In the latest steps of its planned revamp, Fit TV has put
nine new programs into production for its January relaunch, to be followed by two more
shows due in February and March.
Fox/Liberty Networks' Fit TV plans a mix that will offer
information, workouts and entertainment of interest primarily to women aged 18 to 49, Marc
Krigsman, the network's Los Angeles-based vice president of program production and
development, said last week.
Now labeled a lifestyle and fitness channel, the hitherto
self-described health and fitness network had targeted adults aged 25 to 54.
"Just fitness alone was too narrow a niche,"
Krigsman said. "We looked at women's magazines and saw that they have fitness as an
undertone," but each also adds its own spin to that, whether fashion, or career, or
family.
Fit Resort & Spa -- already dubbed its
"flagship program" -- will be a half-hour daily series with an additional hour
on the weekends. Repeating several times per day, this show will resemble such morning
network shows as NBC's Today, he said.
The show will feature experts not only in health and
fitness, but in beauty, fashion, cooking, travel and relationships.
Most shows will have a magazine format, such as Fitness
Adventures (on, for example, mountain climbing or white-water rafting). Every show
will run across all dayparts, with Yoga Zone perhaps running Monday, Wednesday and
Friday mornings, as well as Tuesday and Thursday evenings, he said.
Targeted for primetime, Fit on Location will be
"a 'lifestyles of the fit and famous,' and our version of [syndicated show] Access
Hollywood," Krigsman said. Future projects will be even more
entertainment-oriented than this crop, he added.
The lengthiest upcoming show is the one-hour Fitting It
In. Geared for working women, it will demonstrate how to prepare quick, nutritious
dinners, then segue into a workout.
Although he is still a partial owner, Jake Steinfeld no
longer plays a day-to-day role in programming Fit TV, Krigsman said. His Body by Jake
exercise shows will give way to PowerLivingby Jake, a weekly half-hour
inspired by his motivational book.
Fit TV has had infomercials as a spoke in its hourly wheel
format, but, Krigsman said, "Infomercials will not be as extensive as before,"
adding that they will be relegated to after midnight.
Krigsman did not offer an updated list of affiliates. In
addition to Fit TV's 12 million homes, he said, different programs will turn up on sister
networks FX and Fox Sports Network, just as the old FiT TV did with the old The Family
Channel.
