Fox's TOUCH to Launch in More Than 100 Countries

TOUCH, the intriguing new drama series from Tim Kring (Heroes) and starring Kiefer Sutherland in his first television project since the Emmy-winning 24, will receive an unprecedented global launch for its March series premiere that includes coordinated worldwide distribution, marketing and advertising sponsorship.

In a television first, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, Fox Broadcasting Company, FOX One, 20th Century Fox Television and FOX International Channels are collaborating on a worldwide launch for the series, which will premiere nearly simultaneously in more than 100 countries. To kick off the series' global marketing efforts, Sutherland will embark on an international media tour, stopping in several major cities across Europe and culminating in a global media event in New York City on March 18 - a date that figures prominently in Touch's pilot episode. In another industry first, Unilever has come on board as the series' global advertising sponsor in a one-of-a-kind partnership designed to bring Touch to a worldwide audience.

Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution has secured deals in over 160 markets with some of the world's leading broadcasters and pan-regional platforms. The global launch will make the much-anticipated drama available on channels all around the world, including Global Television in Canada, Sky 1 in the United Kingdom, ProSieben in Germany, Yes TV in Israel and Channel One in Russia. FOX International Channels will launch the series in 64 countries throughout Latin America, Asia and Europe.

Unilever has partnered with the series to be its global sponsor in a first-of-its-kind worldwide collaboration. The key elements of Unilever's unprecedented marketing partnership include a media buy that covers Europe, Asia, Latin America as well as the U.S.; sponsorship of the Touch international media tour and worldwide premiere in New York City on March 18; and exclusive online content presented by Unilever brands around the world.

"Unilever is thrilled to be part of this inaugural global media sponsorship with News Corp.," said Luis Di-Como, Unilever's Senior Vice President of Global Media. "It's the very type of sponsorship that enables us to connect and engage consumers with one of our billion-euro global brands - Rexona, Degree in the U.S. and Sure in the UK - with one culturally relevant content platform."

"Our global Unilever partnership goes far beyond the scope of anything we've ever done," said Jean Rossi, President of FOX One, News Corp's integrated sales and marketing division, which worked with Unilever for more than a year to create the worldwide partnership. "Before moving forward, it was imperative that we find a property that conveyed our mutual strategic vision, and Touch has the positive message and global appeal that articulates that spirit."

Marion Edwards, President of International Television, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, remarked, "It's so appropriate that a television series whose focus is the unity and connection we all share in spite of culture and language differences would serve as the springboard for this very exciting, global launch." She added, "We are thrilled to share this special event with all our broadcast partners."

Blending science, spirituality and emotion, Touch will follow seemingly unrelated people all over the world whose lives affect each other in ways seen and unseen, known and unknown. At the story's center is Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland), a widower and single father, haunted by an inability to connect to his emotionally challenged 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz). But everything changes after Martin learns that Jake possesses an extraordinary gift - the ability to perceive the seemingly hidden patterns that connect every life on the planet. Martin soon realizes that it's his job to decipher the numbers his son is obsessed with and recognize their meaning. As he puts the pieces together, he will help people across the world connect as their lives intersect according to the patterns Jake has foreseen, and his simple quest to connect with his son will shape humanity's destiny.

Touch will have a special preview this Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:07 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Its series premiere is Monday, March 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). International launches take place the week of March 19.

Touch is a production of Chernin Entertainment and Tailwind Productions, in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Tim Kring created the series and wrote the pilot. Kring, Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants), Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, Kiefer Sutherland, Suzan Bymel (The War at Home) and Carol Barbee (Jericho) are executive producers. Lawrence directed the pilot.

About Twentieth Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox is a subsidiary of News Corporation. News Corporation's diversified global operations include the production and distribution of motion pictures and television programming; television, satellite, cable and digital media broadcasting and transmission, the publication of newspapers, magazines and books; the production and distribution of promotional and advertising products and services; the development of conditional access and subscriber management systems.

About FOX International Channels

FOX International Channels (FIC) is News Corporation's international multi-media business that develops, produces and distributes over 350 wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports and lifestyle channels across Latin America, U.S. Hispanic, Asia/Pacific, Europe and Africa, in 35 languages. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.1 billion cumulative households worldwide. FIC also operates a global online advertising unit, .FOX (pronounced "dot-fox") which specializes in online video and display, and four TV production houses. In operation since: August 14, 1993.

About Fox Broadcasting Company

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) is a unit of News Corporation and the leading broadcast television network among Adults 18-49. FOX finished the 2010-2011 season at No. 1 in the key adult demographic for the seventh consecutive year - a feat that has never been achieved in broadcast history - while continuing to dominate all network competition in the more targeted Adults 18-34 and Teen demographics. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week as well as late-night entertainment programming, major sports and Sunday morning news.

About FOX One

Formed in 2007, FOX One is a Sales unit charged with developing and implementing strategic integrated marketing opportunities crossing the full range of News Corp.'s global assets and a variety of media platforms. Led by President Jean Rossi, FOX ONE works with individual Sales units at News Corp. divisions to cultivate marketing partnerships and develop customized, multiplatform campaigns that integrate any and all FOX/News Corp. assets.

About Unilever

Unilever works to create a better future every day. We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 180. Consumers buy 170 billion Unilever packs around the world every year, and our products are used over two billion times a day. Our portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most loved brands including twelve 1 billion brands, and global leadership in many categories in which we operate. The portfolio features iconic brands such as: Knorr, Hellmann's, Lipton, Dove, Vaseline, Persil, Cif, Rexona and Degree. We have around 167,000 employees in over 100 countries, and generated annual sales of 44.3 billion in 2010. For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com. Unilever is Leader in the Food Producers sector in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes for the 13th year running. We are included in the FTSE4Good Index Series and attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. We are also ranked 7th in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, a list compiled by Corporate Knights Magazine. We achieved Platinum Plus standard in the UK's Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index 2009, and were named Company of the Year in 2010.

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