Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Day 87: WGA's Strike; More NATPE Notes; 2 More RTN Stations Added; TV Land Scores Big in January 2008
In other news, NBC has renewed Celebrity Apprentice for another season. The second season of The Celebrity Apprentice will premiere in January of 2009. The first season wraps up Thursday, March 27 from 9-11pm.
As we did yesterday, we have some more NATPE notes for you.
- Program Partners and 44 Blue Productions have cleared Family Court With Judge Penny, a new syndicated courtroom show, in more than 70% of U.S. markets for this Fall. Clearances include WNYW/WWOR in New York, KTTV/KCOP in Los Angeles, WCIU/WWME in Chicago, WUPA in Atlanta, WBFF/WNUV in Baltimore and KTVT/KTXA in Dallas.
- It looks like The Montel Williams Show is ending after this season. However, CBS TV Distribution will offer 260 episodes of the best of Montel to stations for fall 2008. The show has aired for 17 seasons. Fox stations in the top two markets declined to renew the series for next season.
- NBC Universal's The Steve Wilkos Show was renewed for season two, with clearances in more than 85% of the country including top-market stations WPIX New York, KTLA Los Angeles, WGN Chicago and WPHL Philadelphia. Top Sinclair stations picking up the show for season two include WTTA Tampa, Fla.; WNUV Baltimore; WTTE Columbus, Ohio; and WLFL Raleigh, N.C., and Fox-owned stations extending their deal include WFTC Minneapolis and KUTP Phoenix.
- Litton Entertainment announced that Storm Stories, an unscripted series based on raw footage of extreme weather, has cleared 70% of U.S. stations. It will launch this fall. It comes from The Weather Channel and features customizable format options with features such as live local news and weather updates from station meteorologists. Major-market stations that have signed on include WABC in New York, KCAL/KCBS in Los Angeles, WGN in Chicago, KYW in Philadelphia, WJBK in Detroit, WSB in Atlanta, WTSP in Tampa, Fla., WJW in Cleveland, KPHO in Phoenix, KUSA in Denver, WESH in Orlando, Fla., KXTV in Sacramento, Calif., KSDK in St. Louis, WPXI in Pittsburgh and WJZ in Baltimore.
Litton has done big so far in NATPE, already selling Baywatch reruns to ION and has Cribs, and Pimp My Ride up for sale for this fall.
Retro Television Network (RTN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Media General to bring RTN programming to Mobile, AL/Pensacola, FL and Columbus, GA. The new affiliates will launch in the second quarter of this year on a digital stream of WKRG, the CBS affiliate in Mobile/Pensacola, and WRBL, the CBS affiliate in Columbus.
TV Land scored its most-watched month ever across several key categories for January 2008, according to Nielsen Media Research (12/31/07-1/27/08). The successful launch of new acquisition Just Shoot Me!, the network's regularly scheduled "Friday Night Movies" which included a telecast of The Jerk and "The Beverly Hillbillies New Year's Eve Marathon" led the network to score double-digit gains in rating and delivery among its target A25-54, core A40-54 audience and total viewers in total day.
In total day, TV Land posted a 0.4 rating (382,000 viewers) among A25-54, up +33% in rating and +33% in delivery over a year ago. The network attracted an average of 782,000 total viewers, up +18% over January 2007. Among its core audience, A40-54, the network scored a 0.5 rating (279,000 viewers), representing a rise of +25% in rating and +29% in delivery over last year. In prime time, TV Land posted a 0.4 rating (460,000 viewers), up+3% in delivery over last year, and among A40-54, the network averaged a 0.6 rating (336,000 viewers). Additionally, TV Land attracted an average of over 1 million total viewers.
For more on the best month ever in the ratings for TV Land, click HERE!
Come on back tomorrow for TV One March and details on Family Matters coming to Nick at Nite. Family Matters will launch on... (sorry you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that!)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, April 17
The Conners - "Toilet Hacks and the Management Track" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After feeling the cafeteria staff could use some organization, Darlene seeks to be manager of food services at Mark’s college. Elsewhere, Dan teaches housewives the basics of DIY home projects to make some extra money toward paying off the house.
Not Dead Yet - "Not You Yet" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Nell, Lexi and Cricket take Sam out on a "divorce day" to celebrate her singlehood, while Nell makes plans for her future.
Abbott Elementary - "2 Ava 2 Fest" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Ava Fest is back, and with the help of the teachers, Ava’s set on outdoing last year by any means necessary. After Janine accepts the offer for a full-time position at the district, she just has to check off one last thing to make it official.
Animal Control - "Bunnies and Veggies" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Frank gets frustrated trying to meet women on dating apps, he asks Emily to set him up on an old-fashioned meet-in-person date; Shred and Patel decide to start renovations on their investment property themselves.
Family Guy - "Faith No More" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Brian becomes romantically interested in someone and it inspires him to use Stewie's time machine, strange consequences result from their journey.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 15)
Wednesday, April 17
- Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Watch Rob on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts/White Famous) - Betsy and Utkarsh are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood/New Girl) - Max appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
- Pam Grier (Bless This Mess) - Pam is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
- Dulcé Sloan (The Great North) - Dulcé hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Zendaya (K.C. Undercover/Shake It Up) and Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Zendaya and Idris are guests on E! News at 11pm on E!.
- Nicole Richie (Great News) - Nicole is chatting with Drew about her new nephew, being a mom to a teenage girl and being a huge fan of the original film she's now starring in on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace discusses her new film Unsung Hero on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- George Takei (Supah Ninjas) - George talks about My Lost Freedom on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- The Cast of A Different World - ABC's The View has the 35th-anniversary reunion with the cast of A Different World, including Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer, Darryl Bell and Debbie Allen at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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