Women Will 'Find Their Own Story' in Lifetime Television's Next Generation of 2006-07 Programming, Featuring Two New Series - From Producers of Oscar-Winning 'Crash' and Eric McCormack's Production Company - New Lifetime Original Movies, a New Reality Seri

- Drama Series 'Angela's Eyes' and Comedy 'Lovespring' Premiere This Summer -

- Cavalcade of Lifetime Original Movies Includes Vehicle Starring Fantasia as well as Adaptations of Four Nora Roberts Best-Selling Novels -

- 'Election' Reality Series Showcases James Carville and Mary Matalin as Campaign Managers in a High-School Presidential Election -

- 'Lifetime's Women's Pulse Polls,' a Multi-Pronged, Multi-Year Initiative, Examining Modern Women Today, Kicks Off With 'Generation Why?,' a Look at Generational Differences and Includes On-Air Special with Willow Bay -

- 'Medium' Joins Schedule Sundays at 11PM (ET/PT) This Month -

NEW YORK, March 21 -- Ushering in a new era with the next generation of Lifetime Television programming, increasingly geared towards multi-generational viewing, President/CEO Betty Cohen and Entertainment President Susanne Daniels today announced their first-ever full season programming schedule spearheaded by two new series: "Angela's Eyes" (starring Abigail Spencer, "All My Children"), from the producers of the Oscar-winning movie "Crash," and "Lovespring," from Emmy Award-winning actor Eric McCormack's production company.

Lifetime also announced new Lifetime Original Movies, including "American Idol" sensation Fantasia in a movie based on her autobiography, and a vehicle showcasing Oscar-winner Mercedes Ruehl and J.D. Pardo.

Among other highlights of the 2006-07 schedule are four original movie adaptations of Nora Roberts' best-selling novels; a reality series with James Carville and Mary Matalin as campaign managers in a high-school election -- from R.J. Cutler, the producer of the Oscar-nominated documentary "The War Room" and the FX hit series "Black. White;" a weekly talk show with therapist Alessandra Rampolla; the premiere project from the "Lifetime Women's Pulse Polls," which includes an on-air special produced by journalist Willow Bay, airing later this year, and the popular NBC drama "Medium," starring Patricia Arquette, joining Lifetime with encore presentations beginning this Sunday at 11PM.

The development slate includes projects from a wide array of acclaimed auspices including: novelist Amy Bloom ("Normal"); feature film-writer Lizzy Weiss ("Crazy/Beautiful," "Blue Crush"); Stan Lee ("Spider Man"); Scout Productions ("Queer Eye"); Go Go Luckey Productions ("Laguna Beach") and Endemol ("Deal or No Deal," "Big Brother").

In addition, Lifetime Movie Network, the second most-watched women's network behind sibling Lifetime, premieres its first-ever monthly showcase of original movies in August, along with a new website, LMN.tv.

During the upfront presentation before national advertisers at the Grand Hyatt New York, Lynn Picard, President, Ad Sales/Executive Vice President, Interactive Entertainment, also announced the company's continuing expansion into digital platforms with Lifetime Games for Women publishing its first original casual games for women, along with unique broadband and mobile content.

Said Cohen: "Whether by remote, mouse or wireless, our viewers connect to Lifetime on a deep and emotional level. We're becoming even more undeniably 'for women' by speaking to today's woman's innermost drive to find and define her own life story, with exciting new programming which will simultaneously provide both the highly emotional escape women want and the inspiration they need. The new Lifetime -- with its three networks, expanded research initiative, distinguishing multi-media advocacy campaigns and the ever-growing world of digital media -- will not just be a top cable network, but rather the top multi-platform media brand for women and the premier destination for advertisers who want to engage fifty-two percent of the population."

Series Premieres

"Lovespring" -- June -- The improvisational half-hour comedy "Lovespring" is about a matchmaking agency marketed to customers as an "elite Beverly Hills" company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. The ensemble cast is comprised of relationship counselors and a staff psychologist who try to convince loveless people that their service can lead clients to the perfect mate. A production of Big Cattle Productions. Distributed by Lionsgate.

"Angela's Eyes" -- July -- From the producers of the Oscar-winning movie "Crash," the hour-long drama centers on Angela Clinton, an FBI agent in her twenties who is brilliant at her job because she has the exceptional gift of knowing when someone is lying. She honed this inbred skill of detecting whether people are telling the truth at 14, when she learned her "average" American parents were actually spies and serving time in prison for treason. Now attempting to right her parents' wrong, Angela must emotionally wrestle with not only the constant attempts by her imprisoned father to stay in touch, but deal with her unstable younger brother. A production of The Cleary Company and Bull's Eyes Entertainment in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

Lifetime Original Movies

"The Gwen Araujo Story" -- June -- Mercedes Ruehl ("Mom at 16") and J.D. Pardo ("American Dreams") headline the real-life story of Sylvia Araujo, a mother raising her young son who, as he grows into his teen years, begins dressing and acting as a girl. When the son's transgender status is discovered by four young males at a local party, they brutally murder him. Braun Entertainment.

"Not Like Everyone Else" -- July -- Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") and Ileanna Douglas ("Six Feet Under") star in this powerful true story of a modern-day witch hunt, where a Native American teenage girl, tormented for being "different," is suspended from school and accused of casting spells on a teacher. Jaffe Braunstein Films.

"Fantasia" -- July -- A Cinderella story about Fantasia Barrino, a teenage single mother who overcame sexual abuse, poverty and illiteracy by using her incredible voice to rise to national prominence as the winner of "American Idol."

Reality Programming

"Election" -- 4Q -- Husband-and-wife political consultants, Republican Mary Matalin and Democrat James Carville, apply their White House experience - - along with their acerbic wit -- when they become campaign managers in a hotly contested Washington, D.C. high-school election for student body president. Executive Producers: RJ Cutler, Andrea Buchanan, Todd DeLorenzo, Brillstein-Grey.

"Paws" -- TBD -- Inside the world of a Hollywood pet agency -- as told from the people that run it and the women who think their animals should be stars. Executive Producers: Kevin Dill & Mechelle Collins ("Blow Out")/Intuitive Entertainment.

"Medium"

Lifetime premieres a weekly showcase of the hit second-year drama "Medium," beginning Sunday, March 26 at 11PM (ET/PT) with the series' first season. The series stars Patricia Arquette, who won an Emmy Award for her portrayal of psychic crime solver Allison DuBois, a wife and mother of three who is trying to understand her natural intuition about people and her ability to communicate with the dead.

During its second season, Medium ranks 12th among all scripted primetime programs among W18-49, averaging 3.6 million W18-49 viewers and 11.4 million total viewers in its Monday 10PM time period on NBC. "Medium" also stars Jake Weber, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassilieva, Maria Lark and David Cubitt.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment, and Lifetime Online are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

SOURCE Lifetime Television
Web Site: http://www.LMN.tv http://www.lifetimetv.com