CBS to Debut Micro-Series

Gone in 60 Seconds: 'The Courier'

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 17 -- Continuing the evolution of television marketing, CBS said Tuesday that it will broadcast a "micro-series" in seven installments of a minute or less, and will also make it available online and by cell phone.

"The Courier," described by the network as a serialized drama about a man risking his life to rescue his kidnapped wife, will debut Jan. 24 during the first-act commercial break of "CSI: Miami" and conclude during "Criminal Minds" on Feb. 1.

The first chapter will be 60 seconds; the rest will be 40 seconds in length and will air in the first-act break after 9 p.m. on series including "Cold Case." It won't air on Jan. 28 or Jan. 31.

In the series, a "mystery man" named iiro follows clues and performs "a sequence of death-defying tasks" to save his wife, the network said.

Iiro Seppanen will play the character iiro, whose adventures include what Seppanen has become known for, CBS said: daring acts of BASE parachute jumping, with BASE an acronym for buildings, antennae, spans and the Earth.

Viewers can follow the story in more detail on the Internet at CBS.com, where the segments will be available after the TV broadcast along with an interactive story line with its own set of clues and a sweepstakes with a car as the prize. Pontiac is the sole sponsor of the series.

After the TV airing, episodes of "The Courier" also can be seen on cell phones via Verizon Wireless V Cast Service, CBS said.

Television has become increasingly intertwined with the Internet and new technology. Various ways to reach viewers have been announced recently, including video iPod downloads of network series and video-on-demand via cable and satellite.