Tribune Broadcasting Acquires Off-Network Rights to Two And A Half Men From Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

June 22, 2006

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution has licensed the off-network television rights to the hit comedy Two and a Half Men to all Tribune Broadcasting stations for a fall 2007 launch, it was announced today by Dick Robertson, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution; Jim Paratore, President, Telepictures Productions and Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution; and John Reardon, President, Tribune Broadcasting. In a unique multi-platform distribution agreement, Tribune stations, in addition to the off-network broadcast rights, will have the right to stream five episodes of the series each week on their own websites free to viewers. (The online distribution component was announced by WBDTD in May.)

"Two and a Half Men is the first A-list comedy to enter syndication since Everybody Loves Raymond," said Robertson. "There are precious few programs that come into the syndication marketplace that can move the needle on television stations' ratings, and this is one of them."

"Sitcoms are the only genre in broadcast syndication to retain their young audience over the last 12 years," said Paratore. "We're happy Tribune agrees with us that Two and a Half Men is one of those shows that has the potential to be a station maker." "The show fits our programming needs very well," added Reardon. "High-quality off-net sitcoms are valuable content, so acquiring Two and a Half Men was an easy decision. It's a clear winner that will help our local stations build viewership and revenues."

Two and a Half Men finished the 2005-06 season, its third, as the number one network sitcom among Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and Viewers 2+. The series was also the only sitcom in seven seasons to build on its 9 p.m. Everybody Loves Raymond lead-in in key demos and didn't miss a beat when it was moved to the 9 p.m. anchor timeslot in CBS's Monday night lineup.

Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer star in Two and a Half Men, a comedy about men, women, sex, dating, divorce, mothers, single parenthood, sibling relations, surrogate families, money and, most importantly, love. More specifically, it's about the life of two brothers, a son/nephew and the many women who surround them all. The series is from Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.