“We have an incredibly strong pipeline of new drama in development from a collection of top writers in the industry, many of whom have enjoyed a successful track record at USA,” said Jeff Wachtel, co-president of USA Network. “Our drama development slate represents a broad range of themes, and ensures USA will continue to have a powerful mix of its dynamic originals as we plan for the future,” said Chris McCumber, co-president of USA Network.

HORIZON is a period genre drama set at the height of World War II. At a time when many American women took more significant roles in the workplace than ever before, a secretary at the FBI begins a secretive investigation into files that have been stamped with the codename “horizon.” This mysterious project provides links to the death of her husband and the disappearance of a young girl, and has also – unbeknownst to her – aroused the interest of undercover Nazi spies working in the US. From Universal Cable Productions, Hurd will executive produce through her Valhalla Entertainment, with writer and co-executive producer Bridget Tyler (BURN NOTICE).  The pilot will go into production this summer.

USA’s drama slate includes:

THE ARRANGEMENT (Pilot Under Consideration)- From “Numb3rs” creators Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci this one-hour drama pilot is inspired by a short story from the Elmore Leonard anthology “When The Women Come Out To Dance.”  THE ARRANGEMENT tells the story of Lourdes Nieves (Stephanie Sigman, “Miss Bala”), a Columbian woman who trades her tragic and mysterious past for a fresh start in Miami by entering into a marriage with Billy Whitley (Bryan Greenberg, “How to Make It In America”), a well-meaning and ambitious politician.  In a union of political expediency, Lourdes and Billy manage a delicate dance of romance and clear-eyed pragmatism as she leverages her experience and contacts to help her husband battle the blood sport that is local Florida politics. From Universal Cable Productions and executive producers Doug Liman and David Bartis of Hypnotic (SUITS, COVERT AFFAIRS), the pilot also stars Amanda Schull and Manolo Cardona.

THE EDGE – From Universal Cable Productions and Executive Producer John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co. (“Get Lifted”), THE EDGE, written and executive produced by Adam Hoff and Justin Herber, is a thriller that explores one idealistic man’s journey after he leaves an NGO to join the world’s top venture capital firm. Jeff Cross believes he landed his dream job working with an elite team of progressive thinking investors who fund socially conscious projects to better the planet. As he rises through the ranks, he discovers a morally bankrupt workplace that perpetuates shadowy agendas to control governments, industries and global leaders to fill the firm’s coffers. If he goes up against this financial goliath, Jeff risks his soul and the lives of those closest to him. Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius of Get Lifted Film Co. also executive produce.

COMPLICATIONS – The story of an ER doctor whose life changes after he is involved in a gang shooting when he is forced to explore how active a doctor can be in treating the cause of his patients’ medical problems. From Fox TV Studios, COMPLICATIONS is written and executive produced by BURN NOTICE creator Matt Nix.

BANK –After an unconventional act of heroism gives her the opportunity to choose her next assignment, a young FBI agent surprises everyone by choosing the bank crimes division in Los Angeles. The city of LA is the epicenter of bank robberies in the U.S. with three to six banks robbed every day, representing 30% of all bank robberies in the country.  It takes a special kind of person to confront such an unrelenting tide of crime, leaving her peers suspicious of her intent. From Universal Cable Productions, written and co-executive produced by Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman (“Fringe,” “Human Target”) and executive produced by Doug Liman and David Bartis of Hypnotic.

BLANCO COUNTY – Based on a series of books by Ben Rehder, BLANCO COUNTY follows the story of John Marlin, a worldly pro baseball player who would rather spend his down time traveling the world than return to his small Texas hometown. After the death of his father, Marlin returns home to find a lot has changed since he left. The place is now booming with rich ranchers and tourists and there’s an uneasy alliance between the locals and the nouveau rich. Believing the local cops to be inept, Marlin runs for sheriff and surprisingly wins. A man who spent his entire life running away from his roots must now adapt to a new way of life. From Tom Welling Productions and Rob Thomas Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television, BLANCO COUNTY is written by Rob Thomas (“Veronica Mars”) and executive produced by Thomas, Tom Welling, Danielle Stokdyk and Dan Etheridge.

DON’T TURN AROUND – A haunting limited series set on a beautiful but remote island. As the summer draws to an end and the vacationers/weekenders have all left the island, the young staff left behind is ready to finally let loose before they pack up as well. When an unexpected storm rolls across the island during the party, several people mysteriously vanish and turn up dead. Trapped on the island with no means of escape, the remaining group struggles to survive – against whatever is out there … and each other. From Grady Girl Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television, DON’T TURN AROUND is written by J.R. Orci, who executive produces with Dawn Olmstead.

HUNGRY – From ROYAL PAINS executive producer Michael Rauch and restaurateur Joe Bastianich, HUNGRY is an inside look at the opening of a New York City hot spot, inspired by Bastianich’s life and his New York Times bestseller “Restaurant Man.” Well versed in the toll that restaurant life can take on one’s relationships, the son of a famous chef nevertheless tries to open his own eatery. He juggles negotiating with teamsters, working the front of the house with high-end clientele, managing a large staff and finding time to follow his passion: cooking. He is monomaniacal in his pursuit of the perfect restaurant, at a steep cost to himself and those he loves. From Universal Cable Productions, HUNGRY is written and executive produced by Rauch and executive produced by Bastianich.

SHADOW COUNSEL ­ A legal thriller centered on Ethan, a former Army JAG attorney now working as a criminal lawyer in NY who is recruited by the FBI to crack an ongoing investigation. Ethan serves as a shadow counsel – a secret lawyer who operates behind the scenes and completely off the record to circumvent existing roadblocks (hired attorneys, interrogators, etc) in classified cases. Reluctantly agreeing to take the case, Ethan’s life rapidly descends into chaos as he finds himself on the run, unsure of who his friends are or who he can trust.  From Universal Cable Productions, SHADOW COUNSEL is written and executive produced by Barry Schindel (“Castle”) and executive produced by David Semel (“Hemlock Grove,” “American Horror Story”).

