Upfronts 2012: MTV Adds Five New Shows To Slate
MTV will add five new original series to its 2012-13 programming slate, the network announced Thursday.
The network also announced prior to its Thursday night New York City upfront presentation the June premiere dates for several of its returning hit shows including Teen Wolf, as well as the June 21 premiere date for its Jersey Shore spinoff series Snooki & JWOWW.
Among the new series set to air on MTV is docu-series Catfish, based on the critically-acclaimed documentary film; Underemployed, a series from Emmy-nominated executive producer Craig Wright; and reality series Wake Brothers, featuring wakeboarding champs and brothers Phile and Bob Soven.
In addition the network will launch two scripted comedy series, including Inbetweeners, based on the U.K. series of the same name, and Zach Stone is Gonna be Famous, starring Internet comedy sensation Bo Burnham.
Sophomore drama series Teen Wolf will return June 3 after the network's annual MTV Movie Awards, with a second new episode to air the next night in its regularly scheduled 10 p.m. timeslot.
Comedy series Awkward will debut its second season June 28, after the premiere of Snooki & JWOWW, the network said.
Additionally, MTV sister network MTV2 announced it will bring back in July its most watched series ever, MTV2's Guy Code, for a second season, the network said.
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On the digital media front, the network will launch on June 4 Teen Wolf: The Hunt, a Facebook application that will allow fans to friend and interact the show's characters in real time. Teen Wolf: The Hunt will feature a completely original storyline, written by the Teen Wolf team of writers, while also serving as a complementary online experience to the television series, said network officials.
R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.