CBS Television Distribution's Jeff Probst is now the third talk show to be sold for next fall, with more than 55% of the country cleared, according to John Nogawski, president of CBS Television Distribution.
"Jeff's vision is to create a classic talk show with news-lead in ability. That's what the NBC stations were looking for," Nogawski said.
"I'm fascinated with people," Probst said in a statement. "And I love adventure. I can't wait to bring these two worlds together in daytime, and the added bonus is I get to continue with Survivor in primetime."
Probst is sold in two-year deals with a 10 ½ minutes of local advertising time and four minutes of national advertising time in each hour-long episode.
The NBC-Owned Television Stations comprise the show's key launch group, with WNBC New York, KNBC Los Angeles, WCAU Philadelphia, KXAS Dallas-Ft. Worth, KNTV San Francisco, WTVJ Miami, KNSD San Diego and WVIT Hartford all picking up the show. CTD is still finalizing deals for Probst in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Probst is sold in 16 of the top 20 markets, including on the CBS, Gannett, Post-Newsweek, Belo, Cox, Scripps and LIN station groups.
Probst will launch this fall along with Disney–ABC's Katie and NBCU's Steve Harvey. Twentieth's Ricki Lake also is expected to get the go-ahead, with a pending pick-up from Tribune and other broadcast groups. NBCU is still looking for major-market clearances for Trisha Goddard and Warner Bros. is doing the same for Bethenny Frankel.
On Tuesday, Warner Bros. announced that Anderson would return for its second season.
