or


[09/07/11 - 07:03 AM]
ION Television Acquires Off-Network Rights to TNT's Top-Rated Series "Leverage"
The series will begin airing on ION Television in summer 2012.

[via press release from ION Television]

ION TELEVISION ACQUIRES OFF-NETWORK RIGHTS TO TNT'S TOP-RATED SERIES "LEVERAGE"

Acquisition Marks ION's First Deal with Successful Independent Producer Dean Devlin and Electric Entertainment

NEW YORK - September 7, 2011 - ION Television continues to expand its programming line-up with high-quality content with the acquisition of the popular TNT drama series, "Leverage" from Electric Entertainment. The announcement was made today by Brandon Burgess, CEO, ION Media Networks. ION Television, a top-10 rated network, has licensed the off-network rights to all seasons of "Leverage." The series will begin airing on ION Television in summer 2012.

"We're pleased to team up with Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment, which has distinguished itself by providing high caliber theatrical production standards for TV audiences," says Burgess. "Collaborating with both Electric and Turner to support the longevity of a popular original drama, such as 'Leverage,' furthers our strategic goal to be a viable partner for cable network productions."

"We are thrilled to join forces with ION Television, one of the largest broadcast television station groups in the country. ION's reach of over 99 million homes in the U.S. will ensure the continuation of the show's legacy," says Electric Entertainment Founder Dean Devlin. "We're looking forward to working with such a pioneering and innovative company."

"Leverage" follows a five-person team: a thief, a grifter, a hacker, a retrieval specialist, and their leader, former insurance investigator Nathan Ford (Academy Award Winner(R) Timothy Hutton), who use their skills to right corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens. "Leverage," recently picked-up for its fifth season, is executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT's The Librarian movie series) and creators John Rogers (Transformers) and Chris Downey (The King of Queens). The series is produced for TNT by Devlin's Electric Entertainment. This season, Leverage has averaged more than 4.8 million viewers, up 10% over season three, with 1.9 million adults 18-49 (+6%) and 2.3 million adults 25-54 (+9%).

The "Leverage" deal comes on the heels of ION's recent acquisition of cable's other hit series "Psych," "Monk" and "House," signifying ION as a viable after-market platform for cable net productions. The hit series also joins ION Television's primetime schedule of the popular off-net series "Without a Trace," "Criminal Minds," "Ghost Whisperer" and ION's first original police drama "Flashpoint."

Source: Nielsen Media Research; L+SD data; Leverage Season 4 through 5 telecasts SU 9-10P (6/26/11-7/24/11) versus ad-supported cable scripted programs and Season 1-4 (12/7/08-7/24/11).

Source: Top 10 Rank; Nielsen Media Research, Live+SD, 9/27/2010-8/7/2011, M-Sun 7P-12A, A25-54 (000). Excludes kids, news, and sports nets.

ABOUT ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT

Electric Entertainment is a full service film, television, and new media production company and studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin along with Kearie Peak, Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan. Electric is currently preparing production for the fifth season of TNT's action-packed drama "Leverage."

Electric's other television credits include "The Librarian," starring Noah Wyle, which aired on TNT network in December 2004 and was the highest rated movie on cable that year, its sequel, "The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines" and the third installment of the franchise, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice." Along with Bryan Singer's Bad Hat Harry production company, Electric produced Syfy Channel's "The Triangle," which won an Emmy for its Visual Effects, and was the highest-rated miniseries on the cable channel since "Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN" (2002).

Electric's most recent film project was Sony Picture Classics' politically-charged documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?, which was nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Documentary Feature.

In addition, the company also operates Electric Post, an in-house, state of the art digital effects and post-production facility, which utilizes cutting-edge technology, allowing filmmakers to stretch their dollars way beyond traditional budget boundaries.

