Mystery, Betrayal and Terrifying Secrets Are Unleashed When ION Television`s Durham County Launches Its Second Season in January 2010

"True Blood" and "In Treatment" Actress Michelle Forbes Joins Durham County Cast
for Season Two
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--(Business Wire)--
The lesson that "love hurts" is well learned by the characters who inhabit the
eerie suburb of Durham County when the original scripted primetime series
launches its second season on ION Television in January, 2010. The series, which
debuted this fall, returns to the bleak and disturbing landscape of an alienated
suburbia with a new star villain - Michelle Forbes, known for her intense
portrayals on the hit HBO series "True Blood" and "In Treatment" this year.

Produced by Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Films, Durham County unfolds
season two in the aftermath of the devastating impact of serial killer Ray
Prager (Romano Orzari) on the lives of its characters, anchored by Homicide
Detective Mike Sweeney (Hugh Dillon, CBS` "Flashpoint"), his now estranged wife
Audrey (Hélène Joy) and their traumatized teenage daughter Sadie (Laurence
Leboeuf). While the true villain of the first season turned out to be Sweeney`s
former high school classmate and new neighbor, the evil threat in the second
season comes from a woman who develops a close bond with Mike, the brilliant,
but deeply troubled forensic psychiatrist Pen Verrity (Michelle Forbes).
Rejected by her husband and grieving for a daughter we can`t be certain she
didn`t kill, she sets her sights on having Mike Sweeney - at any cost.

"Durham County has more than fulfilled our expectations for our first original
series in its successful debut this fall, particularly with our key 25-54
demographic," said Leslie Chesloff, Executive Vice President, Programming, ION
Media Networks. "In season two, our protagonist is trying to keep his broken
family together in the aftermath of a serial killer, while he is lured into an
incredibly dangerous place by a seductive woman. Viewers will be on their seats
wondering what Pen will do next, who she might target and whether Mike will
realize the terrible threat she poses before it`s too late."

"We are thrilled at the way audiences have embraced this series and are excited
that ION Television is bringing this award-winning show back for another
electrifying season in January," said Michael Prupas, President of Muse
Entertainment and executive producer of Durham County.

Co-creator and Executive Producer Janis Lundman of Back Alley Films adds, "We
think viewers will be intrigued by the new female villain, Michelle Forbes, who
they will recognize from her portrayal of an equally menacing character on `True
Blood.` In addition, they will be drawn into our hero`s struggle to heal his
broken family and deal with the separation from his wife while he becomes
increasingly drawn to this damaged woman."

"This season we explore what happens to people after their lives have been
affected by a serial killer and the darkest side of their psyches are exposed,
which also shows them the way to true compassion," said Co-creator and Executive
Producer/Director Adrienne Mitchell. "Season two also shifts more focus to the
complex characters of the Sweeney`s daughter Sadie, played poignantly by
Laurence LeBoeuf, and the neighbor`s abandoned son, Ray Jr., portrayed by the
talented Greyston Holt," she adds.

Durham County is written by Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik ("Bliss") and helmed by
directors Adrienne Mitchell, Alain DesRochers (Nitro) and Rachel Talalay
(Terminal City). Michael Prupas ("Human Trafficking") of Muse Entertainment and
Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell ("Bliss") of Back Alley Films serve as
executive producers. The series has received 13 Gemini Award nominations,
including five wins: Best Actor for Justin Louis, Best Actress for Hélène Joy,
Best Direction for Holly Dale, Best Writing for Laurie Finstad Knizhnik and Best
Sound. In addition, the show was nominated for four Director`s Guild of Canada
Awards, winning two and taking home the CFTPA`s Indie Award for "Best Dramatic
Series."

The program was also recognized with nominations from the Writer`s Guild of
Canada and ACTRA Montreal. In a deal signed last January with ITV Global
Entertainment, ION Television acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the
critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, Durham County. In
addition, the network secured all U.S. television, digital media rights,
internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program.

About ION Television

ION Television (www.iontelevision.com) is a general entertainment network which
reaches over 96 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast
television, cable and satellite distribution systems. Launched in 2006, ION
Television features popular TV series and movies from the award-winning
libraries of RHI Entertainment, CBS Television, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures
Television, Twentieth Television and Warner Bros. Parent company, ION Media
Networks, Inc., owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television
station group. Using its digital multicasting capability, ION Media Networks has
launched the digital TV brands qubo, a channel for children focusing on literacy
and values, and ION Life, a channel dedicated to active living and personal
growth. It also has launched Open Mobile Ventures Corporation (OMVION), a
business unit focused on the research and development of portable, mobile and
out-of-home transmission technology using over-the-air digital television
spectrum. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.com.

About Muse Entertainment Enterprises

Muse Entertainment Enterprises, headed by President & CEO Michael Prupas, is a
major Canadian independent film and television producer and the country`s
leading service producer for international studios and networks. Muse
Entertainment is known for bringing well-crafted, high-quality, award-winning
productions with strong international appeal to big and small screens. Since
1998, Muse has produced, co-produced or provided production services on 150 TV
movies and mini-series, television series and feature films. Muse's head office
is located in Montreal. Muse has four production operations in Montreal,
Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles.

About Back Alley Film Productions Ltd.

Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. has been producing entertaining and cutting
edge film and television in Canada for over 15 years. Founded by Janis Lundman
and Adrienne Mitchell, the company is synonymous with high-quality, innovative
auteur-driven productions that aim to entertain both domestic and international
audiences. With their strong backgrounds in producing (Lundman/Mitchell) and
directing (Mitchell) the two partners have produced and co-created award winning
and critically acclaimed series for networks in both Canada and the U.S. and
their work has been distributed internationally with great success world-wide.
Back Alley Films offices are located in Toronto and Montreal.

ION Television
Amelie Tseng, 973-897-8868
amelie.tseng@verizon.net
or
Sayles & Winnikoff
Carina Sayles, 212-725-5200 x210
carina@sayleswinnikoff.com
or
Rick Gomes, 212-725-5200 x114
rick@sayleswinnikoff.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009