Buena Vista Television's My Wife and Kids is selling fast, with the
show cleared in 25 markets, including 15 of the top 20, and more than 45 percent
of the country for a fall-2005 launch, president Janice Marinelli said.
Major station groups Tribune Broadcasting, Paramount Television and Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. have all cleared the
show.
"The key reasons for our success in selling this show and how it's been
received in the marketplace is that it is broad in appeal, although it has
tremendous strength in the adult 18-through-49 demographic," Marinelli said. "It
also has a very charismatic male lead in Damon Wayans, coupled with a great
ensemble cast."
My Wife and Kids launched on ABC in midseason 2000, so Buena Vista will
have four-and-a-half seasons in the can when it goes to launch.
Buena Vista has several more off-net launches planned after My Wife
and Kids -- including Touchstone Television-produced Scrubs in either
fall 2005 or 2006; According to Jim in fall 2006; and 8 Simple
Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Less than Perfect and Life with Bonnie in fall 2007 --
assuming all three of ABC's rookie comedies make it through the four seasons
needed to get to syndication.
