or


[03/16/06 - 12:00 AM]
The CW Announces 18 New Long-Term Affiliation Agreements

[via press release from The CW]

THE CW ANNOUNCES 18 NEW LONG-TERM AFFILIATION AGREEMENTS

America's Fifth Broadcast Network Increases National Coverage To More Than 66% Of The Country

Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Lexington, Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Wichita-Hutchinson, Toledo, Tri-Cities, Evansville, Tyler-Longview, Sioux Falls, Augusta, Lafayette (LA), Palm Springs, Alexandria (LA), Rapid City, Bend, St. Joseph, San Juan and the U.S. Virgin Islands Are The Latest Markets To Be Served By The CW

The CW announced today that it has signed exclusive, long-term affiliation agreements with stations in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Lexington, Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Wichita-Hutchinson, Toledo, Tri-Cities, Evansville, Tyler-Longview, Sioux Falls, Augusta, Lafayette (LA), Palm Springs, Alexandria (LA), Rapid City, Bend, St. Joseph, San Juan and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The addition of these 18 stations increases The CW's national coverage to more than 66% of the country, including 19 of the Top 20 markets and 26 of the Top 30.

The newly signed affiliates are:

* WSWB-TV Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA, owned by KB Prime Media LLC and operated by Pegasus Broadcast Television.

* WKYT-DT (& WYMT-DT) Lexington (& Hazard), KY, owned by Gray Television, Inc.

* WBSF-TV Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, owned by Barrington Broadcasting.

* KWCV-TV Wichita-Hutchinson, KS, owned by Banks Broadcasting Inc.

* WTO5 (Cable) Toledo, OH, owned by Block Communications.

* WB4 (Cable + DT) Tri-Cities, TN-VA, owned by BlueStone TV Holdings Inc.

* WAZE-TV Evansville, IN, owned by South Central Communications Corporation.

* KCEB-TV Tyler-Longview, TX, owned by Dimension Broadcasting.

* KWSD-TV (& KWSD-DT) Sioux Falls, SD, owned by Rapid Broadcasting Company.

* WAGT-DT Augusta, GA, owned by Schurz Communications Inc.

* KLWB-TV Lafayette, LA, owned by Dimension Broadcasting.

* KESQ-DT Palm Springs, CA, owned by News-Press & Gazette Broadcasting Company.

* KBCA-TV Alexandria, LA, owned by Dimension Broadcasting.

* KWBH-TV Rapid City, SD, owned by Rapid Broadcasting Company.

* KTVZ-DT Bend, OR, owned by News-Press & Gazette Broadcasting Company.

* WBJO (Cablevision), St. Joseph, MO, owned by News-Press & Gazette Cable, Inc.

* WSJP-TV San Juan, Puerto Rico, owned by Storefront TV LLC.

* WCVI-TV U.S. Virgin Islands, owned by Virgin Blue, Inc.

These stations are in the 54th, 63rd, 65th, 67th, 70th, 91st, 100th, 111th, 114th, 115th, 124th, 153rd, 176th, 177th, 196th and 201st largest markets in the country, respectively, and represent 4.01% of total U.S. TV households. (Nielsen does not assign a DMA rank or percentage of total U.S. TV households to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.)

WSWB-TV, WBSF-TV, KWCV-TV, WTO5, WB4, WAZE-TV, KCEB-TV, KWSD-TV, KLWB-TV, KESQ-TV, KBCA-TV, KWBH-TV and St. Joseph Cablevision are currently affiliates of The WB. WKYT-DT (& WYMT-DT) and WCVI-TV are currently UPN affiliates. WSJP-TV is currently a dual UPN-WB affiliate. WAGT-DT and KTVZ-DT are the digital channels of the NBC affiliates in Augusta and Bend.

"These newest members of The CW affiliate family represent an outstanding group of broadcasters and we're very pleased to enter into these long-term affiliations with each of them," said John Maatta, Chief Operating Officer, The CW. "They join a growing line-up of stations that will reap the rewards of being a part of America's newest full-service network -- a network which has the unique advantage of launching with well-known, star-driven, successful and eminently saleable programs that are magnets for our target demographics. And supporting that sterling schedule will be the unsurpassed multi-media marketing muscle of two world-renowned companies."

On January 24, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment announced their intent to form a new 5th network, The CW, to be launched in the fall of 2006. The new broadcasting network will be a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, with each company owning 50%.

In an important strategic move that secures major market distribution for The CW, it was also announced on January 24th that Tribune Broadcasting and the CBS Corporation's UPN affiliates have agreed separately to sign 10-year affiliation agreements with the new network. The combination of Tribune's 16 major market stations (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Houston, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, Indianapolis, San Diego, Hartford, New Orleans and Albany) and the 11 CBS-owned UPN major market affiliates (Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa, Seattle, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, West Palm Beach, Norfolk and Providence) cover the top 13 television markets, 20 of the top 25 television markets and have a total coverage area of more than 47% of the country.

