Obviously the big news is Conan O'Brien's decision to join TBS. It is home to Family Guy repeats, which perform well in repeats particularly with young adult males which is one of the things which attracted Conan to the network.
Quote:
“Indeed, (President of Turner Entertainment Networks, Steve) Koonin keeps saying his TBS audience has an average age of 35. That's 10 years younger than Fox, and 18 years younger than NBC or CBS. He's all about youthful demographics, not old people eyeballs.”
Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood seems to think FOX did really want him but they just couldn't get the deal done due to affiliate problems. Their cable network, FX, was also interested and planning a meeting next week.
The deal apparently was very last minute and George Lopez played a big part in convincing Conan to join. Lopez hosts Lopez Tonight at 11pm, which now moves to 12am... will it still be called Lopez Tonight?!
Quote:
“ The TBS deal came about with lightning speed. Only a week and a half ago, Michael Wright, the head of programming for TBS and TNT and TCM, called Conan's manager Gavin Polone and asked if O'Brien would consider TBS. (Wright and Polone know each other well because TBS airs the sitcom My Boys which Polone co-produces.)
Polone's reaction was to ask what happens to George Lopez's show which airs at 11 PM. Wright assured him that Lopez Tonight would move to midnight. "Uh, we've heard that story before in another context," our sources say Palone responded, referring to the NBC/Jay Leno mess that wound up with Conan losing The Tonight Show.
Next thing, Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, flew in from Atlanta (where the media company is based) to personally pitch to O'Brien and Team Conan. Koonin was "very dynamic and very aggressive," a source tells us. "But we just didn't want another situation. He kept assuring us, 'I know George. George will see this as a good thing.' And then George called Conan.
"What Lopez told O'Brien was, 'Not only do I want it. but here's why it's good for you.' Conan was very moved, very impressed. And then everyone met with the other TBS people again." That's when the negotiating began in earnest. As one insider told us, "I've never been involved in a deal this complex that was negotiated over 2 days. Literally, 2 days."”
The full story:
http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/cona...akes-tbs-deal/
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WWE Smackdown is moving to Syfy network. It has been on MyNetworkTV for the past few years but that channel is all but dead apart from Smackdown. Syfy network is part of NBC Universal. NBCU owns USA Network, the #1 cable channel among viewers and adults 18-49 which is home to WWE Raw.
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/04/13...-to-syfy/48137
Unfortunately it doesn't say the ITV programme names, does anyone know what the opposition would be round this time?
