The new five first-run strips debuting in syndication last week entered the new world of expectations – holding the lead-in and at least matching the year-ago time period share. The five programs are Deal or No Deal from NBC Universal Television Distribution; The Doctors from CBS Television Distribution; Family Court with Judge Penny from Program Partners; The Bonnie Hunt Show […]
– Twentieth Television has signed Jeff Foxworthy to host the syndicated version of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? The daily syndicated strip version of the Fox prime-time game show bows in fall 2009. – Fringe, the new Fox drama from Lost creator J.J. Abrams, averaged just 9.1 million viewers for its premiere Tuesday night, which many consider a […]
Chicago contributes to programs’ decent start The new 2008-09 season in syndication began on Monday with the debut of five new strips – and all got off to a decent – if not spectacular start: Program RTG SHR Lead-In TP 9/07 Bonnie Hunt 1.1 3 -21% 0% Deal or No Deal 1.3 3 -13% -7% The Doctors 1.6 4 -11% […]
Richard Dominick, the executive producer of Jerry Springer and The Steve Wilkos Show has been axed as executive producer of both shows by NBC Universal.Dominick was named executive producer of Springer in the spring of 1994 and was instrumental in turning around Jerry Springer from a talk show near death to a ratings bonanza (at least during the late ’90’s) […]
NBC Universal recently unveiled details of its new Deal or No Deal strip hosted by Howie Mandel (who continues hosting the prime-time version.) The daily half hour is being assembled along the lines of the version that airs in the United Kingdom. Among the changes: – The top prize won in the syndicated version is $500,000. – There are only […]
Also: RTN loses CBS programming Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting and Los Angeles-based MGM are teaming up to launch this. Yes, this. As in “This TV”. Beginning in October, MGM and Weigel plan to launch the new-digital channel, featuring classic movies and television shows from the MGM library (material that wasn’t bought by Ted Turner in the 1980’s, so no Chips, Gone […]
NBC Universal’s The Jerry Springer Show is dispensing with the circus freak-like sideshow and now just featuring the freak-like show. The rabid talk show enters its eighteenth season this fall with a return to a format which features only a single story and more emphasis on the conflicts of the guests, which defined the program in the height of its […]
Recently, The Tribune station group invited almost every syndicator in the business – CBS Television Distribution, Disney/ABC Domestic Television, Program Partners, and more – to discuss new programming strategies with new Tribune COO Randy Michaels in its Tribune Tower offices in Chicago. The station group is considering overhauling its’ daytime lineup – or at least stepping back from the fare […]
Fox-owned WPWR-TV has acquired Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as a nightly strip from NBC Universal Television Distribution beginning in September 2009. SVU is already airing twice in syndication every weekend, where it has done exceptionally well. This comes as WPWR and nine other Fox-owned My Network TV affiliates are experiencing success with Law & Order’s sister show, Criminal […]
Jack Klugman, who starred in the NBC crime drama Quincy, is suing the network over the show’s profits. Klugman has filed a lawsuit against NBC Universal over the program’s revenue, and claims the studio is being dishonest over the issue. In the contract, Klugman and his production company was entitled to a quarter of the profits. Klugman claimed his agent […]
– Wizards Rule: Disney-ABC Domestic Television has cleared Wizard’s First Rule in 84 percent of the country, including all top 50 markets, i.e., the 50 largest metro areas in the country – essentially making it a “firm go”. To see a complete list of station groups airing the show this fall, click here (locally, Wizard’s will air on WGN-TV.) This […]
Since it worked so well the first time around… NBC-owned WNBC-TV in New York has upgraded (or downgraded?) Warner’s Ellen to 4 p.m., pitting the talk show once again against Oprah on WABC-TV and Judge Judy on WCBS-TV in a move that begins next Monday (and during a sweeps period no less.) This knocks Program Partners’ Crosswords and NBC Universal’s […]
Syndication veteran Ed Wilson has been named the new president of Tribune Broadcasting. In his new role, Wilson will oversee Tribune’s 23 TV stations (including WGN-TV), as well as WGN Superstation, WGN Radio, and ad-sales company Tribune Entertainment. He comes over from Fox, where he was president of the network. Wilson began his career in sales at Viacom in 1980 […]
The latest from the convention: WCIU picks up Judge Penny: Independent WCIU-TV in Chicago picks up its first-ever syndicated program from Program Partners by acquiring the company’s new first-run courtroom strip Family Court with Judge Penny. The program has cleared 70 percent of the country, including Fox-owned stations in New York and Los Angeles. Additional clearances include CBS/CW stations in […]
And they said it wouldn’t last… Martha Stewart’s syndicated daytime show has been renewed in 60 percent of the country, according to NBC Universal. The tally includes all the NBC-owned stations (WMAQ in Chicago) and station groups belonging to Hearst-Argyle, Belo, Fox, Fisher, Allbritton, and Clear Channel.