THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK AND WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION TEAM UP FOR TWO-HOUR WEEKDAY PROGRAMMING BLOCK FEATURING NEW COURT SERIES "JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO" FROM TELEPICTURES PRODUCTIONS AIRING MONDAY-FRIDAY AT 3:00 P.M.
Comedies "The Wayans Bros." and "The Jamie Foxx Show" to Follow at 4:00 p.m.
BURBANK, Calif. (May 5, 2008) - The CW Television Network is teaming up with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution to create a daily two-hour afternoon programming block that will bring a new court television series from Telepictures Productions and two hit comedies from Warner Bros. Television to The CW from 3:00-5:00 p.m. each weekday.
"Judge Jeanine Pirro," a one-hour court program featuring Jeanine Pirro - regular contributor to Fox News Channel, former Westchester County (N.Y.) District Attorney and County Judge, nationally known legal commentator and author - as the presiding jurist will air Monday-Friday at 3:00 p.m., followed by a one-hour comedy block of "The Wayans Bros." at 4:00 p.m. and "The Jamie Foxx Show" at 4:30 p.m. The new programming schedule will debut Monday, September 22, 2008.
The announcement was made today by John Maatta, Chief Operating Officer, The CW, and Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD).
"By pairing 'Judge Jeanine Pirro' with these two successful comedies, we will be providing programming from 3:00-4:00 p.m. that is very compatible with the daytime lineup of CW affiliates, and the two sitcoms will provide a good transition to the comedy blocks which affiliates run at 5:00 p.m.," said Maatta. "This lineup was created to better serve the programming mix of our stations with first-run and off-network programming that will increase ratings, revenue and flow."
"We are excited to be in business with The CW on 'Judge Jeanine Pirro.' Jeanine has the unique breakout qualities that all great judges of court shows possess. Although some think the genre is overcrowded, we believe viewers will flock to Jeanine, who is a fresh face with a distinctive voice," said Werner. "'The Wayans Bros.' and 'The Jamie Foxx Show' represent two series with which the audience of the CW stations is familiar and star performers who are now superstars. We hope that their performance in syndication will follow that of Will Smith's sitcom 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' which has been a consistently good performer well into its fourth cycle."
"Jeanine Pirro has what it takes to succeed in the highly competitive court genre: a powerful and dynamic television presence with a distinctive point of view, and depth of professional and life experience," said Hilary Estey McLoughlin, President, Telepictures Productions. "Her extraordinary intelligence, empathy, great sense of humor, and a desire to make a positive difference in people's lives will all contribute to make her a standout performer."
"Judge Jeanine Pirro" will be produced by Telepictures Productions and will originate from Chicago. Judge Greg Mathis - presiding judge of Telepictures' first-run syndicated court strip "Judge Mathis" (set to celebrate its 10th season this fall) - will serve as executive consultant to the new series. Emmy?-nominated producer and former Telepictures programming executive Bo Banks, who currently executive produces "Judge Mathis," will also executive produce "Judge Jeanine Pirro."
Pirro comes to her first television series with more than 30 years of experience in the legal system, having encountered every type of case imaginable as both a trailblazing prosecuting attorney and judge. She was elected Westchester (N.Y.) County's first female County Court judge in 1990 and became Westchester's first female District Attorney in 1993. She is an acclaimed author and a sought-after legal analyst, having appeared on the "Today" show, "Good Morning America," CBS's "The Early Show," "60 Minutes," "48 Hours," the Fox News Channel and CNN. She also serves as the legal expert at Telepictures Productions' new digital venture, MomLogic.com. Pirro is a former three-term District Attorney and past president of the New York State District Attorneys Association, and she was recently the Republican candidate for New York State Attorney General.
Multitalented comedians Shawn and Marlon Wayans ("White Chicks," "Little Man," the "Scary Movie" films) star in the half-hour comedy "The Wayans Bros." as two very different siblings sharing their first apartment in New York City. John Witherspoon ("The Boondocks," "Soul Plane," the "Friday" films) stars as their tastelessly attired dad, and Lela Rochon ("Waiting to Exhale") stars as Shawn's girlfriend. Additional series stars include Anna Maria Horsford ("Gridiron Gang," "Entourage," "The Shield"). "The Wayans Bros." is from Next to Last Productions and Baby Way Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The executive producers are Billy Van Zandt, Jane Milmore, Phil Kellard, Tom Moore and Rick Hawkins.
Academy Award? winner Jamie Foxx ("Ray," "Dreamgirls," "Miami Vice") stars in "The Jamie Foxx Show" as Jamie King, an aspiring entertainer living and working at his family's Los Angeles hotel while struggling to break into show business - and causing laughter every step of the way. The series also stars Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon ("Barbershop 2: Back in Business," "NYPD Blue"), Christopher B. Duncan ("Veronica Mars," "The District," "Soul Food"), Ella English ("Good Luck Chuck," "Martin," "Sinbad") and Garrett Morris ("All of Us," "Coneheads," "Saturday Night Live"). From Bent Outta Shape Productions, Inc., Foxxhole Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, "The Jamie Foxx Show" was created by Bentley Kyle Evans ("Martin") and Foxx. The executive producers are Evans, Foxx, Marcus King and Bennie R. Richburg, Jr.
About The CW
The CW Network, which is owned jointly by CBS Corp. and Time Warner, Inc., consists of a six-night, 13-hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sundays from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET outside of prime time as well as a Monday-Friday afternoon block from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET and a five-hour Saturday morning animation block. Altogether, the new network programs 30 hours a week over seven days. For more information, visit www.cwtv.com.
About Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) is one of the leading distributors of first-run and off-network programming in the domestic television marketplace. It handles the syndication of television series produced by Warner Bros. Television, Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Horizon Television; selected HBO Independent Productions and the Lorimar Television library; current feature films from Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Independent Pictures; and the Studio's unmatched motion picture library. WBDTD will launch "The Bonnie Hunt Show" in fall 2008 and is currently distributing six first-run strip series: "TMZ" (the #1 new first-run strip of the 2007-2008 season), "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Tyra Banks Show," "Extra," "Judge Mathis" and "The People's Court." Off-network, WBDTD is distributing "Two and a Half Men" (the #1 comedy in off-net syndication), "George Lopez," "Cold Case," "Without a Trace," "Smallville" and "Friends," among others.
About Telepictures Productions
Telepictures Productions - an industry-leading producer of nationally syndicated programming and winner of 49 Daytime Emmy? Awards - will launch "The Bonnie Hunt Show" in fall 2008, a new talk program hosted by acclaimed comedy producer, director, writer and performer Bonnie Hunt. For the 2007-2008 season, Telepictures is producing six first-run strips. This includes the freshman season of "TMZ," the #1 new syndicated program which brings the TMZ.com brand to television, expanding upon the website's mission as a 24-hour-per day, seven-day-per week entertainment news destination covering Hollywood as it really is and celebrities as they really are; the third season of "The Tyra Banks Show," a one-hour, daily talk show serving as a young woman's guide to life, hosted by Tyra Banks; the fifth season of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," winner of four consecutive Daytime Emmy? Awards for Outstanding Talk Show and three for Outstanding Talk Show Host; the ninth season of the hour-long court series "Judge Mathis"; the 11th season of "The People's Court"; and the 14th season of the pop culture newsmagazine strip "Extra."
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