Emmy-winning producers to create show for MySpace

MySpace social networking site has a deal to obtain exclusive rights toTV series Quarterlife, which it describes as the first "network quality" program to be shown exclusively on the internet.

The Emmy award-winning producers of TV series Thirtysomething and My So-called Life, Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick,are behind Quarterlife.

On Thursday, MySpace announced a deal withHerskovitz and Zwick, who also created the dramatic actionfeature film Blood Diamond, for 36 episodes of the series.

The producers created the show about a group of college graduates making their way in Chicago for network TV but the show was killed after the initial pilot on ABC in 2005.

Herskovitz said one of the attractions of working with MySpace is the free hand the creative team has with the series.

"The business of television today makes it harder for the individual filmmaker's voice to be heard," Zwick said in a statement Thursday that seemed to reflect disillusionment withtraditional TV.

The pairare known for their dedication to creating realistic series that give a truthful depiction of the way people talk and behave.

"That voice has been our calling card for over20 years, and working with MySpace gives us a chance to speak it," Zwick said.

MySpace will have exclusive rights to each of Quarterlife's 36 episodes for the first 24 hours, after which the video will appear on the show's own website.

"When Emmy award-winning producers come to MySpaceTV you know this is reaching a whole new level," Chris DeWolfe, chief executive of MySpace, said in a statement released Thursday.

U.S. networks are already offering their fare on the internet and artists such as Tom Green have experimented with creating showsfor online, but it is new to have a full-length series exclusively for an online platform.

"We're proud to offer the creative community a blank canvas and open platform to express their vision," DeWolfe added.

The series begins Nov. 11 and will be accompanied by a dedicated social networking site.