Do you remember Court TV? Today, Katz Networks announced they are reviving the TV channel for 2019.
Launched in 1991, the original Court TV focused on true crime docuseries as well as crime and legal dramas. The channel aired reruns of popular programs like Homicide: Life on the Street and Forensic Files. Court TV was rebranded as truTV in 2008 after the network was bought out by Time Warner.
The new Court TV is set to debut in May 2019. The revived network will air 24 hours a day, seven days a week and feature the return of original Court TV anchor Vinnie Politan.
Read more info below:
CINCINNATI – One of the most iconic brands in television history will return when Katz Networks, part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), relaunches Court TV – a new network devoted to live, gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting and expert analysis of the nation’s most important and compelling trials.
For more than 20 years, Court TV brought high-profile courtroom dramas, including the trials of O.J. Simpson, the Menendez brothers and Casey Anthony, into American living rooms. Continuing that legacy, the new Court TV network will launch in May 2019 and run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will be available for cable, satellite, over-the-air and over-the-top carriage.
In rebooting Court TV, Katz Networks announced:
It has acquired Court TV’s intellectual property, including the trademark, website and complete, original 100,000-hour Court TV library from Turner Broadcasting.
Original Court TV anchor Vinnie Politan will serve as lead anchor.
Former Court TV and CNN producers John Alleva and Scott Tufts will join as vice presidents and managing editors.
The new Court TV has secured over-the-air distribution agreements with major local TV station group owners including Tribune, Scripps and Univision. These agreements allow Court TV to reach more than 50 percent of U.S. television households at launch, with concurrent cable carriage of 25 percent of U.S. cable homes.“Court TV was a top-20 cable network and at the height of its popularity when the network was taken off the air in 2008,” said Jonathan Katz, president and CEO of Katz Networks. “Today, while consumer interest in the real-life drama of true-crime programming is at an all-time high, there is no dedicated daily court coverage on television. We expect the new Court TV to fill that void on cable, satellite, over-the-air and over-the-top.”
Programming and team
Like the original Court TV, the network will be devoted to around-the-clock coverage and analysis of the nation’s top trials. The acquisition of the Court TV assets includes footage of more than 1,000 trials, providing a wealth of content that will allow Court TV to enhance new courtroom coverage, revisit past trials and create original programming and specials.
Katz has made several key hires as it builds the network’s newsroom and studio in Atlanta:
Emmy Award-winning legal journalist Vinnie Politan will serve as the network’s lead anchor. Politan was a popular face on the original Court TV, leading the network’s coverage of the nation’s most compelling trials. A lawyer and former prosecutor, Politan has been covering the world of crime, trials and justice for more than 20 years, hosting legal and news programs on HLN, Sirius XM and, most recently, for the NBC affiliate in Atlanta.
John Alleva and Scott Tufts join as vice presidents and managing editors for Court TV. The two have a combined 40 years of experience producing trials for Court TV and CNN. Alleva was the lead producer for Court TV for more than 15 years and managed editorial content and field operations. Tufts spearheaded CNN’s coverage of the O.J. Simpson, Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias and George Zimmerman trials.
Distribution
Katz already has agreements with local TV station group owners for Court TV to reach more than 50 percent of U.S. television households at launch through over-the-air broadcast, with concurrent cable carriage reaching 25 percent of U.S. cable homes.Tribune Broadcasting will carry Court TV in 22 markets, including New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Philadelphia; Dallas-Fort Worth; Houston; Miami-Fort Lauderdale; Denver; St. Louis; Seattle-Tacoma, Washington; and Sacramento, California.
Eight Scripps markets will carry Court TV, including Tampa, Florida; Detroit; Cleveland; Cincinnati; Las Vegas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and Tucson, Arizona.
Entravision Communications’ 10 Court TV markets include Boston; Orlando, Florida; and Wichita, Kansas.
Univision Communications will carry the network in San Antonio; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Bakersfield, California.
Citadel Communications will air Court TV in Providence, Rhode Island.“Scripps and Katz look forward to reestablishing Court TV’s important legacy of providing Americans with transparency into the U.S. courts system and fulfilling our company mission of journalism and public service,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Local Media for Scripps. “We believe today’s TV audiences will be drawn to the network, leading to the same strong revenue growth and return on investment the other Katz networks have delivered.”
What do you think? Did you ever watch the original Court TV network? Will you watch the new one?
I love Court TV been a fan since day 1. Live in a rural area so I am pleased to see that it is back on air TV. Thank you.
I have the same question as Laurie Brown…will Court TV be available through Direct TV?
I will be glued to the tv if it is!
I do have an “over the air” tv” in my kitchen & get Court TV on Ch 15-4, I’m in AZ.
Will court tv be available through directv?
I was an avid fan of Court TV. I especially appreciated the actual trial to watch, not someone else’s opinion. I cannot find it although the website says it is on Ch 11 KPLR in St. Louis, MO.
Has the May 2019 programming already begun? Need help.
I thought I found it on channel to 246 on DirecTV. But the listing says it tru-tv. Maybe it hasn’t started yet.
Hi Robert, I have DirecTV too & also found channel 246 in the channel guide TruTV but I can’t find Court TV in the guide, I think you are correct it hasn’t started yet.
MY free tv channels advertise scan tv to find court tv.
I have daily.
WHat channel and time is court TV for zip code 88081 or 79936
Will court tv be available on Dish?
I have it on Comcast in South Florida. I found it by accident when looking on the schedule. So happy it’s back!
I’m so excited that court tv will be back. Just hope I’ll be able to view it in my area. I saw the info on channel 27 but not familiar with 27.5. How can I get that?
Hi Bertha, I have an “over the air” connection on my kitchen tv (regular antenna). There are a lot of additional channels, example 8-1..8-2..8-3. Channel 15-4 telecasts Court TV in Arizona.
Bring back GRITtv
Just hope my cable lineup will have Court TV on it,really excited it’s coming back on TV!!!
Will Court TV be available to watch in NC? I love this show !!!
Loved court tv!! Never missed it.I was so sad to see it go. Very excited to see it return!! Its so interesting to watch, and educational . Thank You!!
I absolutely loved Court TV. Watch on a daily basis and will watch the new Court TV with the same dedication
What channel will Court TV be on Direct TV?
YAYYY!!!! HAPPY HAPPY JOY Joy!!!
I hope they bring back the Crime Library too!!! I can’t wait until May