Day 74: WGA's Strike; ION Initiative for African-American Programming

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Day 74: WGA's Strike; ION Initiative for African-American Programming

Welcome to day 74 of the strike. I can't believe I said welcome. Welcome to hell would be more like it. The Directors Guild of America just sealed their deal with producers already! The current deal was set to expire at the end of June. But after just five days of formal negotiations the Directors Guild of America has reached agreement with the producers on a new three-year contract. The deal turns the spotlight again on the striking film and TV writers who must now examine the directors' deal and decide if they will accept a similar contract. Let's hope! Screen Actors Guild's current contract expires at the end of June, so that is another deal let's hope that gets resolved.

ION Media Networks, Inc. in collaboration with African-American TV syndicator Star Media and Omnicom's OMG Entertainment & Sports unit, announced today a strategic partnership for the creation and exhibition of African-American programming on the ION Television Network. The initiative already has backing from major charter sponsors McDonald’s, State Farm and P&G, with others expected to follow.
Initially, the partnership will use the syndication marketplace and TV libraries of Warner Bros. and other major television studios to program urban and diverse content. The longer term goal is to reinvest net proceeds from this enterprise into an original programming fund that can help create new African-American and diverse content to be aired on ION Television. The initiative launched on Monday, January 14 in the 6-7 p.m. ET timeslot on ION Television, with the return of The Wayans Bros. to broadcast television. Warner Bros. Domestic Television is the programming partner for this series.
This might be some good news. Since initially they will use reruns, maybe they will expand the hours a bit, say the daytime, and we could get more shows in. Hopefully shows like Diff'rent Strokes, Hangin' with Mr Cooper, Webster could air and maybe Amen can return once again. To discuss this news, head on over to the ION January thread.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, March 18

St. Denis Medical - "You Gotta Have a Plan" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Joyce asks Alex to be the executor of her estate; Matt and Serena are forced to keep watch over a bickering family; Bruce grapples with unexpected DNA test results.

Night Court - "Age Against the Machine" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dan must defend his job after he gets a bad review on one of the city's new satisfaction kiosks; Abby and Gurgs receive some shocking information from Wyatt's daughter.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 17)

Tuesday, March 18

Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Catch Bill on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Melissa Rauch (Night Court/The Big Bang Theory), Jessica St. Clair (Avenue 5/Playing House/Best Friends Forever/In the Motherhood) and Nico Santos (Superstore) - Melissa, Jessica and Nico are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo. She also talks about The White Lotus on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Other Black Girl/Survival of the Thickest/The Jamie Foxx Show/Merry Happy Whatever) - Garcelle appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. Eva and Paulina Chavez will be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Nina Dobrev (Fam) - Good Morning America celebrates World Recycling Day with Nina sometime between 7-9am.
Dulcé Sloan (The Great North) - Dulcé joins Tamron Hall for a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE as she serves laughs and looks from her brand-new tour, so check your local listings.
Debra Messing (Will & Grace/Ned & Stacey) - Debra talks about The Alto Knights on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am. NBC's Today catches up with Debra in the 9am hour.
Chet Hanks (Running Point) - Chet is telling Drew about staying authentic growing up in Hollywood, being three years sober and making his country music debut on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
RonReaco Lee (Survivor's Remorse/Let's Stay Together/In the Motherhood/Sister, Sister) - RonReaco is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.