"i" Network (aka: PAX TV) Acquires Sony Pictures Television Owned Shows

[Pavan]

ION MEDIA NETWORKS AND SONY PICTURES TELEVISION ANNOUNCE PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT FOR TV SERIES AND FEATURE FILMS


(West Palm Beach, FL and Culver City, CA – July 5, 2006) – ION Media Networks, Inc. (AMEX: ION) and Sony Pictures Television (“SPT”) today announced a programming agreement that provides ION with the rights to broadcast dozens of classic television series and a large selection of award-winning feature films from the Sony library on the i television network, reaching over 90 million homes.

“This agreement reflects our strategy of strengthening our i network’s programming schedule with popular series and theatrical hits with proven audience appeal,” said Brandon Burgess, CEO of ION Media Networks. “We look forward to working with Sony on developing a compelling entertainment line-up that continues to appeal to our current audience, while attracting new viewers to the network.”

“The i network and its stations will benefit from a wide variety of titles from our extensive library of television series and feature films, which have proven to deliver audiences,” said John Weiser, president, distribution for Sony Pictures Television. “We are pleased to be in partnership with ION, helping them grow and making them a destination for great programming.”

Under the terms of the agreement, ION will have access to many of SPT’s most popular TV series from the last three decades, including “Charlie’s Angels,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “The Partridge Family,” “The Monkees” and “Silver Spoons,” among others.

In addition, titles from Sony’s extensive library of theatrical films will be available to ION, including “A River Runs Through It,” “Oliver!,” “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” “Short Circuit” and many more.

“We are pleased to have access to Sony’s diverse collection of movies and classic TV shows” said Stacey Nagel Galper, ION’s Senior Vice President of Programming and Strategic Planning. “We will begin scheduling the Sony movies on the i network this month, with plans to launch the television series in August.”

[troopoleon8897]

I guess this is good although Im only interested in silver spoons... this does mean more shows will get a chance though right?

[Seth]

How in the blue hell do they plan to work in BOTH libraries in the 5 hour window without basically leaving the majority of their new purchases gathering dust. They really need to add time onto their upcoming schedule, even if it's just a couple hours to start. And I'm not saying that from a fan's perspective, I'm saying that from the business end. i's finances haven't been that great, and I doubt Warner and Sony just handed them them a few dozen shows and moves each for free...There's no reason to spend money on something you don't air.

[Seth]

Originally Posted by troopoleon8897

I guess this is good although Im only interested in silver spoons... this does mean more shows will get a chance though right?

That's just one of the shows mentioned. According to the article, dozens were acquired. I think it'd certainly be interesting to see a full list.

[Pavan]

Initially it might be 6-11pm only...but they will expand. More on that when available.

[Pavan]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/20...-owned-tv.html

[Brian Damage]

I am liking this "i" network more and more.

[Stuck In The '70's]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I am liking this "i" network more and more.

Now If only they would hurry and get rid of those infomercials and make this a full time schedule.

[Pavan]

Eventually they will get rid of paid programming, I'm sure, but right now I think they are obligated to air them. These deals just happened and while they can easily replace actual shows with these shows, replacing paid programming might take a while longer due to financial obligations.

[MikeL]

ok great sounds great can we please have list of sony picture tv shows.so we know what coming.

[Harper49]

I have a sorta idea now, Howbout after late night paid programmings they'll start with a morning promgramming block on I: Independant Television maybe in the future.

[Pavan]

I had an almost complete list of Sony TV product, but I can't find it. Here is a partial list of what Sony owns:

Columbia Tri-Star owned shows (not complete of course):
227, Action, All in the Family, Archie Bunker's Place, Barney Miller, Battle Dome, Benson, Bette, Bewitched, Bridget Loves Bernie, Burns & Allen, Charlie's Angels, Checking In, Crazy Like a Fox, Dawson's Creek, Dennis the Menace, Designing Women, Diff'rent Strokes, Dilbert, Donny & Marie, Early Edition, Emily's Reasons Why Not, Facts of Life, Falcone, Family, Family Law, Fantasy Island, Father Knows Best, Fernwood 2Night, Fish, Flying Nun, Forever Knight, Gidget, Good Times, Grosse Pointe, Grady, Grown Ups, Guardian, Hart to Hart, Hazel, I Dream Of Jeannie, Imagine That, Jeffersons, Joan of Arcadia, Just Shoot Me, King of Queens, Ladies Man, Larry Sanders Show, Mad About You, Malcolm & Eddie, Married With Children, Mary Hartman, Maude, Men are From Mars, Mike Hammer, Monkees, My Big Fat Greek Life, Nanny, New Gidget, New Monkees, Newsradio, Oh Baby, One Day at a Time, One in a Million, Parker Lewis, Partridge Family, Party of Five, Pasadena, Police Story, Police Woman, Punky Brewster, Route 66, Rude Awakening, SWAT, Sanford, Sanford Arms, Sanford & Son, Secret Agent Man, Seinfeld, Shasta, Silk Stalkings, Silver Spoons, Soap, Square Pegs, Starsky & Hutch, Street, Street Justice, Tabitha, Top of the Heap, TJ Hooker, That's My Mama!, The Rookies, Time of Your Life, Twice in a Lifetime, Weber Show, What About Joan, What's Happening, What's Happening Now, Who's The Boss, Young Americans

Remember if it is on a local channel, i network probably won't have access to it. Benson, What's Happening, What's Happening Now, 227 and Who's the Boss? probably will not be a part of i's deal, because Sony licensed those shows to The Program Exchange.

[MikeL]

yes we get sanford and sanford arms again N Diff rent strokes omg iam so so happy and Archie bunkers place.this going to be great best deal ever wonder where they going put them all.

[Auntie]

What abouts shows like,'It's A Miracle'? I wonder will 'I' keep it on schudule(even though now it's only on once a week(Saturdays) as oppose to 'every night' that it was on. Also, what about 'The Waltons'? It wouldn't be such a bad idea for 'I' to start airing that show in syndication on their channel. They have way more than enough of episodes to air(they went for nine seasons I believe).

[JT]

After getting some horrible, horrible news today, I really needed this. Looks like PAX is dedicated to doing this. The second I saw Charlie's Angels, I was sold on the idea. Alice and Charlie's Angels on the same channel? I am SO in!