The remainder of the network's distribution system will be a combination of selected current UPN and The WB stations.

The CW will incorporate The WB's current scheduling model, which consists of a 6 night-13 hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8-10 (EST/PST); Sundays from 7-10 (EST/PST); Sunday from 5-7 (EST/PST) outside of primetime as well as a Monday thru Friday afternoon block from 3-5 (EST/PST) and a 5-hour Saturday morning animation block. Together, the network will program 30 hours a week over seven days for its affiliated stations.

CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and UPN), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Paramount Television and King World), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), theme parks (Paramount Parks), digital media (CBS Digital Media Group and CSTV Networks) and consumer products (CBS Consumer Products). In Fall 2006, UPN will cease operations and The CW, a new fifth broadcast television network, will launch as a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation. For more information, log on to www.cbscorporation.com.

Warner Bros. Entertainment, a fully-integrated, broad-based entertainment company, is a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses. Warner Bros. Entertainment, a Time Warner Company, stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature films to television, home video/DVD, animation, comic books, interactive entertainment and games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.





  [march 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[08/26/26 - 01:56 PM]
Video: "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" - See It First Only in IMAX November 25
Starring Brad Pitt. Written by Quentin Tarantino. Directed by David Fincher.

[08/26/26 - 01:43 PM]
Offseason Edition of the HBO and NFL Films Series "Hard Knocks" Set to Return in 2027
The series begins filming at the end of the 2026 NFL season and will debut in 2027 on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.

[08/26/26 - 01:12 PM]
Home Is Where the Heart Is: Inside Netflix's Wave of Comfort Storytelling
Plus: "Guarding Stars," starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, will premiere globally on Netflix November 18 - just in time for the holidays.

[08/26/26 - 01:00 PM]
Peacock Renews "Love Island USA" for Season Nine with Emmy-Nominated Host Ariana Madix Set to Return
Plus: Co-hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen, the highly anticipated "Love Island USA" season eight reunion special premieres Monday, August 31 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.

[08/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 17
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Ride or Die," "Off Campus," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[08/26/26 - 10:45 AM]
"Survivor" Reveals the 21 New Castaways Competing on the 51st Edition - The First in the Series' New "Open Era" - With a Two-Hour Season Premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 23
The groundbreaking reality series, which shifts to 90-minute weekly episodes beginning Wednesday, September 30 at 8:00 PM, returns with an all-new expanded class of dynamic and determined competitors.

[08/26/26 - 10:18 AM]
BET Brings Chris "CP" Powell's Acclaimed Comedy Special "Sunday After Six" to Screens September 1
Host of the revived "ComicView: Rooftop Series," Chris "CP" Powell brings his 90-minute stand-up special to the screen, centered on relatable life experiences and everyday scenarios as a Black man.

[08/26/26 - 10:05 AM]
TNT Sports Unveils Blockbuster 72-Game NHL on TNT Schedule for 2026-27 NHL Regular Season, Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30
The season will culminate with TNT Sports' presentation of the 2027 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the 2027 Stanley Cup Final exclusively on TNT Sports platforms.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
Sarah Pidgeon Joins Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Enigma Variations"
The limited series, adapted from the bestselling novel by André Aciman, is an intimate yet sweeping portrait of masculinity, sexuality, and modern love.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
ESPN Announces 100 Exclusive National Hockey League Games for 2026-27 Season
Of the 100 exclusive games, 53 matchups will be available on ESPN and ABC, while the remaining 47 matchups can be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.

[08/26/26 - 10:01 AM]
What's New on HBO Max This September
Highlights include Sharon Horgan's comedy "Youth" on September 20 and "4 Blocks" prequel series "4 Blocks Zero" on September 25.

[08/26/26 - 09:48 AM]
"Dolly: An NBC News Special" to Air Tonight at 9 P.M. ET
Anchored by Lester Holt, "Dolly: An NBC News Special" will look back at Parton's remarkable journey to stardom, her groundbreaking career and her lasting impact far beyond music.

[08/26/26 - 09:14 AM]
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Hosted by Kirk Franklin, Airs Sunday, August 30, on BET
Taped in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center under this year's theme, "Feels Like Home," the ceremony brings together gospel's most celebrated artists, trailblazers, and rising stars for a night of worship, inspiration, and world-class performances.

[08/26/26 - 09:05 AM]
ESPN Premieres "Shooting Stars" and "13.4 Seconds to Nowhere" Aug. 27
The films were developed through a collaboration between ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Tribeca Studios to bring to life compelling stories at the intersection of sports and the Latino community.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art & Trailer Debut - Hulu's "The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives" Season Five
Season five premieres with all five episodes on Thursday, September 10 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.