Fox Reality Channel

World Screen Weekly, August 09, 2007

COUNTRY: U.S.

LAUNCH DATE: May 24, 2005

OWNERSHIP: Fox Cable Networks, a division of News Corporation

DISTRIBUTION: Approximately 35 million subscribers, making it one of only four new networks to achieve that feat in its second year.

DESCRIPTION: Fox Reality Channel bills itself as the home of all things reality, both acquired and original. “All Reality, All the Time” is its motto and the channel delivers unscripted programs, both for casual viewers and for the fanatics, including U.S. network favorites, exclusive international reality programming, original series and specials.

PRESIDENT: David Lyle

SENIOR VP, PROGRAMMING,

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT: Bob Boden

SENIOR VP, MARKETING & ON-AIR PROMOTIONS: Lorey Zlotnick

DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT: Noel Siegel

PROGRAMMING STRATEGY: The cable and satellite network targets adults in the 18 to 34 demographic, with an emphasis on the younger side of that group.

“We build our day around incorporating all different types of reality,” says Bob Boden, the senior VP of programming, production and development for Fox Reality Channel. “So if there is any kind of reality that you’re interested in, we have it—cops and heroes, dating shows, imported shows from English-speaking countries, late-night programming and the best acquired programming that there is in reality and some very groundbreaking and exciting originals.”

Original programming currently represents approximately 10 percent to 15 percent of the schedule and includes the daytime series Reality Remix, which is a news-magazine show about the world of reality, incorporating reviews, previews and interviews.

Other originals include My Bare Lady, where four adult film stars attend traditional British theatre school and showcase their acting talent by performing scenes from classic drama on stage in London’s West End; The Academy, which is the first look inside the training of the L.A. County Sheriff’s department; and American Idol Extra, the companion to FOX’s American Idol featuring the first in-depth interview with the eliminated contestants each week.

In regards to acquisitions, Boden says, “We’re all about quality reality programming and we’re not terribly fussy who we buy from as long as the show is worthy of our air. We buy a lot of foreign programming that’s in English and from a variety of different sources.”

Notable acquisitions include the latest seasons of The Amazing Race, Average Joe, Beauty & the Geek and the entire The Mole franchise, including The Mole, Celebrity Mole, Mole: Hawaii and Mole: Yucatan.

On sizing up its competition, Fox Reality Channel sets itself in a class of its own. “I’m not sure if we have direct competitors,” says Boden. “As the cable landscape evolves and more and more networks jump onto the reality bandwagon, our competition gets tougher and tougher, but we remain the only all reality, all the time network. That’s sort of our flag in the ground.”

The website, like the network, is a portal to all things reality. It includes news stories, streaming video and games. Boden notes, “The mission is to truly give viewers more content and more entertainment.”

Fox Reality recently completed a successful experiment called Nightclub Confessions, which incorporated 33 webisodes that aired exclusively on its website and on other digital media platforms. The show culminated in a one-hour televised event, featuring webisode highlights. “We are absolutely committed to doing more of that type of programming,” Boden says.

WHAT’S NEW: On the slate for Fox Reality Channel is the return of its controversial original series Solitary 2.0, back for its second season. On this competitive reality show, contestants are locked into small individual rooms, called pods, and their job is to survive as long as they can without quitting, for a prize of $50,000.

Coming this October, the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards 2007 will honor outstanding achievement in the world of reality. The second annual event, and only award show of its kind, will give out a number of awards to shows, producers and talent, celebrating the reality TV genre.

That same month, Fox Reality Channel debuts another original with The Search for the Next Elvira. The three-episode series will culminate in a live, one-hour broadcast on Halloween night where a lucky winner will be crowned Elvira’s evil handmaiden by the mistress of darkness herself.

Looking further down the road, the network has joined forces with fellow News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV for the return of Paradise Hotel in March with a whole new cast, location and plenty of drama and excitement.

WEBSITE: www.foxreality.com

—By Kristin Brzoznowski