AOL Backs TNT’s Into the West

America Online Inc. will provide exclusive video programming devoted to Turner Network Television’s six-week television event, Into the West, the Internet-service provider and the cable service said Tuesday.

Steven Spielberg is the executive producer of Into the West, from DreamWorks Television.

AOL’s efforts kicked off Tuesday with the world premiere of the “World on Fire” music video by Sarah McLachlan and Robbie Robertson on “AOL Music’s First View” (www.aolmusic.com).

The ISP will also feature a trailer and weekly episode previews and recaps that can be seen on its AOL.com Web site (www.aol.com/television). In turn, AOL will receive numerous on-air mentions on TNT, pointing viewers to AOL for the online programming.

“As the drama network, it’s key that we find unique ways to connect with consumers emotionally in our marketing, and music is one of the best ways for us to do so,” TNT senior vice president of marketing Tom Carr said in a prepared statement.

“By featuring the premiere of the ‘World on Fire’ music video on AOL.com, we are giving music fans an innovative platform through which to discover Into the West, while at the same time extending the reach of our marketing campaign,” he added.

AOL Television VP and general manager Patricia Karpas added, “This collaboration between AOL and TNT surrounding Into the West draws upon our companies’ strengths to demonstrate how the television experience can be extended from on-air to online. And the ‘World on Fire’ video premiere further shows the crossover between music and television, while leveraging AOL’s massive reach to bring this video to a large and engaged audience.”