New York — Bravo, looking to
build on its continuing Nielsen
momentum, will add a fifth
night of original fare as it looks
to buttress its programming
base by 20% overall in 2010.
From a development perspective,
Bravo is engaged in continued
scripted work with Darren
Star (HBO’s Sex and the City) and
working toward a docuseries with
So You Think You Can Dance choreographer
Mia Michael.
The NBC Universal-owned service
also plans to jump into the
music genre for the first time with
a new competition series and is
developing an international food
competition series, Around the
World in 80 Plates (working title).
Frances Berwick, executive vice
president and general manager at
Bravo Media, pitched the changes
at an upfront presentation to advertisers
here on March 8.
Officials didn’t say which night
would be added for original fare, but
Bravo will likely push for Sundays,
TV’s most-viewed night, to complement
its current Monday-through-
Thursday offerings. It presents
movies on Friday and Saturday.
On the development slate,
scripted offerings include I’m Not
Myself These Days, from the novel
of the same name. With Darren
Star Productions behind it,
the series will track Josh, by day a
straight, married New York power
broker, by night a drag queen.
Room Service is a one-hour
dramedy at a high-end hotel that
offers clients the exclusive services
of a dream team of male escorts.
On the docuseries side, Bravo
will sashay with Emmy-winning
Mia Michaels in a series navigating
the choreographer through
the world of professional dance.
Bravo’s first venture into the
music world will come in the
form of Hitmakers, an elimination
competition featuring undiscovered
singer-songwriters, talented
newcomers and special guest
stars performing their work.
Bravo also picked up four
shows: the latest installment of
its The Real Housewives franchise,
this time in Beverly Hills; Miami
Social Club, orbiting that city’s social
elite; Million Dollar Decorators,
tracking high-end decorators
in L.A.; and Pregnant in Heels, centering
on Rosie Pope, the founder
of Rosie Pope Maternity.
Four skeins got renewed: The
Fashion Show, Million Dollar Listing,
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
and Tabatha’s Salon Makeover.
All of Bravo’s shows are being
shot in high-definition.
The upscale network, which
claimed 19% ad sales growth in
2009, also plans to host weekly
live virtual viewing parties — now
called the “Bravo Talk Bubble”
— starting March 25 during episodes
of The Real Housewives of
New York City.
