HGTV.com’s Rate My Space Springboards from Online to On-Air

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(EON:Enhanced Online News)--This summer, HGTV will premiere its first primetime program based on the phenomenally successful online feature HGTV’s Rate My Space. Inspired by HGTV.com’s most popular online interactive feature and hosted by designer Angelo Surmelis, the new series will preview on Sunday, June 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT immediately following HGTV Design Star, and will premiere in its weekly time slot on Thursday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. In addition, Angelo will dish about the rooms posted on the “Rate My Space” Web site and offer advice the help homeowners improve their room design – during his weekly 2-minute online videos called “Spacecasts” on HGTV.com.

“Online visitors have uploaded more than 30,000 room photos to the site, which has generated more than 150 million page views in less than one year. We want to make this appealing, interactive approach to design accessible to all our viewers.”

Since its launch in 2007, millions of online users have discovered that HGTV.com’s “Rate My Space” Web page is a unique place to post photos of their room designs and possibly earn a coveted five-star room rating from their online peers. Now, viewers can tap into this HGTV.com phenomenon with Rate My Space and watch as designer Angelo Surmelis helps lucky homeowners improve their low-rated room designs. To help homeowners achieve their desired look and a higher rating for their space, Angelo invites them to select their three favorite room photos from the Rate My Space site. Next, he and his design team will identify the styles, objects and finishes that captured the interest of the homeowner and use those elements as inspiration for the new space. Along the way, Angelo will provide viewers with plenty of style tips and design ideas. In the end, pictures of the new room are re-posted on the Rate My Space site (http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com) and everyone hopes the room will earn five stars.

“The success of HGTV.com’s Rate My Space page has given the network an incredible opportunity to include our online fan base in our programming,” said Michael Dingley, senior vice president, HGTV programming. “Online visitors have uploaded more than 30,000 room photos to the site, which has generated more than 150 million page views in less than one year. We want to make this appealing, interactive approach to design accessible to all our viewers.”

About HGTV

HGTV, America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 95 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top-rated networks. HGTV's website, HGTV.com, is the nation's leading online home-and- garden content destination that attracts 5.7 million unique visitors per month.(a) HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV Canada and provides much of the Canadian network's daily programming. The network's branded programming also can be seen in 124 territories across all seven continents and its selected programming is available to service men and women on board Navy ships and through American Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS) which services more than 1,000 outlets in over 175 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP), which also operates Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living TV Network, and Great American Country (GAC).

(a) Nielsen Online (March 2008)

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