The CW will expand to Saturday prime for the 2021-2022 season, making it a full seven-night-a-week network for the first time. In the fall, The CW will offer 14 hours of primetime series each week.
Affiliates currently program Saturday nights. The CW will return 3-4 p.m. ET/PT Monday-Friday to affiliates next season.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, The CW will air IHeartRadio Music Festival, with the fest’s second night airing Oct. 3.
The CW added Sunday nights in fall 2018.
Leading The CW’s efforts to expand were Betty Ellen Berlamino, executive VP, network distribution, and Ann Miyagi, senior VP and general counsel.
“As The CW expands and thrives, so do our affiliate partners, and everyone sees the tremendous value and the clear excitement behind the opportunity to brand and identify as a seven night network on both a national and local level,” said Berlamino. “The addition of more original programming to our Saturday primetime line-up coupled with our stations’ ability to now program the Monday through Friday daytime block is a win-win for all parties.”
Also Read: The CW Shares Summer 2021 Premieres
The CW shares its fall 2021 schedule May 25.
“Becoming a seven-night-a-week network has been a long-standing goal for everyone here at The CW, and in an extremely tight broadcast environment, the ability to expand our primetime by two more hours each week is a dynamic shift that will be gladly welcomed by our clients and the agencies,” said Rob Tuck, executive VP, national sales, The CW. “Following the recent industry trend which has seen considerable contraction on a linear basis, The CW will buck that trend this season by adding a new night of original programming, creating new opportunities for us going forward.”
