(29 October 2007 2:30 pm)

MUMBAI: Indie rock, gaming and sketch comedy — genres known for going against the grain — are once again at the forefront of a paradigmatic shift in popular culture.

Furthering the commitment to delivering rich content across the three screens at the center of customers’ lives — the TV, PC and wireless devices — US telecom major AT&T has announced the launch of four video series focussed on today’s pop culture.

From indie rock performances to an in-depth look at the video gaming industry, the four original series from High Definition (HD) content provider ON Networks, offer viewers a diverse array of shows that they can watch on any device. Today, this also includes AT&T television (AT&T U-verseSM TV and AT&T HomezoneSM); wireless (MobiTV); and broadband (AT&T blue room, AT&T U-verseSM OnTheGo and AT&T Broadband TV) services.

AT&T head of content and programming Dan York says, "Today’s consumer wants more variety than ever before — both in the types of programs they watch as well as how they get their programming.

"With programming from ON Networks, we are delivering new, original content that our customers desire and giving them the convenience to access it when and where they most want to watch"

AT&T video service customers, qualifying AT&T wireless customers and online visitors to AT&T blue room (www.attblueroom.com) will be able to watch episodes from the four video series that are on the cusp of today’s pop culture. New episodes will be rolling out periodically through the end of the year. They include:

*Dinner with the Band - This is a series in which two of life’s passions - food and music — share a virtual stage. Viewers will join New York City chef Sam Mason as he shares an intimate evening of cooking, conversation and live performances with a rotating roster of some of the music industry’s best up-and-comers.

Play Value - Hipster Gen X’ers will chronicle the high and low points of the video gaming industry and explore the many ways that video games have impacted the lives of consumers today.

Backpack Picnic - Influenced by absurdist sketch comedy icons such as "Monty Python" and "Kids in the Hall" this series will combine one-off skits and recurring character pieces that offer intelligently crafted stupidity and push the button on weird.

Bif Bam Pow Wow - Whether it’s movies, games, Internet babes, action figures or comic books, Tom Seymour has his finger on the pulse of geek culture and will dole out his unique, unsolicited opinions throughout this series.

AT&T Entertainment Services is a division of the company focused on delivering innovative and unique content across the three screens. The group offers customers a wide variety of content through a portfolio of advanced video, broadband and wireless services that bring customers more of the entertainment they enjoy.

As AT&T continues to develop its cross-platform approach, the company will also offer advertisers and marketers the benefits of the company’s Internet Protocol (IP)-based network, enabling advertisers to send the right messages to reach the right consumer at the right time while delivering greater relevance.