In Less than Three Weeks, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Has Secured Multiyear Deals for the Fall 2010 Off-Network Launch of The New Adventures of Old Christine, Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm

June 08, 2009

After three weeks in the marketplace, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) has sold the broadcast television syndication rights for Warner Bros. Television's critically acclaimed sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine , starring Emmy� Award winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to stations representing more than 70% of the country in multiyear deals for a fall 2010 off-network syndicated launch. Additionally, WBDTD has cleared the award-winning and acclaimed HBO comedy series Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm in more than 70% of the country, one month after it was announced that the two series would debut in fall 2010 with Tribune Broadcasting serving as the primary launch group. The announcement was made today by Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

WBDTD has licensed the first five seasons of The New Adventures of Old Christine (including the upcoming fifth network season) to Tribune Broadcasting's owned-and-operated stations in New York (WPIX-TV) and Los Angeles (KTLA-TV), and to Weigel Broadcasting's WCIU-TV in Chicago. In addition to those clearances, "Christine" has been sold to stations from the following broadcasters: CBS Television Stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Fox Television Stations, Local TV, Hearst, Raycom Media, Meredith, ACME Television, Titan, Roberts Broadcasting, Gannett, Capitol Broadcasting, Grant and Cox Television. Stations will air "Christine" as a daily strip, with two runs airing Monday�Friday, as well as two half-hour weekend telecasts.

In addition to launching on the Tribune stations in 17 markets including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, "Entourage" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" have also been sold to stations from the following groups: CBS Television Stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Fox Television Stations, Local TV, Hearst, Raycom Media, Meredith, ACME Television, Titan, Roberts Broadcasting, Gannett, Capitol Broadcasting, Grant and Cox Television. Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm will be presented in strip form by stations, with episodes airing Monday�Friday, along with one weekend telecast.

"We are extremely gratified by the station community's response to these three series," said Werner. "Stations realize how incredibly important it is for them to maintain their historical position of providing quality off-network series to their viewers. �Christine,' �Entourage' and �Curb' are distinctive, high-profile series that will continue to fortify the sitcom blocks local station viewers and their advertisers have counted on."

Created by Kari Lizer, The New Adventures of Old Christine stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell, a divorced single mother juggling the daily stresses of motherhood and her business. She won an Emmy Award� as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the show's first season, and then added two additional nominations in the category following the second and third seasons. (Nominations for the time frame covering season four will be announced this July.) For her efforts, Louis-Dreyfus has been named one of the 10 funniest actresses on television by Entertainment Weekly, and TV Guide raved that "Julia Louis-Dreyfus is doing career-best work as the titular single mom." Called "one of TV's best sitcoms" by USA Today, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" will return for its fifth network season this fall on CBS.

Moving to its current Wednesday, 8�8:30 p.m. (ET/PT), time period for the 2008�2009 season, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" proved to be a game-changer for CBS in the half-hour against the stiff competition of American Idol and Bones. "Christine" improved the network's time period rating from 2007�08 by +10% among Households, +15% among Women 25�54, +17% among Men 25�54 and +13% among Adults 25�54. (Source: NTI Galaxy Explorer. CBS L+SD US AA%. Wednesday 8�8:30 p.m. 09/24/07�05/25/08, 09/24/08�05/20/09, regularly scheduled programs only; 07-08 TP: Big Brother, Kid Nation, Power of 10, Price Is Right Prime)

In addition to Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine stars Clark Gregg, Hamish Linklater, Trevor Gagnon, Emily Rutherfurd, Tricia O'Kelley, Alex Kapp Horner and Wanda Sykes. Kari Lizer and Andy Ackerman are the executive producers of the series, from Kari's Logo Here in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Entourage was created by Doug Ellin and has been executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Doug Ellin, Rob Weiss, Denis Biggs and Larry Charles. The series has won multiple Emmy� Awards as well as a Golden Globe� and Peabody Award. Drawing on the experiences of entertainment industry insiders, the series stars Adrian Grenier as Vince, who is enjoying life in the limelight as a hot young actor; Kevin Connolly as Eric, Vince's manager, who tries to help him make the right choices; Kevin Dillon as Vince's half-brother Drama, whose own career has been eclipsed by Vince's success; Jerry Ferrara as Turtle, the least savvy of the group; and Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold, who serves as Vince's aggressive, high-powered agent. Additional series regulars include Perrey Reeves as the long-suffering Mrs. Ari and Rex Lee as Ari's assistant, Lloyd. Recurring guest stars include Debi Mazar as Vince's publicist, Shauna; Carla Gugino as Ari's nemesis, Amanda; Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sloan, Eric's girlfriend; and Beverly D'Angelo as Ari's partner Babs. "Entourage" also features a number of high-profile guest stars each season, appearing as themselves or in character roles.

Emmy�-winning writer/producer/comedian Larry David created and stars in the Emmy�- and Golden Globe�-winning comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Each episode of the signature program features verit�-style footage of David (playing himself) at home, at work and around Los Angeles, as he gets into predicaments with fictional and real-life personalities. The series also stars Jeff Garlin as Larry's manager, Jeff Greene; Cheryl Hines as Larry's wife, Cheryl; and Susie Essman as Jeff's wife, Susie. Each season boasts appearances by a number of notable guest stars playing themselves or character roles. The series has been executive produced by Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Gavin Polone, Robert B. Weide, Larry Charles, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer, and Tim Gibbons.

About Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) is one of the leading suppliers of entertainment programming to the domestic television marketplace, distributing first-run syndicated series, off-network television programs and theatrical motion pictures to local broadcast television stations, as well as to pay, cable, satellite and broadcast networks throughout the U.S. WBDTD handles the domestic distribution of television series produced by Warner Bros. Television, Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Horizon Television; selected HBO Independent Productions and the Lorimar Television library; current feature films from Warner Bros. Pictures; and the Studio's unmatched motion picture library.