“Family Feud” renewed through 2015

As a reward for upgraded timeslots and ratings growth among women 25-54, Debmar-Mercury announced yesterday the renewal of its game show strip Family Feud through the 2014-15 season. 

In addition, Feud will be shot in HD starting next season.

Station groups renewing the series through 2014 include Fox, CBS, Capitol, Sinclair, and Tribune.

So far this season, Feud has scored ratings increases among women 25-54 and also some time period upgrades into early fringe and access time slots  – some not seen for this series since the Richard Dawson and Ray Combs (at least early on) eras.

Last year, Fox-owned WPWR here in Chicago upgraded Family Feud to 4 pm.

And even better, Steve Harvey is expected to stay on for the duration of the series’ run. Harvey is credited with boosting the series’ ratings and finally ends the “how long will this host last” game Feud viewers have been playing for years. Harvey is Feud’s fourth host since the game show returned to the airwaves in 1999 (not counting the Al Roker hosting stint on NBC’s Celebrity Family Feud a few years back.)

Earlier this year, NBC Universal signed Harvey to host an upcoming daytime talk show strip, which cleared the NBC-owned stations last month. While studios and syndicators generally frown on their talent (particularly in the 1970’s and 1980’s), Debmar-Mercury is letting Harvey to continue hosting Feud while doing his talk show for NBC Universal as the two should not conflict with one another.

And thus ends The Family Feud Host Curse, which saw three of the hosts (Dawson, Combs, and Louie Anderson) and their follies as a subject of an 2002 E! True Hollywood Story episode.