The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes.  USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events.  A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV.  USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

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CONTACTS:

Hilary Smith                                                           212.6642617                                        hilary.smith@nbcuni.com

Emily Spitale                                                          212.664.5786                                       emily.spitale@nbcuni.com

Lynn Weiss                                                            818.777.6682                                       lynn.weiss@nbcuni.com

“We are proud to expand the collaboration between Characters Unite and the National Football League. With the combined resources of the top cable network and the top professional sports league, we can exponentially increase the reach and impact of our shared effort to combat hate and bullying – two critical issues facing today’s youth,” said Toby Graff, USA’s Senior Vice President, Public Affairs. “The powerful and courageous stories of the NFL stars taking part will help to inspire greater respect, tolerance and acceptance.”

Each of the eight heart-warming and inspiring vignettes will profile a NFL star who serves as a role model, using his own experiences to mentor a young person who is experiencing similar prejudice and discrimination today. Among those featured will be Rice, Baltimore Ravens running back and Super Bowl XLVII champion, who will be tackling the problem of bullying and teen suicide in conjunction with his efforts through Ray Rice Charitable Fund.

The vignettes will be broadcast on-air, and viewers can delve deeper into the series online, where there will be even more background on the emotional stories behind each player and young person. The documentary will kick off Characters Unite Month in February 2014, a time when USA Network shines a brighter spotlight on the initiative and the importance of promoting greater respect and acceptance.

“We are pleased to continue working with Characters Unite to highlight the positive impact NFL players have on their communities,” said Tracy Perlman, NFL Vice President of Entertainment Marketing and Promotions. “We look forward to working with USA Network and The Hochberg Ebersol Company to tell these important stories.”

“Each year, it is one of our company’s great honors to produce ‘NFL Characters Unite,’” said executive producer Charlie Ebersol. “We are thrilled that USA Network, the NFL and its players will continue to truly inspire teens while giving viewers an often ignored first person depiction of the cycle of negativity that we all should be fighting to end with today’s youth.”

Previous players who participated in NFL CHARACTERS UNITE included Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain, Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu, New York Giants Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck, Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl MVP wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, New Orleans Saints star tight end Jimmy Graham, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward, and NBC’s Football Night in America analyst and Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. The films have been narrated by former NBC’s Football Night in America Emmy-winning sportscaster Cris Collinsworth.

NFL CHARACTERS UNITE was created by The Hochberg Ebersol Company and executive produced by company co-founders Charlie Ebersol and Justin W. Hochberg. The 2012 documentary was produced in by Paul Pawlowski and P3 Entertainment and directed by Ezra Edelman (HBO’s Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals). For more information on CHARACTERS UNITE, visit www.charactersunite.com.
ABOUT USA NETWORK The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

ABOUT THE HOCHBERG EBERSOL COMPANY: The Hochberg Ebersol Company (THE Company) was founded in 2010 by entertainment industry veteranJustin Hochberg and television/film producer Charlie Ebersol. THE Company creates, packages and produces groundbreaking programming in the unscripted, multi-camera comedy, docu-series, and competition formats, for a range of leading broadcast and cable networks. Credits include “The Great Escape” (TNT), “NFL Characters Unite” and “The Moment” for USA, and “Race to the Scene” (Reelz Channel). THE Company operates a full-service branded entertainment agency, clients have included “Shaq Vs.,” Dick Clark Productions and “Hell’s Kitchen” for Fox, as well as advertising companies including DirecTV, NASCAR, Skype, Caesar’s Palace, Proctor & Gamble, Notre Dame college, the CIA, Department of Homeland Security, Camping World and Sports Illustrated. THE Company operates in-house post facilities, which includes CGI capabilities. THE Company is represented by Michael Kagan at ICM and Bill Abrams of Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP.

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CONTACT:

Hilary Smith                                                        212.6642617                                hilary.smith@nbcuni.com

Emily Spitale                                                       212.6645786                                emily.spitale@nbcuni.com

Amanda Cary                                                     212.664.8993                               amanda.cary@nbcuni.com

“Cat is the ideal person to host USA’s daytime programming block, tapping her journalism expertise, dynamic personality and popular franchise to keep viewers engaged throughout the day,” said Alexandra Shapiro, Executive Vice President of Marketing & Digital for USA Network. “Now more than ever, brands need creative solutions to break through the clutter in today’s media marketplace. The integration opportunities around Cat’s segments provide a seamless and entertaining way to convey marketing messages.”

Greenleaf’s segments will be anchored from her show’s home in Brooklyn, and she’ll bring her famous stoop on the road — as she reports from junkets, red carpet events and brand partners’ retail outlets.

“Adding Cat’s impressive journalistic talent into USA’s daytime block, with the opportunity for advertisers to showcase their brands to an engaged, affluent and young consumer, demonstrates our commitment to helping advertisers reach their goals,” said Laura Molen, Executive Vice President, Cable Advertising Sales, NBCUniversal.

Greenleaf will also guide viewers seamlessly between her segments and commercial breaks through live bumpers and programming announcements that showcase products from USA’s marketing partners. For example, Greenleaf might be featured on her stoop eating lunch from a quick service restaurant, or she might arrive at her stoop in an automotive partner’s vehicle. In addition, Greenleaf will host exclusively sponsored themed weeks on subjects ranging from the Olympics to the Golden Globes to Fashion Week to the holidays.

Specifically, Greenleaf’s segments will focus around four main categories including:

Culture Click: Greenleaf will provide the latest scoop on cultural icons and conduct interviews with the “who’s who” and “who you need to know” in the world of music, sports, arts, politics and entertainment.

Flicks: Greenleaf brings viewers closer to the movie magic as she interviews stars from the most highly anticipated movie releases and box-office hits coming out on DVD.

