NBC to Air USA Network Series

BURBANK, December 19: As the Hollywood writers’ strike
continues, NBC has announced that it will repurpose two USA Network cable
series, Monk and Psych, for its Sunday night lineup, beginning March 2008.

Upcoming new episodes of Monk and Psych will be shown
first on USA Network, beginning January 11, 2008, and then again on Sunday
nights on NBC, starting in March 2008. On USA, Monk is telecast on Fridays from 9-10 p.m., followed by Psych from 10-11 p.m. Monk also airs on Universal HD from 11-12 p.m.

Last summer’s sixth season of Monk averaged 2 million adults aged 18 to 49 and 2.4
million adults aged 25 to 54, making USA the number-one rated
network—broadcast or cable—in the time period on those nights among
the 25-to-54 demo. Starring Emmy-, Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild
Award-winner Tony Shalhoub as a brilliant detective who suffers from obsessive-compulsive
disorder, Monk remains one of the
highest-rated original scripted series in basic cable history.

Last summer’s second season of Psych averaged 2.1 million adults 18 to 49 and 2.3 million
adults 25 to 54, making USA the number-two network in the time period in both
demos, ahead of all cable competition and ahead of all broadcast networks,
except ABC. Psych stars James
Roday as young police consultant Shawn Spencer, who solves crimes with powers
of observation so acute the precinct detectives think he’s psychic—at
least that’s what he lets them believe.

"These two tremendously popular USA series are a great
fit with NBC’s current programming strategy and brand," said Ben
Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.
"This is another example of how the NBC Universal family is finding
terrific synergies as we share our creative assets."

"The USA audience has embraced Monk and Psych
from the get-go, making them two of the biggest hits in cable history,"
said Bonnie Hammer, the president of USA Network and SCI FI Channel.
"We’re thrilled to share them with NBC viewers who may be missing a couple
of the best shows on television."

—By Irene Lew