JANUARY 26, 2010, 4:57 P.M. ET 'Martha Stewart Show' Moves to Hallmark Cable-TV Channel
By SHIRA OVIDE Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704905604575027420346180214.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines Martha Stewart is moving her TV talk show to the Hallmark Channel on cable, where the domestic diva's company hopes it can make money. "The Martha Stewart Show," a chat-and-lifestyle show hosted by Ms. Stewart, has been airing for more than four years on a variety of local TV channels, under a distribution deal with General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. Ms. Stewart hasn't had the same level of success as Oprah Winfrey, another talk-show host who is moving her show to cable television. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., the company Ms. Stewart founded, doesn't make money on "The Martha Stewart Show," but uses it to promote the company's magazines, merchandise and other brands. The show has pulled in lackluster ratings, and Martha Stewart Living has warned it may have to discontinue production of the show in its current form. Martha Stewart Living Executive Chairman Charles Koppelman said he expects the company will make more money out of the Hallmark Channel deal than it does from its existing deal with NBC Universal. NBC Universal declined to comment. Unlike its existing arrangement where TV channels decide when to broadcast "The Martha Stewart Show," Hallmark Channel will air the show at 10 a.m. each day, and rerun it multiple times, giving extra opportunity to sell commercial spots. Hallmark Channel, owned by Crown Media Holdings Inc., will start airing "The Martha Stewart Show" beginning in September, after the current NBC Universal distribution deal winds down. The companies said Tuesday they also expect to create other shows together, including an extra daily show featuring personalities other than Ms. Stewart, and holiday specials. ================================================= George Antunes Voice (713) 743-3923 Associate Professor Fax (713) 743-3927 Political Science Internet: antunes at uh dot edu University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-3011 *********************************** * POST TO [email protected] * *********************************** Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