Brandstand: For some brands, the iconic face of their product is a memorable character is to millions of people. Through social media, these characters’ popularity is rising faster than ever, with consumers seeking out brands to learn more. On the Brandstand segment, Greenleaf will give brand ambassadors a national platform on which to shine.

USA Characters: Leveraging USA’s deep roster of hit talent, Greenleaf will bring viewers up to speed on their favorite characters and shows through intimate one-on-one interviews that answer everyone’s most burning questions. She will take viewers on-set and behind the scenes of new USA series.

Greenleaf will continue to host the popular “Talk Stoop” program, which currently airs on the NBC-owned stations in the top television markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and COZI TV, as well as in out-of-home screens across the country, such as taxicabs, iVillage.com and gas pumps.

In almost four years on the air, Talk Stoop has shot more than 350 conversations with guests including Spike Lee, The Kardashians, Julianne Moore, Eva Longoria, Hilary Swank, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Edie Falco and Claire Danes.

USA is the #1 cable network in P 18-49 in daytime, with the most upscale and educated audience of any network in the day part.

The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

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CONTACTS:

Hilary Smith                                                           212.6642617                                 hilary.smith@nbcuni.com

Suzanne McGee                                                   212.413.6150                                suzanne.mcgee@nbcuni.com

Emily Spitale                                                          212.6645786                                 emily.spitale@nbcuni.com

Each digital touch point will offer TV Everywhere, gamification, and real-time social TV to amplify the viewers’ experience. With this new offering, USA’s marketing partners will have the unique opportunity to participate in branded experiences, extending their reach and directly connecting with fans. The new capabilities will start to go live on June 6, as USA’s summer of originals launches with BURN NOTICE and GRACELAND that night starting at 9/8c.

“As part of USA’s digital evolution, we are embracing this multiplatform world by marrying all of the screens for stronger two-way engagements with our compelling content,” says Alexandra Shapiro, executive vice president, USA Network. “We have eliminated the walls between TVs and mobile devices to give brands a unified and fluid fan interaction, organically extending their presence everywhere the consumer is.”

This new functionality will offer the unique ability for brands to live across any screen, going beyond traditional commercials to include transmedia storytelling experiences and streamed episodes. Using cutting-edge technology, USA will link on-air snipes and lower thirds graphics with their mobile device or desktop, enabling brands to engage on a deeper level with fans on every screen. Social media capabilities are integrated into the fabric of the site bringing people and brands together around live shows and extensions.

“USA Network’s move to utilize a responsive design approach to create a consistent experience across devices that integrates video, interactivity, and social networking offers fans multiple attractive destinations in which to engage with their favorite content,” said Greg Ireland, research manager, IDC, a leading market intelligence firm. “Television networks increasingly need to make content available to fans no matter where those fans are and what devices they are using, and seamless digital environments enable fan engagement with both content and brands.”

USA is incorporating natural user experiences from mobile devices into the core architecture, making it easy for fans to engage and drill down into more immersive experiences. To facilitate viewing on all devices, the network is moving the digital navigation tools to the bottom of the screen, putting the content front and center for fans and placing the interactivity bar within a thumb’s reach.

USA partnered with key technology leaders to power its unification strategy, including Bunchball, Echo, Empathy Lab, RebelMouse, and Watchwith.

The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. The network has garnered an Emmy nomination for its fan favorite Psych: HashTag Killer along with multiple Shortys and an AdAge Vanguard Media award. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com with social touchpoints on Facebook and Twitter. Characters Welcome.

###

CONTACT:

Suzanne McGee (Brand & Digital)                             212.413.6150                      suzanne.mcgee@nbcuni.com

In addition, NBC Sports Network presents live coverage of Carb Day, the last practice before the race, with the return of renowned motorsports voice Bob Jenkins. Coverage begins on Friday, May 24, at 11 a.m. ET, continues with Indy Lights at noon ET, and is followed by more Carb Day coverage. The premier of IndyCar 36 featuring record-breaking driver Simona de Silvestro airs at 10:30 p.m. ET that night.

NBC Sports Network concludes its coverage on Saturday, May 25, with the Indy 500 Parade live at 5 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports Network’s Indy 500 Qualifying Coverage (subject to change, all times ET):

QUALIFYING COMMENTATORS: Former IndyCar driver Gil de Ferran joins NBC Sports Network’s team as an analyst this weekend 10 years after his Indy 500 win. de Ferran is filling in for NBC Sports Network IndyCar analyst Townsend Bell, who is attempting to qualify for his seventh Indy 500. In 2009, Bell finished fourth in the race.

Sharing the booth with de Ferran includes play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey and analyst Jon Beekhuis. Diffey is working IndyCar this weekend, but will travel abroad next week to call the Monaco Grand Prix. Veterans Kevin Lee and Marty Snider manage the pits, and are joined by reporters Robin Miller and Will Buxton, the Formula One reporter who is making his inaugural trip to the Brickyard.

Coverage on Sunday will feature Bell driving first-timer Buxton around the oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a two-seater.

CARB DAY COMMENTATORS: Legendary motorsports voice Bob Jenkins returns to the booth for Carb Day on Friday, May 24, filling in for Diffey, who will be at Monaco. Jenkins will be joined by Beekhuis and race analyst and former NASCAR driver Wally Dallenbach, Jr. VeteransLee, Snider and Miller will manage the pits.

Mike King will call Indy Lights on Friday, May 24, alongside Jack Query.

Jenkins, Diane Willis and Lee will host Indy 500 Parade coverage on Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. ET.

DIFFEY ON INDY 500 QUALIFYING: “The way this year’s IZOD Indycar Series has gone, who can’t be excited about the Indy 500 Pole Day? This time last year, Penske Racing had dominated all four opening rounds of the series and led the championship. This year they haven’t won a race, nor has defending Indy 500 winner Chip Ganassi Racing, and there have been two first-time winners from the first four races. It’s a season of surprise.”

