ABC, RDF Media Group and The Everyday Health Network Team With Shaquille O'Neal to Launch Shaqsfamilychallenge.com, a New Interactive Website Dedicated to Managing Childhood Obesity


NEW YORK, June 27, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- ABC Entertainment, the RDF Media Group, and The Everyday Health Network, the fastest growing online network of health sites, have joined together with Shaquille O'Neal to create Shaq's Family Challenge (www.shaqsfamilychallenge.com). The companion Web site to ABC's new series "Shaq's Big Challenge" is devoted to helping families manage childhood obesity. The Everyday Health Network is published by Waterfront Media (www.waterfrontmedia.com), the industry leader in developing online diet, health and fitness programs. Waterfront Media will operate and maintain the Shaq's Family Challenge Web site.

Shaq's Family Challenge reinforces Shaq's messages from the series on the dangers of obesity, the value of exercise and the importance of good nutrition. Additionally, the site provides parents concerned about childhood obesity with the opportunity to join a club where hands-on tools such as daily meal and fitness planners and shopping lists are provided in order to better manage the problem on a daily basis.

"We know how powerful a tool the Web can be to help people manage their tough health and weight loss challenges. Working with ABC and RDF Media Group sets an exciting precedent because for the first time, the full power of both primetime television and the Web are harnessed to tackle childhood obesity, a major health issue of our time," said Waterfront Media CEO and Co-Founder, Ben Wolin. He added, "Shaq's message on primetime will be reinforced by the content and tools on Shaq's Family Challenge, and visa versa. This joint effort promises to reach an even larger audience and provide parents with the tools to proactively help their children every day."

"We are always looking for ways that we can use digital platforms to deepen the relationship viewers have with our shows and network," said Bruce Gersh, senior vice president, business development, ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios. "Working together with Waterfront Media, RDF and Shaq, we've been able to create a new online extension for this new series that provides consumers with learnings from the most successful diet and health programs on the Web, as well as tools and an interactive community so that they can take the messages from the show and incorporate them into their families' daily lives."

Childhood obesity is a fast-growing epidemic in the U.S. -- obese children face a shorter lifespan due to weight-related illnesses such as increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Shaquille O'Neal, a four-time NBA champion and a role model to millions, is on a quest to help kids across America live more healthfully. "Shaq's Big Challenge" airs Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network and is produced by RDF USA ("Wife Swap). In the series, Shaq and his hand-picked "dream team" of experts embark on a crusade to help transform six obese middle school youngsters from Florida into healthy, fit kids -- and along the way, demonstrate how other communities nationwide can help fight childhood obesity. Executive producers are Rick Ringbakk, Greg Goldman, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Coelen, Christopher Handy, Perry Rogers, Michael Parris and Stephen Lambert. The series is produced by RDF USA. It is based on the hit U.K. series, "Unfit Kids."

About ABC

ABC Entertainment offers quality, award-winning programming that includes many of the most widely viewed series, specials and movies. Entertainment on ABC crosses various programming genres with hit series like "Grey's Anatomy," "Dancing with the Stars," "Lost," "Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Brothers & Sisters" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in late-night. ABC Entertainment is part of the ABC Television Network, and is managed by Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company.

About The Everyday Health Network

Everyday Health, the Web's Healthy Lifestyle Network, includes the Internet's best-known health, diet, fitness and pregnancy websites, along with the flagship site, EverydayHealth.com. The Everyday Health Network is one of the largest and the most rapidly growing health properties on the Internet, with 8.4 million users, and also the third largest destination for women on the Web. Everyday Health connects America's best health experts with millions of people looking to improve their lives through advice, tools and online communities, and includes such popular health and weight loss sites as SouthBeachDiet.com, The Sonoma Diet, Fit Forever with Denise Austin, The Duke Diet, Bikini Boot Camp, The Five Factor Diet, and WhattoExpect.com based on the best-selling parenting and pregnancy guide, "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Through its network of sites, including the flagship EverydayHealth.com, Waterfront Media enables consumers to manage their health online and make positive life changes through unique interactive features and personalized advice, tools, and online communities. The Everyday Health Network is published by Waterfront Media (www.waterfrontmedia.com), the premier online publisher of self help experts and the largest privately held online health company.

About RDF Media Group

RDF Media Group (RDF) is one of the largest and fastest-growing production companies in the world, headquartered in London, with large offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Glasgow, Bristol, Cardiff and Maidstone. RDF is a publicly-listed company consisting of thirteen content-oriented companies, including Touchpaper, Radar, IWC Media, The Foundation, Presentable, The Comedy Unit, RDF Television, RDF Television West, RDF Management, RDF Rights, RDF Digital, Pangea and RDF USA. Through its group members, RDF has produced a wide range of outstanding drama, comedy, reality, game and children's programming for all of the broadcast and cable networks in both the US and the UK. RDF has won numerous awards for its programming including a number of BAFTAs, Royal Television Society awards, the Rose d'Or and an International Emmy. RDF group companies won Broadcast's Best Independent Production Company award in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. RDF is the only producer to win this award more than once.



            

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