COMEDY CENTRAL(R) and The Onion Partner on an Original Pilot for a Scripted Show Based on The Onion Sports Network

NEW YORK, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- It's the sports world at its funniest: COMEDY CENTRAL has ordered a pilot from The Onion for a half-hour, scripted comedy series based on its popular Onion Sports Network online video series, as announced today by Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, COMEDY CENTRAL.

The as-yet untitled series will take on the whole universe of modern sports -- teams, players, leagues, sycophantic fans, ridiculous products and over-hyped sports coverage -- with an eye towards appealing to sports fanatics and more casual fans, as well as long-time followers of The Onion and The Onion News Network.

"We are thrilled to be in business with a cultural icon like The Onion to give our audience the sports show they deserve," said Corrao. "The short-form content on the OSN Web series is outstanding, hilarious and exactly what you'd expect from the gang. We're really excited to take this great idea and turn it into a regular, weekly series."

"The Onion is the biggest, most fearless, most influential news organization in the free world," said Steve Hannah, CEO of Onion, Inc. "And we see a collaboration with COMEDY CENTRAL as the next logical step in the expansion of the Onion Sports Network's hard-hitting coverage."

Executive produced by Onion News Network producer Julie Smith and director Will Graham, the half-hour scripted comedy takes its cue from The Onion Sports Network video content which authentically replicates the flashy look, breathless pace and general insanity of modern sports coverage.

"Get ready for the most intense sports coverage humanity has yet witnessed," Graham said. "We won't rest until you're perched in front of your TV, shouting in breathless excitement, neglecting your loved ones and your job because you are so completely addicted to our sports coverage."

Lisa Leingang is the executive in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

The Onion, "America's Finest News Source" and the Peabody® Award-winning Onion News Network reaches 7 billion viewers in 11 different continents, as well as more than 115 million prison cells worldwide, and is viewable online at www.theonion.com and www.onionnewsnetwork.com.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.