INDYCAR 36: NBC Sports Network offers motorsports fans another episode of the all-access series IndyCar 36. This week the cameras follow driver Simona de Silvestro, who made history by becoming the first woman to earn a podium spot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2006.

The NBC Sports Network original series is produced by IMS Productions and gives viewers an all-access pass into the life of a world-class driver in the middle of race season. The cameras will follow a driver for 36 hours during a race weekend providing a behind-the-scenes look at the on- and off-track activities of the stars of the IndyCar Series. The all-access 36 series also includes NHL 36, Fight Night 36 and F1 36.

INDYCAR ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will live stream Indy 500 qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19, Carb Day and Indy Lights on Friday, May 24, and the Indy 500 Parade on Saturday, May 25. Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Coverage airing on NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

INDYCAR ON MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on the IZOD IndyCar Series, Formula One™, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and all other motorsports racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBC Sports Network productions of IndyCar and F1, including contributions from on-air commentators.

MotorSportsTalk’s content is provided by top racing journalists and expert analysts, including:

• Tony DiZinno (@TonyDiZinno), who has written for RACER Magazine and has covered IndyCar and NASCAR since 2006;
• Writer Christopher Estrada (@estradawriting) who has written for the Boston Globe, FoxSports.com, created the Indy Racing Revolution blog and is a contributor to IndyCar’s IndyCar Nation blog.

***

Part 2: Monaco Grand Prix

NBC TO AIR MONACO GRAND PRIX LIVE ON SUNDAY, MAY 26 AT 7:30 A.M. ET

19.5 Hours of Coverage

“It is an unbelievable spectacle.” – Leigh Diffey

“In the most glamorous spot in the world, spiced with high danger content, and you end up with the most unique weekend of any sporting event in the world.” – David Hobbs

“Mimosas From Monaco” Coverage Kicks Off “Biggest Day in Racing” on Sunday, May 26, at 7 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network

Conference Call Set for Wednesday, May 22, at Noon ET

NEW YORK – May 16, 2013 – For the first time, Formula One’s famed Monaco Grand Prix will air live on network television Sunday, May 26 at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBC. NBC Sports Group will present a total of 19.5 hours of Monaco coverage from Thursday to Sunday, May 23-26, across NBC, NBC Sports Network and NBC Sports Live Extra. Race day, Sunday May 26, will begin with a live pre-race show at 7 a.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, and conclude with F1 Extra, NBC Sports Network’s half-hour post-race show, live from Monaco after the race.

Coverage from Monaco also includes live practice, qualifying and GP2 races on NBC Sports Network. Practice will air live on Thursday, May 23, at 8 a.m. ET. Qualifying will air live on Saturday, May 25, at 8 a.m. ET. In addition, NBC Sports Network will air two GP2 races, F1’s developmental series, at 12 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 26.

Sunday, May 26 can arguably be called ‘the biggest day in racing’ as it features three of sport’s most famous races from three different circuits — the Monaco Grand Prix (Formula One), the Indy 500 (IndyCar) and the Coca-Cola 600 (NASCAR). NBC Sports Network’s Monaco coverage kicks it all off on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET.

NBC Sports Group’s Monaco Grand Prix Coverage (subject to change):

COMMENTATORS ON SITE: NBC Sports Group’s F1 announce booth will be on site to capture the unique glitz-and-glamor atmosphere of the Monaco Grand Prix. Leigh Diffey will serve as lead race announcer alongside veteran analyst and former racecar driver David Hobbs, analyst and former race mechanic for the Benneton F1 team Steve Matchett, and F1 insider and former journalist Will Buxton. Diffey will precede his work in Monaco by calling Indy 500 qualifying coverage.

ON MONACO:

Diffey: “Monaco is so special because people want to see something they can’t believe they are seeing, and that is the Monaco Grand Prix in a nutshell. It is an unbelievable spectacle. Cars that are way too fast for the track they are racing on, a track way too narrow for the speed of the cars. The element of danger is way too high for the modern day sport. But that is why Monaco is Monaco.”

Hobbs: “Monaco is one of the older races on the calendar and the circuit has changed very little over the nearly 90 years of running. Monaco is built around a fabulous natural harbor filled with the world’s most expensive yachts and a backdrop of gorgeous mountains. Throw in 20 or so multimillionaire drivers, team owners and top technicians in the most glamorous spot in the world, spiced with high danger content, and you end up with the most unique weekend of any sporting event in the world.”

ON THE RACE:

Diffey: “The form guide over the past three years screams Infiniti Red Bull Racing, but if you base it on the last Grand Prix everything points at Ferrari. With that being said, the Mercedes AMG Petronas team has shown incredible qualifying speed this year and qualifying well at Monaco is paramount.”

Hobbs: “This is the race all drivers and teams want to win. It has that extra something driven by its vintage location and crowd. It is a difficult race between very unforgiving walls, miles of guardrail, tightness of the turns and the narrow width of the road. It’s a tiring event for drivers and controlled aggression is key for a driver. Go fast, but keep off the walls.”

ON THE DRIVERS:

Diffey: “Over the last seven years there are only two drivers who have won more than once. Mark Webber has won two of the last three years and Fernando Alonso won back to back in 2006-07. Drivers who like Monaco always do well there and those guys are definitely in that group.”

Hobbs: “This year is proving to be very competitive. Team Ferrari is on a roll and Fernando Alonso, previous winner in Monaco, always goes well here. Red Bull and Mark Webber, two-time Monaco winner will go well – their car is suited to most tracks. Kimi Raikkonen in his Lotus should shine here, and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes is fast every time he comes here.

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL & SOCIAL COVERAGE

F1 ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will live stream the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, May 26, as well as qualifying on Saturday, May 25, and practice on Thursday, May 23. A vast majority of coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Coverage airing on:

• NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra;
• NBC Sports Network will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

F1 ON MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on Formula One™, IZOD IndyCar Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and all other motorsports racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBC Sports Network productions of F1 and IndyCar, including contributions from on-air commentators.

