EXCLUSIVE
IFC is launching two new series in September, including a pop culture roundup called "The Grid" that's notable for its brevity — the mashup of recommended movies, music and video games clocks in at just 15 minutes, and features sponsored content instead of commercials.
The network's other new show, "360 Sessions," will profile a diverse selection of musical acts from Snoop Dogg to La Roux through interviews and performances.
"The Grid" isn't IFC's first experiment with the shorter, 15 minute format. Both "Food Party" and "The Whitest Kids U Know" have aired episodes of the same length.
Debbie DeMontreux, senior vice president of original programming at IFC, told TheWrap that, because of its fast pace, she thinks the shorter format is a good fit for "The Grid."
"You're getting lots of info, but you don't want to overload the audience with so much info that they're turned off," DeMontreux said.
Because of its unique format, "The Grid" will generate revenue with sponsored content rather than traditional commercials although DeMontreux said "not everything that's in the show is going to be sponsored" and that "just because a sponsor wants to come on board doesn't mean we're behind it."
"We would not sell out … IFC wants to recommend stuff that we feel really strongly about as a collective," DeMontreux said.
"The Grid" premieres Sept. 9 and will air Thursdays at 7:45 p.m.
"360 Sessions" is a half-hour show that profiles musicians and bands by having them tell their own stories through interviews. The show also includes live performances.
The lineup of artists who will appear on "360 Sessions" includes David Gray, Snoop Dogg, Stereophonics, Little Boots, La Roux, The Hours, Daniel Merriweather, The Editors, Corinne Bailey Rae, Alphabeat, Jay Sean, Craig David and Lost Prophets.
"360 Sessions" premieres Sept. 7 and will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Both "The Grid" and "360 Sessions" are part of a major fall push that sees the 16-year-old network defining itself with an ambitious slate of acquisitions and original shows.
"2010 has been a literal turning point for IFC … it just kind of made it easier for us to explain who we are and who we've always been. It is an incredible slate of off-network acquisitions like 'Arrested Development' and 'Freaks and Geeks' and we have original shows," DeMontreux said.
IFC's other upcoming originals include "Onion News Network," a news satire show based on legendary fake newspaper "The Onion," "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret," which stars comedian David Cross as a fish-out-of-water American businessman in England, and "Portlandia," a short-based comedy series that stars Fred Armisen and is executive produced by Lorne Michaels.
