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Poker Becoming TV's Hot Programming Trends

NEW YORK -- As reported by the Associated Press: "Card playing - an activity that filled the evening hours before television was invented - has improbably become one of TV's hottest programming trends.

"After less than a year, the `World Poker Tour' is already the Travel Channel's most popular series ever, a status NBC Sports took note of last week in announcing it would air a poker game on Super Bowl Sunday.

"…`It's surprisingly entertaining and exciting,' said Jeff Gaspin, Bravo's chief executive. `I was really taken aback. As a spectator sport, you wouldn't think that much of it. It's really interesting.'

"Steve Lipscomb, CEO of the World Poker Tour, started his company in October 2001 with the vision of creating a series of high-stakes games in casinos, much like the professional golf tour.

"…But even he admitted that most previous attempts to film card games were so boring they were nearly impossible to watch.

"…Lipscomb spends between $350,000 and $400,000 per episode. Instead of three or four cameras, he uses as much as 16, enabling viewers to see every player's hands.

"…Burbling synthesizer music adds to the sense of excitement. Each broadcast tries to create personalities, often to the point of cliché.

"The announcers try to make the game understandable so even non-poker players can follow along. They don't quite succeed, but still create a level of tension and anticipation.

"…Lipscomb persuaded the Travel Channel to take a chance on a 13-episode series, and it started in March. A poker tournament may seem far afield from the Travel Channel's mission, but the network knew that any program it did about Las Vegas was popular, and trusted

"…The show was an immediate success, even more so when the entire season was repeated during the summer. The poker tournaments routinely draw two to three times the audience of the channel's typical prime-time fare…"

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