or


[02/22/06 - 12:00 AM]
FOX to Launch My Network TV

[via press release from MyNetworkTV]

FOX TO LAUNCH MY NETWORK TV

New Station-Friendly Primetime Option Set for September

Primetime Dramas �Desire� and �Secrets� to Inaugurate My Network TV Debut

NEW YORK � February 22, 2006 - FOX will launch My Network TV, a new primetime program network scheduled to debut this fall. Fox Television Stations, Inc., and Twentieth Television will operate the new venture. The announcement was made today at a press conference in New York by Peter Chernin, President and Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation; Roger Ailes, Chairman of Fox Television Stations; and Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations.

Upon launching on Tuesday, September 5th, 2006, My Network TV will feature quality primetime programming from 8:00-10:00pm (EST/PST) Monday through Saturday, totaling 12 hours of original content per week. Providing broadcasters a viable and station-friendly option for primetime, involving no reverse compensation, My Network TV will position stations with operational flexibility through an appealing affiliation term and attractive inventory split, further building asset value.

Fox Television Stations� WWOR/New York, KCOP/Los Angeles, WPWR/Chicago, KDFI/Dallas, WDCA/Washington, D.C., KTXH/Houston, WFTC/Minneapolis, KUTP/Phoenix, WRBW/ Orlando and WUTB/Baltimore will serve as anchor affiliates of My Network TV, representing 24% of the United States. Supported with powerful branding and marketing initiatives that tie-in locally, the service will maintain and strengthen affiliates� community brand recognition with a complete look and feel of a national network that empowers localism.

Regarding the announcement, Mr. Chernin stated, �No other media company comes close to Fox when it comes to launching new networks and gauging audience appetites. Over the past 20 years, we�ve proved it time and again with FBC, FX, Fox News Channel and National Geographic Channel among many others. And with My Network TV, we think we�ve come up with a unique format that will resonate with today�s consumer and a model that can be profitable from day one.�

Mr. Ailes added, �Backed by the strongest media company in the world, My Network TV is a viable alternative brought to you by proven winners who know quality programming. Independent stations are in need of a solid option for primetime and we believe no other company is providing this service to the market.�

Commented Mr. Abernethy, �We�re thrilled to be launching My Network TV this fall. We consider this to be a station-friendly alternative that will deliver more local inventory to its affiliates, uphold each station�s localism and feature quality programming supported by strong branding and marketing. We are looking forward to signing additional affiliates in the coming weeks.�

Twentieth Television�s new hour-long scripted dramas �Desire� and �Secrets� will inaugurate My Network TV. Structured in a 65-episode story arc stripped Monday through Friday for 13 weeks, �Desire� and �Secrets� are based on the worldwide success of the telenovela format. �Desire� chronicles the destruction of a family and the bonds of brotherhood take center stage when two brothers on the run from the mafia find themselves in a heated battle of passion, betrayal, deceit and murder over the woman they both love. �Secrets� goes deep behind-the-scenes to focus on the glamorous, yet sometimes brutally ruthless fashion industry, in which greed, lust and blind ambition surround a violent corporate takeover of the business� hottest company. Principal photography on the dramas will commence early March.

Twentieth Television is aggressively developing additional programs and proven formats spanning reality, drama, comedy, game, news, movies and talk for My Network TV as the network develops, while also exploring opportunities with its sister companies. The company is opening its doors to all other major Hollywood studios to negotiate future programming concepts. Programs currently in development include:

� �Catwalk� (Twentieth Television) -- The ultimate search for the next �It� supermodel begins by crossing the country to discover 30 of the hottest, hippest and freshest faces who will compete for the once in a lifetime opportunity to be catapulted into stardom.

� �Celebrity Love Island� [Granada (�Nanny 911�)] -- Six gorgeous celebrity and six non-celebrity singletons are thrown together in a fantasy island setting, where a star-studded search for love takes place.

� �On Scene� (Fox News) -- This crime investigative series will cover all angles, examine all of the evidence and trace every single clue of the most compelling crimes committed today.

� �America�s Brainiest� (working title) [Celador (�Who Wants to Be A Millionaire�)] -- This quiz show, based on the hit British program, will find the country�s smartest individuals and reveal them in an exciting format.

� In addition, Twentieth Television is in advanced negotiations with FremantleMedia North America (�American Idol�) on an international format.

The Fox Television Stations group, one of the nation�s largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprises 35 stations in 26 markets, covering nearly 45% of U.S. television homes. This includes five duopolies in the top 10 markets, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Washington D.C., as well as duopolies in Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.

