KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented move for the television-shopping industry, Jewelry Television® (JTV), is announcing that it will air Rock Star Designer, the first reality show broadcast on a home-shopping network. "JTV Rock Star Designer," has involved a national search for talented jewelry designers, one of whom will win a $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to design and sell a jewelry collection on the national jewelry and gemstone shopping network. The reality series will debut on Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m. EDT, leading into the network's most-watched show, "Girlfriend Friday." There will also be an encore presentation every Wednesday at 2 a.m. EDT beginning Aug. 12.
In March 2015, JTV issued a call for entries and received applications from designers around the country. Each aspiring designer was required to submit examples of their jewelry designs and a biographical video describing why he/she should be JTV's first "Rock Star Designer." The public voted on its favorite entries, narrowing the field to 10 semi-finalists.
A team of JTV executives, jewelry buyers and marketing professionals reviewed the work of the top 10 and narrowed the field to five finalists who traveled to JTV's corporate headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn., and competed head-to-head in jewelry design competitions. You can learn more about the five finalists on the Rock Star site. They are:
Tamara Cimalore – Wilmington, Del.
Alicia Herzbrun – Maryville, Tenn.
Ashley Hoffman – Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Kelly Miller – Saint Louis, Mo.
Deborah Wilson Taylor – Austin, Texas
"JTV Rock Star Designer" emcee, Kristie Carson, will present contestants with a series of challenges devised to test creativity, jewelry and gemstone knowledge, design skills, business acumen and ability to work under pressure. One contestant will be eliminated after each challenge until a winner is announced on Sept. 25.
'We are dipping our toe into the branded-entertainment arena to entertain our current viewers as well as attract new audiences," said Jill Johnson, vice president of marketing at JTV. "This is a full-scale television production with original sets, wardrobe, crew and nationally recognized celebrity judges. We hope to make this an annual competition."
With the surging popularity in crowd-sourced design, JTV is getting a first-hand look at what emerging jewelry designers are creating and how that merchandise may drive trends and consumer purchasing decisions.
"As one of the country's largest retailers of fine jewelry and gemstones, this is a new way for us to be at the forefront of identifying refreshing new design talent and jewelry trends," said Johnson.
For more information on "JTV Rock Star Designer," and the contestants, visit JTV.com/rockstar. Tune in on Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. EDT beginning Aug. 7. Check JTV's Channel Finder to discover the network in your area.
About Jewelry Television®
Jewelry Television® (JTV) is one of the largest multichannel retailers of jewelry and gemstones in the U.S. appealing to fashion-conscious women, jewelry-making enthusiasts and private collectors. The privately-held shopping network broadcasts high definition programing, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to more than 80 million U.S. households. Committed to consumer education, the network employs numerous Graduate Gemologists and Accredited Jewelry Professionals. JTV.com offers the most comprehensive jewelry and gemstone Learning Library on the Internet, and is the third largest jewelry website according to Internet Retailer's Top 500 Guide for 2012.
SOURCE Jewelry Television
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