New York, NY – March 4, 2006 -- Rockville Pictures is pleased to announce its ‘Viewer Favorite’ fishing program, “Lunkerville”, will begin airing on the Water Channel starting March 10, 2006.
“This is very exciting for us because it means “Lunkerville” will soon be in another 35 million+ homes by summer – nearly three times the number of viewers we currently have”, states Mike de Avila, host and co-producer of the show. “That’s good news for lovers of bass fishing across the country, and our sponsors!”
The Water Channel is the first television network to showcase purely water-related sports, family lifestyles, recreation and leisure entertainment worldwide. When the channel’s directors spotted “Lunkerville” episodes at The New York Boat Show this past January, they were hooked. “The show’s production quality, together with its reality entertainment appeal, is just the kind of programming we’re looking for, it’s a perfect fit.” said Howard Fried, Director of Programming & Operations for the Water Channel.
According to Jay Cascio, Executive Vice President of Production and Creative Service for the Water Channel, a key to the channel’s success lies in its ability to deliver interesting subjects via “great television”. Most of the network’s executives have backgrounds in award-winning television and entertainment, making their production standards those of “Hollywood”, and “Lunkerville”, a natural for the channel’s show list.
Two years ago, Indie film director, Michael de Avila, hooked his passion for story-telling onto his love of bass-fishing to spawn “Lunkerville”; a weekly fishing show that shuns fast-paced, pro-tournament competition in favor of “real people with real fish stories”. “I always wanted to cast my line at everyday, recreational bass fishermen”, de Avila says, “tell their stories, get to know their secret spots and special techniques.”
Each week, host “Mike D” uses his compelling charisma to charm both guest and fish out of the water. In his signature laid-back manner, he reels in the camaraderie, the banter and the bass. And viewers are eating it up.
At the 2006 Sportsman Channel Awards in Las Vegas this past February, the show picked up another “Viewer Favorite Fishing Show” award for the second year in a row. Last year it was also awarded “Viewer Favorite On-Camera Personality” and “Best Freshwater Fishing Episode” – all in its first season.
The Water Channel is currently available to 12 million satellite subscribers on channel 216 of the Dish Network. By summer, with the addition of two of America's largest cable providers, the Water Channel will be in approximately 35 million homes.
Visit www.waterchannel.com for more information about the Water Channel, and www.lunkerville.com for more on “Lunkerville”.
