GROUNDBREAKING RAPPER TO HEADLINE "SERCH" FROM CBS TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION AND TRIBUNE BROADCASTING

New Daytime Talk Show Will Begin a Four-Week Test Run on Eight Stations on January 6, 2014

LOS ANGELES - September 26, 2013 - Serch, who rose to fame as one of the first white rappers, performing under the name MC Serch, will headline SERCH, a syndicated, daytime talk show from CBS Television Distribution, it was announced today by Maureen FitzPatrick, Executive Vice President of Programming and Development at CTD and Sean Compton, President of Programming and Entertainment at Tribune Company.

The daily, hour-long show will begin a four-week test run exclusively on Tribune Broadcasting stations in eight markets on January 6, 2014. ABC News veteran Ethan Nelson will serve as Executive Producer of the New York-based talk show.

The series will feature real people with real issues, relying on host Serch to use his street smarts and unconventional background to help guests grapple with and resolve their problems.

"Serch has such an interesting, unique life story that makes him relatable to a wide audience," FitzPatrick said. "He connects with different communities, has a message to share about taking personal responsibility for your life choices and is on a mission to help people change their lives."

Added Compton, "SERCH is a natural fit for Tribune's daytime lineup and through our strong partnership with CBS Television Distribution, we are confident we will build a successful talk franchise."

SERCH will get a test run on the following Tribune stations: WPIX, New York; KTLA, Los Angeles; WPHL, Philadelphia; KDAF, Dallas; WDCW, Washington DC; WSFL, Miami; WXIN, Indianapolis; and KSWB, San Diego.

Serch was born and raised in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, in an orthodox Jewish neighborhood. While devoted to his religion, he was heavily influenced by the beginnings of hip-hop culture he discovered when hanging out with friends who lived in the nearby Redfern Housing projects. He straddled two worlds learning about family, sacrifice and home in Far Rockaway and survival, hardship, love, community and strength in Redfern. After graduating from New York's The High School of Music & Art, he immersed himself in hip-hop and became one of the first white rappers, first as part of the group 3rd Bass and then as a solo artist.

He recorded three albums with 3rd Bass - The Cactus Album (1989), The Cactus Revisited (1990) and Derelicts of Dialect (1991) - and had two hit singles on his solo effort Return of the Product in 1992. After retiring from performing to focus on his family (wife of more than 20 years, Chantel, and three kids), Serch also cultivated new talent. He discovered Nas and executive produced the rapper's first two critically acclaimed albums Illmatic and It Was Written.

He executive produced several other projects for artists, including OC, Non-Phixion and Boss. The song that he wrote and produced for Boss was recently featured in online promotion for the Nextflix original series, "Orange is the New Black." He wrote several songs for the film "Bebe's Kids" and served as both consultant and soundtrack executive producer for the film "Zebrahead." Serch was also a featured performer in the Spike Lee film, "Bamboozled."

In 2003, Serch and his family moved to Detroit, where he became the first non African-American DJ at the urban radio station WJLB/FM 98 since Casey Kasem in the mid-1950s. He hosted "Serch in the AM" and helped catapult the station to #1 in the market for the first time in 12 years. In 2007, he hosted VH1's "The (White) Rapper Show," which was followed up by "Miss Rap Supreme" in 2009. Serch currently runs his own marketing company Serchlite Multimedia.

Nelson joins SERCH as Executive Producer, having most recently served as a co-executive producer for the first season of daytime talk show "Katie." He's a longtime ABC News producer, working on shows such as "Good Morning America," "Good Afternoon America" and "Nightline."

The show will be produced and distributed by CBS Television Distribution.