STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE 

was officially announced at a press conference on Monday by Paramount
officials. Michael Piller, co-exec producer of both shows, said that "If
Star Trek is "Wagon Train," then "Deep Space Nine" can be compared to a
wild west town on the edge of the frontier with all the excitement and
adventure that kind of locale can generate." 

The series will involve a brand new cast and crew, and feature a group of
characters on a space station on the frontier that sits next to a
wormhole, a way of moving rapidly through space. 

The continuity will be very much alive with ST:TNG, taking place in the
same universe, using the same technology, etc.  The show will run
concurrently with the current season of ST:TNG. 

Although not mentioned in the report, plans are to move several minor
characters from TNG to this series, including Colm Meaney (Chief O'Brien),
Rosalind Chao (Keiko O'Brien), Michele Forbes (Ensign Ro) and maybe one or
two others... 

ST:DS9 will begin in January 1993 with a two-hour pilot and 19 one hour
episodes.  The fall 1993 season will see 26 hour long episodes. 

Casting will begin in April for an early June filming date.  The series
will be filmed at Paramount Pictures' studio in Hollywood. 

"Setting 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' at the same time as 'Star Trek: The
Next Generation' will allow an exchange of characters and occasional
storylines between each show," said Rick Berman, Executive Producer. 

DEEP SPACE NINE will, again, begin in January 1993.  Start looking for
promotional items and casting news around April.