TBS Superstation is rescheduling two of its most popular franchises next
month with an eye toward giving each a better chance to become appointment
viewing, according to vice president of programming Bill Cox.
'Dinner & A Movie,' now in its seventh season on the network, will move
to Monday evenings from Friday nights beginning Nov. 12.
The 'Movies for Guys Who Like Movies' franchise, hosted by Rick Schwartz,
will be seen on Tuesday nights beginning Nov. 13, as well as in its current slot
on Thursdays, following 'The Man Made Movie' franchise, through the end of the
year. Thereafter, Movies for Guys Who Like Movies will air only on Tuesdays,
immediately following TBS NBA Tuesday.
'Dinner & A Movie has been a great persona for us,' Cox said. 'We will
have some people who won't like us moving Dinner & A Movie, but I think it
will be easy for them to find it on Monday nights, and even if we lose a few
people, I think we stand to gain many more.'
Dinner & A Movie has been No. 1 in its 10 p.m. time slot on Fridays among
adults and women 18 through 49. Likewise, Movies for Guys is basic cable's No. 1
show in its 10 p.m. time period Thursdays with men 18 through 49 and 25 through
54, according to Turner executives.
'Once you get to Braves baseball in the second and third quarters, 20 out of
26 weeks, [Dinner & A Movie] is pre-empted by a sports event,' Cox said.
'That's an enormous amount of pre-empting. On Mondays, we do not carry Braves
baseball.'
TBS executives hope the moves will create appointment viewing for each of the
franchises. Monday nights also have a higher number of households using
television.
'Out of a 52-week schedule, you are going to get Dinner & A Movie42 weeks, and Mondays offer us an opportunity to reach more people,' he
added.
