DEBMAR-MERCURY RENEWS “THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW” IN MORE THAN 70% OF U.S. FOR THIRD SEASON, INCLUDING THE FOX TELEVISION STATIONS
CBS, NBC, Local TV, Tribune, Lin, Cox, Raycom, Meredith and New Vision Stations Also On Board as Talk Show Reaches New Creative Heights, Gains Ratings Momentum
Los Angeles, CA., Jan. 13, 2011 — Debmar-Mercury’s The Wendy Williams Show will return for a third season in September following renewals in more than 70% of the U.S., including stations belonging to the FOX, CBS, NBC, Local TV, Tribune, Lin, Cox, Raycom, Meredith and New Vision groups. Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein made the announcement today.
The cash-plus-barter renewal deals, with Debmar-Mercury retaining four minutes per hour of national advertising inventory, follow a ratings surge this season for Wendy in many major FOX Television Station markets, including New York and Los Angeles.
“Wendy has reached new creative heights this season and stations have taken notice,” Bernstein and Marcus commented. “It has performed exceptionally well in recent months leading out of morning newscasts on the FOX stations, with viewers rediscovering Wendy’s fun, irreverent and entertaining style. We will work diligently with stations to ensure this franchise’s continued growth, both creatively and from a ratings standpoint, across all markets in the months and years ahead.”
Called a “breakthrough in daytime” by The New York Times, Wendy Williams burst onto the national talk show scene in July 2009 with the launch of her daily, syndicated program, The Wendy Williams Show. A mother, wife and best-selling author, Williams built a devoted cult following from her years as one of radio’s most popular personalities, winning over legions of fans who couldn’t wait to see the host make her television debut. Touted by People Magazine as one of the “best shows of 2009,” the critically-acclaimed series now has the distinction of being “must-see TV” and premiered for its second season debut on Sept. 6, 2010.
Debmar-Mercury, a leading media company specializing in syndication, network, cable and ancillary markets, produces and distributes The Wendy Williams Show; produces (with ITV STUDIOS AMERICA) and distributes The Jeremy Kyle Show, debuting in September 2011; distributes Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and spin-off Meet the Browns; distributes Are We There Yet?, a new sitcom from Revolution Studios’ Joe Roth and Cube Vision, starring Ice Cube, debuting in national syndication in fall 2012; distributes strips Hell’s Kitchen, Family Feud, South Park and True Hollywood Story; and distributes a movie library featuring titles from Revolution Studios. Debmar-Mercury is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading next-generation studio.
What do you think? Are you a fan of The Wendy Williams Show? Glad it’s been renewed?
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