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Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, along with local television listings and movie showtimes for areas of the United States and Canada. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services (TMS), part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company. Zap2it affiliates include Cox, Dish Network, Disney, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.

History[link]

TMS first began to offer online listings services as a content provider to the online services Prodigy in the late 1980s and America Online in the early 1990s. TMS launched its first branded online television listings service, TV Quest, in 1993 on the AppleLink online service. TV Quest later migrated to Apple’s eWorld services and to the internet in the mid-1990s.

Version 1.0 of Zap2it debuted on the web in May 2000. In its earliest iteration, the site was a combination of TMS-owned listings sites TVQuest and MovieQuest plus the then-recently-purchased content site UltimateTV.

UltimateTV offered viewers and industry-insider breaking news, Nielsen ratings, live celebrity chats and more. The site provided video clips, interviews and promos in its Promo Lounge area.

The earliest Zap2it focused on films, television and original web-based content. The site offered original editorial along with listings information for films, television and online. It also listed online content such as short films, interactive games and webisodes offered by Atom Films, Shockwave.com and iFilm.

Zap2it’s television listings and film showtimes were generated by TMS data, its web listings by Yack data.

The site's editorial pages, including the front page, were redesigned in 2001. In early 2003, the editorial focus of Zap2it was narrowed down to television and films and the site was again redesigned. An agreement with Fandango in 2005 allowed for the introduction of online movie ticketing for select theaters. Blogs, including It Happened Last Night, which offered show recaps were first launched in 2006 and expanded thereafter. In 2007, the site launched "click-to-record" functionality allowing users with TiVo digital video recorders to remotely schedule recordings directly from within the Zap2it television listings.

Product development[link]

In early 2007, Zap2it released enhanced television listings on its main site. Upgrades to the product included improved performance, better customization capabilities and the introduction of sharing tools and a user rating system. Following a testing period, the television-listings product was made available to affiliates.

In 2008, a revised movie-showtimes product was developed on the main site. It more prominently showcased movie trailers and offered expanded cast and crew lists which linked to celebrity profile pages.

Editorial development[link]

In February 2009, Zap2it began to play an expanded role within the Tribune Company.^[1] The site became the central aggregator of entertainment content produced by Tribune-owned online properties including latimes.com, The Envelope, chicagotribune.com and others. As part of this development, a major site redesign was planned for midyear 2009.^{[dated info]}

See also[link]

	Film portal
	Internet portal
	Television in the United States portal

• List of assets owned by Tribune Company
• Lists of websites

References[link]

v t e Tribune Company Corporate directors Sam Zell (Chairman and Chief Executive) · Betsy Holden · Randy Michaels · Ed Wilson Tribune Publishing Newspapers The Baltimore Sun · Chicago Tribune · Hartford Courant · Los Angeles Times · South Florida Sun-Sentinel · Orlando Sentinel · The Morning Call · Daily Press · The Virginia Gazette · RedEye · Hoy (Chicago and Los Angeles) · El Sentinel del Sur de la Florida Times community papers Daily Pilot · Huntington Beach Independent · Burbank Leader · Glendale News Press Other Chicago · Hartford · Advocate Weekly Newspapers · Metromix (50%) · ChicagoNow Investments Classified Ventures · CareerBuilder · Topix Tribune Broadcasting Television networks Broadcast network Antenna TV Cable networks CLTV · Food Network (30%) · WGN America ABC network affiliate WGNO CW network affiliates KDAF · KIAH · KPLR-TV · KRCW-TV · KTLA · KWGN-TV · WCCT-TV · WDCW · WGN-TV · WNOL-TV · WPIX · WSFL-TV · WTTV Fox network affiliates KCPQ · KSWB-TV · KTXL · WPMT · WTIC-TV · WXIN · WXMI MyNetworkTV affiliates KZJO · WPHL-TV Radio WGN · Chicago Cubs Radio Network Tribune Media Services Comic strips Animal Crackers · Bottom Liners · Bound and Gagged · Brenda Starr, Reporter · Brewster Rockit: Space Guy! · Broom-Hilda · Dick Tracy · Gasoline Alley · Gil Thorp · Jumble · Little Orphan Annie · Loose Parts · Love Is... · The Middletons · The Pink Panther · Pluggers Editorial cartoons Dan Wasserman · Dana Summers · Dick Locher · Don Wright · Drew Sheneman · Jack Ohman · Matt Davies · Paul Conrad · Scott Stantis · Walt Handelsman Humor columnists Andy Rooney · Dave Barry · Diane Farr · Jen Lancaster · Mark Russell · Michael Showalter · Today's Chuckle Political columnists Arianna Huffington · Bill Press · Cal Thomas · Carl Hiaasen · Clarence Page · Garrison Keillor · Henry Kissinger · Ian Bremmer · Jesse Jackson · Jonah Goldberg · Jules Witcover · Leonard Pitts Jr. · Paul Kennedy · Andrés Oppenheimer · Victor Davis Hanson · William Pfaff Other columnists Amy Dickinson · Billy Graham · Goren Bridge · Liz Smith · Mitch Albom · Omarr's Astrological Forecast · Rick Steves · Robert Pagliarini · Wolfgang Puck · Zap2it Annual revenue: $5.73 billion USD (2% FY 2005) · Employees: 21,500 · Website: tribune.com

Ian Somerhalder
Born	Ian Joseph Somerhalder (1978-12-08) December 8, 1978 (age 33) Covington, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, model
Years active	1997–present

Ian Joseph Somerhalder (born December 8, 1978) is an American actor and model, best known for playing Boone Carlyle in the TV drama Lost and Damon Salvatore in the TV drama The Vampire Diaries.

