The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, the two premier entertainment media brands of Prometheus Global Media (PGM), are making their content available worldwide for use on digital platforms to customers of The Associated Press.

Starting this month, the entertainment feed of breaking news and feature stories from Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter can be purchased for online use under the content-distribution arrangement with the AP.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard material among our content offerings to customers,” said Lou Ferrara, AP’s managing editor for entertainment. “It makes for a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive package of entertainment stories every day.”Named Entertainment Publication of the Year by the LA Press Club, The Hollywood Reporter is a leading source for breaking news and in-depth reporting on the entertainment industry.

Providing exclusive, all-access features on Hollywood and scooping stories that range from the History channel’s decision to drop The Kennedys miniseries amid political pressure from the Kennedy family to CBS’ decision to replace Charlie Sheen with Ashton Kutcher on Two and a Half Men, THR has garnered more than 55 billion media impressions during the past year.

Its website, which draws 10.4 million unique monthly visitors, now receives more web traffic than its three biggest competitors combined. ”Being part of AP’s massive distribution network will open THR to huge new audiences from around the world,” said The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Janice Min.

THR’s co-partner in the AP content-distribution deal, Billboard, is widely considered to be one of the most authoritative voices in music. The multiplatform, trend-setting brand has been responsible for breaking some of the music industry’s biggest headlines, including putting a then-largely unknown Adele on itsJanuary 2011 cover, breaking news of Mattel’s plans to create a Nicki Minaj Barbie doll and scooping the story of Enrique Iglesias’ decision to pull out of Britney Spears’ North American tour last year.

With 11.6 million unique monthly visitors, Billboard.com is one of the premier online music destinations worldwide. ”Billboard is already synonymous with ‘music’ all around the globe, but the reach of the brand’s content will now be increased exponentially thanks to the AP,” said Billboard editorial director Bill Werde. “AP is truly the top news agency in the world when it comes to distributing entertainment stories, and we’re pleased and excited to contribute to that effort.”

Said Michael Dutton, global director of AP entertainment products: ”In-depth coverage from two leading entertainment media brands offers AP’s distribution partners a whole new layer of vibrant and rich content for their readers.”

The AP has covered the entertainment industry since the early days of Broadway, the London stage and Hollywood. Today, it covers entertainment worldwide in video, photos, text and audio for all platforms and devices and is one of the top outlets for breaking entertainment news. It was the first outlet to report the divorces of Katy Perry and Demi Moore as well as the Feb. 11 death of Whitney Houston.

Image Courtesy of   Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

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Digital Broadcasting Group, the leading creator, producer and distributor of premium video content across digital media announced that “The Confession,” the groundbreaking action/drama web series starring Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland and two-time Academy Award nominee John Hurt, is now available across all major digital platforms and DVD for the first time.

Written and directed by Hollywood veteran Brad Mirman, “The Confession” premiered online in March 2011 with 10 six- to eight-minute long episodes and quickly became one of the most popular web series during its six-month run.

Through a distribution partnership with New Video, “The Confession” will be available via subscription VOD services, on digital platforms (to rent and to own) and wherever DVDs are sold.

This long form version of the series features an additional 38 minutes of exclusive bonus material not previously available online, including three new webisodes focused on characters’ back stories and six new behind the scenes segments.

“Our multi-window approach is similar to the lifecycle of other premium entertainment content and allows us to extend ‘The Confession’ brand to a global level,” said  Damon Bethel, EVP of Strategy and Business Development at DBG.

“The Confession” is a gripping story of a cold-blooded hitman (Sutherland) whose lack of moral clarity leads him to seek advice and possible redemption from a common priest (John Hurt). Through a series of flashbacks, the hitman’s journey is revealed, with the chance at salvation hanging in the balance. While the hit man seems to be an evil, cold-blooded killing machine and the Priest the ultimate arbiter of good, it quickly becomes clear that both characters are much more complicated than either could have suspected.

“We’re thrilled to provide fans with an exciting new way to experience ‘The Confession,’” said Chris Young, CEO of DBG. ”The series is a watershed moment in the history of web video, and now viewers can enjoy the action and excitement across all screens.”

“The Confession” also features Max Casella (Boardwalk Empire), Daniel London (HBO’s Mildred Pierce), and Michael Badalucco (The Practice). Executive-producers on the series include Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Young and Joseph Gomes of DBG, Chip Russo and Maura Mandt of Maggievision Productions.

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