why did this happen? Let them die already! Oh well, Comedy Central isn't funny anymore.

 

[BrendaBat]

I don't know why you guys are being such downers. South Park still makes me laugh and I don't really see a difference in quality between season one and the current episodes. Yeah, its gotten a lot preachier over the years. But the satire on the show is almost always brilliant, so I can forgive a little moralizing here and there.

Even so, I am a little worried that the show might run out of steam in the near future (the 10th season was about the time The Simpsons crashed and burned). Here's hoping Matt and Trey prove me wrong!

 

[DarthGonzo]

I don't know why you guys are being such downers. South Park still makes me laugh and I don't really see a difference in quality between season one and the current episodes.

Your kidding, right?

 

[BrendaBat]

Originally posted by DarthGonzo
Your kidding, right?

Nope.

I'm not saying the current crop of episodes are indistinguishable from the episodes in season one. But the difference isn't so extreme that they feel like two different shows.

Just curious. Why do you guys think South Park has declined in quality?

 

[Space Cadet]

This is the talkback thread for "South Park" Creators Signed to 2011, Land Ad-Sharing Deal.

Wow, this is a pretty good deal for the creators of "South Park." Hopefully, the quality will still be good by that time.

 

[Zubby]

I saw that article in the NY Times this morning. My reaction was 'good for them'. They earned it, even if they probably never imagined that their show would become the huge hit it is.

I still like South Park. It's always been a little uneven, even when it was a new show. When it hits, it's really good. When it misses, most of the time it isn't a total washout. I think overall it's still a good show, and much better than all the 'gross out' animated shows that came after it (Drawn Together, Family Guy, 2/3 of Adult Swim, etc.)

 

[Draft]

God dangit, i hate how they have 2 7 ep seasons every year. Couldn't they tack on 2 more episdoes/1 additional ep per season?

But gewd for them, they truely do deserve it for their work and all the crap they get from people..

 

[Luna]

It's good news to me.....South Park is one of my favorite shows,and I still think the newer episodes are funny....

 

[Desensitized]

But, the quality hasn't been high since season 3 IMO. Oh well, I don't care anymore.

Wow, I thought it only started getting awesome in season 3.

I've been watching since the beginning and season 10 is my favorite season and 11 has been pretty strong too.

This means South Park will make 200 episodes!

 

[TheVofSteel]

Why does everyone keep asking for CC to cancel it? It may not be up to its previous standards in your opinion(I consider the show to be just as good as it was in Season 1), but it's still the No. 1 highest rated show on Comedy Central and canceling it would be the most utterly STUPID move the network has ever made.

 

[Ykwia]

Yes, I didn't get into South Park, But I'm amazed that the show kept on going despite it's staleness.

 

[R. Escobar]

This is great news, but I don't think South Park is ever going to end until Matt and Tery decide to end it

 

[CheezNapkin]

Well that's good news

 

[Christopher Glennon]

I've been watching since the beginning and season 10 is my favorite season and 11 has been pretty strong too.

I think season 10 is one of the best, I have no doubt South Park will, for the most part, be able to keep up the same level of entertainment. This is good news.