IT Milk: entry

My favorite and most successful current project is Tontine Nation, which is built on the Ning social network platform. My site was recently featured on the official Ning blog as one of the successful Ning projects. Tontine is an upcoming reality tv show that is offering the largest prize money in the history of reality television. Check out the Wikipedia entry for Tontine:

A combination of Survivor (TV series) and The Amazing Race, Tontine follows 15 contestants as they invest their entire life savings to travel to all seven continents in 100 days and contend for the $10 million prize, the biggest in reality TV history. Contestants each begin with a key, the final contestant who possesses all 15 keys unlocks the prize. The show is hosted by “Boston Rob” Mariano, who was a contestant on both Survivor and The Amazing Race before signing on for Tontine.

“Boston Rob” revealed in a June 19, 2007 press release that the project is a new reality show, Tontine, that will follow 15 contestants competing for keys on all seven continents, over 100 days. The winner will receive $10,000,000.00. Contestants have to be mentally and physically fit to last the entire time. As of August 31, 2007 all casting calls have come to a close and 50 contestants, out of thousands who have auditioned, will be selected to attend a final interview in Hollywood. Casting director Tad Frank will make the final decision regarding the fifteen cast members. Tontine will be notable in that its destinations will include the South Pole at the Amundsen-Scott station.

The makers of Tontine claim it will offer the largest prize in television reality show history. Filming is scheduled to start in mid-September of 2007 and the show will air in the Spring of 2008.

I picked up information about Tontine very early on while the casting auditions were still going on. I typically don’t watch reality television, but this show was just too cool to pass up. There is speculation about whether or not this will be a true factor in the show, but the twist in Tontine is supposed to be each contestant’s investing his or her entire life savings into the prize pool of $10 million. How fierce would you compete if your entire life savings were on the line? Exactly, this is a revolutionary concept in reality television that will set a new standard.

What started out as a small and obscure fan club, Tontine Nation is now a full-fledged social network for everything Tontine.

• Over 250 registered members
• The majority of Tontine auditioners are registered and active on the site
• Tontine’s casting director Tad Frank is an active contributing member
• Three total network administrators to moderate the site content

The filming of Tontine hasn’t even started yet and Tontine Nation is bustling with activity every hour. My prospects for this website are very good, and I expect the membership to light on fire once the Tontine TV show starts advertising itself to the public next year when it airs.