WE tv

World Screen Weekly, November 2, 2006

COUNTRY: United States

LAUNCH DATE: 1997 as Romance Classics

OWNERSHIP: Rainbow Entertainment Services

DISTRIBUTION: Cable

VIEWERSHIP: Available to more than 60 million U.S. households

DESCRIPTION: WE began life in 1997 as Romance Classics, a women-oriented channel focusing on films about love stories. It received a full makeover in 2001 when it was re-branded as WE: Women’s Entertainment, and was re-branded again in early 2006 as WE tv.

As part of the most recent makeover, the “Women’s Entertainment” tagline was changed to “we have more fun.” The network sees its mission as “helping women connect to one another and the world around them.”

According to WE, its overwhelmingly female viewers have also gotten younger in the past 12 months, with the average age being in the mid-40’s (the network targets an 18-49 demographic). Nielsen places WE’s prime-time rating as 0.29 year-to-date in 2006, which is up 16 percent from 2005.

EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Kim Martin

SENIOR VP, PROGRAMMING: Steve Cheskin

PROGRAMMING STRATEGY: Kim Martin, who was promoted to the post of WE’s general manager in December 2004, shifted the focus of the network away from movies and undertook a drive toward more original programming.

“Over last two years we’ve gone from 5-percent original programming to 40 percent,” says Martin. (Sixty percent of the network’s time still consists of movies that Martin describes as “chick flicks.”) She adds, “We have three categories of original programming: relationships, personal style, and pop culture—the latter includes what’s happening in the world as well as celebrities.”

Series launched in 2006 include Style Me with Rachel Hunter, a reality show with aspiring stylists competing to style supermodel Rachel Hunter; John Edward Cross Country, a doc-style series that follows the psychic medium as he does readings; Skating’s Next Star, with Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi; Supersize Surgery, which follows the extreme physical transformations of radically overweight people; Secret Lives of Women, about women who dare to shock others and push society’s envelope; and Hair Trauma!, which takes place in the Manhattan salon of hairstylist to the stars Ellin LaVar.

WE is perhaps best known for its nuptial content, including the signature series Bridezillas, a comedic look at how brides-to-be go from sweet to certifiable while planning their big day. Recently WE launched a Sunday-night programming block, WE’s Wild Wedding Night, with Bridezillas, Platinum Weddings (a half-hour series on fantasy ceremonies), and Bride vs. Bride, a competition series that pits family against family in wedding-themed challenges.

Newly launched originals include Dirty Dancing, a dance competition series based on the 1987 movie, which premieres on December 6; and Ghost Moms, a special about a group of Oklahoma mothers who hunt ghosts by night.

Series in the pipeline include Adventures in Doggie Daycare, about pet owners who spend a fortune on their animals; America’s Cutest Puppies, in which dogs compete for that crown; and Cheerleader U., which focuses on the highly competitive nature of cheerleading in America.

HOT TOPICS IN THE MARKET: WE retains international rights to most of the original series it airs. By now the network has built a critical mass of content that it has taken to the international markets, and is actively promoting the programs, especially in Europe. That effort is being overseen by the office of Glenn Oakley, the senior VP of business development at Rainbow Media Holdings, working in conjunction with London-based iD Distribution.

“Most European countries have women’s networks,” notes Martin. “All are interested in any content appropriate for their audiences. All are clamoring for WE content because we have so many originals that are doing well, especially in their delivery of women 18-49.”

“We’re always looking for ways to monetize our original series to offset the cost,” Martin adds. “This will be the first year we’ve enjoyed revenue from international.”

WEBSITE: www.we.tv

—By Peter Caranicas