MotorSportsTalk’s content is provided by top racing journalists and expert analysts, including:

• Keith Collantine (@KeithCollantine), editor and creator of the F1Fanatic blog;
• Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) creator of the F1 site RichlandF1.com.

To explore the site, please visit MotorSportsTalk.com.nbcsports.com or www.NBCSports.com.

SOCIAL: Follow @MotorsportsTalk, @F1onNBCSports and @NBCSN on Twitter and “like” Facebook.com/NBC Sports for the most up-to-date news, videos and commentary about Formula One on NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network.

Commentator Twitter Chats – During the week of the Monaco race, F1 on NBC Sports commentators including @leighdiffey,@mrstevematchett, @mrdavidhobbs and @willbuxton will take part in various Twitter Chats allowing fans to get their questions answered from our very own experts.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

—NBC SPORTS GROUP—

“This is the right time to be introducing half hour original comedies to the USA audience. With MODERN FAMILY joining our line-up in the fall, we can leverage television’s most popular comedy to serve as a powerful launch pad for new originals in this genre,” said Chris McCumber, Co-President of USA Network. “Our new series come from some of the best comedic talent in the business, and reflect USA’s style – with great characters, strong execution and compelling storytelling,” said Jeff Wachtel, Co-President of USA Network.

From the distinct comedic point of view of Leary and Fisher, SIRENS follows three of Chicago’s best EMTs whose sometimes silly, self-righteous and even self-destructive personalities make them unqualified for sustaining relationships, friendships and most occupations. They are, however, uniquely qualified for saving anyone who winds up in their ambulance. Based on a UK format, SIRENS stars Michael Mosley (“Pan Am”), Kevin Daniels (“Modern Family”), Jessica McNamee (“The Vow”) and Kevin Bigley (“Game Change”). Leary and Fisher co-wrote the pilot and both executive produce the series. Jim Serpico (“Rescue Me”) of Apostle, and Hal Vogel, David Aukin (“Hyde Park on Hudson”), and David Leach of Daybreak Pictures also executive produce. Filmed on location in Chicago, the series is from Apostle and Fox Television Studios, in conjunction with Daybreak Pictures.

PLAYING HOUSE is a single-camera buddy comedy about what happens when two best friends come back together, just when they need each other most. The original half-hour series is inspired by the ultra-close friendship between St. Clair and Parham. In PLAYING HOUSE, when mother to-be Maggie (Parham) asks her single and career-driven best friend Emma (St. Clair) to return home from her job overseas to attend her baby shower, she has no idea what’s truly in store. Parham and St. Clair co-wrote the presentation and will executive produce the series along with Scot Armstrong (“The Hangover: Part II,” “Old School”) and Ravi Nandan (“Best Friends Forever,” “Animal Practice”) of American Work. The series is from Universal Cable Productions and American Work.

LOVE IS DEAD (pilot order): This single-camera comedy is set at a unique company that specializes in breaking-up romantic relationships — rationally, compassionately, thoroughly — on behalf of those who are willing to pay to not be around when it happens.  It’s the unconventional romantic comedy that asks: “Why, if love is so fickle, do we keep coming back for more?”  Written and executive produced by Zev Borow (“Chuck”), the pilot is from Universal Cable Productions and Gaumont International Television. Katie O’Connell, Elisa Roth, Sidonie Dumas and Christophe Riandee executive produce for Gaumont International Television. The pilot is based on the award-winning French short film of the same name, written and directed by Eric Capitaine and produced by Carole Lambert and Carine Ruszniewski of De Films Aiguille.

The #1 network in all of basic cable for an unprecedented seven straight years, USA Network is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals, spectacular live television and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

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CONTACTS:

Hilary Smith                                                           212.664.2617                                       hilary.smith@nbcuni.com

Emily Spitale                                                          212.664.5786                                       emily.spitale@nbcuni.com

Megan Rugani                                                       818.777.6649                                       megan.rugani@nbcuni.com

Golf Channel producers have compiled more than 20 interviews to tell the story that surrounded the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (then titled Bank of America Colonial) that year, including exclusive access to Sorenstam and the people closest to her. The 30-minute documentary will detail how and why the World Golf Hall-of-Famer and the best female golfer of her generation came to play in the tournament and reveal for the first time her words about how being under such an intense microscope then changed her outlook about her career and life forever.

“Facing some of the fiercest scrutiny any golfer has ever encountered, Annika embraced the moment like we’ve always known her to do – with dignity, grace and a competitor’s spirit,” said Golf Channel Executive Producer Molly Solomon. “We remain in awe of all her extraordinary accomplishments and are thrilled that she has allowed our cameras to document the 10^th anniversary of that occasion at Colonial.”

Viewers will be treated to previously unknown stories related to Sorenstam’s feat, including rare reminiscences from her caddie Terry McNamara and agent Mark Steinberg. “I was just sitting off to the side probably typing an email and not really too focused on what the answer would be because I probably could’ve predicted what the answer would’ve been. But I was wrong. And I remember stopping in my tracks when I heard her say, ‘Yeah I would do that,’” said Steinberg, recalling the press conference when Sorenstam was asked if she would ever consider playing in a PGA TOUR event.

The documentary includes a surprise meeting at Colonial Country Club between Sorenstam and her playing partners on that Friday in 2003 – then PGA TOUR rookies Aaron Barber and Dean Wilson – who recounted what the atmosphere was like walking 18 holes with Sorenstam. The three had not talked about their shared adventure since that historic day. Additional interviews include David Feherty, who worked that day for CBS; Sorenstam’s parents; Bank of America Colonial Tournament Chairman Dee Finley; and PGA TOUR pros who played in the tournament, including Fred Funk, Kenny Perry, Mark Calcavecchia, Jim Furyk and Luke Donald.

The documentary also recounts the side-show moments of the week, including the protests by PGA TOUR veterans Vijay Singh and Nick Price, and the fans, who dressed in costumes, held signs and wore slogan buttons.

