Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon Now Available for Free on the iBookstore

Universal Pictures Launches the Studio's First Multi-Touch Book Created with iBooks Author

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Pictures announced today the release of the free Multi-Touch book Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon, a digital companion to the highly anticipated musical epic Les Miserables, which hits theaters nationwide on Christmas Day. This represents Universal Pictures' first book created with iBooks Author, Apple's digital book creation app. Available exclusively on the iBookstore, Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon was created in partnership with NBCUniversal Digital Publishing and entertainment marketing company Bemis Balkind.

Highlighting the timeless music, celebrated performers, intricate costumes and sweeping cinematography of the film, the book presents an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the artistry of Les Miserables. It includes exclusive interviews, photo galleries and video, musical performances, interactive timelines and more.

Doug Neil , senior vice president of digital marketing, Universal Pictures, stated: "We're thrilled to provide a digital experience for fans of Les Miserables that enhances the vision of the film's director, Tom Hooper . The interactivity of the digital book allows for an immersive experience, putting readers in the world of Les Miserables before they experience the phenomenon in theaters."

Curt Doty , who heads up the digital group at Bemis Balkind, added: "Our philosophy on building these new touchpoints is to create a beautiful, illustrated book and enhance it with content and Multi-Touch interactivity. We always want these to have a balance of the written word, amazing photography and compelling interactive content."

"We are very proud to be associated with this terrific project and to make it available to readers familiar with both the musical and Victor Hugo 's classic story," said Michael Fabiano , vice-president and general manager of NBC Publishing. "This enhanced book is simply a great way of experiencing Universal's behind-the-scenes magic and is sure to reach a whole new fan base as well."

The book details the 28-year history of Les Miserables the musical, as well as highlights each major cast member in the new film and showcases their musical performances with video clips from the movie. Some of the unique interactive features include the "Character Relationships" widget, which allows fans to see how each character is related to the others, and the timeline, which establishes key events in the course of this epic story that is told over 33 years.

Les Miserables: The Musical Phenomenon is available worldwide for free, exclusively on the iBookstore at iTunes.com/iBookstore. The "Les Miserables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack" is also available on the iTunes Store at www.iTunes.com/LesMis.

About Les Miserables
Les Miserables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 28th year. Helmed by The King's Speech's Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper , the Working Title/ Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman , Oscar® winner Russell Crowe , Anne Hathaway , Amanda Seyfried , Eddie Redmayne , Aaron Tveit , Samantha Barks , with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen . www.lesmiserablesfilm.com.

About Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

About NBC Publishing
NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners. www.nbcpublishing.com.

About Bemis Balkind
Bemis Balkind draws on the heritage of their conceptual, iconic marketing solutions to develop the structural interfaces that carry marketing and entertainment content effectively for the connected consumer. Based in New York and Los Angeles, they have been creating memorable movie marketing campaigns since 1968 including Rosemary's Baby, Alien, Forrest Gump , Black Swan and Snow White and the Huntsman. The company is led by the legendary brand strategist Aubrey Balkind and film-marketing veteran Peter Bemis .

NBC Publishing Announces the Release of “Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One,” As An Enhanced E-Book

NEW YORK – December 11, 2012 – In recognition of the 65th anniversary of "Meet the Press," the longest-running network television program in history, NBC News has opened its vast archives of videos, photos, and other memorabilia to release Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One as an enhanced eBook today. Author Terry Golway presents a compelling retrospective that should be required reading for anyone interested in the people and events that have shaped the world’s political and cultural landscape from WWII to the present. With the inception of "Meet the Press" in 1947, television news was indelibly changed and it heralded the beginning of decades of news-making TV journalism. This commemorative enhanced eBook is the first volume of an anniversary celebration that looks back at the past 65 years as seen through the lens of this groundbreaking show. Guests who have appeared throughout the decades included nearly every major newsmaker from American presidents to international prime ministers and premiers, to scientists and sports figures, as well as Nobel laureates and entertainers. With a video introduction by current "Meet the Press" moderator David Gregory, Meet the Press: 65 Years of History In the Making, Volume One also features such diverse personalities as Joe McCarthy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Martin Luther King, Jr., George Wallace, Bill Bradley, Jesse Jackson, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Michael Jordan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Cosby, Hubert Humphrey, Indira Gandhi, John Kerry, Madeleine Albright, Anwar Sadat, Donald Rumsfeld, Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton, and many more. Also included are some early radio broadcasts of the program starting in 1945. It's no wonder that “Meet the Press” been the source of more headlines than any other news program. After 65 years of hard-hitting journalism, “Meet the Press” has gone "on the record," immortalizing its own unequaled contribution to both television and world history. Tim Russert once called the program “A national treasure.” This interactive special anniversary eBook reveals why. Betsy Fischer Martin, longtime Executive Producer of "Meet the Press" said, "What is so special about this eBook, is that it couples a fascinating look back at the key moments of our program's history with pages of rich context about the times in which they occurred." "‘Meet the Press’ is such an historic program, one that continues to be part of the American conversation week after week. We wanted to acknowledge the 65th anniversary by bringing together many memorable appearances and present them in a way only an enhanced eBook can,” said Peter Costanzo, Creative Director of NBC Publishing, “Our hope is that readers will find the multimedia experience informative, entertaining, and educational.” Meet the Press: 65 Years of History in the Making, Volume One is available now exclusively at Apple’s iBookstore. About the Author Terry Golway is the director of the Kean University Center for History, Politics, and Policy. He is a former member of the New York Times editorial board and former city editor of the New York Observer. He holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from Rutgers University. About NBC Publishing NBC Publishing is a division of NBCUniversal Media, LLC that focuses on developing digital publishing projects from content created within the NBCUniversal and Comcast family of properties, as well as publishing original works with outside authors and publishing partners.

For more information contact: Marie Wicht NBC News e: marie.wicht@nbcuni.com