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MyNetworkTV and Tribune Broadcasting Close Affiliation Deal for Philadelphia, Atlanta and Seattle
Affiliates in Three Top 15 Markets Increase Clearances to 79% of U.S.,
Including 26 of the Top 30 Markets
NEW YORK and CHICAGO, May 15 -- MyNetworkTV and
Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB), have
closed an affiliation agreement in the key markets of Philadelphia, Atlanta
and Seattle for the new primetime general entertainment television network
launching on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006. The announcement was jointly made
today by Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, and John Reardon,
President/CEO of Tribune Broadcasting.
Stations owned by Tribune Broadcasting set to become MyNetworkTV
affiliates include WPHL/Philadelphia (market #4), WATL/Atlanta (#9) and
KTWB/Seattle (#13), increasing the network's U.S. clearances to 79% of the
country. MyNetworkTV is now cleared in 129 markets, including 26 of the top
30 markets.
"It goes without saying that WPHL, WATL and KTWB are prized affiliates
for MyNetworkTV. They are well run by one of the industry's premiere group
owners, complement our station-friendly business model and are perfectly
situated to deliver MyNetworkTV's programming to these markets," noted
Abernethy.
John Reardon said, "We are excited to be affiliating with MyNetworkTV
in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Seattle. Each of these stations has a long
history providing excellent entertainment programming in their markets," he
said. "This affiliation will enable us to continue that tradition, bringing
high quality programming to our viewers while also receiving the benefits
of this unique network/station model."
MyNetworkTV is the new primetime general entertainment broadcast
television network scheduled to launch Tuesday, September 5th, 2006.
Targeted to Adults 18-49, MyNetworkTV will provide broadcasters with
operational flexibility through a seamless flow of original primetime
programming and branded national marketing initiatives that allow stations
to maintain and strengthen their localism. Twelve hours of programming will
air on MyNetworkTV Monday through Saturday.
Marc Schacher, VP/Programming for Tribune Broadcasting commented, "With
this announcement our entire station group now has affiliation agreements
in place. MyNetworkTV represents an exciting new programming model," he
continued, "which along with the unique content strengths of FOX, The CW
and ABC offer our stations important programming platforms, and our local
viewers the most popular shows available."
MyNetworkTV will launch with the new scripted primetime drama strips
"Desire" and "Secret Obsessions." Produced by Twentieth Television, each of
the hour-long programs will feature a 65-episode story arc stripped Monday
through Friday over the span of 13 weeks. Every Saturday, re-cap episodes
highlighting the two programs' previous week's storylines will air.
"Desire," scheduled to air at 8:00pm (Eastern/Pacific)/7:00pm (Central),
follows two close brothers on the run from the mafia who both fall in love
with, and then passionately battle for, the same woman. Immediately
following "Desire" will be "Secret Obsessions," airing at 9:00pm
(Eastern/Pacific)/8:00pm (Central). Starring internationally renowned
actress and sex symbol Bo Derek, the drama takes an in-depth look at the
dreams, successes and tragedies found everyday in the fashion industry.
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 such as Spanish-language Hoy. 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.
