The WB Is Going Back To School

(March 7, 2002 – Burbank, CA) — Jamie Kennedy, star of The WB's new hit comedy “JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment” will be at the center of two new initiatives intended to bring the excitement of The WB in-person to college campuses and gatherings. This March, The WB is participating in a month-long spring break event in Panama City, Florida, and will launch a 10-city college tour in April with Atlantic recording artists Course of Nature and Nappy Roots. “With our target audience being 12-to-34-year-olds, college-aged viewers are an important component of our viewership,” said Suzanne Kolb, Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing of The WB. “We are always looking for new, innovative ways to reach them and these are two of what we hope will be many events aimed at this vital WB audience.” “Needless to say, colleges often foster new trends in music,” said Atlantic Vice President of Marketing & Product Development Lee Stimmel. “This tour is an incredible opportunity to unite the assets of both Atlantic and The WB, enabling us to offer a broad range of complementary promotional activities that will expose new talent to this influential segment of the marketplace.” In Panama City, Florida, Kennedy will stop in at “The Spot!” — a compound on the beach which features live music, deejays and a variety of activities. More than 500,000 college students are expected to join in the spring break festivities, which will be held throughout this month at clubs and on the beach. The WB is the television network represented in the month-long event at the hot spring break spot, which is produced by YouthStream. Kennedy along with other stars from The WB will participate, including Eddie Kaye Thomas (“Off Centre”), Busy Philipps (“Dawson’s Creek”), Chad Michael Murray (“Dawson's Creek” & “Gilmore Girls”) and Joanna Garcia and Steve Howey (“Reba”). The WB will award nearly $25,000 in cash and prizes to revelers and also will air interstitial spots from Panama City. On April 1 in Los Angeles, The WB will kick off a tour of 10 college towns (dates and locations listed below) with network stars such as Kennedy and Oliver Hudson (“My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star”), along with Atlantic recording artists Course of Nature and Nappy Roots. There will be local events in each city, including live music performances, screenings of network series, games and prizes. The Los Angeles kick-off will also feature a performance of Left of Zed, a local L.A. band fronted by “Off Centre” star John Cho. “The WB On Tour” is presented by 1-800-COLLECT. “The liberal use of music and breaking new acts have always been a key part of The WB,” Ms. Kolb said. “Our viewers expect us to be on the cutting edge of music. We’ve always had a great relationship with Atlantic and see this as the natural next step in our partnership.” “The WB is a powerful force in creatively exposing new talent,” said Mr. Stimmel. “It has played a pivotal role in launching a wide spectrum of Atlantic artists. This venture is a prime example of how our close partnership with the WB continues to evolve in diverse and ground-breaking ways.” From the heart of Enterprise, Alabama comes one of the new year’s most exciting new bands – Course of Nature. “SUPERKALA,” their Lava/Atlantic debut album, is a potent blend of passionate melodies, hard-edged riffs, and emotionally charged lyrics, highlighted by the electrifying hit single, “Caught In The Sun.” Featuring strings arranged and conducted by Suzie Katayama (Train, Bon Jovi), the song – recently featured on The WB’s hit drama series “Smallville” – is marked by its indelible, irresistible guitar hook and singer/songwriter Mark Wilkerson’s confident, expressive vocals. Course of Nature’s “SUPERKALA” is modern rock at its best and brightest. Hailed by The Source as “the brightest stars of 2002,” Nappy Roots are winning over hip-hop heads everywhere with their tasty blend of organically funky stylings, serious lyrical science, and Dirty South grooves. The Kentucky-based collective’s Atlantic debut, “WATERMELON, CHICKEN & GRITZ” – which includes the hit single, “Awnaw” – is already one of the year’s most acclaimed releases. Produced by such esteemed studio whizzes as James “Groove” Chambers, Carlos “Six July” Broady (India.Aire, Lil’ Kim), and Mike City (Brandy, Sunshine Anderson), “WATERMELON, CHICKEN & GRITZ” is certain to propel Nappy Roots to the forefront of modern hip-hop and beyond. # # #