SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Day 86: WGA's Strike; NATPE Notes; Nick at Nite February 2008 Highlights

It is day 86 of the strike. I wish we could 86 this strike for god's sake! Anyway, the WGA has granted permission for the Grammys to go on with its broadcast on CBS. The Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) has agreed to grant an interim agreement for this year's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. This will allow for written material for the show to be covered under a Guild contract.
Meanwhile, CBS has ordered two more editions of Survivor to be broadcast during the 2008-2009 season. These will mark the 17th and 18th editions of television's longest-running hit reality competition series.
Additionally, Jeff Probst has signed a new agreement to continue as host.

As we all know, NATPE is here. This of course is the National Association of Television Program Executives conference in Las Vegas where syndication deals are made. The conference is from Jan. 28-31, so it started yesterday. ION made the biggest news yesterday as they acquired Baywatch, but there were much more dealings. I'll recap the biggest news makers from yesterday and today right now:
- At a surprise NATPE press conference in Las Vegas today, one of America's most beloved stars, Marie Osmond, announced her latest venture as host of a new entertainment/lifestyle talk show, Marie. Program Partners will offer the hour-long television series in syndication beginning in fall 2009.
- Syndicated daytime game show Crosswords, from Merv Griffin Entertainment and distributor Program Partners, has been renewed for season two in 40 of the top 50US markets, despite not so strong ratings this season. Twentieth Television's The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet received a pickup for a sophomore season as well.
- On the heels of the ratings success of MGM and Reveille's hit reality series American Gladiators on NBC, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.'s (MGM) domestic television distribution operation is bringing Gladiators 2000, the kids competition series starring a young Ryan Seacrest in off-network syndication.
Gladiators 2000 is a half-hour series, which was shot in the 90's as a companion to the original American Gladiators. In the series, teens compete in games that challenge their physical abilities as well as their knowledge of nutrition, fitness and the human body. MGM is offering 39 episodes of the show at NATPE.
- Court show queen Judge Judy Sheindlin has inked a new multi-year deal with CBS Television Distribution to continue with her strip, Judge Judy, and the CBS Television Stations group has renewed the top-rated court show for another two seasons, taking it through 2012.
- MGM said Monday that it picked up distribution rights to Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls from Tribune. The home-improvement series, currently in its ninth season, is cleared in more than 70% of the country and MGM is looking to line up clearance for the next two seasons during the National Association of Television Program Executives' show in Las Vegas this week. MGM will sell 22 new episodes for each of the next two seasons of the half-hour, as well as nine years' worth of library episodes.
- Disney/ABC Domestic Television will bring Wizard's First Rule to first-run syndication this fall as a one-hour weekly series. It is based on Terry Goodkind's best-selling epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. 22 episodes will be for sale. 35% of the country has been cleared, with Tribune stations the high buyer. Tribune's stations include WPIX in New York; KTLA in Los Angeles; WGN in Chicago; WPHL in Philadelphia; KDAF in Dallas; WDCW in Washington, D.C.; KHCW in Houston; KCPQ/KMYQ in Seattle; WSFL in Miami–Ft. Lauderdale; KWGN in Denver; KTXL in Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif.; KPLR in St. Louis; KRCW in Portland, Ore.; WTTV/WXIN in Indianapolis; KSWB in San Diego; WTIC/WTXX in Hartford-New Haven, Conn.; WXMI in Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Mich.; WPMT in Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, Pa.; and WGNO/WNOL in New Orleans.
- Twentieth Television has cleared Bones to 45% of the country. The off-net drama now is in more than 20 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia for a launch in fall 2009 and it will air on weekends. Station clearances include Fox Television Stations' WNYW/WWOR in New York, KTTV/KCOP in Los Angeles, WFLD/WPWR in Chicago, WTXF in Philadelphia, WFXT in Boston, KDFW/KDFI in Dallas, WTTG/WDCA in Washington, D.C., WAGA in Atlanta, KRIV/KTXH in Houston, WJBK in Detroit, KSAZ/KUTP in Phoenix, KMSP/WFTC in Minneapolis, WOFL/WRBW in Orlando, Fla., WUTB in Baltimore and KTBC in Austin, Texas; Tribune's KCPQ/KMYQ in Seattle, KTXL in Sacramento, Calif., KRCW in Portland, Ore., and KSWB in San Diego; the CBS Station Group's KPIX/KBCW in San Francisco; and Bahakel’s WCCB in Charlotte, N.C.

By the end of the week we will try to list everything that is coming to syndication this fall (2008). Sitcoms, weekly dramas, talk shows, court shows, game shows, first-run shows, and more! So come on back!

We have highlights of Nick at Nite February 2008 finally for you. There are no regular schedule changes, which means you'll still get your favorite shows at the same time. Tune into Nick at Nite for love-themed episodes of your favorite Nick at Nite shows...Home Improvement, George Lopez and Fresh Prince from 9p-12a the week of February 11-14 for I Heart Nick at Nite Week part of a Crush stunt on Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite.
From Monday, February 25 through Sunday, March 2, 2008, it is Home Improvement Week! Tune in all-night long M-Th, 10-6am, F-Sat, 11-6 and Sun, 10-6 for a hearty dose of Home Improvement. Watch George Lopez each night leading into the Wall-to-Wall Home Improvement week! Whoppppah!! Click HERE to view and discuss the February Nick at Nite highlights!
Many of you have asked, so I will state it here. Family Matters IS coming to Nick at Nite in March! Yes, catch Urkel in primetime all over again. We will have details in the coming weeks. I can also confirm to you that ABC Family will lose the rights to the show at the end of this month, so Feb. 29 will be the last airing. More details on ABC Family March will come shortly.