ABC Announces Fall Renewals

BURBANK, February 12: With the Hollywood writers expected to
return to work tomorrow, ABC has announced pickups of nine series for next
season, including returning favorites like Desperate Housewives and freshman offerings Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies.

Brothers & Sisters,
Desperate Housewives, Dirty
Sexy Money, Grey's Anatomy, Lost,
Private Practice, Pushing
Daisies, Samantha Who? and Ugly Betty have all been renewed for the 2008-09 season. "The strength of
our schedule this fall was unprecedented and speaks for itself," said
Stephen McPherson, the president of ABC Entertainment. "We're looking
forward to building on that success."

On average for the fall, ABC was the number-one network
among adults 18 to 49, delivering the top position in the key young adult sales
demo on seven of the first 10 weeks of the season and ranking number one during
the November Sweep for the third consecutive year. In addition, ABC claimed
eight of the top 20 highest-rated TV shows among young adults during the fall,
including five of the top 10 freshman series.

—By Mansha Daswani