Nearly one year after its launch, Scripps Networks' latest lifestyle entry,
Fine Living, is getting a distribution boost, inking a carriage pact with the
largest cable operator.
Comcast Corp. has signed on to distribute Fine Living to its subscribers beginning
with an upcoming rollout in Philadelphia.
With AT&T Broadband's systems, Comcast will count about 20 million
subscribers, but Fine Living will reach a smaller number on a digital tier.
Fine Living president Ken Solomon unveiled his newest deal Monday to TV
critics gathered at the twice-annual Television Critics Association tour in Los Angeles. It
was the first time the channel -- which Solomon called the "New Year's resolution"
network for its inspirational and lifestyle programming -- has presented at TCA.
Fine Living's latest programming offerings include Sheila Bridges:
Designer Living, a home-decorating show with young design phenom Sheila
Bridges, which premieres Jan. 28; and Tricks of the Trade, a guide to
getting the best deals on travel and equipment, which debuts Jan. 27. The
network also unveiled plans for weekly Sunday-night specials.
Also Monday at the TCA tour, TechTV made its press-tour debut, displaying
its new lifestyle and entertainment focus, which chief operating officer Joe Gillespie said was
partly Scripps-inspired.
"Food Network and HGTV [Home & Garden Television] are not just about lifestyle -- they serve as a launch
pad to define a brand," Gillespie said. "They have taken food and gardening to a
new level."
TechTV ditched most of its news programming in the past year in favor of
technology-related shows like its latest offerings -- Wired for Sex, a look
at the technology behind sex, pornography and fertility; and Spy School,
investigating the top secrets of espionage. Both series will bow in the second
quarter.
The network recently welcomed animated series Anime Unleashed to its schedule
as a weekday strip and Friday-night movie franchise. The series displays the
latest in Japanese animation.
As for news and information shows, TechTV still has its Tech Live franchise,
which has morphed into a prime time newsmagazine, as well as how-to shows on gadgets
and even a gaming show, Extended Play.
TechTV's Nielsen Media Research ratings, however, are still nascent, hovering around a 0.1
in total day, while its distribution has steadily grown to nearly 40 million
subscribers.