ABOUT ION TELEVISION

ION Television is a leading U.S. general entertainment network, combining high-quality programming and dependable broadcast distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth normally associated with a cable channel. Its "Positively Entertaining" network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. Since its recent launch in 2008, ION's reach has grown to 99 million households and has become one of the top-15 TV rated U.S. networks in record time. For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.





  [september 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· LEVERAGE (TNT)





[08/04/26 - 09:40 AM]
Hulu Greenlights Season 3 of Hit Australian Original Series "The Artful Dodger"
The high-octane Season 3 will be packed with more grit, bigger heists and bolder hijinks when it premieres on Hulu in the U.S.

[08/04/26 - 09:04 AM]
Third and Final Season of Paramount+ Original Comedy Series "Colin from Accounts" to Premiere September 10
All episodes of the highly anticipated new season will be available to stream at premiere, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S.

[08/04/26 - 09:01 AM]
First Look at "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story," September 17th on Netflix
The new installment will follow the series' first female "monster," played by Ella Beatty alongside Vicky Krieps as Bridget Sullivan, Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden, and Charlie Hunnam as Andrew Borden.

[08/04/26 - 08:47 AM]
Viola Davis to Star in and Executive Produce Paramount+ Original Series, "Ascent"
"Ascent" is a character-driven thriller set in the dangerous world of global corporate crisis and damage control.

[08/04/26 - 08:18 AM]
Video: "Here the Whole Time" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Felipe just wanted a quiet summer with his artsy mom and every musical he could binge... when his childhood crush knocked on his door to join the party.

[08/04/26 - 08:18 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils 2026 NFL Broadcast Lineup Boasting Super Bowl Champs, Hall of Famers and Emmy Award Winners
FOX NFL's lead announce team of award-winning play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt and seven-time Super Bowl champion and critically acclaimed analyst Tom Brady embark on their third season together.

[08/04/26 - 08:15 AM]
Video: Date, Trailer & Key Art Debut - Hulu's "The Girls: A Khloe Kardashian Project"
The series premieres with all six episodes on August 21 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.

[08/04/26 - 08:06 AM]
Video: "Honest Renovations" Season 4 - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel
They're back! Join Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis as they transform the homes and lives of deserving families.

[08/04/26 - 08:03 AM]
BritBox Reveals Additional Casting for Upcoming Agatha Christie Adaptation "Hercule"
The upcoming six-part drama series stars Edward Bluemel as Agatha Christie's iconic Belgian detective.

[08/04/26 - 07:34 AM]
ESPN Unveils 2026-27 College Football Commentator Teams
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and reporter Holly Rowe will again serve as the lead team on ABC and ESPN.

[08/04/26 - 07:02 AM]
From Studio to Stadium: NBC's "Sunday Night Football" Show Open Stars Carrie Underwood for 14th Consecutive Year
In the latest evolution of "SNF's" show opens since 2013, the year of Underwood's debut, this year's edition features scenes in three distinct locations - the recording studio, an intimate setting in a small music venue, and a concert performance in a packed stadium.

[08/04/26 - 05:01 AM]
"This Summer Will Be Different" Starts Production on Prince Edward Island
Netflix also announced new recurring cast, including Jordan Rodrigues as Miles Lam, Jude Wilson as Zach, Natalie Brown as Christine, James Tupper as Ken, Tom Barnett as Peter and Celia Owen as Joy.

[08/04/26 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "Blood Sacrifice" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Following the brutal murder of two police officers, a tenacious detective reluctantly joins forces with his estranged ex-cop father to catch the killer.

[08/03/26 - 08:01 PM]
Video: "Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Hathaway Noa leads a rebel group in a fight against the corrupt Earth Federation government. But when he meets a mysterious woman, his resolve is tested.

[08/03/26 - 05:06 PM]
Video: "Made in Korea" - Season 2 Teaser Trailer - Hulu
Nine years after Season 1, Baek Kitae (Hyun Bin) stands at the height of his power, while Jang Geonyoung (Jung Woosung) is preparing to strike back.