The first all Hi-Definition broadcast network, MyNetworkTV affiliates
include WWOR/New York (DMA #1), KCOP/Los Angeles (#2), WPWR/Chicago (#3),
WPHL/Philadelphia (#4), KRON/San Francisco (#6), KDFI/Dallas (#7),
WDCA/Washington, D.C. (#8), WATL/Atlanta (#9), KTXH/Houston (#10),
WDWB/Detroit (#11), WTTA/Tampa (#12), KTWB/Seattle (#13), KUTP/Phoenix
(#14), WFTC/Minneapolis (#15), WUAB/Cleveland (#16), WRBW/Orlando (#20),
WRBU/St. Louis (#21), WCWB/Pittsburgh (#22), KPDX/Portland, OR (#23),
WUTB/Baltimore (#24), WNDY/Indianapolis (#25), XUPN/San Diego (#26),
WWWB/Charlotte (#27), WCTX/Hartford & New Haven (#28), WRDC/Raleigh (#29),
WUXP/Nashville (#30), KSMO/Kansas City (#31), WCGV/Milwaukee (#33),
WSTR/Cincinnati (#34), WBSC/Greenville, SC (#35), KJZZ/Salt Lake City
(#36), KRRT/San Antonio (#37), WXSP/Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek
(#39), WABM/Birmingham (#40), WTVZ/Norfolk (#42), KASY/Albuquerque (#46),
WUPN/Greensboro (#47), KVWB/Las Vegas (#48), WNYO/Buffalo (#49),
WFTE/Louisville (#50), KNVA/Austin (#53), WILF/Wilkes-Barre-Scranton (#54),
WNYA/Albany (#55), KAIL/Fresno-Visalia (#56), KWBF/Little Rock (#57),
WVLT-DT/Knoxville (#58), WFGX/Mobile (#62), WBLU/Lexington (#63),
WSAZ-DT/Charleston-Huntington (#64), WNEM-DT/Flint- Saginaw (#65),
WDBJ-DT/Roanoke-Lynchburg (#68), WACY/Green Bay-Appleton (#69),
KTTU-TV/Tucson (#71), KFVE/Honolulu (#72), KDMI-DT/Des Moines (#73),
WPME/Portland-Auburn, ME (#74), KKAZ-KPTM-DT/Omaha (#75), WNYS/Syracuse
(#76), KWBM/Springfield, MO (#77), KXLY4-2/Spokane (#78), WBGT/Rochester
(#79), WDKA/Paducah (#80), KSHV/Shreveport (#81),
WCFN/Champaign-Springfield & Decatur (#82), WBHQ/Columbia, SC (#83),
WZDX/Huntsville-Decatur (#84), WISC- DT/Madison (#85), WDSI-DT2/Chattanooga
(#86), WMYS/South Bend (#87), KWKB/Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City &
Dubuque (#88), WUFX/Jackson (#89), WAPK/Tri Cities, TN (#91),
KWKT/Waco-Temple-Bryan (#94), WBQD/Davenport (#95), WBXH/Baton Rouge (#96),
WSAV-DT/Savannah (#97), KDBC-DT/El Paso (#99), WTSN- WEVV-DT/Evansville
(#100), WMMP/Charleston, SC (#101), KFDF/Ft. Smith (#104), WFXI/Greenville,
NC (#105), WISE-DT/Ft. Wayne (#106), WCTV-DT/Tallahassee (#109),
WHTV/Lansing, MI (#110), KLPN-KFXK-DT/Tyler-Longview, TX (#111), KAME/Reno
(#112), KELO-DT/Sioux Falls (#114), WRDW-DT/Augusta (#115),
WRJM/Montgomery-Selma (#116), WAOE/Peoria (#117), KEVU/Eugene (#121), WKBT-
DT/LaCrosse-Eau Claire (#123), KLAF-KADN-DT/Lafayette, LA (#124),
KTOV/Corpus Christi (#129), KRVU/Chico-Redding (#130), KCPN/Amarillo
(#131), WCBI- DT/Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, MS (#132), WTVO-DT/Rockford
(#133), WSAW- DT/Wausau (#134), KEJB/Monroe-El Dorado (#135),
WIBW-DT/Topeka (#136), KBJR- DT/Duluth-Superior (#137),
KZOU/Columbia-Jefferson City (#138), WMYW/Wilmington, NC (#139),
KFBI/Medford-Klamath Falls (#141), KPTH-DT/Sioux City (#143), KJBO/Wichita
Falls & Lawton (#144), WSWG-WSWG-DT/Albany, GA (#147), KPSE/Palm Springs
(#153), KYES/Anchorage (#155), WBPN/Binghampton (#156), WJHG-DT/Panama City
(#157), NOSA-DT/Odessa-Midland, TX (#159), KXII- DT/Sherman-Ada (#161),
WGFL-DT2/WLCF/Gainesville (#162), KIDZ/Abilene- Sweetwater (#164),
WPNY/Utica (#166), WTVY-DT/Dothan (#172), WJKP/Elmira (#173),
WNTZ/Alexandria (#176), KKRA/Rapid City (#177), WMQF/Marquette (#180),
WHSV-DT/Harrisonburg (#181), WTOK-WTOK-DT/Meridian (#184), KGJT/Grand
Junction-Montrose (#187), WTAP-DT/Parkersburg (#190), KUVU/Eureka (#194),
KXTS/Victoria, TX (#205) and K17HC/Juneau (#207).
SOURCE Tribune Company
Web Site: http://www.tribune.com
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