The CW Farms Out Sunday-Night Schedule

BURBANK, May 12: The CW
has reached a deal for the independent studio Media Rights Capital to program
its Sunday night prime-time block for the 2008-09 season.

The block, which kicks off
in the fall, will feature two comedies and two dramas from MRC. Details will be
announced tomorrow at the network’s Upfront presentation.

Dawn Ostroff, the
president of entertainment at The CW, called the deal a “strategic move” that
will “give viewers more original programming on Sunday nights than we have ever
had. As the leading independent producer of television programming, MRC will
bring a slate of high-quality entertainment to our air on the most competitive
night on television, while we will focus our resources and efforts on
strengthening our Monday through Friday schedule."

John Maatta, the COO of
The CW, added: "This kind of alliance is becoming common in our business,
and it's a win for all involved—affiliates, advertisers and viewers. It
will also allow our sales team more opportunity to capitalize on our new Friday
night schedule with the departure of wrestling, as that is such a critical
night for retailers and marketers with a weekend product push."

MRC’s other upcoming television
projects include The Goode Family
for ABC, Outnumbered for FOX
and The Life and Times of Tim
for HBO.

—By Mansha Daswani