Dick Idol™ Tv Series To Debut On Outdoor Life Network

Furniture World Magazine

Outdoor lifestyle personality Dick Idol and licensing company Dick Idol Ventures, LLC, have signed a deal with the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) to add Idol’s upcoming television show to the network’s lineup in Spring 2004. Idol, the Montana-based outdoorsman and artist whose growing brand enterprise includes the Dick Idol™ Collection of home furnishings and accessories, will host the series. The show will focus on a variety of outdoor lifestyle topics, each celebrating the beauty and spirit of nature and outdoor adventure. The show is designed to bring Idol’s passion for nature, antiquities, art, and unique destinations into the homes of middle class families with children who love the outdoors and participate in activities from hiking, boating, camping, and wildlife observation to hunting and fishing. The leader in adventure TV, OLN (www.OLNTV.com) offers more outdoor-oriented programming than any other network. The 24-hour cable network, currently available in over 52 million homes, is expected to reach more than 65 million households by 2004. OLN is the leading source for television coverage of outdoor adventure sports and outdoor leisure recreation, covering events and subjects as diverse as professional bull riding, the Tour de France and international alpine skiing. “I’ve felt like there has been something missing in outdoor-oriented programming for a long time,” said Idol. “Viewers want more than another hunting and fishing show. Our show will target the entire family by focusing more on the outdoor lifestyle – how to live it and enjoy it – both in and out of the home.” Idol has teamed with veteran outdoor television producer Wayne Pearson of WP Productions, Inc. (WPP) to create the show. Pearson brings more than 21 years of experience in outdoor-oriented television to the Dick Idol™ project. He currently produces two of the top-rated outdoor shows on ESPN2, “Dodge Outfitters Almanac” and “Ultimate Outdoors With Wayne Pearson.” Klaussner Furniture Industries, a Dick Idol™ licensee producing case goods and upholstery, has committed to be the title sponsor of the show. Additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available through WPP (www.oaoa.net). The Dick Idol™ series will be the first of its kind for the outdoor industry. The show will draw upon Idol’s personal experiences and wide-ranging expertise in outdoor-related subjects, including adventure travel, recreation, photography and wildlife observation at destinations “off the beaten path.” The series will also feature outdoor-oriented segments on home décor, art, collecting, and some of the fascinating people who inhabit the world of Dick Idol. Production of the show, as yet unnamed, is currently underway. A former wilderness guide and outdoor journalist, Idol is now considered one of North America’s premier wildlife artists. His monumental bronze sculptures have been commissioned for private and commercial applications worldwide. In 2001 he launched the Dick Idol™ Home Collection, an outdoor-inspired furniture and household accessories line that has established Idol as an original American lifestyle innovator. More than 1,000 retailers in North America and overseas currently carry Dick Idol™ products, with many new product category additions including a complete bed and bath line, apparel, and footwear slated for 2004 and beyond. When he’s not at his home and studio in Bigfork, Mont., Idol travels extensively, making retail appearances, speaking at conferences and searching for sources of inspiration for his artwork, product collections and TV show. For more information about Dick Idol Ventures, LLC, contact Jim Williams at (336) 812-8080 or visit www.dickidol.com. (Dick Idol™ is a trademark of Dick Idol Ventures, LLC.)