or


[07/06/06 - 12:00 AM]
Twentieth Television and Tribune Broadcasting Close Off-Net Syndication Agreement on Hit Sitcom "Family Guy"

[via press release from Tribune]

Twentieth Television and Tribune Broadcasting Close Off-Net Syndication Agreement on Hit Sitcom "Family Guy"

Seth MacFarlane's Emmy Award Series to Premiere on Tribune Stations in Fall 2007

LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO, July 6, 2006 -- Twentieth Television has cleared Seth MacFarlane�s hit Emmy Award-winning animated sitcom "Family Guy" on the Tribune Broadcasting station group for a fall 2007 launch in off-net syndication. The announcement was jointly made today by Bob Cook, president and COO of Twentieth Television; and John Reardon, president of Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Company.

Under terms of the agreement, the series about the Griffin family (father Peter, wife Lois, their kids and a very brainy dog) that pokes fun at everyday middle-class life will premiere in 20 major markets, representing 37.8% of the United States. Tribune stations set to premiere "Family Guy" in off-net include WPIX/New York, KTLA/Los Angeles, WGN/Chicago, WPHL/Philadelphia, WLVI/Boston, KDAF/Dallas, WDCW/Washington, KHCW/Houston, KCPQ-KTWB/Seattle, WBZL/Miami, KWGN/Denver, KTXL/Sacramento, KPLR/St. Louis, KWBP/Portland, WXIN-WTTV/Indianapolis, KSWB/San Diego, WTIC-WTXX/Hartford, WXMI/Grand Rapids, WPMT/Harrisburg and WGNO-WNOL/New Orleans.

Regarding the announcement, Cook stated, "We are very pleased to have entered into this agreement on �Family Guy� with Tribune Broadcasting. From the genius of Seth MacFarlane, �Family Guy� is a pop culture phenomenon that has accomplished extraordinary popularity. We expect this success to continue during its off-net window for the Tribune station group."

"We�re always looking to acquire engaging, high-quality programs to refresh our local lineups," added Tribune�s Reardon. " �Family Guy� fits that description and we look forward to the show having a positive impact on ratings and revenues across our group."

Since its debut in 1999, the Emmy Award-winning series has attracted an impressively loyal following of devoted fans and has sold nine million combined DVD units, outperforming "The Simpsons," "South Park," "Seinfeld," "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond." The show�s success on DVD, combined with the ratings records it set on the Cartoon Network�s Adult Swim block, prompted FOX to bring it back for a fifth season, making "Family Guy" the only series ever to return to television after being cancelled.

A multiplatform success, more than 500 "Family Guy" merchandise items have been licensed in over 10,000 consumer outlets, including such major retailers as Target, Wal-Mart and K-Mart. On the web, "Family Guy" was 2005�s third most searched television program of the year on Yahoo! and currently is the number one most downloaded cell phone television property, with 2.3 million ring tones, voice tones, wallpaper, ring backs and games downloaded to date. On stage, the hit "Family Guy Live!" events have sold out numerous performances in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

"Family Guy�s" current season, its fifth, continues with more distinctively twisted and irreverently outrageous trials and tribulations of Peter Griffin (MacFarlane) and his not-quite-so-average family. Immersed in television�s most clever storylines and scripts, Lois (Alex Borstein) is Peter�s loving wife, who struggles to maintain a modicum of normalcy in their home life. Then there are their kids: angst-ridden, 16-year-old Meg (Mila Kunis), who only really wants to get noticed; 13-year-old Chris (Seth Green), a sweet-natured slacker; and 1-year-old Stewie (MacFarlane), a diabolically clever baby who�s already bent on world domination. Rounding out the Griffin household is Brian, the family dog who has a penchant for dry martinis and Shakespearean sonnets.

In addition to the regular cast, "Family Guy" has featured a diverse range of guest voice appearances, including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lee Majors, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Kimmel, Drew Barrymore, Kiefer Sutherland, the legendary rock group KISS, James Woods, Phyllis Diller, Robert Downey, Jr., Carol Channing, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, among others.

The program won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 2000, and in 2002 won an Emmy for Outstanding Music and Lyrics. "Family Guy" has been nominated for Outstanding Animated Program in 2000 and 2005.

"Family Guy" is a 20th Century Fox Television production. MacFarlane is creator/executive producer and David Goodman is executive producer and show runner. Chris Sheridan also serves as executive producer.

