The CW Expands Prime-Time Schedule to Saturdays

The CW Network will expand its prime-time schedule for the 2021-22 season to include Saturday, becoming a full seven-day-a-week broadcast network for the first time in its history.

When the new season launches this fall, The CW will offer 14 hours of prime-time series each week, Monday through Sunday.

The CW will officially kick off its first Saturday night of prime-time programming on October 2 with night one of the iHeartRadio Music Festival, with night two of iHeartRadio Music Festival airing on October 3.

The CW’s regularly scheduled Saturday programming lineup will be announced at a later date.

“As The CW expands and thrives, so do our affiliate partners, and everyone sees the tremendous value and the clear excitement behind the opportunity to brand and identify as a seven-night network on both a national and local level,” said Betty Ellen Berlamino, executive VP of distribution for The CW. “The addition of more original programming to our Saturday primetime lineup coupled with our stations ability to now program the Monday through Friday daytime block is a win-win for all parties.”

“Becoming a seven-night-a-week network has been a long-standing goal for everyone here at The CW, and in an extremely tight broadcast environment, the ability to expand our primetime by two more hours each week is a dynamic shift that will be gladly welcomed by our clients and the agencies,” said Rob Tuck, executive VP of national sales for The CW. “Following the recent industry trend which has seen considerable contraction on a linear basis, The CW will buck that trend this season by adding a new night of original programming, creating new opportunities for us going forward.”