Go Annika joins a list of acclaimed Golf Channel Original Documentaries, which have included Uneven Fairways, Caddy for Life, Frank Chirkinian: The Master Storyteller, American Triumvirate and War by the Shore.

Annika Sorenstam is a regular contributor to Morning Drive on Golf Channel.

-NBC Sports Group-

The BMW Charity Pro-Am is the only tournament on the Web.com schedule that features both amateurs and celebrities competing alongside Tour professionals in a better-ball competition played over four golf courses. Celebrities scheduled to compete in this year’s tournament include actors Lucas Black, Anthony Anderson, Craig T. Nelson and Kurt Russell; hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and Carolina Hurricanes head coach Kirk Muller, among others.

Golf Channel live air times for the tournament are Thursday and Friday (May 16-17), 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday-Sunday (May 18-19), 3-5 p.m. ET.

2013 is a milestone year for the Web.com Tour, marking the first time it becomes the main path to earning playing privileges on the PGA TOUR, with all 50 TOUR cards being awarded through qualifying play on theWeb.com Tour. Twenty-five cards will be issued to the top-25 leading money winners at the conclusion of the regular season, with an additional 25 cards on the line during the Web.com Tour Finals (based on Finals’ earnings), a series of four events leading to the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship. Golf Channel will air 10 events in 2013, including the Web.com Tour Finals and the Web.com Tour Championship.

Golf Channel’s Web.com broadcast team at the BMW Charity Pro-Am will feature Whit Watson handling play-by-play duties, Craig Perks as lead analyst, Phil Blackmar calling selected holes from a tower position, and Phil Parkin and Kay Cockerill reporting from the golf course.

2013 Golf Channel / Web.com Tour Schedule

May 16-19 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation
June 27-30 United Leasing Championship
July 11-14 Utah Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission
July 25-28 Albertson’s Boise Open presented by Kraft
Aug. 1-4 Mylan Classic
Aug. 22-25 Cox Classic
Aug. 29-Sept. 1 Hotel Fitness Championship
Sept. 5-8 Chiquita Championship
Sept. 12-15 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship
Sept. 26-29 Web.com Tour Championship

-NBC Sports Group-

Atkinson said there is “quite a difference” between Americans’ connection to WWII when compared to the more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the smaller percentage of Americans in uniform: “Almost no one has someone they love in harm’s way. Almost no one has skin in the game.”

The former Assistant Managing Editor at the Washington Post also weighed in on the current controversy over the Department of Justice’s monitoring of the Associated Press’s phone lines:

“As a contemporary journalist for much of my career, I’m obviously appalled at what they seem to have done to the Associated Press. … My feeling is that if the Justice Department or the administration is going to be wire-tapping journalists, or they’re going to be examining whom journalists are speaking to, it better be as transparent as it can be – it’ll just come around and bite them in the rear end.”

A transcript of the full interview is below and embeddable video is online here: http://nbcnews.to/19uySLu

# # #

PRESS Pass: Rick Atkinson
Author, “The Guns at Last Light”

DAVID GREGORY: This week on PRESS Pass: A new look at this country’s military past with Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Rick Atkinson. He’s out with the final book in his famous ‘Liberation Trilogy’ about America’s involvement in Europe during World War II. He’s covered our modern foreign policy as well, as a longtime correspondent for the Washington Post — and now he aims to keep the lessons of World War II alive for future generations. The new book is ‘The Guns at Last Light’, and Rick Atkinson joins me now. Rick, great to have you here.

RICK ATKINSON: Thanks David.

GREGORY: Congratulations on completing this.

ATKINSON: Thank you.

GREGORY: I want to ask you about your approach to this, the idea of a trilogy, about something that’s been so chronicled, but you were not only drawn to an event but undoubtedly to the characters involved.

ATKINSON: Well, the characters drive it, don’t they? The characters all have enormous feet of clay, but they’re so compelling, in part because they have feet of clay. I started this about fourteen years ago, thinking it would be a somewhat shorter project, but I found it completely engrossing, mainly because I’ve been living with, not only the people you know — like Eisenhower and Patton and Omar Bradley, and Bernard Montgomery — but the people you don’t know, who have been lost to history or have slipped into obscurity. And I think part of the narrative historian’s task is to bring back the dead, and to find those people that you don’t know or who have been lost to history, and to me they’re utterly compelling.

GREGORY: There is incredible detail about the rawness, the pain, the confusion, the brutality of war. A section about the things they carried that of course evokes that novel of the Vietnam era, but is almost chilling in some of the detail you describe.

ATKINSON: Yeah, it’s relentlessly horrible. I think trying to pretend otherwise about global war is a mistake. Obviously there are moments of levity and poignancy and the whole panoply of human emotion and experience. But suffering is at the essence of war, and I’m determined to convey that. There is no good war. There may be righteous causes, but there is nothing good about a war in which 60 million people die, 292,000 Americans killed in combat. And yes, I have a passage — the Army Quartermaster had something called the ‘Effects Bureau,’ and it was in a warehouse in Kansas City. And that’s where the effects of the dead were shipped, from six continents, and they accumulated over time in an extraordinarily powerful way. They would put together the effects from some dead kid from New Guinea or from France, they would clean the blood stains off of his uniform and his gear, they would take out the pornography or the letters from a girlfriend you didn’t want the grieving widow to find, and they would pack it all up. And in the meantime there were typists banging away in an adjacent room, 70,000 letters a month, ultimately, in 1945, and the gist of it was, ‘Dear sir, Dear madam, we have your dead son’s stuff. Where should we send it?’ That’s what war is.

GREGORY: War is also about returning the remains back to America, and the effort there was unbelievable, as my colleague from Playbook, Mike Allen, wrote about this week in writing about the book.

