Merv Griffin’s Crosswords Re-Upped for Second Season

LOS ANGELES, January 28:
Program Partners and Merv Griffin Entertainment (MGE) have announced that the
syndicated daytime game show Merv Griffin’s Crosswords has been renewed for a second season, with the show
already cleared in 40 of the top 50 markets in the U.S.

Program Partners has
secured commitments for the game show from WNBC in New York and affiliate
stations from the NBC O&O’s, Belo, Four Points, Gannett, Gray, Guardian, Hubbard,
McGraw-Hill, New Age, Raycom, Sarkes Tarzian and Sagamorehill groups.

"Crosswords ratings are building continuously and now hitting
season-to-date highs,” said Ritch Colbert of Program Partners. “This renewal is
a testament to our amazing production team and to the power of Merv Griffin’s
original vision.”

“This vote of confidence
from our station affiliates makes a nice start to 2008,” said Ron Ward, the
head of Merv Griffin Entertainment and vice chairman of The Griffin Group. “In
return, we plan to deliver even more excitement in Season 2.”

Hosted by Ty Treadway, Merv
Griffin’s Crosswords is a
new-generation half-hour game show in which players compete against each other
and the clock in to solve a crossword. Crosswords is
being presented by Merv Griffin Entertainment and Program Partners.

—By Irene Lew