New York -- In some unusual program switches, Nick at Nite
and TV Land will add more vintage sitcoms and series to their lineups this summer, while
Nickelodeon has joined the growing bevy of cable networks doing made-for-TV movies.
At a recent upfront presentation here, Nick at Nite
officials said they will bring three shows from the 1970s to their schedule during the
coming year: WKRP in Cincinnati, All in the Family and Three's
Company.
All in the Family is actually moving to Nick at Nite
from its spinoff, TV Land -- the first time such a migration has taken place. A Nick at
Nite/TV Land spokesman said Nick at Nite plans to air All in the Family in a 10
p.m. block with The Jeffersons.
And in another twist, Nick at Nite is paying an estimated
$25 million for Three's Company --the second-highest price the network
has ever paid for a show. Its most pricey acquisition to date has been Cheers,for
which it shelled out a reported $70 million.
In another program switcheroo, TV Land has landed The
Andy Griffith Show, which is moving off TBS Superstation's lineup,as one
of its new shows.
Aside from Andy Griffith, TV Land has acquired five
other classic TV series that it will begin adding to its lineup in August, rolling them
out through January 2000.
Maude will be the first to debut this summer, followed
in January by Andy Griffith, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Honeymooners, The
Beverly Hillbillies and The A-Team.
In other news,Nickelodeon is now jumping on the
original-movie bandwagon, with plans to produce one-dozen made-for-TV movies per year.
Nick will join a growing contingent of cable networks
producing original movies, including Home Box Office, Showtime, Turner Network Television,
TBS, VH1, FX, Fox Family Channel, A&E Network and Black Entertainment Television.
Univision announced similar plans to produce original telepics earlier this month.
Nick has been spurred to expand into original, 90-minute,
made-for-TV movies based on the success of its theatrical hit Rugrats movie, which
grossed $100 million at the box office.
Nick's made-for-TV movies will also in great part be
expanded versions of its series. The first one is based on Nick show The Journey of
Allen Strange.
