• February 27, 2001

NBC Internet’s Saturday Night Movie Promotion, an online watch and win contest that aired on NBC television for 13 weeks, drew 1.4 million registered players to the NBCi.com website. Each week, viewers had the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in cash prizes by watching the Saturday Night Movie on NBC and correctly answering related questions online at NBCi.com. Movies included such major theatrical hits as “Twister,” “Crimson Tide,” “Jurassic Park” and “Maverick.” More than 650 players won cash prizes from $1,000 to $50,000 throughout the 13-week sweepstakes.

NBCi and NBC TV are already in the planning stages for a second Saturday Night Movie promotion that is scheduled to launch in May 2001. In addition to the Saturday Night movies, other integrated promotions are in the works, such as the “Count the Kisses & Lies” sweepstakes that will launch on March 1st. Viewers will be asked to watch the Thursday night primetime comedies “Friends,” “Will & Grace” and “Just Shoot Me,” and count the number of times the characters kiss and say the word "lie" (defined as untruth). Viewers can log on to Kisses.NBCi.com to register and submit their answer. One grand-prize winner will win a walk-on role on a Thursday Night comedy, plus a trip for two to Los Angeles.

- Anya Khait