The Heritage Networks has picked up the barter sales rights for Paramount
Domestic Television's The Parkers and Resurrection Blvd. for
fall 2003, the syndicator said.
Urban sitcom The Parkers is in its fourth season on UPN, while Latino
drama Resurrection Blvd. aired on premium-cable channel Showtime.
"The Parkers ensures THN that advertisers will continue to have the
opportunity to be in high-quality shows with off-the-chart ratings against
African-American and youth audiences," THN president and CEO Frank Mercado-Valdes said. "Resurrection Blvd., the first-ever English-language Latino drama, will serve as the launching pad for Latino
Heritage Network and will be the only show of its kind in all of syndication."
THNis a New York-based syndicator of ethnic and urban TV
programming, producing shows such as Livin' Large, Weekend Vibe
and Showtime at the Apollo.
Meanwhile, THN's Weekend Vibe -- a weekly syndicated
magazine series produced in partnership with Vibe magazine -- has been
growing among African-American audiences, particularly among men 18 through 34
and 18 through 49.
"With a strong lineup of very happy advertisers and a series that targets
the young urban audience like no other, we are looking forward to a long and
healthy run," Mercado-Valdes said.
Among African-American men 18 through 34, the show has grown from a 1.5
average rating to a 2.6 in the fourth quarter.
Among African-American men 18 through 49, the show has grown from a 1.6 to a
2.4 in the fourth quarter.
Among African-American women 18 through 34, the show averaged a 3.2 in the
fourth quarter, and it averaged a 3.0 among African-American women 18 through
49.
Advertisers on Weekend Vibe include The Coca-Cola Co., American Honda Motor Co. Inc., AT&T Corp., the
U.S. Air Force, McDonald's Corp., K-Swiss Inc., Nike, PepsiCo Inc. and Mars Inc.'s Masterfoods.
Weekend Vibe airs on stations covering 80 percent of U.S. homes and 95
percent of African-American homes.
