TNT

World Screen Weekly, November 16, 2006

COUNTRY: United States

LAUNCH DATE: October 3, 1988

OWNERSHIP: Time Warner

DISTRIBUTION: Cable and satellite

VIEWERSHIP: Received by 91.9 million households in the United States and Canada.

DESCRIPTION: Like sister channel TBS, TNT, which stands for Turner Network Television, is a 24-hour cable network created by cable pioneer Ted Turner. It launched in 1988 with a showing of its creator’s favorite film, Gone With the Wind. In addition to movies TNT programmed World Championship Wrestling and other sports.

In 2000, Turner Broadcasting appointed Steven Koonin, a longtime executive with Coca-Cola who managed that company’s sports and entertainment marketing initiatives, to the post of executive VP and chief operating officer of TBS and TNT. Within a year he was implementing TNT’s first strategic brand positioning: “TNT: We Know Drama.”

Despite initial doubts from industry experts, the positioning has been a success, moving TNT to the top echelon of U.S. cable networks in the delivery of key adult demographics. On October 24, 2006, Turner Entertainment Group recognized Koonin’s success and promoted him to president of Turner Entertainment Networks, adding Turner Classic Movies and Court TV to his portfolio of channels.

PRESIDENT, TURNER ENTERTAINMENT NETWORKS: Steven Koonin

SENIOR VP, PROGRAMMING: Ken Schwab

SENIOR VP, ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING: Michael Wright

SENIOR VP, ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING: Sandra Dewey

PROGRAMMING STRATEGY: This year, under Koonin’s leadership, TNT scored big with three original series: Into the West, TNT’s six-week television event from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, which was watched by more than 81 million viewers; The Closer, an original crime series starring Kyra Sedgwick, which premiered to a record audience of more than 5.3 million households and which ranks as cable’s highest-rated new series of the summer; and the action series Wanted, starring Gary Cole, which consistently ranks among ad-supported cable’s top 20 in delivery of targeted adult demos.

In addition to original series, TNT produces a number of original films. Recent productions include last year’s The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, for which a sequel is currently in the works, and Salem’s Lot. Past TNT originals include ad-supported cable’s most-watched movie of all time, Louis L’Amour’s Crossfire Trail, and Door to Door, which was honored with the Peabody Award and six Emmys.

In 2005, The Closer was U.S. basic cable’s was the most-watched original series, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show helped TNT clinch the number-one position among basic cable networks in total viewers as well as among important demographics.

TNT is also home to one-hour drama series such as Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel. The drama Alias joined the line-up in September. The channel also broadcasts premiere movies; prime-time specials such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA.

Future broadcasts include The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines, an original movie starring Noah Wyle, will premiere Sunday, December 3, at 8 p.m., Eastern and Pacific. A two-hour special of The Closer will air Monday, December 4 at 8 p.m. A Perfect Day, an original movie starring Rob Lowe, will premiere on Monday, December 18, at 8 p.m. And The Screen Actors Guild Awards will air live Sunday, January 28, in a simulcast with sister channel TBS.

In the summer of 2007, TNT will present The Company, a six-hour mini-series about the CIA executive-produced by Ridley Scott and starring Chris O’Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina.

“TNT is not only the first and only network dedicated to drama, but also the home of ad-supported cable’s number-one series of all time: The Closer,” notes Koonin. “That award-winning series joins our high-profile summer television events, like Into the West and The Company, and a hall-of-fame line-up of original movies, drama series and sports to make TNT the ultimate destination for anyone who loves drama.”

WHAT’S NEW: TNT began transmitting in high definition in 2004 via TNT HD, which carries the same programming as TNT’s East Coast feed. The network has high hopes for the potential of high def to enhance its overall popularity. Koonin notes that already “many cable companies are currently carrying TNT in HD on their digital tier” and expects to expand the service in the future.

WEBSITE: www.tnt.tv

—By Peter Caranicas