ATKINSON: Yeah, we were a victorious nation and a wealthy nation, and we could afford to give the next of kin, in 1947, a one-time option of whether to repatriate your dead soldier or to leave them overseas in two dozen American battle monument cemeteries. Quartermaster Form 345 — you check this box or you check that box. And about sixty percent of the next of kin had their sons, mostly sons, repatriated, forty percent left them overseas. And there 21 death ships, ultimately, from the Pacific and from the European theater, who brought the remains that had been exhumed — tens of thousands, ultimately, a couple hundred thousand sets of remains — back to New York and San Francisco. And then these caskets are winched off the ships two at a time, specially designed slings, and a great diaspora of the dead, mostly by train going to their hometowns for burial or to national cemeteries . It’s an extraordinarily powerful, moving several months in our history.

GREGORY: The journey that you’re taking the reader on, from 1944 to 1945: What do they experience in this book? Is it your perspective? And how do you define that? Is it learning something along this journey that you haven’t learned before?

ATKINSON: I hope it’s a bit of both. I do think there are surprises on every page, as Max Hastings wrote in the Wall Street Journal review. I’m an archive rat, and the archive is so enormous, so immense. Just the US Army records for World War II alone weigh 17,000 tons. And even the most assiduous historian has never more than scratched the surface. So, for example, at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, I found a plan — If you’re going to invade Normandy and you know it’s going to be tough going over the beaches and you know going by air, landing by parachute or glider is going to be difficult because the Germans are ready, what are your alternatives? Well one is to dig a tunnel under the English Channel. And there was a study done, and the study decided, ‘Yes we can do this, it’ll take 15,000 miners a year to excavate 50,000 tons of spoil, but we can do this.’ The problem was what happens when that first miner pokes his head up in Normandy and the entire German Seventh Army is waiting for him — they could never finesse that question. So I found many things, I found the plans for chemical warfare in Normandy, there were two plans, and it would have been devastating either way. But one plan – ‘So we care about French civilian casualties?’ And the second plan was, ‘Not so much, we don’t really care’ — there would have been tens of thousands of dead French civilians. So I found many things like that. I found the morticians report, the guy who prepared Franklin Roosevelt’s body for burial after he died on April 12, 1945 in Warm Springs, Georgia. It’s very clinical; precisely how many bottles of embalming fluid went into the president’s veins, but it’s also very poignant because at the very end he summons Arthur Prettyman, who is Roosevelt’s valet, and he gives him a comb, and he has Prettyman comb his hair, just so. These are things that I don’t believe have seen the light of day before, and they are many others like that.

GREGORY: You said something else that struck me, which is about the notion of how far soldiers are from the rest of us, the emotional connection. You’ve also chronicled our more modern wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I remember one book that struck me was George Packer’s book, The Assassins’ Gate, about Iraq, in which he makes that point that there was a lack of emotional connection in that war. That was not the case in World War II, everybody had skin in the game.

ATKINSON: That’s exactly right. In 1944, we’re a country of 130 million, we have 16.1 million in uniform; everyone has someone they love in harm’s way. Everyone does have skin in the game. Contrast that to 2013, a country of 313 million, there are about 2 million in uniform, if you count the guard and reserve — almost no one has someone they love in harm’s way. Almost no one has skin in the game in that same sense. So I think that there’s quite a difference between the republic’s relationship with its armed forces now, verses seventy years ago.

GREGORY: And how would our military leaders have stood up to the modern spotlight, both in terms of how well the war was prosecuted, and of course just their personalities, their personal foibles, excesses of war – you know, the kinds of things you write about as our soldiers marched into Germany?

ATKINSON: Well I think they would have had a much more difficult time, that World War II generation, had they been subject to the kind of scrutiny and the non-censorship we have today – of course there was very rigorous censorship in World War II. I think our latter-day leaders are actually – I think highly of them. They’re better educated, they’re better trained, they’re better prepared in a lot of ways than their World War II counterparts. I mean, Dwight Eisenhower shows up in 1942 in the Mediterranean having never commanded a platoon in combat. And abruptly, he’s a Theater Commander. That is a very steep learning curve. And he’s not alone; Omar Bradley saw no action in World War I – he’s suddenly a Corps Commander, and then he’s suddenly an Army Group Commander, two levels higher. That is a very steep learning curve. I think the fact that they did as well as they did – I happen to think Bradley’s reputation is way overblown – but it’s a testament to their ability to get the job done under arduous circumstances.

GREGORY: Overblown positively?

ATKINSON: No, I think Bradley is – I think the Peter Principle, you’re promoted until you’re beyond your natural level of competence – applies to Bradley. He’s a very good Corps Commander. He’s an, I think, indifferent Army Group Commander, when he’s the main American ground commander in Europe in 1944 and ‘45.

GREGORY: You’re unsparing too in some of the detail and not pulling any punches in terms of, again, both excess and mistakes that are made in the prosecution of the war. Which seems to run a little bit counter to this, a new generation’s level of consciousness about the valor of those who fought the war — which I don’t think anybody’s questioning – but even, I don’t know, a level of nostalgia about the way the war was prosecuted.

ATKINSON: Yeah, you know there was a dreadful nostalgia that set in right as the war ended and it has persisted to some extent for 70 years – the notion that all the brothers were valiant and all the sisters were virtuous. Which is complete nonsense. I think it’s important to remember that there were almost a million American soldiers who were hospitalized for numerous psychiatric issues — shellshock they would have called it in World War I; combat fatigue, battle fatigue in World War II. There were 22 thousand American deserters in World War II; there were 12 thousand –

GREGORY: And that last year of the war was a pronounced period for that, correct?

ATKINSON: There were a lot of guys on the run in Paris and other places. So, yes, there is valor, there is camaraderie, there is extraordinary performance under stress. But I think it’s important not to whitewash it, and to recognize, among other things: War does bad things to good soldiers. And war crimes, there are — committed by us and the Brits, as well as the Germans — that starts in Sicily in earnest. And then there’s a retaliatory cycle that begins in Normandy: Germans killing Canadians, Canadians killing Germans, Americans killing Germans and so on. This is part of it, and I think it’s important for people to understand that this is a very big tapestry, and it’s got some really dark threads in it.