A leader in the U.S. program production and distribution arena, Twentieth Television is a unit of Fox Television Stations, Inc., which is headed by chairman Roger Ailes while CEO Jack Abernethy oversees day-to-day operations. Twentieth Television provides a wide array of first-run and off-network programming, as well as feature film packages, to the syndication and cable marketplaces. First-run programs distributed by Twentieth Television include �Geraldo at Large,� the news strip hosted by Geraldo Rivera, and the popular court shows �Divorce Court� and �Judge Alex,� the number one new first-run program of the 2005-06 season. In addition to �Desire� and �Secrets,� the company is set to launch the new court show �Cristina�s Court,� hosted by Cristina Perez, in Fall 2006. Twentieth Television also oversees the domestic sales of one of the most extensive libraries of off-net programming in the entertainment industry. Last fall, the company launched the groundbreaking drama �24,� starring Kiefer Sutherland, and The Peabody Award-winning sitcom �The Bernie Mac Show� in off-net syndication.

Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation, is principally engaged in the development, production and worldwide distribution of feature films and television programs, television broadcasting and cable network programming. The unit�s studios, production facilities and film and television library provide high-quality creative content, and broadcasting and cable networks provide extensive distribution platforms for the Company's programs.





  [february 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· 24 (FOX)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· AMERICA'S BRAINIEST (MYNETWORKTV)
· BERNIE MAC SHOW, THE (FOX)
· CATWALK (MYNETWORKTV)
· CELEBRITY LOVE ISLAND (MYNETWORKTV)
· CRISTINA'S COURT (SYNDICATION)
· DESIRE (MYNETWORKTV)
· DIVORCE COURT (SYNDICATION)
· FASHION HOUSE (MYNETWORKTV)
· GERALDO AT LARGE (SYNDICATION)
· JUDGE ALEX (SYNDICATION)
· NANNY 911 (CMT)
· ON SCENE (MYNETWORKTV)
· UNTITLED AMERICAN IDOL PROJECT (MYNETWORKTV)
· WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (ABC)





[12/05/25 - 03:31 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers
"Nightline" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, hitting nine-week highs in both measures.

[12/05/25 - 03:30 PM]
In Anticipation of "Avatar: Fire and Ash," ABC News to Premiere Two New Specials This December
First up: "Avatar: A New Era - Special Edition of 20/20" premieres Friday, December 12 on ABC.

[12/05/25 - 02:05 PM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Best College Football Regular Season Since 2011; "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Scores Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks aired the most-watched game in 34 of 42 key Saturday windows, including seven of 14 noon windows, 13 of 14 late afternoon windows and all 14 prime windows.

[12/05/25 - 12:35 PM]
2025 CFB Viewership Surges on FOX & FS1
The 2025 regular season wrapped with big numbers for "Big Noon Saturday," "Big Noon Kickoff" and more - including year-over-year gains across the board.

[12/05/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Premiere Week Episodes Post Gains and Lead In Live Plus 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
"Tracker" delivered 17.3 million viewers, up +6% versus its year-ago premiere.

[12/05/25 - 10:05 AM]
"Landman" Booms Into a Third Season Renewal and Breaks Viewing Records on Paramount+
The second season is set to be a top three series among all original content the week of November 17 and a top two series for the week of November 24 according to Nielsen preliminary data.

[12/05/25 - 09:45 AM]
Video: "Taylor" - A CW Documentary Special - Trailer
The special - airing Saturday, December 13 - explores the global phenomenon of Taylor Swift and digs deep across the musician's 20-year career, a period that has seen her transcend the realm of pop star to become a cultural icon like no other.

[12/05/25 - 08:45 AM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
Said coverage averaged 190,000 viewers, up 36% from the 2024 season.

[12/05/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Monkeypaw Productions' "Him" Beginning December 19
The film stars Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies and more.

[12/05/25 - 08:01 AM]
BET+ Original Film, "Vera's Holiday Flop," Premieres Thursday, December 18
The film stars Charity Jordan, Terri J. Vaughn, Griff, Chrissy McDaniel, Tyler Chronicles, Algebra Blessett, Jelani Akil, Scotty ATL, and Saycon Sengbloh.

[12/05/25 - 07:01 AM]
Academy Award Winner Cillian Murphy Returns as the Legendary Gypsy Gangster Tommy Shelby in "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man"
In select theaters March 6 and on Netflix March 20.

[12/05/25 - 07:01 AM]
Apple's Acclaimed Comedy "Platonic" Lands Season Three Renewal
"Platonic" follows a platonic pair of former best friends approaching midlife (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) who reconnect after a long rift.

[12/05/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Time Flies" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Fresh out of prison and low on options, two women run a fumigation business - until a shady client pulls them back into the life they fought to escape.

[12/05/25 - 04:01 AM]
Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Following the Separation of Discovery Global for a Total Enterprise Value of $82.7 Billion (Equity Value of $72.0 Billion)
This acquisition brings together two pioneering entertainment businesses, combining Netflix's innovation, global reach and best-in-class streaming service with Warner Bros.' century-long legacy of world-class storytelling.

[12/05/25 - 12:01 AM]
Video: Netflix Unveils the First Look for "Land of Sin" - Premiering on January 2, 2026
Set in the Scanian countryside, this five-part series follows the investigation of a young teenager who is found dead on the Bjäre peninsula.