Third Cycle Of “Friends” Now Cleared In 90% Of Country

(August 9, 2011 – Burbank, CA) – The hit sitcom “Friends” has been sold in 90% of the country for its third cycle. The off-net series will begin December 2013 and will be available for the first time in TrueHD. Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, has announced clearances in over 130 markets to date. Major groups renewing the program include Tribune Broadcasting, which will air the show on 15 of their major market stations including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and the Sinclair Broadcast Group which will run the show on 16 of its owned-and-operated stations including Pittsburgh, Raleigh, and Baltimore. Both of these groups have renewed the show through 2017. Additional groups include CBS, Raycom, Cox, Hearst, Meredith, Local TV, Titan, Nexstar, Grant, New Vision, Univision, Weigel, New Age, Gocom, Comcorp, Bonten, Venture Tech, Newport, and more. “We are thrilled by the response to the availability of ‘Friends’ third cycle. In five short weeks we have cleared 90% of the US. It is obvious from the station response that ‘Friends’ is one of those unique series that are the foundation of every station’s sitcom block today and for the foreseeable future,” said Werner. Consistently one of the top-ranked series worldwide, this smash-hit comedy offers a hilarious take on dating and working in the big city. Delve into the hearts and minds of six friends living in New York City as they explore the anxieties and absurdities of true adulthood. Even with marriage, pregnancy and career moves changing the group dynamic, they know they will always face the future together. As Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross realize, the search for happiness often seems to turn up more questions than answers. But while they look within for fulfillment, they also look out for one another during this exciting time when everything seems possible--as long as they’ve got Friends. “Friends” is a Bright/Kauffman/Crane Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. ###