TV Land

World Screen Weekly, August 31, 2006

CHANNEL: TV Land

LAUNCH DATE: April 29, 1996

OWNERSHIP: TV Land is a companion channel to Nick at Nite and is owned by Viacom.

NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS: The channel reaches more than 85 million subscribers in the U.S.

DESCRIPTION: TV Land is a 24-hour cable channel that positions itself as a baby-boomer entertainment destination. The channel offers a mix of contemporary and classic TV shows intended to resonate with its target audience.

PRESIDENT, TV LAND & NICK AT NIGHT: Larry W. Jones

EXECUTIVE VP OF ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING: Keith Cox

SENIOR VP OF ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING: Sal Maniaci

SENIOR VP OF PROGRAMMING & ACQUISITIONS: Jaclyn Rann Cohen

PROGRAMMING STRATEGY: TV Land’s first order of business is spotlighting programming that is “first and foremost relevant to the boomer experience,” says Jaclyn Rann Cohen, the channel’s senior VP of programming and acquisitions. The schedule is composed primarily of acquired programming although, Cohen notes, “we’re really excited about our development and original programming.”

The shows featured on TV Land “take people back to a time in their life they remember fondly,” as Cohen explains, with a blend of fan-favorite series, films, and titles that were historically relevant in TV history. “TV Land has the ability and the luxury of being able to schedule and choose from all genres of programming. It may be a drama, it may be a long-form piece, it may be a movie of the week [or] it could be a theatrical film or series,” says Cohen.

The network’s 24/7 schedule allows it to respond to viewers’ preferences. Cohen stresses that she and her colleagues work very closely with research groups. “We’re very much in touch with how our viewers see the network, how frequently they come back to us and what they want [during] different times of the day, and what their lifestyles and viewing habits are. We do our best to deliver to them what it is they are expecting from us in the different dayparts.” This includes marathons of the vintage series that attract the channel’s highest ratings, including Good Times, Three’s Company and the recently re-launched The Jeffersons.

Besides popular re-runs, TV Land has also aired several original productions. The one that received most attention is the TV Land Awards, an annual show that celebrates classic TV shows and its stars and which premiered in 2003. Sit Down Comedy features comedian and director David Steinberg in off-the-cuff conversations with some of today’s most influential comics. And Chasing Farrah is a reality show that follows former Charlie’s Angels star Farrah Fawcett in her everyday routine.

WHAT’S NEW: Two upcoming programming highlights are a 40th anniversary salute to the original Star Trek series, which joins the network’s roster on a regular basis on November 17, and the TV Land original reality series starring A-Team favorite Mr. T, I Pity the Fool.

Four of the best-remembered episodes of Star Trek will air on September 8 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the series’ debut in 1966. These include the first episode (“The Man Trap”), two fan favorites (“City on the Edge of Forever” and “The Trouble with Tribbles”), and the show that featured TV’s first interracial kiss (“Plato’s Stepchildren”). When Star Trek begins its run on the channel in November, fans will have their first chance to legally view full-length episodes of the classic series on the Web, via TVLand.com’s new broadband media player.

I Pity the Fool bows on October 11 at 10 p.m. and features 1980s TV icon Mr. T imparting his own special kind of advice to various beleaguered souls. The situations announced include Mr. T helping a father and son-in-law run their New York car dealership, and aiding dance students whose instructor is plagued by a lack of organizational skills. Produced by Lionsgate, in association with Left/Right Film and Remag Guerilla, I Pity the Fool will have a strong Internet component. Following the premiere of the show, viewers will be able to participate in a live video chat with Mr. T at tvland.com. Web surfers will also be able to watch behind-the-scenes footage, Web-specific segments and sneaks peaks of future episodes. Also available on the site will be Rules for Fools, a series of video clips in which Mr.T dispenses advice on topics like finances, dating and hygiene.

WEBSITE: www.tvland.com