How to make it on a 1.0

How do you make money on a syndicated show that averages a 1.0 rating? Find new revenue streams, an interactive element (like home shopping), and a tried-and true format (like game shows and courtroom shows.) The 1.0 rating cutoff for syndicated fare is quite low – in 2002, Pyramid was dropped with a 1.9. The bar was even higher way […]

TMZ on TV gets bad reviews

No surprise there, from the Chicago Tribune (is Steve Johnson an Internet critic or a TV critic this week?) and the Boston Globe. The TV version of TMZ is pretty much like a sitcom. And like most of today’s sitcoms, the show isn’t funny or entertaining.

New season in syndication: Day 3

For the three day-averages of the new first-run and off-network series in syndication, click here. TMZ continues to lead the rookies in day three, but continues to be down from lead-in and year-ago time period. Another new off-network show to tell you about, Reno 911!, averaged a 0.6/2, down 25 percent from year-ago time slots and lead-in (time periods are […]

New season in syndication: Day 2

For results on the new first-run and off-network strips, click here. To sum it all up, it may be curtains for Merv Griffin’s Crosswords and Temptation sooner than we think, while I have one word about the ratings for the three new off-network sitcoms that debuted this week: disappointing.

Tepid returns for new first-run and off-network strips (updated)

To no one’s surprise, the five first-run strips that debuted yesterday got off to a mixed start, with only one (Steve Wilkos) up from its lead-in and all down from year-ago time period averages. Here’s a metered-market ratings rundown of the five new syndicated first-run strips from Monday: Program Rtg/Shr Lead-in 9/06 TP Best performer TMZ 2.0/4 1.9/4 1.9/4 St. […]

New syndicated season starts today

Five new shows debut today, including the highly anticipated game show Merv Griffin’s Crosswords and magazine TMZ . Other new shows include Temptation, Judge David Young, and The Steve Wilkos Show (which debuts in Chicago on WGN tomorrow at 2 p.m. A Cardinals-Cubs game is airing in that time slot today.) Don’t forget, the debut of two new off-network sitcoms […]

A suggestion: Move Katie to 7:30/6:30 Central

Brain Steinberg of Ad Age reviews The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, and makes a couple of suggestions, including moving the beleaguered network newscast to the 7:30 Eastern (6:30 Chicago Time) prime access time slot. One problem with that – actually two: The affiliates won’t go for it, because they would lose that lucrative ad revenue in the hour […]

TMZ, CTV get the hook-up

The entertainment website TMZ and Warner Bros. International Television, has struck a deal with Canadian broadcaster CTV to provide the network with multiplatform content, including exclusive TMZ-branded material to air on CTV’s Star! entertainment cable network and CTV.ca. The deal is effective Sept. 10, the same day TMZ is launching in first-run syndication in the United States by Warner. CTV […]

WPWR’s fall schedule

We’re gonna turn it on… we’re gonna turn on the power… at Fox-owned WPWR this fall. But the power’s been off for a few years now at the station. Like other big-market MNT affiliates (WWOR and KCOP in N.Y. and L.A., respectively), WPWR has performed poorly, often placing last in total-day ratings among Chicago’s English and Spanish commercial TV stations. […]

WGN’s, WFLD’s new weekday fall lineups

Have WGN’s and WFLD’s weekday fall lineup, courtesy of Zap2it. Among the changes starting Sept. 10 (unless otherwise noted): WGN: -As noted before, Family Guy will air at 6:30 and 10, and Two and a Half Men will air at 6 and 10:30. – Teacher vs. student – The Steve Wilkos Show will air at 2 p.m. -up against Jerry […]

Syndication’s banking on three shows for fall

The syndication business hopes that three new shows can break the losing streak the platform has had for the last few years. The most controversial of the three is Warner’s TMZ, the anti-celebrity website that has grown in popularity in the last few months. The trash-celeb show, reminiscent of Hard Copy, premieres Sept. 10 locally on Fox-owned WPWR-TV and WFLD-TV. […]

Pittsburgh local fall lineups

Rob Owen of the Post-Gazette has Pittsburgh’s fall syndicated lineups. Notables: -Sinclair’s WPMY has Family Guy interspersed with The Simpsons, creating a two-sitcom block. Family Guy is slated to air at 6:30 and 7:30 each weeknight, leading out of Bart & Co. Law & Order: Criminal Intent airs at 11 p.m. on WPMY. – Sinclair’s other station, Fox affiliate WPGH, […]

American Gladitors returns – to NBC

The sports-competition show that aired in syndication locally on WPWR-TV (and later WFLD-TV) in the 1990’s, is coming back in midseason – as a prime-time program on NBC. Reville Entertainment, whose former president Ben Silverman is now co-chairman at NBC, is producing the show along with MGM Television. MGM holds the rights to the series, inherited when they acquired The […]

"Wheel" spinning back to Chicago

Wheel of Fortune, syndication’s No. 1 show, is coming back to the Windy City to celebrate its 25th anniversary in nighttime. The long-running game show, hosted by South Lawndale/Little Village native and Columbia College alum Pat Sajak and letter-turner (or toucher)Vanna White, will be taping at Navy Pier in March of 2008 for three weeks’ worths of shows that will […]