GREGORY: You’ve said, ‘With apologies to my friend Tom Brokaw, the “Greatest Generation” label is nonsense.’ Which is not said in a way to tear this generation down at all, but to make a broader point.

ATKINSON: Well it’s true, and you know, Tom has been wonderful in promoting our understanding of the war and the generation, and organizing our collective gratitude. But my point is, that first of all, which generation are we talking about? The generation of leaders – George Marshall born in 1880, George Patton born in 1885, Dwight Eisenhower in 1890 – or the trigger-pullers, they’re mostly born in the 19-teens, 1920s, my father born in 1924. So there are at least two generations involved. And secondly, greater than the Founding Fathers? Greater than the Civil War generation? There’s a relative order of merit, I suppose. I think that acknowledging what they did, and acknowledging that they all have enormous feet of clay, and they all have vicissitudes and infirmities, as we all do, and yet as a whole they managed to overcome those to do what needs to be done in World War II. And that’s extraordinary. And as they’re dying — of that 16 million who were in uniform, there’s 1.3 million still alive – they’re dying at 800 a day, now, it’s about a battalion a day, swept away – it’s all the more reason for us to acknowledge them and remember them and to cherish them.

GREGORY: Final point, a contemporary point, and that is this investigation that’s underway in the Obama Administration about their leak investigations and targeting of the AP with a pretty wide-ranging phone tap order. You talk about censorship, the basis of national security in World War II, and we’re having this debate now, about how to protect national security and square that with recording these kinds of things. How did you react to all that?

ATKINSON: Well, as a contemporary journalist for much of my career, I’m obviously appalled at what they seem to have done to the Associated Press. When you put it in the context of World War II, where there’s draconian censorship, and reporters wear uniforms, and they’re effectively in the chain of command, and trying to get out even the simplest narrative of what might have happened that’s counter to the rather rosy portrait being put out by the high command, you know, you recognize that those journalists of 70 years ago were laboring under extraordinarily difficult circumstances – and they’re fantastic despite that. I use them a lot, historically, because they’re so good – they are the ‘greatest generation’, I think. You know, today, my feeling is, that if the Justice Department or the administration is going to be wire-tapping journalists, or they’re going to be examining whom journalists are speaking to, it better be as transparent as it can be – it’ll just come around and bite them in the rear end.

GREGORY: The book is ‘The Guns at Last Light’, the final in the trilogy. Rick, thank you very much.

ATKINSON: Thanks David.

# # #

NEW YORK – May 15, 2013 – On Friday, May 17 at 8pm/7c “Dateline’s” Wild, #WildWeb returns with a full hour of undercover investigations that further reveal the hidden world of online classified ads. “Dateline’s” Chris Hansen answers a series of online advertisements and what he reveals may make people think twice the next time they surf the web.

As “Dateline” hidden cameras roll, Hansen confronts several individuals who seem to be trying to make money off of complete strangers. Jessica Travers describes herself as a 35-year-old single mother in search of love with an older man. She is willing to relocate but asks for a few thousand dollars to cover her moving expenses. When Hansen meets Travers in person, it appears she is a teenager using someone else’s photo in effort to lure an older man online.

CHRIS HANSEN:
You came here to get money. You have no ID to prove who you are. You–

JESSICA TRAVERS:
I didn’t bring my I.D.

CHRIS HANSEN:
You put a fake photo on Craigslist. And then you tell me you can’t remember the year in which you graduated from high school. That is shady.

*****
A man who calls himself JG claims he is the “Problem Eliminator,” posting an ad that seems to offer his services as a hit man. He requires a payment of a few thousand dollars upfront.

CHRIS HANSEN:
Hey JG? No, no, JG, you want to talk to me for a minute, I promise you.

JG:
No.

CHRIS HANSEN:
Because in the best case scenario, you’re trying to take advantage of a young woman.

JG:
No. No.

CHRIS HANSEN:
In the worst case scenario, you advertised your services as a hit man. There’s something else you gotta know. I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.

*****

Hansen meets several individuals who say they are vampires. In Atlanta, he answers an ad from Sam, a college student looking for someone to donate their blood.

CHRIS HANSEN:
How many times have you actually consumed somebody’s blood?

SAM:
Just not gonna throw out a specific number, but more than ten.

CHRIS HANSEN:
What happens if you don’t get a donor?

SAM:
Ah, then you just find other ways.

CHRIS HANSEN:
Like?

SAM:
You can supplement using animals. Which I personally don’t like to. To me, I was–

CHRIS HANSEN:
Like, killing a dog or a cat? Or–

SAM:
Rabbits work best.

CHRIS HANSEN:
Rabbits?

SAM:
Rabbits.

*****
During the hour, Hansen meets a woman who puts her child up for adoption on Craigslist. “Dateline” discovers that she has a criminal background and is accused by police of ripping people off. Cameras roll as Hansen confronts an Arizona mechanic who appears to be significantly overcharging customers for simple repairs, and a man who sells “all-natural” pills that appear to be potentially dangerous knock offs of prescription drugs like Viagra and Cialis.

Chris Hansen will host a Google + hangout on Thursday, May 16 at 12:30pm ET. For information on how to join the hangout, follow us on Twitter at @datelinenbc. In addition, Hansen will participate in a live Reddit “Ask Me Anything” Q&A session on Reddit.com at 2:00pm ET.

If used, all excerpts must credit NBC’s “Dateline” with airdate Friday, May 17.

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David Corvo is the senior executive producer, Liz Cole is the executive producer and Lester Holt is the primary anchor of “Dateline” (Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm/7c). Allan Maraynes is the senior investigative producer and Dan Slepian is the supervising producer responsible for Wild, #WildWeb. Follow “Dateline” on Facebook and Twitter @datelinenbc.