Showtime increases 'Tudors' reach

NEW YORK, March 28 (UPI) -- Showtime has set up a multi-platform campaign to promote the second season of its acclaimed series "The Tudors," the U.S. cable television network said.

The first episode of the second season of the sexy historical drama starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Natalie Dormer and Peter O'Toole will air on Showtime Sunday.

It will also be available through the CBS Audience Network and on such Web sites as Yahoo, Amazon Unbox, NetFlix, MSN, TV.com, TVGuide.com, YouTube, Veoh, Gather.com, blogs and on iTunes via podcast, Showtime said.

The episode will be available via mobile phones to subscribers of Verizon Wireless on the V CAST platform, as well, and Showtime subscribers can also watch it on their affiliate Web sites such as Comcast.net, DirecTV.com and Charter.net.

"The strategy to release a full episode on digital platforms has proven to be a very effective tool for Showtime, not only increasing consumers' exposure to premium television programs, but also to help drive subscription to the network," Robert Hayes, senior vice president of the Showtime Digital Group, said in a statement. "This is our most ambitious multi-platform push yet to subscribers and non-subscribers and we expect to have a combined reach of over 190 million users."