Early life[link]

Somerhalder was born and raised in Covington, Louisiana, the son of Edna, a massage therapist, and Robert Somerhalder, an independent building contractor.^[1] Raised Catholic, he attended St. Paul's, a private Catholic school in Covington. He embarked on a modeling career from age 10 to 13,^[2] and by the age of 17 he decided to go into acting.

Career[link]

Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder

In the summer of 2000, Somerhalder starred in the short-lived WB series Young Americans, a spin-off of Dawson's Creek. He played Hamilton Fleming, the son of the dean of a prestigious boarding school. In 2002, Somerhalder played bisexual character Paul Denton in Roger Avary's adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel, The Rules of Attraction, alongside James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, and Jessica Biel.

In 2004, Somerhalder scored his breakthrough role when he played Boone Carlyle in the hit TV show Lost. Despite his character's death in the twentieth episode of the first season, Somerhalder returned to the role of Boone for seven more episodes between 2005 and 2010, including the series finale. Somerhalder was the first actor to be cast in a role for the series and the first character to die.

In 2009, Somerhalder appeared in the movie The Tournament where he played the role of an assassin participating in a lethal competition with other assassins. On 10 October 2009, it was announced that he will star in the Gothic movie Cradlewood, which is to be directed by Harry Weinmann.^[3] The movie is set to be released in 2013.^[4] He appears in the coffee table book About Face by celebrity photographer John Russo.^[5][6]

In June 2009 Somerhalder was cast in the role of Vampire Damon Salvatore as a series regular in The CW television drama series The Vampire Diaries. The series premiere attracted The CW's highest premiere ratings of any season premiere since the network began in 2006. The series has continued to be the highest rated series on its channel with both Somerhalder's performance and show receiving a positive response from critics. Somerhalder has received a Teen Choice Award for his participation on the series. The shows third and most recent season premiered on September 15, 2011.^[7]

Personal life[link]

While working on The Vampire Diaries, Somerhalder began dating his co-star Nina Dobrev.^[8]

Philanthropy[link]

Somerhalder was involved in the cleanup after the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling disaster on April 22, 2010. His efforts included cleaning of oiled wildlife and taping public service announcements to let the public know how they could help.^[9] Somerhalder also supports the St. Tammany Humane Society, an organization for animal shelter and welfare. On November 13, 2010, he hosted a Bash on the Bayou charity fundraiser for the Society. During the event, Somerhalder was presented with a donation of $11,100 by The Vampire Diaries fandom for his birthday project.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Together with his The Vampire Diaries co-stars Candice Accola and Michael Trevino, Somerhalder supports the It Gets Better Project, which makes it a goal to prevent suicide among LGBT youth^[14] associated with The Trevor Project.^[15]

Somerhalder announced, via Twitter and in various interviews that he was setting up The Ian Somerhalder Foundation (launched on December 8, 2010, Somerhalder's 32nd birthday), which he hopes will educate people on the importance of protecting the environment and animals: "Instead of gifts this year, my birthday wish is that we come together and raise funds to support projects that protect our habitat and nurture our furry friends.^[16][17]

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ian Somerhalder

• Ian Somerhalder at the Internet Movie Database
• Ian Somerhalder on Twitter

Candice Accola
Candice Accola at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2011.
Born	Candice Accola (1987-05-13) May 13, 1987 (age 25) Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Occupation	Actress, singer, songwriter
Years active	2007–present
Website
www.twitter.com/candiceaccola

Candice Accola (born May 13, 1987) is an American actress and singer, best known for her role as Caroline Forbes on The Vampire Diaries.

Early Life[link]

Accola was born in Houston, Texas but she grew up in Edgewood and attended Lake Highland Preparatory School.^[1] Her father, Kevin, is a cardiothoracic surgeon^[2] and her mother, Carolyn, was formerly an environmental engineer before becoming a homemaker. Both her parents are active members of the local Republican political party.^[3][4] She has one younger brother.^[1][5]

Personal life[link]

She is, together with her The Vampire Diaries co-stars Michael Trevino and Ian Somerhalder, one of many supporters of the It Gets Better Project, a project that has made it a goal to prevent suicide among LGBT youth,^[6] associated with The Trevor Project.^[7]

Music career[link]

As an accomplished singer and songwriter since the age of 14, Candice Accola achieved success in her music career after being signed to a record deal at the age of 16. Candice Accola's music has garnered international success, and she continues to record and write her own music. Her debut album came out in December 2006 and got great success in Japan.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Candice Accola

• Candice Accola at the Internet Movie Database