:: :: ::

TRIBUNE (NYSE:TRB) is one of the country�s top media companies, operating businesses in publishing and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation�s top three markets. In publishing, Tribune operates 11 leading daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday, plus a wide range of targeted publications. The company�s broadcasting group operates 26 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago�s WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune�s print and broadcast properties and extend the company�s nationwide audience.

A leader in the U.S. program production and distribution arena, Twentieth Television is a unit of Fox Television and headed by Fox Television Stations� 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 fall 2006, the company will launch the primetime drama strips �Desire� and �Fashion House� on the new general entertainment broadcast television network MyNetworkTV. Furthermore, the company is set to launch the new first-run syndicated 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. Twentieth Television sells national advertising units retained by the company in off-network, theatrical and first-run programming, as well as oversees advertising sales for DIRECTV.





  [july 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (CBS)
· FAMILY GUY (FOX)
· FRIENDS (NBC)
· SIMPSONS, THE (FOX)
· SOUTH PARK (COMEDY CENTRAL)





[08/31/26 - 09:31 AM]
"Tires" Renewed for Season 4 on Netflix
The news arrives as Season 3 earned its highest-ever ranking on the Global Top 10 English TV list, reaching #5 the week of August 17, 2026.

[08/31/26 - 09:01 AM]
Netflix's "Lupin" Part 4 - First Look Debut
Part 4 will premiere on October 23 on Netflix.

[08/31/26 - 08:31 AM]
Manny Halley Nets Five Bonus Episodes of Hit Mockumentary Comedy Series "Lot Patrol" on BET
The five bonus episodes will be shot at IMANI Studio, Manny Halley's newly rebranded production facility in Pacoima, formerly operated as Quixote North Valley Studios.

[08/31/26 - 08:00 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "A Killer Story" Debuts September 10
The three-part documentary series examines a polarizing murder case that spanned more than two decades and captured national attention.

[08/31/26 - 07:31 AM]
Roku Originals and Paris Hilton's 11:11 Media Revisit Fame, Frenzy and Pop Culture in "The It Girls: Inside the 2000s" (wt)
The upcoming documentary will go behind the glossy images of early 2000s tabloid culture to tell the stories of the women who became headlines - and the women still living that story today.

[08/31/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Tyler Perry's Doing Life" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A single mother and an incarcerated man forge an unlikely bond through heartfelt letters, unlocking a door to redemption, hope and love against all odds.

[08/31/26 - 06:00 AM]
HBO Max Brings "The Howard Stern Show" to Streaming, Debuting September 17
Each week, Howard's SiriusXM show will be adapted into a streamable episode for HBO Max.

[08/30/26 - 08:01 PM]
Video: "My Happy Marriage" Special Episodes - Official Teaser - Netflix
As their relationship blossoms, the young couple face new challenges as Miyo meets Kiyoka's parents and ominous conspirators threaten their peace.

[08/30/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Outside" - Official Trailer - Netflix
"Outside" is the Sidemen's latest spin-off, moving the action from "Inside's" four walls into the forest.

[08/28/26 - 01:05 PM]
Spot the Liar on October 30: Netflix Unveils Launch Date and First Look Images for Swedish Psychological Thriller "A Couple of Lies"
Based on the novel by the same name by best-selling crime author Stefan Ahnhem, the limited series follows two couples whose dream holiday home swap spirals into something far more dangerous, leaving them unsure whether they can even trust the person they love.

[08/28/26 - 11:38 AM]
Hulu & ABC Celebrates Dolly with Iconic "9 to 5" and More
Hulu celebrates Dolly's extraordinary life and legacy with a special collection of films and television that captures some of the joy she brought to the screen.

[08/28/26 - 11:01 AM]
Disney+ Announces Global Distribution Deal with The Pokemon Company International
Highlights include a new stop-motion series "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu" coming to audiences worldwide in 2027.

[08/28/26 - 10:51 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils Star-Studded 2026 College Football Roster
The on-air lineup features a decorated roster of Heisman Trophy winners, national champions, College Football Hall of Famers, Emmy Award recipients, and some of the sport's most recognizable voices across studio and game coverage.

[08/28/26 - 09:48 AM]
Video: "Doc" Season 3 Official Trailer - FOX TV
Get ready for an all-new intense season!

[08/28/26 - 08:51 AM]
"America's Game: The 2025 Seattle Seahawks" - An Inside Look at the Team's Run to Becoming Super Bowl LX Champions Premieres Aug. 29 on NFL Network
The all-access documentary debuts this Saturday following the network's final live NFL preseason broadcast and postgame coverage from "NFL GameDay Final."