Tuesday, January 24, 2012
NATPE 2012: Day 2 Has MeTV Acquiring Classic Media Series Like He-Man; Lifetime TV Pulls Reba From Schedule
MeTV Network, Memorable Entertainment Television announced from NATPE an agreement with Broadcast Partners LLC and its Classic Media Library. MeTV will be adding a weekend morning animation block featuring multi-generational favorites such as Gumby, Mr. Magoo, He-Man and She-Ra. The programming will be added to the MeTV schedule beginning in the second quarter of 2012. Me-TV affiliates will have the option of carrying additional programming including the live action classics: Timmy and Lassie Hour; and The Lone Ranger; as well as the animated series: The Archies; Ghostbusters; Casper and Friends; and Bravestarr.
Neal Sabin, President of Content and Networks for Weigel Broadcasting Company, says He-Man is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer. MeTV is now seen in more than 73% of the country.
Elsewhere at NATPE, in only four months, Katie Couric's highly anticipated nationally syndicated talk show, Katie, has already been cleared in 93% of the country. Katie will premiere on leading stations across the country in September 2012. Disney-ABC Domestic Television has secured outstanding station clearances and key early fringe time periods for the LIVE one-hour daily daytime talk show. Sales to date include 95 of the top 100 markets. In addition to the ABC Owned station group, Katie has also been sold to leading stations from broadcast groups including Allbritton Communications, Belo Corporation, Cox Media Group, Gannett Broadcasting, Granite, Griffin, Hearst Television, LIN Broadcasting, McGraw-Hill, Media General, Meredith, Raycom, Scripps Howard Broadcasting, Sinclair and Young Broadcasting, among others.
We'll have more from NATPE tomorrow with our annual look on what is being offered in first-run syndication and new off-network series.
Lifetime TV has made a last minute schedule change that will start next week (Monday, Jan. 30). It is a minor schedule change, but they will remove Reba from its weekday mornings at 8:00am & 8:30am timeslots. Instead, they will add another hour of Will & Grace, which already airs from 9am-11am. No word on when Reba will return, but it has been pulled before but it returned quickly after. No other schedule changes are being made at Lifetime TV, so expect Old Christine from 11am-1pm, Desperate Housewives at 1pm, Grey's Anatomy at 2pm & 3pm and an hour of How I Met Your Mother at 4pm to continue in daytime. From 5pm-4am will be a mix of original series encores and actual original series in primetime, like Dance Mom, America's Most Wanted and Project Runway. Lifetime also airs Wife Swap on some nights.
In other Lifetime news, in its world premiere Saturday night, the Lifetime Original Movie Drew Peterson: Untouchable, starring Golden Globe(R) and Emmy(R) Award nominee Rob Lowe (Parks & Recreation, Brothers & Sisters) and Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory, 8 Simple Rules), generated record viewership, averaging 5.8 million Total Viewers, making it cable's most watched original movie in the demo in two years since Lifetime's The Pregnancy Pact on January 23, 2010. Additionally, the 5.8 million Total Viewers represent a 241% jump versus Lifetime's original movie premiere average in 2011. Based on a true story about police officer Drew Peterson's (Lowe) fall from grace after the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife (Cuoco), the movie posted Lifetime's best numbers for an original movie premiere among the key demos since the January 3, 2011, debut of The Craigslist Killer, including 2.5 million Adults 25-54 viewers (+233% vs. the network's original movie premiere average in 2011), 2.2 million Adults 18-49 viewers (+210%), 1.8 million Women 25-54 viewers (+215%) and 1.5 million Women 18-49 viewers (+178%), according to Nielsen Research. Drew Peterson: Untouchable also generated a 4.25 Household rating (+223%).
It was a really good movie and Rob Lowe did a great job with perhaps an Emmy nomination coming? Anyway, we'll have more on Lifetime should anything change, so stay with us!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Wednesday, May 31
Night Court - "Pilot" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Judge Abby Stone follows in the footsteps of her late father Harry Stone as she takes over the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court; when a public defender is needed, Abby sees potential in former prosecutor Dan Fielding.
Night Court - "The Nighthawks" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Abby pushes Dan Fielding to embrace his new role as public defender; Neil gets on board with Abby's quest to improve the courtroom and quickly realizes why trying is for the birds.
Dave - "Looking for Love" (FXX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Dave's quest for love reaches a conclusion.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 29)
Wednesday, May 31
- Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso/Shrinking) - Watch Brett on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Christopher Meloni (Happy/Surviving Jack/Misery Loves Company/The Fanelli Boys) - Christopher is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place/Barry) - D'Arcy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Rob Corddry (The Unicorn/Ballers/Childrens Hospital/The Winner) - Rob will be on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Hong Chau (A to Z) - Hong appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - E! News has an interview with Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
- Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl Lee is a guest on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Jaime Camil (Schmigadoon!/Broke) - Jaime appears on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry joins Sherri to discuss hosting the new season of America’s Got Talent on NBC on Sherri, so check your local listings. He will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (January-June)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/04 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/18 - Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (Blu-ray)
04/25 - Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
05/23 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Eleven / The Complete Season Twelve
05/23 - Go On - The Complete Series
05/23 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (Universal)
05/29 - Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/29 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/30 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
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