WADL Detroit is preparing for its first upfront presentation Wednesday evening at the Rainbow Room in New York’s Rockefeller Center, during which it will announce that American Chopper, The Montel Williams Show, Cribs and Reno911, among others, will air on “Detroit’s Urban Station” come fall.
“I’ve picked shows that I like,” said WADL owner and CEO Kevin Adell, who will put Chopper, TLC’s series about the feisty motorcycle-making father-and-son team, on during primetime.
Relaunching last fall after a long run as a home shopping station, WADL airs a collection of vintage programs, such as Chappelle’s Show and Sanford and Son, which appeal to Detroit’s black community. Adell also owns religion-themed cable channel The Word.
Adell -- who’ll get presenting help from WADL president and general manager Lewis Gibbs and Montel Williams -- is seeking to increase WADL’s local programming through University of Detroit Mercy sports and said he’s in talks with former prizefighter Thomas Hearns about adding a regular boxing program to the lineup for fall.
The station also debuts Magnum P.I. July 24.
Adell credited the idea for a splashy upfront presentation to Petry Media chairman and CEO Earl Jones.
