Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Renews “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” On The NBC Local Media Television Stations In Multiyear Deal
(February 10, 2010 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) has renewed Telepictures Productions’ Emmy® Award–winning talk program “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for three additional seasons on the owned-and-operated television stations of the NBC Local Media Division. The joint announcement was made today by Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, and John Wallace, President, NBC Local Media Division.
“Ellen is one of those unique personalities that comes along once in a generation,” said Werner. “Her program has been embraced by viewers as their generation’s talk franchise, and we couldn’t be happier that the NBC stations will continue to have ‘Ellen’ as the cornerstone of their syndicated lineup for years to come.”
Ellen DeGeneres said, “I’m so excited to sign on for three more years at NBC. They were the ones that believed in my show from day one. So, I’m thrilled to know I’ll be here ’til at least 2014. Things will be a lot different by then. I won’t be dancing over my coffee table anymore. Through the magic of 3-D, I’ll be dancing over YOURS!”
Under terms of the multiyear deal, “Ellen” will continue to be broadcast on NBC’s 10 owned-and-operated stations – including WNBC-TV in New York, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles and WMAQ-TV in Chicago – through the end of the 2013–2014 television season. The agreement furthers a long-standing relationship between WBDTD and NBC on behalf of “Ellen,” which launched on the NBC-owned stations in September 2003 and had been previously renewed through 2010–2011. The three-year extension will take “Ellen” through its 11th season on the air.
“Ellen is a singular talent who has the rare ability to truly connect and engage with the audience,” said Wallace. “Her show has been the foundation of our programming schedule since its launch, and we’re thrilled that ‘Ellen’ will remain with our stations for many years to come.”
“We are excited to be extending our relationship with NBC, who have been great partners for ‘Ellen’ and Telepictures over the last seven years,” said Hilary Estey McLoughlin, President, Telepictures Productions. “Ellen is a true icon, a brilliant and beloved personality who has universally connected with the audience, and we look forward to her continued ratings growth.”
Currently in its seventh season, “Ellen” ranks as the #2 talk show (tied) in syndication among the key talk demographic of Women 25–54, behind only “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Season to date, “Ellen” posts yearly gains among Households and all Women demos versus the same time frame from last year: 2.3 Household rating is up +5% from 2.2, Women 25–54 rating of 1.6 is up +14% from 1.4, Women 18–49 rating of 1.4 is up +17% from 1.2, and Women 18–34 rating of 1.2 is up +20% from 1.0. (Source: Live + SD AA Ratings, Premiere–02/01/09 vs. Premiere–01/31/10)
About “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is the only talk show in the history of the Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Awards to win four consecutive awards for Outstanding Talk Show in its first four seasons (2004–2007), and it also won the Outstanding Talk Show Host Emmy® for four years in a row (2005–2008). “Ellen” has now earned a total of 29 Daytime Emmys® in its first six complete seasons on the air. Originating from a state of the art digital production facility on the Warner Bros. Studios lot in Burbank, Calif., “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is produced by A Very Good Production and WAD Productions, Inc. in association with Telepictures Productions, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. DeGeneres, Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin, Andy Lassner and Jim Paratore are the executive producers. For more information, please log on to www.ellentv.com.
About Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) is one of the leading suppliers of entertainment programming to the domestic television marketplace, distributing first-run syndicated series, off-network television programs and theatrical motion pictures to local broadcast television stations, as well as to pay, cable, satellite and broadcast networks throughout the U.S. WBDTD handles the domestic distribution of television series produced by Warner Bros. Television, Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Horizon Television; selected HBO Independent Productions and the Lorimar Television library; current feature films from Warner Bros. Pictures; and the Studio’s unmatched motion picture library. For more information about WBDTD and its programming, please log on to www.wbdtd.com.
About NBC Local Media
NBC Local Media is comprised of 10 NBC owned-and-operated television stations reaching 27% of U.S. TV households; the NBC Everywhere operation focusing on the growing Out of Home digital market; LX.TV, a content production company that produces lifestyle and cultural programming; and Skycastle Entertainment, an award-winning entertainment marketing and promotion company. Together, the NBC Local Media properties distribute NBC Universal content and produce local content for broadcast television, broadband networks, digital channels and numerous media outlets outside of the home. NBC Local Media is a division of NBC Universal.
About Telepictures Productions
For the 2009–10 season, Telepictures Productions – an industry-leading and Emmy® Award–winning producer of syndicated programming (having garnered 59 Emmys® in 13 years, including Outstanding Talk Show/Talk Show Host for 11 of the last 13 years) – is producing eight first-run strips. The slate includes the seventh season of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the second season of “The Bonnie Hunt Show,” the third season of “TMZ,” the fifth season of the Emmy® Award–winning “The Tyra Show,” the 11th season of the hourlong court series “Judge Mathis,” the 26th season of “The People’s Court,” the 16th season of the pop culture news magazine “Extra” and the second season of “Judge Jeanine Pirro.” Additionally, Telepictures produces George Lopez’s new late-night talk show, “Lopez Tonight,” airing Mondays–Fridays at 11 p.m. on TBS. Telepictures is also focused on expanding in the broadband and wireless content landscape, launching Momlogic.com, an online destination and cross-platform advertising network created as the ultimate lifestyle and parenting community for women with children. Telepictures has also teamed up with Time Inc.’s Essence Communications on a cross-divisional collaboration to launch Essence.com as the premier online destination for African-American women. # # #